Highland Heiress - By Margaret Moore Page 0,44

was or to whom he was speaking. “I loved you…I thought I loved you…but now I don’t know…and Robbie…what’s happened to Robbie?”

“He’s not here,” she said, desperately wondering if she should leave him to call for help, or stay where she was.

Before she could move, Mr. McHeath started to sit up. “I don’t love you. I never loved you. I thought I did, but I didn’t.”

She put her hands on his shoulders to push him back down. “Lie still, Mr. McHeath!” she ordered. “Lie still!”

His eyes closed and panting heavily, he obeyed. Then his eyes flew open again, and although they were still glassy and unfocused, he stared at her as if he was seeing a ghost. “Catriona?”

He moved as if he meant to try to sit up again. She could only think of one way to get him to lie still.

“Yes, Gordon, I’m here,” she said, moving to sit beside him on the bed and taking his overly warm hand in hers. “You must lie still and try to sleep, so you’ll get well again.”

“Catriona,” he sighed, his eyes drifting closed. “Why didn’t you tell me there was someone else?”

“Hush, now, Gordon,” Moira said. “You must rest.”

“You should have told me!”

“Shh, now, Gordon, please!” Moira insisted as she held his hand and caressed his perspiring cheek.

“You should have told me,” he repeated as he turned his head away from her. “I thought you cared for me, but all the time… All the time there was…” His voice began to trail off in a rough rasp. “Somebody else. Not me. Not me…”

With her free hand, Moira reached for a fresh cloth to wipe his brow. Catriona, whoever she was, must be a fool—ten times ten a fool if she would reject Gordon McHeath’s love and devotion for some other man. Why, she would give anything…

“I need to go away,” he murmured. “Robbie. I’ll visit Robbie. He’s a good friend.”

If Robbie McStuart was a good friend, she’d hate to meet a bad one.

“She’s beautiful. And brave. Climbing up in a tree.”

Her breath caught. Had the unknown Catriona ever climbed a tree?

“I wanted to kiss her…such kisses… Moira….”

He was talking about her!

“I want…”

Chapter Twelve

What? What did he want?

Holding her breath, Moira waited for him to answer, but it seemed Mr. McHeath wasn’t going to speak again, or wake up, either, at least not immediately.

Who was this Catriona he’d talked about? What did he mean when he spoke of only thinking he was in love?

Would she ever know? Perhaps not, but finding out the answers was less important than his recovery. If only she could somehow heal him with the power of her mind and…and…deep affection.

Remembering how her mother used to check for fever, she half rose, leaned over and gently kissed his brow.

He was cooler! Wasn’t he? She was about to try again when he stirred and his eyelids fluttered open. He turned his head very slightly toward her and looked at her, and this time, she thought he really saw her.

Then he whispered, “Moira?”

Never in all her life had she been so glad to hear her own name!

“Yes!” she cried with relief and excitement. Surely this was a good sign! Surely he would get well! “Yes, it’s Moira! Oh, Gor—oh, Mr. McHeath! How do you feel? Are you in pain anywhere?”

He licked his dry lips. “Thirsty.”

She immediately poured him a glass of cool water and sat beside him, raising his head and holding the glass to his lips as she cradled his head in her arm.

He managed to drink some of the water before he began to splutter. She quickly set the glass down, then eased his head back onto the pillow.

She tried to be gentle, but he winced nonetheless. “What…what happened?”

He didn’t remember? Was that a bad sign? “You were attacked. You were found near the school and we brought you here, to my father’s house.”

He closed his eyes, and for a moment she feared he’d lost consciousness again, until his brow furrowed and he quietly said, “I remember now. There were two men, one with a torch. And that dog that chased you. They were going to burn the school. I…I was going to get help.” He opened his eyes and his anguished expression nearly undid her. “I didn’t succeed, did I?”

Whether he’d managed to summon help or not, her heart filled with gratitude for the attempt as she answered in a whisper. “No. By the time anyone realized the building was on fire, it was too late to