Page 108 of The Laird's Masked Passion

The Council resumed, but no one spoke of parents again. By the time the letters were drafted and sealed, Colin’s shoulder had become a field of fire. His vision narrowed twice, though hekept his hand braced upon the table and made no sound. Men left with orders. Captains went to place guards. Messengers took horses. Colin turned toward the door before pain could find a way beneath his ribs.

He had a prisoner to question.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Elspeth woke with a pain in her ribs and a chair beneath her. For one confused moment, she could not understand either circumstance. Ladies did not generally sleep sitting upright beside their husbands’ beds unless they suffered some great misfortune of sense, comfort, or marriage.

Then she remembered: the meadow, the arrow, Colin’s blood, his face, pale beneath all that dreadful command and his hand lying beside hers upon the bed as sleep dragged him under.

She sat up too quickly and hissed.

“Dae that again,” Skye said from across the chamber, “and I shall tie ye tae the chair.”

Elspeth pressed a hand to her bandaged side. “How tyrannical ye have become since entering MacKenzie territory.”

“I learned from the laird.”

At the word laird, Elspeth looked toward the bed. It was empty. The sheets were rumpled, the pillow indented, and the blanketpushed aside as if Colin had abandoned sleep with his usual contempt for sensible things. For one breath, she could only stare.

“Where is he?”

Skye’s mouth tightened.

“Skye.”

“He woke before ye. Breac and Murdoch were here.”

“And?”

“And he went tae the Council.”

Elspeth stood. Pain caught her, sharp and hot along her ribs, but she ignored it as one ignored an impolite guest at supper.

“He went tae the Council,” she repeated, because perhaps the words would become more reasonable if spoken twice. “With an arrow wound in his shoulder.”

“The arrow is out.”

“How reassuring. I shall remember that when next I am stabbed and then claim meself perfectly restored because the knife is nay longer there.”

Skye came forward at once. “Sit down.”

“I shallnae.”

“Elspeth—”

“If every person in this castle may wander about bleeding, drugged, and unreasonable, I refuse tae be the only creature asked tae behave.”

Skye folded her arms. “He ate. Fionn said the potion had worn off enough that he could speak, though nae enough that he should command half the Highlands.”

“That has never stopped him before.”

“Nay.”

“Did he look ill?”

Skye hesitated. Elspeth’s heart tightened.

“Skye.”