“But why …?” Ewan’s voice trailed off, and he looked up at his most trusted men and his brothers. “The arrow. The arrow wasn’t intended for Mairin at all. It was meant for me.”
“Jesu,” Alaric said in agitation. “Someone is trying to kill you, Ewan. Not Mairin.”
“It makes more sense,” Caelen said grimly. “No one gains if Mairin dies. That’s not the case if Ewan dies and leaves Mairin without a husband and without child.”
“Cameron is behind this and somehow, someway he’s infiltrated our clan. Someone here is doing his bidding. Twice he’s tried to kill me and twice Mairin has nearly died as a result.” Ewan’s fist met the table with a sickening crack as he snarled out the realization.
“Aye, but who?” Alaric asked.
“That’s what we must find out,” Ewan said. “And until we do, Mairin must be watched closely at all times. I won’t have her injured by another attempt on my life.”
CHAPTER 28
Harsh shouting interrupted Mairin’s nice, hazy dream. She couldn’t be sure it was a dream, but it was all nice and floaty and she wasn’t feeling any pain. She much preferred the nice, quiet float over the alternative.
Then she found herself being shaken until her brain seemed to rattle inside her head. The pain was back and she heard Ewan’s voice.
Oh, but the man did love to roar. He seemed to enjoy a good lecture, particularly when it was aimed at her.
“You are the most disobedient lass I’ve ever had the misfortune to meet,” Ewan snarled. “I order you not to die and you’re determined that you’ll do just that. You’re not the lioness who championed my son. She would never give up as you’re giving up.”
Mairin frowned at his insult. It was just like him to act so shamefully when she was sick and dying. He acted as though she’d done it apurpose.
She heard him chuckle.
“Nay, lass, you might well be sick, but you’re not dying. You’re going to obey me this time or, as God as my witness, I’m going to turn you over my knee.”
She glared, or at least she thought she did. The room still seemed incredibly dark to her, and her eyelids felt like someone had laid stones over them. Sudden panic hit her. Maybe they were preparing her for burial. Didn’t they put stones over the eyes of the dead to keep them closed? Or was that coins? Either way, she didn’t want to die.
“Shh, lass,” Ewan soothed. “Open your eyes. You can do it for me. No one is burying you, I swear it. Open your eyes and look at me. Let me see those beautiful blue eyes.”
It took all her might but she managed to crack her eyelids. She winced as sunlight speared through her head, and she promptly snapped her eyes shut again height="0em">
“Cover the window,” Ewan barked.
Mairin frowned. Who was he talking to? It was getting to be a regular occurrence for them to have visitors to their chamber.
She heard a chuckle and she opened her eyes only to see a fuzzy shape that resembled Ewan. She blinked rapidly and then looked beyond him to see Alaric and Caelen in front of the now covered window.
“ ’Tis good you returned home when you did, Alaric. Ewan would need you for the funeral.”
Alaric frowned. “Whose funeral, lass?”
“Mine,” she said.
She tried to lift her head but soon discovered that she was as weak as a newborn kitten.
Caelen laughed and Mairin turned to offer him a frown of displeasure.
She sniffed. “ ’Tis not a laughing matter. Ewan would be most displeased if I died.”
“Which is precisely why you aren’t going to do anything of the sort,” Ewan drawled.
She turned her head to look at Ewan again and was startled to see him look so … haggard. His hair was unkempt, his eyes were red, and he had what looked to be several days’ worth of beard growth on his jaw.
“I am ever obedient, husband. If you command me not to die, then I will of course not deny your wish.”
Ewan grinned and as he looked down at her she saw such relief in his eyes that her breath caught in her throat.
“ ’Tis a sin to lie, wife, but ’tis God’s truth that I don’t think He or I will mind this one untruth.”
She hmmphed. “I try to be obedient.”
“Aye, lass, I did command you not to die, and it was very accommodating of you to obey me this once. I’m so pleased that I might consider not shouting at you the next time you see fit not to obey me.”
“The both of you are daft,” Caelen grumbled.
Alaric moved closer to the bed and reached to squeeze her hand. “Welcome back to the land of the living, little sister. You gave us all quite a scare.”
She laid her other hand over her stomach. “I feel no pain. ’Tis quite odd, really, but I’m hungry.”
Ewan laughed and then leaned down and pressed his lips against her forehead for the longest time. He trembled against her skin and smoothed his hand over her hair as he slowly drew away.
“You should be near to starving, lass. You’ve been abed three days and you emptied the contents of your stomach on day one.”
“Three days?” She was appalled. Utterly appalled.
“Aye, lass, three days.” His tone grew more serious and the lines reappeared in his face. He looked … tired.
She reached up to trace the lines at his brow and then let her fingers fall to his cheek. “You look tired, husband. I’m thinking you need a bath and a shave and then a long rest.”
He cupped his hand over hers, trapping it against his cheek. Then he turned his mouth inward and kissed her palm.
“Now that you’re awake, I will indeed sleep. But don’t be thinking that just because you’ve awakened that you’ll be scurrying all over the keep. You’ll stay abed until I say you can get up and not a moment before.”
She gave him a look of disgust but held her tongue. It wouldn’t do to start an argument with him the moment she awoke. After all, she could be accommodating on occasion.
Ewan laughed. “Aye, lass, it would appear that on occasion you can be very accommodating.”
“I really must learn to control my tongue better,” she muttered. “I can’t go about blurting out my every thought. Mother Serenity said I’d rue the day I ever began such a terrible habit. I’m thinking she has the right of it.”
Ewan leaned down and kissed her again. “I’m thinking your tongue is perfect.”
Both Caelen and Alaric laughed and Mairin was scandalized. “Ewan!”
Mortification tightened her cheeks and she yanked the blankets up to cover her head. Ewan joined in their laughter while she huddled there wishing the floor would open up and take them all.
Ewan eventually shooed everyone from their chamber and then ordered food brought up to them both. He sampled every bite of food himself before he passed it along to her.
In truth, it scared her spitless. She didn’t want him to die for her and she told him so.
He didn’t look impressed with her concern. “ ’Tis my duty to watch over you, lass.”
“And a fine job you’ll do if you die in the process,” she grumbled.
After they ate, she lay back on the pillow and closed her eyes. She really was quite weak, and it was the truth that the food didn’t settle all that well in her stomach. After three days of not eating, she supposed it was only natural.
She started when she heard the door open, and a parade of serving women came into the chamber bearing pails of hot water.
“I thought you might like a hot bath,” Ewan said.