Forget Me Not, My Scottish Love by Allie Palomino
Chapter Twenty-Two
“I must be barren, Cameron,” she said dejectedly. She was upset. It was a month later and she’d lightly bled. “The poison must have permanently damaged me.”
“Bess said not to be upset, Abby. Ye were being poisoned. Yer body canna be expected to recuperate so quickly,” he said gently, playing with a lock of her hair on the side of her face.
Her eyes were watery. Her troubled gaze studied him.
“There’s such little time left,” she whispered desperately, looking away. She felt the panic seize her. “Dear God, I cannot leave you, Cameron,” she said, looking back at him as her trembling hand came up to her mouth. “I’ll die without you. I don’t want to be married off to someone else,” she said, her body trembling in fear.
Abby was trembling violently and had gone pale. She ran to the chamber pot and threw up the contents of her noon meal. He went over to her, with water and a cloth. He rubbed her back until she stopped retching, then handed her the cloth and the water.
“Thank you,” she said, her voice trembling.
“Ye are nay barren, my love,” he said, bringing her into his arms and resting his head on hers. “And I’ve already told ye, sweetness, I will not allow anyone take ye from me.”
“And have that horrible night-terror come to life? Never. I’ll never allow you to put yourself in danger for me,” she said forcefully.
He sighed. It would do no good to argue with her now. She needed his strength and assurance, not an argument.
“Doona place so much strain on yerself, Abby. Bess said that the strain would make it more difficult to conceive. Ye should be happy that ye’ve received yer monthly. This means that ye’re body has almost fully recovered from the poison.”
“Yes, but it’s not as it’s always been. It’s very light,” she said, blushing prettily.
“Get some rest,” he said gently.
“Actually, I’m going to spend some time with Orfeld.” She giggled at his expression. “He’s old and lonely.”
“And damned meddlesome,” Cameron grumbled. “Doona tire yerself, Abby. I mean it,” he said when she shook her head. “And be careful. Some of the clan members have been ill. A couple even have lung fever.
She nodded and gave him a kiss before leaving the room.
Abby spent the next couple of days with Orfeld. A smile never left her face for long when she was with him. Amy’s grandfather was always complaining about Old Man Kressyl, Alice’s uncle. She saw the man and laughed harder. They were one and the same, in temperament, that is.
Orfeld was tall and lanky. His knobby knees showed from underneath his kilt. His hair was mostly white, with hints of brown still visible. His blue eyes were milky, but exuded a sharpness that belied his age. The lines around his mouth were deep set, from years of frowning and mischief, she presumed.
Old Man Kressyl was short and very round. His hair was mostly a dull red, except for visible patches of white, and his green eyes were cloudy. His stomach protruded and his plaid stretched around him. The belt was in danger of collapsing. He also had frown lines around his mouth.
“Good day, Kressyl,” Abby shouted, waving.
He looked up from his vegetable patch and squinted. Seeing little, he brought a cupped hand over his eyes. He looked at her, shrugged and growled, and continued on working.
“Doona pay attention tae him, lass. He’s always sour,” Orfeld said. “Isna that so?” He asked, raising his voice so that Kressyl could hear.
Kressyl looked up again and muttered under his breath. He stood, carrying some vegetables, and entered his cottage.
Abby bit back a smile.
“He’s moving his cottage closer tae mine, Lady. I know he is,” Orfeld grumbled, shaking his cane up in the air at Kressyl’s cottage.
“Nay, I don’t believe so, Orfeld. Why, you are very observant and keen of perception. ‘Twould be difficult to do as you say, don’t you think?” she asked, looking at him.
“Ye’re right, Lady, I am keen of perception.”
“And being of keen perception, Orfeld, I’m certain you know that ‘twould be too difficult to move a hutch even a toe, much less a foot; you made me realize that just now. Aye, you’re very smart, you know.”
“Aye, that I am, lass. I just didna know how tae tell ye gently. ‘Twould be impossible to move that hutch closer tae mine,” he said, nodding, rubbing his hand against his chin.
Orfeld began walking in to his cottage. “Good day, Laird.”
Abby whipped around and saw Cameron leaning against a tree. Her heart stopped. He was so powerful, handsome, and, from the look in his eyes, loving. She smiled at him and he gave her a slow, sexy smile that melted her heart and fired her blood. His gray eyes caressed her body from head to toe and up again. They settled on her face and she felt the gooseflesh cover her skin.
She ran to him. He caught her and brought her against him, enfolding her in his warmth.
“I thought you were training,” she said against his shoulder.
He inhaled her scent, her sweet fragrance, with his eyes closed. He couldn’t let her go, so he held her longer. “Lord, I love ye.”
She squeezed him harder. “I am so very lucky, Cameron. To have your love is pure Heaven,” she said. She leaned back against his strong arms. “I love you.”
His head came down for a searing kiss. It deepened, and she moaned loudly. His tongue swooped in and mated with hers. He pulled back before the kiss grew more passionate.
Her eyes were dazed. “What are you here for?”
“I missed ye.”
Smiling, she said, “I missed you, too.” She hugged him close again, burying her face in his masculine chest. “What would I do without you, Cameron?”
