“There are bed linens in the chest,” Evina pointed out.
Tildy clucked with irritation. “Nay. I’ll no waste a good bed linen on this. I’ll fetch another linen for ye to dry with. Will no’ take a moment. Ye just relax there for a bit. Yer arm was shaking again by the time I finished rinsing anyway. Ye can no doubt use a break ere ye try to get up.”
Evina didn’t get a chance to agree, disagree or comment. Tildy talked all the way to and through the door, closing it on the last word.
Shaking her head with amusement, she leaned back against the cold metal, only to wince as it pressed against the entry wound in her back. It was only then it occurred to her to worry about whether that had got wet while her hair was rinsed. Evina didn’t think so, but supposed she’d find out soon enough when Tildy rewrapped her.
A soft shuffling sound caught her ear then, and she frowned, wondering if they had mice. She’d have to tell Tildy to put down some black hellebore with barley meal. Evina hated mice. She wasn’t afraid of much, but seeing one of those little creatures scampering across the floor was enough to make her squeal and leap about like an idiot. It was most embarrassing. Aye. She’d talk to Tildy about the hellebore when she returned, Evina thought, and then stilled in surprise when something pressed down on her head, pushing her down in the tub.
Her eyes popped open at once, and Evina opened her mouth on a startled cry that was silenced when soapy liquid poured into her mouth as she was forced under the water’s surface.
“Have ye heard any news from Dougall or Niels? When do ye expect them to arrive?”
Conran heard Geordie ask the question, and was truly interested in the answer. It might give him an idea as to how long he had to convince Evina that the joining itself wasn’t the nightmare she’d been led to believe by their first experience together. However, he spotted Tildy coming out of Evina’s room then, and all of his attention focused on her.
It must mean Evina was done her bath, he thought as he watched the maid walk along the landing toward the stairs. Although the water and tub still had to be removed, Conran supposed. Tildy was probably coming down to fetch the servants back up to do just that, and then he could—
His thoughts died and he scowled when Tildy suddenly stopped halfway down the stairs and whirled back the way she’d come. The woman was shaking her head with apparent exasperation as she trudged back up the stairs. She seemed quite annoyed about something. His guess would be that she’d forgot something.
“Did ye hear that, Conny?”
“Hmm?” Conran muttered, aware of Aulay’s voice asking a question, but not really paying it any attention as he watched Tildy return to Evina’s door and open it. He completely missed whatever Aulay said next, because he was focused on Tildy. He’d seen the way the maid had seemed to blanch once she opened the door. By the time she began to shriek in horror and disappeared into the room, Conran was already on his feet and racing for the stairs.
He heard the cries of confusion and concern behind him as he ran, but Conran didn’t slow to explain. He didn’t know what the hell was happening himself, just that something was very wrong.
As fast as Conran moved, he knew his brothers were directly behind him. Because at least one of them crashed into his back when he stumbled to a halt just inside the room at the sight of Tildy trying to pull Evina’s naked and wet body from the tub. That wasn’t what brought him to a halt, however; it was the fact that Evina’s eyes were closed and she was as pale as death, her skin and lips bearing a slightly blue tinge that made his balls shrivel.
“Help me!”
That screech from Tildy did the trick, and Conran charged forward to scoop Evina out of the warm water.
“Set her on the bed,” Rory ordered, appearing beside him.
Conran obeyed automatically, carrying her still form to the bed and setting her there on her back.
“On her stomach! Turn her over, and let her head and upper chest hang off the bed.”
Conran glanced around at that barked order to peer uncertainly at the Maclean. The man hadn’t been at table, so must have come from his room, drawn by the scream as well.
“Do it!” the man barked, hobbling toward the bed.
Conran glanced to Rory, but did as the man said.
“Pound her back,” the Maclean growled, stopping beside him as Conran finished turning Evina unto her stomach on the edge of the bed so that her upper body hung off, her head dangling toward the floor.
“M’laird,” Rory began soothingly, and Conran glanced to him, awaiting his instruction. Rory was the healer. He would know what to do.
However, before Rory could finish whatever he’d intended to say, Donnan was suddenly there beside Conran, pushing on Evina’s back once, and then twice, and finally a third time, before he quickly turned her over and bent to kiss her.
“What the hell!” Conran roared, and reached for the man, but the Maclean caught his arm to stop him.
“He’s breathing for her,” he growled.
Conran turned his gaze back to Donnan and then shifted to the side to get a better look and saw the man wasn’t kissing her, so much as blowing air into her mouth while pinching her nose. His attention shifted to her chest and he saw it expand slightly with each breath, and then a choking sound drew his eyes back toward her face as Donnan straightened and Evina began sputtering and coughing.
“Damn,” Rory breathed. “I ne’er would have thought to do that.”
“Me wife did it to our son when he was a boy and fell into the loch, taking in water. She was desperate. She pushed on his back to get the water out that she could, and then she breathed into him until he could breathe for himself,” Fearghas said quietly. “It worked. Even she was surprised that it did.”
“Evina did the same for ye after she got ye out o’ the river when she knocked ye out. ’Tis how I kenned to do it. I’d ne’er seen it ere that,” Donnan announced, getting to his feet and backing away to make room as Tildy rushed forward with a plaid in hand.
“She did?” Conran asked with surprise.
“Aye. Donnan thought she was molesting ye,” Gavin announced, drawing Conran’s gaze around to see that the room was full of people. His brothers, his sister, their mates, Donnan, Gavin, Fearghas, Tildy and even Betsy were all there, he noted, and then turned back to the bed as Tildy helped Evina sit up and wrapped the plaid around her to cover her up.
“Me wound got wet,” Evina mumbled, sounding apologetic of all things.
“What happened?” Conran asked, moving closer to the bed, and just barely restraining himself from picking her up and holding her. Color had flooded her face, just emphasizing in his mind how pale she’d been when he’d first entered.
When Evina shook her head with bewilderment, Tildy said, “I was going below to fetch another linen for her to dry with. But halfway down the stairs I thought I should take the dirty tunic and bed linens down with me fer laundering to save a trip later, so turned back.”
“Aye?” Conran said impatiently. He’d seen her leave and turn back. He wanted to know what had happened to Evina.
“When I came back in, there was a man bent over the tub, holding m’lady under the bathwater,” Tildy said with a shudder that spoke of how much that sight had affected her.