When Highland Lightning Strikes (11 page)

If only she wasn’t sitting in front of him, he might see her face. But she seemed content to lean against him, and if she was in pain, he didn’t want to turn her and make it worse. The men’s voices sounded louder as they discussed moving something heavy. “They’re getting closer,” he said, hoping to cheer her, then answered her comment. “Nay, I dinna. But I will give ye all the time ye need. I mean to woo ye, lass. I wouldha simply done it without announcement but for this accident. I want ye to ken how I feel. Life is too short, too fragile. I care about ye. And I think ye also care about me, though ye try to hide it. Ye told me once ye trust me. I want ye to do that and more.”

She paused again in what she was doing—or thought she was doing. He noticed she moved a hand only after she heard the men. Was her talent real or imagined? If real, was it more reliable than Aileana’s?

“Ye barely ken me,” she objected. “How can ye have feelings for me?”

“Because I do. Ye needna worry about yer uncle and his schemes. They mean nothing.”

“I do trust ye, Angus. I trust ye to be fair, and to be a good laird. But ye must marry outside the clan, to make an alliance. And I dinna wish to marry at all.”

Her statement hit him like a punch in the gut. Surely she didn’t mean it. “We’ll talk about that when we’re out of here,” he promised, his voice steadier than his pulse. She was remembering what Colin had said, that was all.

Angus had felt the knot on the back of her head. Perhaps that blow had addled her mind. If so, he hoped the damage was only temporary.

She wanted him. Her kisses in the forest before they argued had told him she did. What he didn’t understand was why she denied it now.

****

Shona desperately wished she could see Angus’s expression. He could not be serious about courting her, not after becoming laird. He had other responsibilities. Colin had made that plain. Colin had thought to use Angus to satisfy his. Now the burden truly fell to Angus. Was there someone else in the clan who could serve the same purpose for him? A proxy who could marry outside the clan for an alliance? She wanted to ask, but she didn’t want to get his hopes up. Angus took his responsibilities seriously. She dared not get between him and his duty. He might promise her the moon while they were trapped here together. But she couldn’t see his face, or his eyes. They would tell her what he could not or would not say with words. Once they were free, she was certain he’d change his mind.

The night’s blackness prevented her from seeing anything, even her hand before her face. Odd. Weren’t the searchers using torches? If they were as close as Angus seemed to think, there should be some glimmer of light reflecting somewhere. Were she and Angus so thoroughly boxed in no light penetrated? Suddenly, her chest felt tight. She straightened, panted a heavy breath, then pulled away from Angus’s arms, gasping.

“What is it, lass?” The concern in his voice steadied her as much as his hands gripping her shoulders.

“Naught…naught. I just need more air.”

“Dinna fash. There are enough gaps for fresh air to reach us. We are no’ entombed.”

Angus would not lie to her. Shona heaved a longer breath and settled back. Just in time. She heard movement and talking as some of the men lined up to raise a slab of rock. She
reached
out to help them lift it, grimacing at the shooting pain in her head. She relaxed only when one of them called out “Clear!” and another said “Drop it, lads.” No one had been trapped underneath it.

“In fact,” Angus continued, unaware of her efforts, “the way the light is increasing, I’d wager the clouds have moved away altogether. The work should go faster. We’ll be out of here soon.”

Cold terror gripped Shona at his words, hollowing her chest and making her shake. Light? What light? How could he see while she remained in darkness? Unless…oh, no. He could see, and she was—
blind.
She clenched her fists and blinked furiously, trying to clear her vision, to catch any glimmer, any hint of brightness. But she saw nothing. Nothing but the unrelenting dark. Her hands flew to her face, to her eyes. They didn’t feel damaged. They did not hurt. Nay, the pain slashed from the back of her head to just behind her eyes. Whatever hit her head and knocked her out had done this, not just given her a stabbing headache…blinded her!

