“He was playing, fell and hit his head, got a good gash he did to the back of his head, but I cleaned it up and it seemed fine—” Teresa stopped, her voice breaking. She cleared it, and continued. “Then, a few hours later, he collapsed in a dead faint and hasn’t woken since.”
Bliss placed a gentle hand on the woman’s arm. “Let me see what I can do.”
Teresa scurried out of her way and into the arms of her husband, who held her tight.
Trey could see that they were attempting to draw strength from each other . . . and hope. He wondered if Bliss would be able to help or if it was too late. He kept to the corner shadows, not wanting to disturb his wife yet wanting to be there if needed. How he could help he didn’t know, he just knew he had to be there for her.
Bliss looked like an angel, her blond hair falling softly around her face as she hovered over the lad before sitting beside him on the bed. She gently took his small hand in hers and shut her eyes. She sat there, not moving, and after several moments, Trey began to worry. She was as still as the lad, and he suddenly feared for her.
He recalled how she had gotten stuck in a vision, and he had pulled her out. Did she need him to do the same now? He waited since she was not in distress, but if she didn’t emerge soon, he would place a firm hand on her shoulder or take her in his arms if necessary.
He was relieved when her eyes opened, and she laid the lad’s hand down at his side. But when she stood, she wobbled, and he didn’t hesitate—he was at her side in an instant, wrapping his arm around her and drawing her against him.
“Are you all right?” he whispered.
“I need a hot brew,” she said with a shiver.
Trey helped her into the other room, Teresa hurrying out before them and Albert following behind. Trey helped her to a chair at the table and drew another chair close so that he could sit beside her. He took her hand and when he felt it cold, he worried.
It didn’t take long for Teresa to brew a hot drink for Bliss, and as she placed it in front of her, she said, “Please tell me of my son.”
Bliss wrapped her hands around the heated tankard and shivered. “There is nothing to tell at the moment. I must spend more time with him, then I will know more.”
“Can you save him?” Albert asked with a catch in his throat.
Trey could see she was reluctant to answer, and he wished he could help. The only way he could do that was . . . he took hold of her hand. He wanted her to know he was there for her.
Her fingers threaded with his tighter than he had ever felt them do before. She was looking for extra strength, and he gave it to her with the slight squeeze to her hand.
“I’m not sure, but I would like to try,” Bliss said.
“Yes. Yes, please try,” Teresa begged.
“We are grateful for any help you can give Philip,” added Albert.
Bliss nodded and took several sips of the brew before saying, “I need a moment of fresh air, and then I would like to start the healing process.”
Trey didn’t give anyone a chance to object or delay Bliss’s request. He stood, not letting go of her hand, and said, “I will go with you.”
He saw that she was relieved by his action, but before they walked out the door, Bliss turned to the parents, and said, “Please talk with your son while I’m gone and tell him that the woman with the blond hair is here to help him.”
They looked perplexed but nodded vigorously.
“What’s wrong?” Trey asked when they were a few feet from the cottage.
“Philip is trapped. I do not know where.” She shook her head. “My grandmum talked about the sleeping dead and how difficult it was for them to escape it.”
“You are not in danger helping the lad, are you?”
“I do not know. I have never had the opportunity or misfortune to run across this before.”
He wanted to take her and leave, and if it were anyone other than a child, he would have done so, whether she protested or not. But he could no more leave that child than she could. His only recourse was to protect her.
“What can I do?”
She smiled. “Thank you. I was hoping you would ask.”
“You could have asked for my help.”
“I did when I grasped hold of your hand.”
Trey nodded. “I will remember that, now what can I do?”
“I need you to remain near my side, and after I close my eyes and begin to work, if I grow at all agitated, you must grab hold of me and call me back.”
“I’ll demand you come back,” he said empathically.
“Will you now?” She smiled sweetly.
“You’ll not escape me that easily, wife.”
She pressed her cheek to his, and whispered, “I hope not.”
He grinned and gave her a quick kiss. He enjoyed the banter and play of falling in love. A give-and-take, a push and pull, a catch of the heart, and, damn, but wasn’t he glad to be sharing it with someone once again.
They hurried back into the cottage, and Trey did as Bliss had instructed. He kept an eye on her as she sat beside Philip, holding his hand, though she had begun with her usual ritual of placing her cupped hands over her mouth, then rubbing them together before laying her hands on the person, in this case holding Philip’s hand.
He had no intentions of leaving her side until this was done one way or the other. The problem, however, was that the information on the king’s troops could not wait indefinitely. If the lad’s healing was prolonged, Trey might have to make a choice, and there truly was no choice to make. He had given his word to help the true king, and he could not renege on it, not when it meant the lives of so many.
He hoped it would not come to that, for it would be difficult to leave Bliss even though he knew she would urge him to go. She would understand that his duty to the true king came first and she would tell him not to worry. But he would worry all the same, leaving her on her own.
