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empty bed. He lay curled up on the floor, shivering. The remains of a broken
lamp lay at his feet, the oil soaking into the carpet.
She rushed to his side, snatched the covers from the bed and wrapped them
about his body.  Monsieur, what happened? Are you hurt?
 Qui suis-je? he asked, his teeth chattering.  Qui suis-je?
Who am I?
 I wish to God I knew, monsieur. Dreya smoothed back the hair clinging to
his forehead. Sweat glistened on his brow and soaked through his nightshirt. His
feverish skin burned her fingers.  Colin, go wake Edwina. She turned.  And
please, hurry!
* * * *
The aroma of food wafted beneath his nose, and his mouth watered. He
turned his head to one side, praying the constant throb at his temple would
subside.
 Guid morn tae ye, lad, the healer said, her voice near his face.  Ah see ye v
returned frae Death s door.
He grunted.
She chuckled.  Ah expect ye ll feel better wi somethin in yer belly.
He cleared his raw throat.  I am rather hungry.
 Ah shuid think sae. We ve nae heard a sound frae ye thae last three days
except yer breathin .  Ere, let me hulp ye sit up. She propped several pillows
behind his back before her weight settled down on the bed beside him.  Ah ve
brung ye a specialty broth.  Tis fair plain, but it ll stick tae yer gut lik pitch oan a
rooftop.
 What are the ingredients?
 Ye r better aff none th wiser, lad, an that s th truth. She gripped his chin
before slipping a spoonful of broth inside his mouth.
Warmth surrounded his tongue, and he tasted the sweetness of honey mixed
with the bitterness of whiskey. The other ingredients he couldn t identify.
 I ve no wish to insult you, Madam Edwina. The liquid burned a path down
his throat, and he coughed to clear it.  But whatever this is, it s most unpleasant.
 Aye. Ah ll nae argie wi ye aboot that.
He drew a labored breath.  What happened? Why have I been unconscious?
 Th fever come oan ye quick lik in th middle o th nicht. If the lass hud nae
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The Macgregor s Daughter
discovered ye whin she did, Ah suspect ye wid be visitin wi th Guid Faither
aboot noo.
His vixen possessed a heart? Impossible. And what caused her to lurk about
his bedroom in the middle of the night?
 My entire body aches as though it fell beneath the hooves of an unruly
stallion. He swallowed another spoonful of the strange broth.  I dare say I
cannot move one muscle without causing pain. Not even my fingers.
 Aye,  twas brought aboot by th shiverin . 
 Are you sure Mademoiselle Macgregor didn t attack me?
 Th lass haes a temper, Ah will grant ye that, but a kinder hert ye will ne er
fin .  Twas her wha stayed wi ye aw nicht. She fed him another spoonful.  She
wiped yer brow while ye mumbled lik a daft mon an remained by yer side an
kept ye warm till th fever passed. Ah sent her tae bed aboot an oor ago.
He held up his hand.  I believe I ve had enough of this.
 Allow yer stomach tae settle fur noo. Kin Ah fetch ye a glass o water afore
Ah tak mah lea?
 No, I m fine.
 If ye change yer mind, Ah will lea a pitcher oan the table beside yer bed along
wi this broth. Her weight lifted from the mattress.  Mibbie ye will finish it
later.
 Merci, Madam Edwina. It would seem I am once again in your debt for
prolonging my life.
 Ye dinnae owe me, lad.  Tis mah choice tae serve others.
 When your mistress wakes, would you ask her to pay me a visit?
 Ah expect she will be in tae check oan ye afore th sun disappears. Noo, Ah
wid be pleased if ye d dae somethin fur me.
 You ve only to ask.
She touched his shoulder.  Keep oot o th nicht air  til Ah say different.
 No more open windows?
 Aye, thay ur tae be closed at dusk.
 Very well.
 Eat whit s brung ye even if ye nae hungert. 
 Anything else?
 Nothin but th wisdom o mah eighty an five years upon this earth. She gave
his shoulder a gentle squeeze.  If ye wish tae hear it.
 I do.
 But kin ye listen wi yer hert instead o yer mind?
 I believe so.
She chuckled low.  Misfortune is a crafty devil. He comes an goes at will but
is often drawn tae they wha expect him.
 Yet what man lives a perfect life?
 Aye, whit lass? This island haes hud its share o hardship.  Tis difficult tae
glimpse th sun durin a thunderstorm, yet th folk  ere huv nae a doubt it s exactly
whaur it s suppose tae be.
 Never give up, is that it?
 Aye, noo ye ken mah meaning. Whit e er be strewn o er yer path, guid or ill,
ye kin be certain  twas na mistake. Mind this, lad. Kindness is a gift an must ne er
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The Macgregor s Daughter
be hidden awa nor hoarded. Praise th Guid Faither an send it oan its wey.
Kindness begets kindness.
Someone had taught him this at a young age. He wished he could recall who.
 I may never remember my name or regain my sight, but I m certain I ll never
forget my time on this island.
Or Dreya Macgregor.
 Aye, an that be the kinch, the healer mumbled.
Had she read his thoughts?
 Ah, weel. Th sun cannae forgit th moon, nor will th ocean forgit th caress o
a gentle wind.  Tis nae mah place tae question such matters.
 I m not sure I understand.
 It s jist as weel, lad. Ah ve learned oor time oan this earth is a mere speck o
ink oan one page o a sacred book. Thare be mony worthy roads. Th passable
ones ur straight an wide but o na interest. Others run along a treacherous ridge,
but th view is finer than any ither.
He smiled.  You ve a pleasant way of looking at life s obstacles.
  Twas mah grandmother wha taught me that life is lik a kettle o stew. Ye
micht tamper wi th ingredients, but dinnae forgit tae toss in a few spices fur
flavor.
He almost laughed out loud, for no spice on God s earth could do Dreya
Macgregor justice.
35
The Macgregor s Daughter
Chapter Five
 Gypsy, you pagan by-blow, Jonas Quinn snapped at the dark skinned Arab
standing inside the doorway to his cabin.  We finished repairs to this ship two
days ago. Where the devil have you been?
 Walking the streets of Glasgow as you instructed.
 Drink yourself under a table again?
 I visited over two dozen taverns, and my boots have long since worn thin, but
you will be pleased to learn I drank nothing stronger than ale. Gypsy pulled up a
chair and straddled it.  I have uncovered some rather interesting information.
Jonas walked around his desk.  It had better be worth your weight and mine
in gold.
The Arab smiled. His soft-spoken mannerisms could unearth secrets buried
for centuries, but he d sailed with the Predator s crew for so long no one
remembered his true name.
Including Jonas.
 The Dragon Master sailed into Glasgow for supplies in the middle of
August. Gypsy placed his lean forearms across the back of his chair.  One month
later, a second dragon ship reached this port. Her captain asked questions
regarding the Macgregor s last visit, for he has not yet returned home.
 Is that so? Jonas eased his injured arm from the sling and stretched his sore
wrist.  The afternoon we spotted the Falcon, I d have wagered all I ever looted
that the Dragon Master sat anchored off her port side. When she turned and fled [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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