“Sabrina, lass. Thank God. You’re all right.”
She took Shawna’s place beside Sabrina, touching her forehead, studying her intently.
“I’m really fine. This fuss isn’t necessary.”
“Everyone should be fussed over now and then,” Edwina told her.
“Her wrists and ankles are chafed where she was tied,” David said, the Irish lilt in his voice.
“I’ve ointments, Brother Damian. They’ll heal her almost overnight,” she promised.
Gawain and Alistair stood in the doorway. Gawain entered the room to come behind Edwina, silently setting a supporting hand upon her shoulder.
“Pour me a glass of water for her, please,” Edwina said. Gawain did as she requested. Edwina added a vial of herbs from the bag to the water and bade Sabrina drink it. “It’s a restorative,” she assured Sabrina. “There’s lemon rind, chamomile, and more of the like. It will help your aches and pains. This”—she produced a little jar—“is for your wrists and ankles.” She stood, smiling at Sabrina. “You are a very strong young woman.” She leaned close to Sabrina, speaking for her ears alone, except that from where she stood, Shawna heard her as well. “The sweet wee breed inside you fares well, you needn’t fear.”
Sabrina stared at her without blinking, and Edwina turned to the others. “The patient was healing fine without me, and I’llleave you all now to your private discussions,” she said. “Gawain, will you offer me a sherry?”
“With the greatest pleasure!” Gawain assured her. “Brother Damian, will you join us?”
David seemed startled, at last taken by surprise himself. “Shortly, and I thank you for the invitation.”
“I’m going to go have a drink. A huge one,” Alistair said. He cleared his throat, “Hawk, your friend, Mr. McGregor, is downstairs. I’ll see if he’d like a drink with me. A huge one.”
Gawain, Alistair, and Edwina departed the room. David closed the door behind them.
“With Sabrina safe now, and nothing we can do about her kidnapping for the time, we’ve another bit of business to settle—Shawna,” David said.
His voice again seemed laced with that underlying, barely leashed anger she had been hearing all night. A feeling of dread welled within her, but she couldn’t begin to imagine what could cause such a rise of antagonism from him.
Even his brother seemed uncomfortable at the sound of his voice.
“Perhaps you two would like to find some privacy?—”
“Nay, Hawk, this is a family affair we will discuss, and I can use your assistance—and eyesight—to assure me that I’ve not lost my mind.”
“Perhaps I should join Alistair and James for a drink,” Sloan suggested.
“Sloan, you knew my father as well as any man,” David told him. “And as I said, it is a family affair. Blood brothers are the same to the Sioux. Naturally, Skylar, you are invited to stay as well.”
“Well,” Sabrina murmured, “it doesn’t seem that I can leave.”
“What in God’s name—” Shawna started to demand.
“Indeed, what in God’s name, my lady,” he said furiously. “If you will all be so good as to allow me a moment’s indulgence…”
They all stared blankly at him. David stepped out into the hall.
“Hawk, what is the matter with him now?” Shawna asked anxiously.
“Truly, Shawna, I don’t know,” Hawk said.
David returned then before anyone could say more, carrying the sleeping lad, Daniel. His eyes, when they touched Shawna’s, were as cold as green ice.
Whatever he was going to say, she was suddenly glad of the others. She had never seen him quite like this, not even the night she had learned that he had returned.
“My lady, tell me now, you know no more about what happened the night of the Fire than what you have told me.
“What is this new accusation?” she demanded furiously. “I swear to you, there is nothing more?—”