Page 23 of To Charm a Highlander

“Oh,” Donella said.She dinna ken if Haydon would approve of her undressing the warrior.Then she realized ‘twas all proper because Dorathia was with her, and they were dealing with a patient.

Dorathia pulled the light blanket off Callum and started to untie the front of his leine, revealing curly dark hair.Donella stopped wiping his forehead and a verra strange feeling came over her as she looked at Callum’s chest.No’ a good feeling but making her slightly nauseous.

Taking a deep breath, she returned to wiping his face and neck.Dorathia pushed the leine up to Callum’s underarms.“Ye can start wiping down his chest, lass, that will help.”

Donella’s hand started to shake as she dipped the cloth into the water.Sweat broke out on her face and she took several deep breaths.

“Are ye all right, lass?”Dorathia asked, concern on her face.

“Aye.I’m fine.”She squeezed the extra water out of the cloth.When she reached over to place the cloth on Callum’s chest, she dropped the cloth and covered her face with her hands.

“Donella, lass, what’s wrong?”

She looked up.“I doona ken.I feel verra sick all of a sudden.”

“Mayhap ‘tis better if ye let me do this and ye can help me change the linen later.”

She shook her head furiously.“Nay.Something tells me I need to do this.”

Dorathia continued to look at her oddly, but Donella had grown so used to people regarding her in a strange way, that she ignored it and forced herself to pick up the cloth lying on Callum’s chest.She smoothed the cloth over his chest, all the time gagging.

She wasna sure what was going on but feared it might have something to do with her experience tucked into the back of her mind.Dorathia had already told her about being violated so of course she would react to seeing a mon’s naked chest.

That thought dinna help her body’s reaction to the chore she was doing.She continued, even though she was still breathing so heavily that she felt as though she would pass out.Somewhere deep inside her she kenned she had always been a strong person.If this was a reaction to the horror she’d gone through, she would fight it.

She had no idea what she was like before she knocked herself out, but from how people have acted since then, it was not a place she wished to return to.

“Donella, ye are not looking very well, lass.I think ye should let me finish up cooling Mr.Gunn and ye take a break.”

“Nay!”

Dorathia’s eyes grew wide.

“I’m sorry.I dinna mean to holler at ye so.”She looked up at the healer.“I believe I am reliving something that happened to me all those years ago.”

The healer nodded.“Aye, I believe ye are correct.I think the sight of the mon’s chest is doing that to ye.”

Donella nodded.“Aye.I doona remember anything more, though.But I ken the sight of chest hair is making me nauseous and verra nervous.”

“Yet ye want to continue?”

“Aye.I doona wish to return to where I was before I fell.I’m enjoying this life and doona want to give it up.”

Dorathia nodded.“Well done, lass.”

They continued to wipe Callum down, and Donella found as time went by she was less anxious.Her unease rose up again when they had one of the men in the kitchen join them to turn Callum so they could change his bedding.

Seeing that broad back, tight buttocks and muscular legs brought the nausea back again.Her breathing picked up as well, but she was determined to fight through it.

She wiped her damp forehead on the sleeve of her dress, took deep breaths and continued.

Eventually, the sheets were clean and dry and Callum was looking much better.“Are ye staying for a while, Donella?”Dorathia asked.

“Aye.I’ll sit with him.They should be bringing his evening meal up, but I’m no’ sure he will eat it.”

“Most likely no’ and I don’t think food is good for his body right now.He needs to fight this fever, not use up his energy digesting food.”Dorathia picked up her basket.“I will stop at the kitchen and ask Jonet to send up some medicinal tea and mayhap some meat broth.”She held up the small bottle of liquid.“Ye can give him this when he awakens.Try to have him drink some of the broth and tea before ye give it to him.”

“Aye,” Donella said as she brushed back the locks from Callum’s forehead.