Highland Love Song (DeWinter's Song 2) by Constance O'Banyon

tear strips of linen.
    Arrian moved forward with dread in her heart. Lady Mary was pale, and her eyes were closed. Arrian reached out to touch her, but Barra put a restraining hand on her arm.
    "Have a care, m'lady," Barra said in clearer English than that spoken by her mother. "Her leg's broken, and it's bad. I was about to set it when you came."
    Arrian felt tears well in her eyes when she softly touched her aunt's cheek, noting the bluish bruise on her forehead and several deep wounds. She turned pleading eyes to the housekeeper's daughter.
    "Why is she unconscious?"
    "It's a blessing she's not conscious, m'lady."
    "Please help her."
    "I'll do all I can, m'lady."
    "Have you a doctor?"
    "No, m'lady. Not within two days' ride. But even if we could get word to him, he couldn't come in this storm."
    Feeling the panic rising in the young girl, Barra spoke with assurance. "I know some about healing, m'lady. I'll give what comfort I can to your aunt." She pulled back the bed clothes to expose Lady Mary's leg. "It must be set without delay if you'll trust me to do it."
    Arrian gasped when she saw that her aunt's leg was discolored and swollen. Summoning her courage, she threw off the fur robe she was wearing, no longer mindful of the cold. "Tell me how I can help."
    "If you'll just hold the candle, I'll do what needs doing."
    Arrian swallowed the sickness that swelled in her throat. She had been protected and sheltered all her life, never having had to face such a difficult, heart-wrenching situation. Closing her eyes, she drew in a deep breath. Aunt Mary needed her, and she had to be strong. She watched as the woman grasped her aunt's knee and foot. There was a quick jerk, and she heard a soft snap.
    Arrian fought against the dizziness that threatened to overcome her. I won't faint, she told herself, I won't!
    Barra placed a smooth, narrow board under Lady Mary's leg and bound it with clean white linen. "That's all I can do for her. We'll need to keep her warm, and she'll need watching tonight."
    Arrian gently brushed a white curl from her aunt's forehead. "Will she . . . recover?"
    "I don't know about head wounds, m'lady. And the leg's bad. We'll have to wait and see. I'll just build up the fire and bring you something nice and hot to eat. I'll send someone for the doctor, though it could take days for him to arrive."
    Arrian sat in the chair beside her aunt's bed, clutching her hand and trying not to give in to fear. "Dearest Aunt Mary," she whispered in a trembling voice. "You will be all right—you just have to be."
     
    Somewhere a clock chimed eleven. The candle had burned low, and still Lady Mary had not awakened. Arrian heard voices in the corridor and jumped to her feet as Barra entered, accompanied by a gray-haired man.
    "We're fortunate, m'lady. My son discovered that the doctor was visiting his daughter in the village, and he agreed to look in on your aunt."
    With a stiff professional manner, the doctor moved toward the patient. It seemed to Arrian that it took him an eternity to unwrap and examine her aunt's leg. He gave a nod of satisfaction at the housekeeper's daughter. "Well, Barra, you did as well as I could have done under the circumstances."
    He then proceeded to examine each of Lady Mary's limbs. Next he gently touched the bluish swelling on her forehead. He leaned closer to lift her eyelids and look at her pupils.
    Arrian clasped her hands tightly. "How is she?"
    The doctor noticed Arrian for the first time and gave a quick nod. "Folks hereabouts call me Dr. Edmondson. Is this your ma?"
    "No. She's my aunt. Can you help her?"
    "She's had a severe blow to the head, and it's always hard to tell with this kind of injury. Sometimes all we can do is wait and see. As for her leg, it's a bad fracture, and it doesn't look good. If only we could get her to Edinburgh where the doctors know about such injury."
    Her heart skipped a beat. "What are you saying?"
    "I'm saying that she may be crippled or even lose her leg