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Chapter Seventeen
Mrs. MacLean and Liam stood at Angus’ bedside as dawn was breaking through the room windows. Mrs. MacLean was holding tightly to Liam’s arm. Angus laid shirtless, covered over with a light sheet. His face was covered in a light sheen of sweat, and he was grasping onto the bedclothes tightly, his knuckles white. His face was scrunched up in pain as he writhed, unconscious of his movements. “Liam, we need to bring Charlotte here. She is the only healer for miles, and the best one for the job.” She paused. “He has also been calling for the lass. I think ‘twould help him tae get well if she was by his side.”
Liam nodded, his face grim. He had just returned the last evening, his boat heavy-laden with building materials and the fresh kill that they had acquired in a quick hunt. His eyes were heavy with fatigue, but he agreed. He hadn’t realized that the dark mood that had surrounded Angus of late was actually an illness taking hold. He had never seen either of the MacLean men abed like this with a sickness. Calum had gone into a deep depression for years after his former wife left, but it had never made him look like this as if he was on death’s door.
“I shall go and fetch her. Let us hope her father allows her tae come.”
Mrs. MacLean nodded to Liam and then turned back to Angus’ bed once he left, her eyes welling with tears.
“Ye must pull through, lad. She loves ye, as ye do her. I can see it. I wouldnae want ye tae miss out on a world of happiness.”
* * *
Angus could hear voices, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. It was like they were swimming around in his brain as he laid in the middle of sleeping and waking, and he felt warm and light yet also weak. He could feel life ebbing away from him as he slept, but the flashes of Charlotte’s face in his mind’s eye helped him to hold on. He needed to see her again. He had to tell her everything that he didn’t say when she was here. He called for her as much as he could, hoping that one of the times he called, she would come, and he would feel her hand slip into his. He had dreamed it so many times.
Then, it came to him. He saw himself taking her in his arms about to kiss her, but the vision dissolved, and he was left alone once more. He had no concept of minutes or hours. Each moment seemed the same as the next as his mind burned like fire, and his limbs laid weakly upon the bed. He called out her name again in the void, wishing for her return, but he couldn’t tell if it was his own voice or simply the call of his heart as he festered in this land between life and death. Just then, light entered his mind, and he saw Charlotte’s face once more before him, her mouth moving. She was speaking to him.
He called her name again. It was the most real vision he had seen of her since he’d fallen ill. He reached for her. What if she had truly come and this was his chance to tell her…tell her what? That he craved her? That his soul was lost without her? That he loved her with a passion that he could not yet fully understand?
“Charlotte, I…” he rasped.
Then, he felt a pair of soft fingers upon his lips, and the angelic voice of Charlotte Andrews saying, “Be still, Angus. Sleep. I am here.”
With a sigh of relief, he descended into welcome oblivion.
* * *
Charlotte and Elizabeth walked briskly, their cloaks over their arms through the clump of trees towards the shoreline. They hoped to meet with Seamus once they arrived to let him know of their plan. It had been a hellish time to try and orchestrate their departure. Elizabeth had had to distract the housekeeper with a story of Charlotte’s illness as Charlotte slipped out a back door and waited in a cluster of trees for Elizabeth to join her.
Elizabeth had arrived, breathless, searching for Charlotte. Once she found her, she shook her head at her and tried to catch her breath. “I have never done anything so scary in my entire life. Charlotte Andrews, you have changed me. I barely recognize myself!” She clutched a hand to her chest. “My heart is about to burst forth! I thought I would melt to the ground with nerves!”
Charlotte took hold of Elizabeth’s arm and pulled her towards their destination. “The point is that you did not, my friend. You are much stronger than you think you are. You will see. Welcome to Scotland, where adventure and danger always seem to be right around the corner.” She thought briefly of the bearded man who had nearly stolen her virginity on the Isle, and it frightened her for a moment, making her look around to be sure that no men lurked in hiding for them.
“Now, let’s hope that Seamus is at hand or even Liam,” she muttered under her breath. If no one was there, then their plan was lost. But they could wait around to see if anyone would show up. If any soldiers spotted them, they could play innocent, as if they were simply enjoying the late morning sunshine.
They arrived, and Charlotte whispered thanks to God when she saw Seamus scrubbing out a boat that lingered on the shore. Another boat sat empty, not too far away. “Seamus!” she called, and the young boy looked up, confused, but then his expression turned into a smile. “Mistress Andrews, Mistress Darling! What brings ye here?”
Charlotte had done the best to be kind to the young boy since her arrival at the Fort. It appeared he had no real family, and he carried himself with such an independent air that she had a feeling he was taking care of himself. He was hardly 15 or 16 years old. Charlotte smiled back. “Seamus, I wondered if you might do us a favor. We would pay you for your service, of course. We would like to get across the Sound to the Isle of Mull right away. There is someone there we wish to see.”
Seamus scratched his head. “Ye wish tae see the MacLeans?”
“That we do.” Charlotte scrambled for an excuse that would please him and help protect him from Lord Darling’s wrath if he was to ever find out about Seamus’ assistance. “You remember the vegetables we sent? I need to help distribute them to make sure that everyone gets their fair share. ‘Tis my gift, after all.”
Seamus grinned once more and nodded his head. “Nae problem, Mistress. I can help ye. I wouldnae mind getting a few more treats from that Mrs. MacLean. But I’m afraid the inside of the boat is all wet and soapy. Since I’ve begun doing errands for the Fort, yer father asked that I clean out the boat so that I can take soldiers and officers tae different parts and nae dirty their pantaloons.” He sniggered, and the two girls laughed with him.
“Hmm…” Charlotte peered into the boat, wondering if it would be acceptable when she heard her name from behind her. She turned around to see Liam, his gleeful look from the other day now gone.
“Mistress, Charlotte, I’ve come tae find ye. At the Fort, they told me ye were too ill tae come tae see me.” He looked tired, and she could tell he was by the way he smiled weakly at a nervous Elizabeth.
Charlotte felt a pang of dread. “What is it, Liam? Has something happened?”
He shook his head. “Aye, but I didnae realize it has been going on for a bit now. It’s Angus.”
Charlotte’s chest tightened, and her face went pale. She clasped Elizabeth tightly as she waited for Liam to continue.
“He has taken ill. He fell when he was trying to deliver the vegetables. He had been getting weak and tired in the past few days. I didnae realize. I thought ‘twas a dark mood brought on by the busyness of the clan and yer departure. But he has a strong fever. He is sweating, and he…he calls for ye, Mistress.”
Elizabeth glanced at Charlotte, and Charlotte stammered, “He calls for me?”