He pushed the troubling thought from his mind. Until the time came, he would not waste thoughts on it. Bliss needed him now, and he would be here for her while he could.
Supper was a silent affair that evening. It appeared no progress had been made with Philip, and so all were somber. Bliss looked exhausted, yawning much too often during the meal. So when all was done, Trey suggested they retire and get up early so that Bliss could resume her healing.
No one objected, and Albert and Teresa retired into their son’s room, having fashioned a sleeping pallet on the floor so that they could remain near him. Trey and Bliss got to share Philip’s narrow bed, but that was all right with Trey. It meant they could sleep snuggled together.
Bliss turned to rest in his arms when he joined her in bed, and her head went to rest on his chest. He could feel that something troubled her, and so he waited, his hands gently massaging her back.
“I don’t know if I can save him,” she whispered.
“It’s in fate’s hands,” he said, hoping it would help.
She sighed. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Trey comforted her throughout the night, her sleep fitful, and when she woke, she went immediately to Philip’s side. It continued like that for several days, and Trey began to worry about her, and his need to find out about the troops.
It was settled for him when Albert returned from a neighboring farm the next day, having gone to return a tool he had borrowed for too long, and when he arrived home his face was pale as freshly fallen snow.
He walked into the room and, with a flick of his hand, summoned Trey to follow. Trey was reluctant to leave Bliss, but Teresa had assured him that she would watch over her.
“What’s wrong?” Trey asked when he and Albert stepped outside.
“A large troop of king’s soldiers passed by Thomas’s farm and wiped him clean of what little livestock he had and what food he had stored for the w
inter. And”—Albert stopped a moment as if he couldn’t believe what he was about to say—“They took Thomas, leaving Mary on her own with their two young daughters. They told him he was to serve the king and that other troops will be arriving soon.”
“I need to see where they camp for myself,” Trey said.
“Too dangerous,” Albert said, shaking his head.
“But necessary.”
Bliss and Teresa came out of the cottage and walked over to them.
“You need to leave, don’t you?” Bliss asked.
Trey nodded, feeling torn with leaving her behind.
“I must go with you,” Bliss said.
“No,” Trey said with a finality that had all eyes turning wide. “You have Philip to see to.”
Bliss turned to Teresa and took her hand. “I have done all I can for your son, I can do no more. The rest is up to him.”
“I feared you would say that,” the woman said, with tears gathering in her eyes.
“Nay, do not fear, keep hope strong and do not give up,” Bliss said. “I will return in a few days’ time and see how he does.”
“Promise?” Teresa asked, grabbing Bliss’s hand.
“Aye, I promise.” She gave the woman a hug, and Teresa had a difficult time letting Bliss go, but she finally did. She turned to Trey. “I will get my things, and we can be on our way.”
Trey took hold of her arm and walked a short distance away from the couple. “You’re not going with me. It’s too dangerous.”
“It’s too dangerous for me to stay. And we have no time to argue. We must leave now.”
“Why?”
Bliss didn’t answer, and she hurried over to Albert. “Hide some of your food and what livestock you can. The soldiers head this way, and if they don’t find something, they will destroy your place.”
Albert paled once again. “I cannot leave my wife and ill son.”
“No, you cannot,” Bliss said. “That is why we must make it appear that you are too ill to join the troops.”
“What do I do?” Albert asked.
Trey, with Teresa’s help, worked to hide some of the animals and food, while Bliss worked on Albert. She rubbed ash under his eyes until the area appeared gray and sunken. And she pricked his neck and arms with pine needles to make it appear that he had a rash.
“Make certain you cough more than talk with them and stumble once or twice. They may not even take any of your food or animals for fear all is contagious.”
“How can we ever thank the both of you?” Teresa asked.
“Stay strong,” Trey said. “The true king will soon rule.”
Trey and Bliss were off in a rush, having a good portion of open land to cover before they could reach the protection of the woods. They remained cautious as they traveled, keeping alert and keeping their pace quick.
Hours later, when they were finally in the bosom of the woods, they stopped to rest.
“We need to scout the area where the king’s troops are gathered and see for ourselves how many await his order,” Trey said.
“You can see for yourself, but you will learn more from the two we meet.”
“What have you seen?”
Bliss shook her head. “It is what I sense though I can tell you no more.”
Little by little, Trey understood Bliss’s abilities and at times how frustrating it must be for her, not completely understanding them. But at this moment he was grateful for whatever information she could provide.
He was about to ask if they would meet the two soon, but realized that when she sensed or saw nothing more, there was no point in questioning her. She’d have no answer.
“Do you know exactly where the king’s troops gather?” she asked.
“From what information Roan and Albert supplied, I can only surmise their location, and if I am right, then the king has made a foolish move.”
“I was thinking the same,” she said. “This terrain is not hospitable, and have you seen that snow is already heavy on the mountains?”
