Scottish Destiny

Chapter Twenty - Nine

Chapter Twenty – Nine

Tired, so tired Grant was as he tried to pry his eyes open.    The sunlight streaming through the window was causing him to squint and making the small task seem so difficult.   He tried to swallow but the inside of his mouth was dry.   Hungry.   Grant felt so hungry, as if he hadn't eaten in days. 

Finally able to crack open one of his eyes, he expected to see Kathryn lying beside him.  Disappointment though when he saw that she wasn't there.  For the life of him, he couldn't figure out what happened?    He felt weak as a new born kitten.  His hair was plastered to his face, and from the smell of himself, he supposed he hadn't bathed in several days.   This was not like him.

Raising himself up onto his elbows, Grant peered around his bed chamber and it all started flooding back to him.   He was still in Kathryn's old bed chamber at Castle McGregor.  He wasn't at Castle McKenna where he wished with all of his heart, he and Kathryn would be. 

Groaning and then rubbing his face, Grant grabbed the linens over him and tossed them aside.  Moving his right leg to get out of the bed, Grant groaned again in agony.   Looking down he noticed he was completely nude except for a bandage covering his upper thigh and most of his backside.

"Jesu," Grant mumbled to himself as he reached down to touch the bandages and flinched when he actually touched himself.  His flesh was tender and sore.   "Twas pierced in the arse by an arrow."

"Aye," Andrew replied stepping forward, coming out of the shadows, startling Grant.  "Cover yourself for tis been the last three days that I have been looking at your arse Grant."

"Three days?" Grant's voice croaked from the dryness.  

Going over to the side table, Andrew poured Grant a goblet of water and went to crouch down beside his brother.   "Aye, Grant," Andrew replied grimly as he handed over the goblet and watched Grant drink thirstily.    "Ye have been verra ill.   Fevered ye became the first night.   Twas just this morn your fever broke."    Grinning now, "Lady Campbell believes ye will live," Andrew told him.

"Where is Kathryn?" Grant asked handing the goblet back to Andrew and motioning him to get him some more water.

"I suppose she is resting," Andrew responded turning back to the side table for more water.  "Tis a fierce protector of ye, your wife was."    Smiling as he walked back.  "She dinna leave your side for nae a second.   This morn took Evelyn, Lady McGregor and Eileen to finally take her from the chamber so that she may eat and bathe herself.   I believe she is in the chamber across the hall.   She hasna slept Grant for nearly two nights from watching over ye."

Flopping back down onto his belly, Grant groaned again out loud.  "Jesu, she is well though?" Grant muffled out from his head buried between his hands.

"If ye mean her injuries?  Aye, she is recovering as well as can be.  Eileen assured me that she was continuing to watch over Kathryn as well as ye.   But she is extremely tired Grant and verra stubborn," Andrew chuckled and shook his head.

Remembering all of a sudden, Grant quickly tried to sit up but regretted it.   "Och, I believe an arrow in the arse tis more painful than an arrow in the shoulder."

"Dinna move yourself overmuch, Grant," Andrew stepped over and helped him lie back down.  "If ye remove the stitching, Lady Campbell will call the devil herself on ye."

"I feel as if the devil himself already has come to visit with me," Grant replied rubbing his backside.

"Do ye wish to know what has happened while ye have been ill?" Andrew asked Grant as he paced near the bed.