He kissed her forehead. “Ye’ll never have to find out, my love.” He gave her a tight squeeze and closed his eyes. “The better question is, what would I do without ye?”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, ye just spared me a lot of time from hearing Orfeld’s ridiculous accusations that Kressyl moved his cottage closer to his.” He sighed happily. “Ah…ye are my most powerful advantage, sweetness. A smile here, a compliment there, and ye have them melting. I’ll remember that,” he said and laughed along with her.
He heard growling and stepped back. He had a confused look on his face while his wife looked sheepish.
“What was that?” he asked, hiding a smile.
“My stomach,” she said, stealing a peek up at him. “I suppose I’m hungry.”
He laughed. “Well, I canna let my love remain hungry. Let’s fetch something to eat,” he said and she squealed when he tried to pick her up.
“You will not pick me up, Cameron MacPherson! I am not a delicate flower,” she said, dodging his hands and laughing. She squealed again as she avoided his grasp and began running towards the castle.
“Abby, my love, ye canna get away!” he said, smiling at the laughter he heard from her.
She turned around, her hair in disarray, and took gulping breaths. Her chest heaved with the effort and her smile grew wider as he stopped to stare at her.
“Cameron!” she warned as she saw him take a small step forward. She held her hand up. Her smile faltered then. She placed her hand to her mouth and ran to a tree, where she promptly dry heaved since she had nothing in her tummy to empty.
“Does she have a fever, Bess? Does she have lung fever?” Cameron asked anxiously. He had been sitting quietly as Bess looked her over.
“Nay, Laird. Mayhap somethin’ didna agree with her.”
“She’s been passing the time with Orfeld and some of the clan. I told her to take caution, that the lung fever was spreading.”
“Quit speaking of me as if I’m nay here.”
Bess shared a smile with Abby.
“Nay, she’ll be fine,” Bess said.
Cameron looked down at Abby and she saw the relief in his eyes.
“I’ll leave ye be. Now, Abby, ye ‘ave to eat an’ drink,” she clucked. “Ye canna go a day without doing so,” Bess lectured.
“But Bess, I’m eating a lot. Too much, really. I drink a lot, too!”
Bess clucked before leaving the couple.
“Have ye been around anyone sick, Abigail?”
She perked up. He only called her Abigail when he was angry or worried.
“No, Cameron. Why are you upset?”
“How did ye know?” he asked, smiling.
“Because ye only call me Abigail when ye are.”
He took her hand, and kissed the inside of her palm, and her knuckles, all while looking at her.
“Ye retched.”
She sighed, annoyed. “I’m bound to be sick here or there, but I don’t have lung fever. I am quite famished now, and I assure you, I am famished all the time. Just this morn, I ate enough to feed three people. ‘Tis just that I cannot be keeping some of it down. I hurl it up at times.”
He studied her for a moment.
“Maybe it’s the poison still working itself out?”
He frowned. “I doona know, Abby.” He studied her intently and she saw the worry in his eyes.
“Cameron, don’t frown so. I’m fine and I’m hungry. Now, if you won’t get me food, then I’ll go get it myself,” she said, getting irritable.
He smiled. “I’ll go get ye food. Sit and doona move, Abby.” She smiled and he gave her a sterner look. “Abby,” he warned.
“Yes, yes, Cameron, I’ll stay put.”
He gave her a smile and leaned over to give her a kiss.
She waited patiently as her stomach rumbled. Mere minutes passed before he returned with fresh fruit, black bread, honey, cheese, and meat.
She closed her eyes as he entered, and inhaled the smell of food. A wide smile spread across her face and she moaned.
“What do ye want first?” he asked. Though he thought her smile couldn’t get any wider, it did. “Never mind that I asked.”
He smiled at her and spread honey across the fresh baked black bread. He shook his head when she reached for it and he brought the piece of bread to her mouth. She took a bite and closed her eyes, moaning.
“Delicious,” she sighed. He didn’t bring the piece of bread fast enough to her mouth, so she snatched it out and devoured it.
He laughed as his eyes grew wide at her rapacious appetite.
“As I said,” she paused, her mouth full of food. “I have a large appetite and I am eating,” she said, licking her fingers. She looked up, with her index finger still in her mouth. She smiled, suddenly embarrassed that she was behaving this way. He leaned his head back and laughed.
“Don’t laugh at me,” she said, stuffing another piece of cheese in her mouth. She washed down her five pounds of food with a bucket of water.
He looked at her, and chuckled loudly.
All of a sudden, she got a horrified look on her face. “What’s the matter?” he asked, worried.
“Move the food!” she managed to say, covering her mouth with her palm. Cameron hurried while Abby rushed over to the chamber pot. Cameron grimaced while she retched up her meal. He walked over to her, patted her back, and gave her water.
“What is going on with ye?” he asked, as he brought her into his arms. He felt her trembling.
She shook her head. “I don’t know,” she said, her voice trembling and raw.
“Why doona ye sleep a little?” he asked, and she nodded. He led her over to the bed and settled her in.
“Stay with me?” she asked. Her eyes betrayed her insecurity.
“Always,” he said, and settled next to her. She turned towards him and he enfolded his arms around her. He felt her relax and when her breathing grew even, he knew she was asleep.
Was she ill?
He was beyond frustrated. It seemed as if at every turn, there was something or someone always trying to do harm to her, some force always trying to take her away from him.
He ground his teeth together. He would do whatever it took to keep her with him. He would rip the arms off the devil himself.
And God help the man or thing who dares to harm her.