fault and I donna want ye blaming yourself,” he said softly.
She nodded and looked away from him.
They passed two chambermaids in the hall and his eyes widened. One maid mumbled something he could not quite hear under her breath, while the other clearly made a dramatic attempt to step out of their path. The healer was still deep in thought and did not pay the women any heed.
As they reached the healer’s chamber, a loud gasp escaped her. Her eyes shot up in surprise and she scrunched her features.
“What is that smell ?” asked Declan as a pungent aroma filled the air.
Her door was ajar, the putrid scent coming from within.
He pushed open the door and immediately covered his mouth and took a leap back. “God’s teeth! It smells as though someone has surely died,” he choked out.
Reluctantly entering the lass’s chamber, Declan glanced around. The room had been ransacked, with clothes, books, and some kind of herbs thrown in disarray. Cut-up plants were tossed all over the floor and the bed.
She followed him in. “’Tis carrion flowers. Why would someone do this?” she asked, covering her mouth and nose with her hand.
That was a reasonable question, but not one he wanted to contemplate while in the middle of the rancid odor. Damn! That was the foulest stench he had ever encountered. “Try to grab whatever ’tis ye need for this eve with much haste.”
The lass did not hesitate. Her belongings were tossed about, but she quickly gathered what she needed, making a mad dash to the door.
Declan did not need prodding to follow. As if his arse were afire, he shot through the door, pulling it closed with haste behind him. They both walked with purposeful strides to the end of the hall. “Breathe,” he ordered.
Her breath was uneven. “’Tis truly terrible. My eyes even weep,” she said, rubbing her eyes and blinking back the tears. “I donna understand. I donna know if I should be frightened or verra angry. Why do ye think someone would do this to me?”
There had been something odd about the behavior of the two maids in the hall, and an unsettling feeling gnawed in his gut. But he wasn’t about to cause the lass more worry. Until he knew for certain, he would keep such things to himself. “Whatever the reason, ye cannae stay in your chamber this eve. Do ye have a woman ye can stay with?”
“I suppose I could stay with my maid.”
He folded his arms over his chest. “With a bunch of feeble lasses? Aye, they would certainly offer ye protection. Ye are a lady and cannae share quarters with the maids. Ye donna know of another woman?”
“Umm…I havenae actually attempted to make an acquaintance of any of these women at court, lest ye count Lady Elizabeth or Lady Caroline. Frankly, I donna believe I would wish to stay with either.”
“Then we can take our leave to the inn.”
Her voice rose in surprise. “I am a ward of the court. Are ye going to interrupt His Majesty and ask permission to escort me to an inn because some daft fool ransacked my chamber? The king would place me under constant guard. I would be—?”
“I cannae say that I blame ye.” Hesitating, Declan knew he could not leave her unattended. He wouldn’t leave her to sleep with the maids and pray they could fend off an attacker with a broom. And he most certainly did not want to alert the king. No matter that he had left her once before; he would not fail her again. The lass was his responsibility. Just this once…he would have to break his most sacred rule.
God help him.
He did not make this decision lightly. “We have nay choice. I will pay someone extra coin to clean your chamber and make certain they keep their mouth closed. And ye will stay with me.”
Her eyes widened with shock. “Och, nay, MacGregor. ’Tisnae proper,” she said firmly.
Closing the distance between them, he cast a roguish grin. “What is the matter, healer? Ye donna trust me?”
***
How was Liadain to say that she did not trust herself?
She nodded and looked away from him.
They passed two chambermaids in the hall and his eyes widened. One maid mumbled something he could not quite hear under her breath, while the other clearly made a dramatic attempt to step out of their path. The healer was still deep in thought and did not pay the women any heed.
As they reached the healer’s chamber, a loud gasp escaped her. Her eyes shot up in surprise and she scrunched her features.
“What is that smell ?” asked Declan as a pungent aroma filled the air.
Her door was ajar, the putrid scent coming from within.
He pushed open the door and immediately covered his mouth and took a leap back. “God’s teeth! It smells as though someone has surely died,” he choked out.
Reluctantly entering the lass’s chamber, Declan glanced around. The room had been ransacked, with clothes, books, and some kind of herbs thrown in disarray. Cut-up plants were tossed all over the floor and the bed.
She followed him in. “’Tis carrion flowers. Why would someone do this?” she asked, covering her mouth and nose with her hand.
That was a reasonable question, but not one he wanted to contemplate while in the middle of the rancid odor. Damn! That was the foulest stench he had ever encountered. “Try to grab whatever ’tis ye need for this eve with much haste.”
The lass did not hesitate. Her belongings were tossed about, but she quickly gathered what she needed, making a mad dash to the door.
Declan did not need prodding to follow. As if his arse were afire, he shot through the door, pulling it closed with haste behind him. They both walked with purposeful strides to the end of the hall. “Breathe,” he ordered.
Her breath was uneven. “’Tis truly terrible. My eyes even weep,” she said, rubbing her eyes and blinking back the tears. “I donna understand. I donna know if I should be frightened or verra angry. Why do ye think someone would do this to me?”
There had been something odd about the behavior of the two maids in the hall, and an unsettling feeling gnawed in his gut. But he wasn’t about to cause the lass more worry. Until he knew for certain, he would keep such things to himself. “Whatever the reason, ye cannae stay in your chamber this eve. Do ye have a woman ye can stay with?”
“I suppose I could stay with my maid.”
He folded his arms over his chest. “With a bunch of feeble lasses? Aye, they would certainly offer ye protection. Ye are a lady and cannae share quarters with the maids. Ye donna know of another woman?”
“Umm…I havenae actually attempted to make an acquaintance of any of these women at court, lest ye count Lady Elizabeth or Lady Caroline. Frankly, I donna believe I would wish to stay with either.”
“Then we can take our leave to the inn.”
Her voice rose in surprise. “I am a ward of the court. Are ye going to interrupt His Majesty and ask permission to escort me to an inn because some daft fool ransacked my chamber? The king would place me under constant guard. I would be—?”
“I cannae say that I blame ye.” Hesitating, Declan knew he could not leave her unattended. He wouldn’t leave her to sleep with the maids and pray they could fend off an attacker with a broom. And he most certainly did not want to alert the king. No matter that he had left her once before; he would not fail her again. The lass was his responsibility. Just this once…he would have to break his most sacred rule.
God help him.
He did not make this decision lightly. “We have nay choice. I will pay someone extra coin to clean your chamber and make certain they keep their mouth closed. And ye will stay with me.”
Her eyes widened with shock. “Och, nay, MacGregor. ’Tisnae proper,” she said firmly.
Closing the distance between them, he cast a roguish grin. “What is the matter, healer? Ye donna trust me?”
***
How was Liadain to say that she did not trust herself?
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