her view once again. 'There's blood.'
'I saw it.'
'Blood makes you sick.'
'Alec, where do you get your ideas?'
He didn't answer that challenge. 'It will not make me sick.'
'If you get ill, I'll be very displeased with you.'
And if his voice turned any harsher, it would probably cause lightning to strike, Jamie thought. 'I'm going to take care of him, husband, with or without your permission. Now get out of my way.'
He didn't budge, but his eyes had widened over her sharp command. Jamie thought he might be considering strangling her. She decided then that ordering him about wasn't the right approach. 'Alec, did I tell you how to fight those bandits who attacked us on our way here?'
He thought that question was too ridiculous to answer. Jamie answered for him.
'No, of course I didn't. I don't know anything about fighting, husband, but I do know a bloody lot about healing. I'm going to help Angus and that's that. Now please move out of my way. Your friend is in terrible pain.'
It was her last remark that gained his cooperation. 'How can you know he's in pain?'
'I saw him grimace.'
'You're certain?'
'Very certain.'
The fierceness in her tone amazed him. Before his eyes she was turning into a tigress. 'Do what you can.'
Jamie let out a weary sigh as she hurried to the table. She placed her jars near one corner, then bent over Angus to study his injuries. The warriors all returned to the table. They looked outraged. Alec thought he might have a rebellion on his hands. He folded his arms across his chest and slowly scanned his audience, for one and all had turned to look at him now. They were obviously waiting to see what he was going to do about his wife's disrespectful interference.
Jamie didn't pay any attention to the soldiers. She gently prodded the edges of the welt on Angus's forehead. She studied his chest wound next.
''Tis just as I suspected,' she said.
'The damage?' Alec asked.
Jamie shook her head. There was a smile in her voice when she said, 'It's mostly bluster.'
'Bluster?'
'Meaning it looks worse than it really is,' Jamie explained.
'He isn't dying?'
The priest asked that question. The old man struggled to his feet, wheezing from the effort. He stared at Jamie with a frown as fierce as any she'd ever seen.
'He has a good chance, Father,' Jamie said. She heard a woman cry out and guessed it was Elizabeth.
'I would like to help you,' the priest announced.
'I would appreciate your help,' she replied. She heard the soldiers grumbling under their breath behind her. She ignored them and turned back to her husband.
'You were leaving with your men, I noticed, but if it wasn't an important errand, I could use your assistance.'
'We were going to build a box,' Alec explained.
'A box?'
'A burial box,' the priest interjected.
Jamie looked incredulous. She felt like putting her hands over Angus's ears so he wouldn't hear this discouraging talk. 'For heaven's sake, you'd put Angus in the ground before he quit breathing?'
'No, we'd wait,' Alec answered. 'You really think you can save him, don't you?'
'What can I do to help?' Gavin asked before Jamie could answer her husband.
'I need more light, linen strips, a goblet of warm water, bowls with more water, and two slats of wood, Gavin, about this size and length,' she instructed, showing him with her hands the desired dimensions.
If they thought her requests didn't make any sense, they didn't mention it to her.
'His arm is broken, lass. Do you think to cut it off?' the priest asked.
A soldier behind Jamie's back muttered, 'Angus would rather die than have his arm removed.'
'We aren't going to cut his arm off,' Jamie announced in exasperation. 'We're going to straighten it.'
'You can do this?' the priest asked.
'I can.'
The circle of men tightened around the table. Gavin nudged his way next to his mistress. 'Here's the goblet of water you wanted. The bowls are behind you.'
Jamie opened one of the medicine jars, pinched a sprinkle of brown powder between her thumb and forefinger, and mixed it with the water in the goblet.
When the liquid had turned murky, she handed it to Gavin. 'Please hold this for just a moment.'
'What is it, mistress?' Gavin asked, sniffing the potion.
'A sleeping drink for Angus. It will also ease his pain.'
'He's already sleeping.'
Jamie didn't recognize the voice, knew another soldier had called out that comment. His tone had been filled with anger.
'Aye, he's sleeping,' another muttered. 'Anyone can see he is.'
'He is not sleeping,' Jamie countered, trying to hold her patience. She knew she'd have to gain their confidence if she was going to get their help.
'Then why ain't he talking to us or looking at us?'
'He's in too much pain,' Jamie answered. 'Alec, would you hold his head up so he can drink more easily?'
Alec was the only one who didn't argue with her. He moved closer to the table and lifted Angus's head. Jamie leaned over his friend, cupped his face in her hands, and spoke to him. 'Angus, open your eyes and look at me.'
She had to repeat her demand three times, bellowing the last, before the warrior finally complied.
A surprised murmur rushed around the table. The doubting Thomases had just been convinced.
'Angus, you must drink this,' Jamie ordered. 'It will take your pain away.' She didn't let up on her prodding until the warrior had swallowed a large portion.
Then she sighed with satisfaction. 'It will only take a minute or two before the potion does its work.'
After making that statement, Jamie glanced up.
Alec was smiling at her.
'He could still catch fever and die,' she whispered, fearing she'd given him too much hope and not enough caution.
'He wouldn't dare.'
'He wouldn't?'
'Not after the way you screamed at him,' Alec replied.
Jamie felt herself blush. 'I had to raise my voice,' she explained. ' 'Twas the only way I could get him to respond.'
'I think he's sleeping now,' Gavin interjected.
'We shall see,' Jamie announced. She once again leaned over Angus and cupped his face in her hands.
'Is the pain leaving you yet?' she asked.
The warrior slowly opened his eyes. Jamie could see the medicine was beginning to work, for his brown eyes were glazed.
His face had taken on a tranquil expression, too. 'Have I gone to heaven?' Angus asked, his voice a scratchy whisper. 'Are you my angel?'
Jamie smiled. 'No, Angus. You're still in the Highlands.'
A look of horror crossed the warrior's face. 'Good God Almighty, I ain't in heaven. I'm in hell. It be a cruel
