She tipped the water glass slightly and he swallowed. She held the glass until he turned his head away. She dabbed the water from his chin, saying quietly to her sister-in-law, “I put some laudanum in the water. It should help him into a deeper sleep, away from the nightmares.”
Alex said nothing. She knew no one could pull her away from Douglas were he ill. Thus, she just patted Sinjun’s arm and left the bedchamber.
Douglas was awake. He pulled Alex against him and held her close. “How is he?”
“Very ill. He’s having nightmares. It’s awful, Douglas.”
“Couldn’t you get Sinjun to leave him to Finkle for the rest of the night?”
“No. Finkle would fall asleep and probably wake poor Colin up with his snoring. You told me about the times when you were campaigning that Finkle would wake you up with his noises even after you’d been in battle for twelve hours and exhausted. No, let Finkle see to Colin during the day. Sinjun is young and strong. She needs to be with him. Let her.”
Douglas sighed. “Life is bloody unexpected. I forbade him to enter the house, knowing deep in my brain that the two of them would naturally see each other. Damnation, he could have died if Sinjun hadn’t taken matters into her own hands and gone to his lodgings. It’s my bloody fault. She doesn’t know about the knifing, does she?”
“No. Now, if you continue to blame yourself, Douglas, for something that could never be remotely your fault, I shall write to Ryder and urge him to come here immediately and bash you into the ground.”
“Ha! Ryder wouldn’t do that. Besides, I’m bigger than he is. I’d thrash him into a lump.”
“Ah, but then you’d have to deal with Sophie.”
“A terrifying thought.”
“I hope you don’t mind that she and Ryder can’t come to London just now. With two of the children hurt in that fall from the hayloft, they wouldn’t much enjoy it; they’d be too worried. Also, the twins are quite happy there with their cousin and all the other children.”
“I miss the little heathens,” Douglas said fondly.
“All twelve of the children plus our two and Ryder and Sophie’s one?”
“Two at a time is preferable. I like the notion of trading children around. They never quite have time enough to roll you up so you’ll do whatever they want.”
“You’re right about that. Ah, but my dear, with Colin so ill and the wedding to be seen to, it is better, I suppose, that we leave the boys with their aunt and uncle.”
“I think Sinjun will want to marry Colin just as soon as possible. If that’s so, then Ryder and Sophie won’t be here.”
“I’m too tired to think more on the situation. Let’s get some sleep.”
Douglas felt a soft hand stroke down his chest and smiled into the darkness. “Ah, I thought you were tired. You have regained your vigor? Am I to be rewarded?”
“If you promise not to shout too loudly and awaken your mother again.” Alex shuddered, remembering the one night she and Douglas had enjoyed themselves immoderately, and his mother had burst into the room, thinking Alex had killed her beloved son. The memory still made her stiff with mortification.
“I’ll stuff a handkerchief in my mouth.”
He was whole-witted at last, but so weak he couldn’t seem to raise himself so he could use the chamber pot. It was damnable. At least the fever was gone and the pain in his leg was tolerable. He’d been a fool not to see a doctor when it had happened, but he simply wasn’t used to having some quack dose him, for God’s sake, for whatever reason. Never had he seen Dr. Childress, the Kinross physician for over thirty years, for anything more than childhood illnesses. He was young and strong and healthy as a stoat. A simple little knife cut and here he was flat on his back, sick with fever and out of his head.
He watched with half-closed eyes as Joan came into the room. He was testy and hungry. He didn’t want her there. He needed a man to help him.
“Ah, good, you’re awake,” Sinjun said, giving him a smile that lit up the bedchamber. “How do you feel?”
He grunted.
“Should you like me to shave you? I shaved Tysen’s head once while Ryder held him down. Not more than ten years ago. I could try, and I would be very careful.”
“No.”
“The strangest thing, Colin, there’s a man downstairs who claims he’s your cousin.”
That brought him bolt upright in the bed. The covers fell to his belly and he could but stare at her. Which cousin? None of his cousins knew he was here, did they? Ah, MacDuff did.
“That’s not possible,” he