She was still debating the issue when a knock sounded at her door.
Conran stood at once and moved to answer it.
Evina stiffened as she watched him, half suspecting it would be Rory at the door, calling to check on her. But instead, it was Tildy, she saw. The woman was carrying a tray of both food and drink, and she definitely wasn’t pleased to see Conran there. In fact, judging by the blistering look she gave him as she moved past him, Evina would say the maid wasn’t pleased with Conran at all. But then the maid had heard the conversation in her father’s room. She knew he’d let them think he was Rory when he was Conran, and that he’d tumbled her in the field.
“I thought ye’d be ready fer that broth and some mead now,” Tildy said, her expression easing as she approached the bed. “Ye have no’ eaten since the attack, and need yer strength fer healing.”
“Aye. Thank ye, Tildy,” Evina murmured as the woman set the tray on her bedside table.
“Shall I feed ye?” Tildy asked, casting her an uncertain glance.
Evina smiled faintly at the woman’s expression. The maid knew how much she hated to admit she needed help of any kind. This was no exception, and she opened her mouth to refuse the offer, but Conran did it for her.
“I’ll help her, Tildy. Thank ye,” he said firmly.
The maid turned another scalding look on him. “I asked m’lady, no’ you, sirrah.”
Evina’s eyes widened incredulously at the insult in her addressing him as sirrah. Afraid Conran would get angry and dress her down for it, she said quickly, “’Tis fine, Tildy. Ye’ve enough on yer plate what with the Buchanans here and such. There’s no need to stay here with me.”
“Are ye sure?” Tildy asked, turning to her with concern.
“Aye. Go on about yer business and leave the tray here. I’ll be fine,” she assured her solemnly.
“Hmm.” Tildy shifted her hard gaze to Conran, but then nodded grimly and turned to bustle out of the room.
“I’m starting to think Tildy no longer likes me,” Conran said dryly, moving to inspect the broth and mead.
“She was me nursemaid until I was married, and then became m’lady’s maid. She’s always looked out fer me,” Evina said quietly.
“And is no’ pleased that I no’ only let ye continue to believe that I was me brother Rory, after I was conscious, but took yer innocence,” he suggested.
Evina felt her face flush with embarrassment, and scowled at him for causing it. “I’d appreciate it if ye could see yer way clear to no’ mentioning that again.”
“Very well,” he said quietly, lifting the mug of mead and settling on the bedside with it. “If ye agree that we forget about it and start fresh.”
“Start fresh?” Evina asked, eyeing the mead greedily. She was very thirsty. Unsurprising, she supposed, since she’d slept for so long without food and drink.
“Aye,” he said solemnly, and then held out his free hand and said, “Good day, Lady Evina. My name is Conran Buchanan. ’Tis a pleasure to make yer acquaintance.”
Evina hesitated, but then placed her hand reluctantly in his and whispered, “Good day.”
Smiling, he squeezed her fingers, and then released her hand to hold up the mead. “May I help ye sit up and prop some pillows behind yer back so ye can drink?”
“Aye,” she breathed, relieved that he wasn’t going to insist on holding the mug to her mouth and treating her like a child or invalid.
Nodding, Conran set the mead back and stood to help her sit up. He then rearranged her pillow and rolled up a fur to put behind her back so that she had support to sit. “How is that?”
“Good,” Evina said a little breathlessly, and then as an afterthought, added, “Thank ye.”
“Can ye hold the mug yerself?” he asked, picking it up.
“Aye,” she answered, and then nearly dropped it when he placed it in her hand. Closing his fingers over hers, Conran prevented the spill and then urged her to drink without comment.
Grateful that he didn’t make a big deal of it, Evina watched him place the mead on the table and pick up the broth instead, but then asked, “Did ye and Gavin manage to capture all the bandits?”
“Nay,” he said, turning to her with the broth. “We killed three, injured and captured one who died here later, but one got away.”
“Oh,” Evina murmured as he spooned up some broth and held it out to her. She opened her