“Are we safe?”
She started, then hurried toward him. “You are awake.”
“I wasna sleeping.”
“You lost consciousness hours ago.”
Hours ago? He grimaced.I passed out when I was supposed to be protecting Juliana? Good God almighty. What must she think of me?“I am sorry.”
Her brow furrowed. “For what? You were hit on the head, and you have a leg wound. It was probably better you did not have to endure the ride.”
Better that I went blank and left her to manage?He studied her with his open eye. She didn’t seem angry when, for once, she had every right to be. Perhaps best not to push that issue. “Why am I tied?”
“I should think it obvious.” The look she gave him was one she might have used on a halfwit, which, at the moment, might be accurate. “I had to secure you to Baron so you wouldn’t fall off.”
“I havena fallen off a horse since I was a wee bairn.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Well, you weigh more than a wee bairn now. I would not have been able to lift you back into the saddle, unconscious that you were.”
She did have a point. “Can ye untie me now? I think I can get off Baron by myself.”
Nodding, she leaned down and undid the binding on one wrist. As soon as it was free, he straightened and swung his leg over the saddle to dismount.
And promptly collapsed in a heap.
Juliana knelt beside him. “You cannot walk? Is your leg broken?”
He shook his head, not trusting his voice to come out an octave higher, as needle-sharp pain seared through his thigh. Clenching his teeth, he finally managed to get words out. “There is an arrowhead in my leg.”
Her eyes grew round. “It…it’s still in your leg?”
He nodded wordlessly and scooted back, in case Baron should accidently place a hoof on his leg as well. “You need to—”
“Of course!” Juliana stood and took Baron’s bridle. “I’ll put him in a stall.”
That wasn’t what he was going to say, but he might as well wait until she returned to tell her he needed to get the arrow out. Perhaps he could get control of his voice by then.
In a few minutes she was back. “I unsaddled him and gave him hay. There may be oats in one of the bins, but I have not looked yet.” She paused. “If you will be all right for a few minutes, I will bring in some buckets of snow to melt for water.”
He nodded again, still not trusting his voice. It didn’t take long before she returned, carrying two buckets. “I should be helping with those.”
“You have an arrow in your leg.”
As if he didn’t know. The pain, now that he was awake, was steadily increasing. He hoped infection hadn’t already set in, but it wasn’t something he wanted to voice. He looked around again. “Are we at Dalnacardoch?”
“Yes. That is what the sign said.”
“Then why are we out here? A servant dinna refuse to let us in, did he?” He frowned as a disquieting thought hit him. “And where is the stable master? Ye shouldna be taking care of the horses.”
“There is no one about. Maybe the servants have all gone home for Yule.” She shrugged. “The door to the lodge was locked.”
“Mhic an Diabhail!”
One brow rose. “I assume you are cursing?”
“Aye.” He grimaced. “I am sorry.”
She waved away his apology. “I would say we are in abloodysorry state ourselves.”
