Finding My Highlander Read Online Free Page A

wild imagination.
    Her voice trembled when she spoke, “Kendrick, will you permit me to use some healing ointment on the bandages before we bind his wounds? I will use it on my own cuts and scratches. It is quite safe and may help prevent infection.”
    Kendrick studied her with focused concentration that shot to her core; it felt as though he reached to her very soul. “You’ll need a few stitches on your head as well. Let me tend to them and then you may add your ointments.”
    Andra sat as still as possible while Kendrick applied a few stitches along her hairline. The pain made her dizzy and nauseous. At least the heat of his presence offered some small distraction, though not enough to prevent a few tears or repress her hisses as the needle pierced her skin.
    As soon as he finished, she opened the tube inside the bag and wiped ointment on her finger. She applied it to her forehead laceration first. Then with her back to the men, she squeezed out a generous portion on strips of linen and placed them over Lorne’s wounds while Struan bound each one.
    Andra and Struan silently switched places when he moved to stitch the thigh. She retrieved her thick, cotton washcloth, rinsed it clean and wiped away the matted blood and dirt from Lorne’s face and head. Kendrick glanced with interest at the washcloth but said nothing to her.
    “This long cut along Lorne’s temple may require a few stitches,” she said. The man shook violently under her hands, and his teeth chattered loudly. “We must finish quickly and warm him or our efforts will have been wasted.”
    Kendrick glared at her as though he wanted to smack her for stating the obvious. He swallowed hard, nodded, and abruptly went to start a fire in a stone circle farther back in the cave while Struan finished tending to Lorne. Someone had placed straw pallets near the fire pit.
    Once he completed the stitching and binding, Struan bent to lift Lorne. Placing her hand on his thickly muscled arm Andra stopped him. “Wait, if you and Kendrick each lift one end of the plaid, I’ll slip my hands underneath to support his back, and we can move him more safely to the pallet.”
    “I will assist you.” Rabbie said. Intently focused on Lorne and the other two men, Andra had not heard Rabbie return.
    Struan shot her an angry scowl, his muscled arm tensed under her hand, but Kendrick intervened. “‘Tis good advice.”
    They lifted Lorne in his plaid and laid him on a pallet next to the now-glowing fire. Rabbie placed several blankets and a fur covering over Lorne’s quaking body. Andra brushed her hand across the injured man’s forehead. He was hotter than fire and shaking so severely she thought he might bite through his tongue.
    “Where’s my bag?” As if this whole situation hadn’t panicked her enough, the fear that he might not survive clutched at her chest. Kendrick brought her bag without question or comment, just another penetrating stare.
    Her hand wrapped around her trusty bottles of ibuprofen and acetaminophen, a runner’s go-to for relief from aches and pains. She always carried a bottle of each everywhere she went. Keeping the label covered she tipped four acetaminophen and two ibuprofen tablets into her hand and asked for a cup of water.
    She tossed three tablets down her own throat, lifted Lorne’s head onto her lap, tilted his head back, opened his mouth, suppressed his tongue, and tossed the other pills into him. “Kendrick, please help me administer these tablets. If you rub his throat while I dribble in water, we may be able to induce a swallow reflex.”
    “What’s that you’re giving him?” Struan snarled.
    “It’s medicine to help reduce fever and head pain. As you saw, I took a few myself. They may help and couldn’t hurt him.” His suspicious tone was making her nervous.
    Finally, Lorne choked and swallowed the pills. Andra sat back with a sigh while continuing to press a cold compress to his forehead. He shook so violently she could