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Joha
The hound didn't let up his growling, but he allowed her assistance.
Joha
Dumfries paused at the top of the steps leading down into the great hall. Joha
Men putting the finishing touches on the mantel with their brushes quickly moved out of the way as Dumfries walked toward them. The dog circled the area in front of the hearth twice, then began to whimper. He was obviously in too much pain now to lie down.
Megan came ru
"I'll get a fresh one from the chest, m'lady," Megan called out.
"No," Joha
A few minutes later Megan tossed the blanket to her mistress. Joha
Dumfries circled once again, then collapsed on his side.
"You've gotten the beast inside, m'lady," Keith whispered from behind her. "That was quite an accomplishment."
She shook her head. "That was easy," she answered. "What conies next is a little more challenging. I'm going to sew him up. 'Tis the truth I dread the duty. Dumfries isn't going to understand."
She patted the side of Dumfries's neck again before leaning forward on her knees to look at the deep gash in his left flank.
"You can't be serious, m'lady. The hound will kill you if you touch his injury."
"I sincerely hope not," Joha
"But you're afraid of him." The soldier blurted out the reminder.
"Yes," she agreed, "I am afraid. It doesn't change anything though, does it? Dumfries still has an injury and I still have to sew him up. Leila? Have you found the jars of medicines?"
"Aye, m'lady."
Joha
"Bring them to me, please, and put them on the blanket."
Leila and Megan didn't move from the top of the steps. They started toward her when she motioned to them but stopped suddenly. Dumfries was at it again, growling low in his throat. The sound he made was very like what Joha
The women were afraid to come any closer. The realization astonished Joha
"Do be careful, m'lady," Leila whispered.
Joha
The dog amazed both Joha
Into the chaos came Gabriel. Joha
"What the hell happened?"
Joha
Keith immediately stood up. The other soldiers who'd followed him into the great hall moved back to give Keith room.
"I'd wager Dumfries met up with a wolf or two," Keith speculated.
"Think he found our pet?" Calum asked the question. He walked over to stand next to Keith.
Joha
"You have another pet, m'lord?" she asked while she gently dabbed the yellow ointment on the cut. She used another linen square to smooth the healing salve along the jagged edges.
"The Maclaurins call one particular wolf Pet. Your hand's shaking."
"I can see it is."
"Why?"
"Your dog terrifies me."
Joha
"Yet she's tending him, Laird."
"I can see she is, Keith," Gabriel replied.
"The difficult part's over," Joha
"Besides what?"
She whispered her explanation, but Gabriel couldn't make out the words. He knelt down beside his wife. He placed his hand on the dog's neck. Dumfries immediately tried to lick his fingers.
"What did you just say?" he asked his wife while he stroked his hound.
"I said, you're here now," she whispered. She glanced over, saw his arrogant expression, and immediately added, "Dumfries will be comforted. He has great affection for you, m'lord. I imagine he knows you'll keep him safe."
"You know it too, Joha
She knew he expected her agreement. She decided his arrogance would get completely out of hand if she admitted she did feel safe when he was near, and so she remained silent.
It didn't take her any time at all to sew the injury closed. Gabriel helped her wrap wide cotton strips around and around the dog. He tied the ends together.
"He won't leave this alone for long," her husband predicted.
She nodded. She was suddenly overwhelmed with fatigue. Fear had drained her of her strength, she supposed.
She collected her supplies and stood up. A crowd of curious men and women stood behind her. Joha
"She carried your dog inside, MacBain. Aye, she did."
As Keith told a somewhat exaggerated version, Joha
She fell asleep a few minutes later. Gabriel came up to the room twice during the evening to look in on her. He finally came to bed around midnight after making certain Dumfries was resting comfortably.
Joha