Trey nodded and looked out over the landscape, Glen Affric rising in the distance and snow covering more than the peaks. “Aye, I have. Winter will strike hard this year.”
“Making it difficult for the king’s troops to maneuver,” Bliss said.
“A king who does not even know his own kingdom is ill prepared,” Trey said.
“Then surely King Kenneth will fail.”
“Do you see that?” Trey asked anxiously.
Bliss turned her head away for a moment, and Trey wondered what she didn’t want him to see, for to him she wore her thoughts in her eyes and her expressions. He took gentle hold of her chin and turned her to look at him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, and the answer came to him before he could respond. “I forever ask if you sense or see things. I expect too much of you.”
“Most do.”
That angered him, for he didn’t want to do what others did to her . . . want . . . more than give.
“I am sorry,” he said. “I admire your skills and the courage it takes to deal with them. Though they intrigue me, you intrigue me more. There is so much more to you than your abilities. You care about helping complete strangers, and you give of your skill to any who ask. And I should know better than to always ask, for I am your husband, and with me it should be different.”
He kissed her then, not a light kiss or an apologetic one, but one filled with love.
Chapter 12
Love.
It was an exquisite feeling though Bliss wondered if Trey experienced its power as much as she did. Was it just another kiss to him, or did he feel the overwhelming punch that love had delivered?
She didn’t want the kiss to end, but then she never wanted his kisses to end. His kisses not only sparked her passion, they brought her mind some rest, and that was a precious gift.
“Kissing you is so very different than any kiss I have ever experienced,” he said after he ran his lips gently over hers one last time.
“How so?” she whispered.
“It consumes me and I feel . . .”
Bliss knew his words trailed off because he wasn’t quite sure how he felt, and that meant he needed to discover the depth of love that she had felt.
Trey shook his head. “I cannot say for sure.”
“In time,” she encouraged, and gave his cheek a kiss. “Now we must not dally any longer.”
“But I so want to dally,” he teased, and nibbled at her lips.
She chuckled and shook her head. “As much as I wouldn’t mind dallying, myself, we cannot. It is time for us to move on. A troop approaches.”
They didn’t hesitate. Trey quickly looked around, and with no refuge in sight, he chose the only thing left to them . . . the trees.
Bliss wrapped her arms around his neck, and, after he grabbed the lowest branch, she wrapped her legs around his waist. He climbed the branches with little effort and found a solid spot where they could perch. Once wrapped around each other and braced snugly in the crevice where two thick branches and the tree trunk met, they waited.
It wasn’t long before a sizeable troop on horses rode right beneath them. Their gait was steady, not at all rushed, almost overly confident. Bits of conversation drifted up through the branches and the leaves that had yet to fall.
Bliss smiled at the snippets of chatter she caught.
“Gave his son the sickness, he did.”
“Don’t want none of his food.”
“Glad we left fast.”
So Albert had fared well; she was pleased.
The chatter continued.
“Too far north.”
“We’ll battle the snow before we battle foe.”
The soldiers seemed to have their doubts as to the king’s decision to send them north just before winte
r. Not a good tactical move to their way of thinking and one that could cost many soldiers their lives.
The voices drifted off as the last of the soldiers passed beneath them.
Trey cautioned silence, and Bliss saw why when a lone soldier appeared several minutes later. He meandered slowly, his attention on the road. No doubt scouting to make certain no one followed. After he finally vanished from sight, Trey climbed down from the tree, bringing them effortlessly to the ground.
“I need to follow their trail,” he said.
He had not included her. He obviously worried over her safety, but then she worried over his. Wasn’t that how it was when it came to love?
She was about to argue, wanting to help him, when she realized it would be best for her to remain behind. She couldn’t say why; she only knew it was the right thing to do.
So she did what was best for them both. “I can wait here for you if you think it more prudent.”
His smile hinted at relief, and he took hold of her hand. “I must find you a safe place to hide.”
She gave a quick glance around and, finding what she searched for, pointed a short distance away. “That formation of rocks, I’ll take shelter behind them and wait there for you.”
He appeared reluctant to leave, and she was not surprised at his reluctance after learning of what had happened to Leora. She now better understood his need to protect.
“Go,” she urged. “I will be fine.” She gave him a light shove, and he reluctantly left her side.
“I will return,” he said after taking only a few steps and casting a quick glance over his shoulder.
She nodded and turned, not wanting to watch him walk away, and made her way to the cropping of rocks.
Aye, he would be back for her, and love would grow between them . . . and intimacy. She smiled at the thought and looked forward to it. The more she got to know Trey, the more easily she fell in love with him. He was such a good, caring man and one she could rely on without worry or doubt. And that appealed to her more than his fine features and lean body.
She laughed and shook her head. That wasn’t completely true. She favored his good looks and his attractive body. She couldn’t keep from smiling though it didn’t seem right to feel lighthearted and carefree at the moment, but she couldn’t help it.
Wed to a Highland Warrior Page 9