“When we’re clear,” Angus continued, unaware of the anguish twisting her belly, “I’ll see ye cared for. Ye must be cold,” he added, rubbing her arms. “Ye’re shaking.” With barely another breath, he continued, “Then I must help the others. But I meant what I said, Shona. When we’re certain everyone is safe, when this is cleaned up, I will court ye.”

Shona’s heart sank into her churning belly. She dared not tell him she’d been damaged, not so soon after he declared his intent to woo her. To marry her! She should hold onto this moment. She would have so little time to enjoy this feeling of being wanted. He would change his mind once he found out she’d been hurt in the collapse and could not see.

For now, she would bask in his affection, take joy and comfort knowing he cared about her. This might be all the affection she’d ever receive. Once he knew the harm she’d suffered, he’d no longer want her. A blind woman could not be lady of the clan.

****

At last, the men got to them and pulled away the timbers and slabs of stone. Angus stood and helped Shona to her feet, then shook their rescuers’ hands. When she swayed, he wrapped her in his arms, fearful she would fall. “How are ye, lass?”

“I’m…I’ll be well…I just need a moment.”

She didn’t sound well. She sounded hesitant and confused, much as she’d been while they still were trapped. Being trapped had been bad enough for him. For a delicate lass it must have been utterly terrifying.

He shook off the thought and went about getting them out of the way. They were free and safe, and there was still some daylight left to search the rest of the ruin of the great hall. “Come, lass,” he told her gently, urging her forward with a hand around her waist. It was good he had a grip on her because she immediately tripped over a head-sized rock at her feet. Angus kept her from falling.

“Sorry…” she muttered and took a hesitant sliding step forward.

“Ye must still be fashed. Lean on me. Or better yet…” Angus scooped her up. When she didn’t object, but merely heaved a great sigh, he carried her out of the rubble.

“Please, dinna take me too far,” she said.

He looked for a comfortable place to leave her so he could join the searchers in clearing the debris.

A shout went up, then a name on a cry of rage and grief. “Magnus!”

Angus flinched and heard Shona whisper, “Och, nay,” softly.

The men must have found a body.

Angus set Shona down on a stump near where victims of the collapse had been gathered. “I’m sorry, but I must leave ye here.”

She shook her head, slightly. “Go. I’ll be fine. Do what ye can for the others.”

Angus stepped away from her as Craig arrived and began examining a lad with a broken arm. Shona, sitting nearby, paid the healer no attention.

Despite the urge to stay with her, Angus went back to the ruins of the hall and joined the men working to clear away debris from Magnus’s body. Angus groaned when he saw the condition of the man’s lower leg. Crushed. Then his chest rose and fell. He was alive. Unconscious, which was a blessing, but breathing. Angus doubted Craig could save him. If Healer Aileana’s gift was real, he might yet live, even walk again. But Angus couldn’t help recalling his brother’s last day, when Craig and Aileana sat vigil over him, powerless to help. Jaw clenched, he called for Craig, fully aware the man could do little for this victim.

Craig
tsked
when he saw the damage. “’Twould be best to cut off the limb now, while he’s in a swoon. If he wakes, his screams will wake the dead.”

Brodric arrived to hear the last and shook his head. “Do what ye can for him, but no’ that. Aileana may be able to do more.”

“Like she did for my brother?” Angus demanded, grief and rage welling up, yet again. Then he clamped down on both emotions—hard. They were all as tired and heartsick over this disaster as he. Venting his anguish would help no one.

“This is different,” Brodric insisted.

“Mayhap,” Craig interjected, his tone making his doubts plain.

“If ye cut off his leg and he lives, what kind of life will he have? Dinna do it,” Brodric insisted. “Wait for the healer.”

Angus had heard enough. “Do what ye can,” he said and left them after motioning for the others to continue the search. It took two more hour’s hard work before he was satisfied there were no more victims in the remains of the great hall. God had been with them today. Several hurt, but none had died…yet. Craig had even devised a stretcher and moved Magnus, still unconscious, over with the others, so he could care for more of the victims at the same time.

