She liked to talk to the people she tended, learn about them, since it helped with their healing. She rinsed a cloth and started on his face, though she had found no wounds there. It was splattered blood that covered him.
“It must have been some fight you were in,” Bliss said.
“The three bastards thought they could take me down… fools,” Brogan muttered.
He had fought three men, without help, and survived. That was impressive, but she did not comment on it. She uncovered a couple of bruises as she cleaned his face, but none were extreme. The more she uncovered the more her assessments of his features proved true. He had the finest features she had ever seen on a man, including his light blue eyes. They could easily steal a woman’s heart and common sense.
“Was it a quick fight?” Bliss asked, finishing up his face to move to his neck, cleaning it thoroughly.
“Quick enough after I broke the first bloke’s arm.”
“One had a knife, I see,” she said with a nod to the wound on his left arm.
Brogan laughed, glancing down at it. “If he knew how to use it, I might have been in trouble. You will find most of the blood is not mine. I could have tended myself.”
“You are right, but since I am here I may as well see to it.” Bliss heard her sister stirring. “Stay there, Annis, until I tell you otherwise.”
“I fainted?” Annis asked as if she didn’t quite believe it.
Brogan laughed. “You did and would have hit the floor if I had not caught you.”
She groaned and sat up, hurrying to look herself over. “BLOOD, BLISS! BLOOD! He got blood on me!”
Brogan laughed again. “You better go see to her.”
“It will not take but a moment,” Bliss said and hurried to rinse a clean cloth in the bucket before going to her sister. “It is not much at all,” she assured Annis when she saw that her sister had her eyes clamped shut and her arm stuck straight out from her side.
“Look me over and see if you see any more blood,” Annis begged, keeping her eyes firmly shut.
Bliss examined her thoroughly and cleaned off a few more spots. “No more blood.”
“Are you sure?” Annis asked, yet to open her eyes.
“I am sure,” Bliss assured her. “Now stay here until I say otherwise.”
“Have no worries about that,” Annis said and opened her eyes a pinch.
Bliss returned to Brogan and got busy finishing cleaning him off, knowing Annis would turn restless.
“You should thank me, Annis, for saving you from hitting the floor,” Brogan said, a teasing twinkle in his eyes.
“The floor would have been preferable.” Annis shot back.
Brogan laughed. “You wound my heart, woman.”
“You are lucky I do not wound something else.”
“Annis!” Bliss scolded. “Remember who you talk to.”
“A bloody idiot that’s who,” Annis called out.
Brogan chuckled, finding the beautiful woman entertaining. “There are many who would agree with you.”
“Then I am among the wise ones.”
“Annis!” Bliss scolded again.
“He asked for it.” Annis shot back.
Brogan could not keep the chuckle out of his voice. “That is a first, I usually do not have to ask a woman.”
“Not all women know better than to poke a fool.”
“Enough, Annis!” Bliss reprimanded.
The door flew open.
“Why do I hear loud shouts and what is that woman doing in your bed?” Lawler demanded.
“I put her there,” Brogan said. “Now leave and let the healer tend me.”
Lawler went to argue.
“That is an order, Lawler,” Brogan commanded with authority and the man did as he was told.
“Do not come over here, Annis,” Bliss ordered, hearing her sister shifting around on the bed.
“Worry not. I have no intention of looking upon the bloody fool.”
“I would reconsider, since I am the handsomest man you will ever see,” Brogan said, enjoying the teasing banter with the beautiful woman.
“I would think twice about that assumption, since it was not fine features that made me faint,” Annis said loud enough for him to hear.
He could not help but continue to tease her. “I was just too bloody handsome for you.”
Annis gagged.
His smile faltered, and he whispered to Bliss, “Is she truly gagging?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Bliss said.
“Go to her,” Brogan ordered.
Bliss did so without hesitation, the strength of his command not to be ignored. She hurried the wet, clean cloth she had scooped up to the back of Annis’s neck. “Slow breaths and think on Duff and what you might learn from him today.”
Annis did as her sister said and waved her away, silently letting her know she was all right.
Bliss returned to Brogan, eager to be done and get Annis out of there.
“Is Duff her husband?’ Brogan asked quietly.
Bliss was not one to lie, but to protect her sisters, she would. However, lying to him would do no good. If she told him Annis was married, he would find out soon enough it was untrue.