The Bard (Highland Heroes #5) - Maeve Greyson Page 0,35

she became trapped. All she could do was pray the building was empty. She crawled back the way she came, clearing the door just as a section of the roof caved in behind her. Once out of the stable, she stumbled to her feet and ran back to the small herd still milling against the fence. Her anxiety reached a fevered pitch. Nay, she’d not overlooked her pet. Her precious cow was not there.

Another roaring crash filled the night as the remainder of the roof gave way. As the sparks shot even higher and lit the darkness, Sorcha’s heart fell. If anyone, either man or beast, had still been inside, they were now lost. Knotting the linen back around her hair, she scanned the area, searching for Sutherland.

Her cow hadn’t been in the stall nor the paddock. Surely, that meant he had led them to one of the other stables, and both he and the beasts were safe. She kept that thought front and foremost, but the longer she looked among the men without finding Sutherland, the deeper her fears rooted. Panic threatened to overtake her.

“Move him inside the keep and fetch the healer! Now!”

Sorcha recognized that shout. It was Da. A welcomed bit of relief washed across her. If Da was shouting orders, at least that meant he was safe. But who were they moving inside the keep? Who was hurt? She made her way to the cluster of men staggering under the mass of the large body they carried.

“Sutherland!” She rushed to Magnus, who held his friend by one of his arms as they labored up the steps of the front landing. “What happened? How bad is he?” She felt such a fool, so worried about a cow that the man she had just married had risked his life to please her. “Please tell me he’ll be fine. Please.”

“I dinna ken,” Magnus grunted as they carried him through the entry hall and hefted him none too gently across the length of a table. “I found him in the snow between the fire and the main stable. Almost hidden at the far end of the buildings. Dragged off in the shadows against the base of the skirting wall.” Magnus stepped back, his worried scowl locked on Sutherland’s seemingly lifeless body. “He was well enough earlier when I saw him leading a cow and a calf into the largest of the shelters. But then he disappeared.”

Her poor Sutherland was soaking wet, coated in filth, and the part of his face not black with soot was covered in blood. He looked as though they had dragged him from a battlefield.

Sorcha yanked the linen off her head and started wiping away the mess from his face, searching for the source of the bleeding. “Water and linens and be quick about it!” she shouted without looking up. From what Magnus had said, Sutherland had saved Peigi and her calf, but then what had happened?

“I thought I told ye to take care?” she softly scolded, nearly choking on the threat of tears. Nay. Now was not the time to cry. She had to care for her husband. At last, she found the source of the bleeding. An ugly gash on the right side of his head, deep into his hairline. A fierce swelling surrounded the cut.

“He’s taken a fierce bash right here, and it’s split him open.” She pressed her cheek to his chest, relieved when his heart beat steady and strong. Praise God Almighty. “What wouldha caused such an injury?” she asked Magnus as she straightened and returned to gently cleaning away filth and blood. “Reckon a beam fell and hit him? But why would he have gone back into the fire if all the stock were safe?”

Magnus rounded his friend and bent close to examine the wound. “Whatever struck him came from behind, not above.” He eased Sutherland’s head to the left and ran his fingers across the rest of his skull. “And he was hit twice. There’s another knot a bit lower. Right here.”

A troop of maids appeared, bearing bowls, linens, and steaming kettles. “Want we should send for Mistress Aderyn?” one of the girls asked. “Did the chief call for her?”

“Aye. Do it. It willna hurt to send another to fetch her.” Sorcha took one of the kettles and filled a basin with the hot water. She hated dragging the old woman out in the middle of the storm, but Sutherland needed a healer. “In fact, send Raibie and Kiff