Shona remained where he’d left her, though she’d moved off the stump and sat on the ground with it at her back. He alternated between monitoring Craig’s progress with the injured, checking to see what the men were doing to begin the task of clearing away the rubble, and watching Shona’s hands make small, telling movements. A vision of Aileana, hands poised over Gregor’s body, came to him, forcing him to accept the possibility Shona
was
helping the men shift their heavy burdens.

Or just thought she was.

Angus ran a filthy hand through his hair. Time to get to the bottom of this. Shona heard him coming and stilled before he reached her. One of the men behind him grunted and complained, “Damn it, ye oafs, who let go? This rock just got twice as heavy!” That complaint, added to others he’d heard but ignored while they were still trapped, removed the last of Angus’s doubts.

“Shona, can ye walk with me? I’d like to ask ye some questions.”

Her head moved from side to side, slowly, as if she was still in great pain. “I dinna think so.”

“Verra well, I’ll join ye here.” He settled beside her after a quick glance around to ensure no one remained in earshot. “If we keep our voices down, no one will hear what we say,” he added as he noticed her frown.

“Do we have secrets to share?” Her gaze seemed focused on the ruined hall.

“I dinna ken. Do we? What are ye doing when ye move yer hands? Dinna tell me ye are praying. I willna believe ye.”

She paled, but her voice sounded steady when she replied, “Naught. I’m nervous, ’tis all.”

Angus studied her. She would not meet his gaze, so he had to conclude she hid something. “Lass, ye need no’ fear me. Brodric sent for the healer, Aileana, who may be able to heal grievous wounds with her touch. I ken there are some who say they can do…things…others cannae.” And sometimes, they could
not
do what they claimed. The thought rose out of habit, and Angus pushed it aside.

Shona still would not look at him. The lass was stubborn, he’d give her that. Very well, then. He pitched his voice even lower and continued. “Did ye really move that beam off me? When we were still trapped, I thought perhaps because ye had been hit on the head, ye were daft to claim such a feat, but something…I did hear the men nearby when it moved, but it didna seem they were that close.” He took her hand, surprised when she flinched. “I dinna ken whether to believe ye or think ye daft.”

She kept silent, so Angus plunged ahead. “The more I’ve thought about it, and the more I’ve thought about Aileana and what ’tis said she can do, I’ve come to believe in ye.” Angus wanted to grab her chin, to force her to meet his gaze, to see the effect his words were having, but he knew he’d only cause her more pain, so he tried again with his words to break through to her. “I ken ye’ve been helping the searchers lift and move the heavy logs and stones to find other victims underneath. Could ye have moved some of the people so the searchers could reach them more quickly?”

“Nay, no’ that.”

Finally, a reaction. “No’ what?”

She sighed and her shoulders slumped. “I dare no’ move the people. They might be hurt in ways I canna ken. And I’ve only been able to help a little. I’ve never lifted anything so heavy as the stones, or the tree that fell on Colin. The best I couldha done, had I been there, was to try to push it aside, to miss him, as I pushed aside another branch that nearly fell on the men standing around him. But I did roll the beam off ye. ’Twas the most weight I’ve ever moved, but I had to save ye. I couldna let ye drown.”

“Well then.” Angus sucked in a breath, his skin tingling at her admission.

“Ye canna tell anyone.”

“Why no’?” Angus suddenly had the sinking feeling there was much Shona was not saying. Why wouldn’t she meet his gaze?

“They’ll turn me out, like my village did.”

“We are no’ the same as yer village, lass.” His heart broke for her, for what she’d been through. With his other hand, he stroked her cheek.

She jerked and knocked her head back against the tree stump, grimaced and cried out with pain.

Suddenly, Angus knew. He gripped her shoulders and pulled her away from the stump, unsurprised she kept her eyes tightly closed. “Did I startle ye? I’m sorry.” She couldn’t see. Something had happened in the collapse to steal her sight. And she was afraid to tell him. Angus? Or the laird?

“My head pounds like a war drum, ’tis all.”

Angus glanced around, looking for the clan’s healer. “Has Craig seen ye?” Not that Craig could do anything for her.