Caledonia

Hunt

After not feeling too well that morning, Callie was napping in the afternoon of the hunt when she awoke to hear Glenna yelling for her. She ran to the bedroom door, opening it to find a bloodied Alex being carried by some men.

"What happened?" She cried out, as her hands reached out to feel his head for any wounds.

"He got between a charging boar and Rory!" Malcolm hurriedly explained to her before turning to Alex. "Foolish lad, what the hell were you thinking?"

"It's his leg that is most injured." Ewan said in explanation. "But, I fear he must've hit his head when he felled it."

"Of course, he got it, didna he?" Callie shook her head in amazement. She saw that his left leg was wrapped in a bandage from his knee downwards, seeping bright red with his blood. She felt immediately faint at the sight of it, but shook it off to tend her wounded husband. She pressed a clean cloth to the side of his head, feeling a small bump. She asked them. "But, where's the healer? Isna she coming to tend him?"

Glenna answered quietly. "She's now with Rory."

Callie instinctively knew it meant his condition must be more dire than Alex for the healer to have not abandoned his brother's care. She took a deep, cleansing breath to calm her anxiety and the wave of nausea rolling through her again, then straightened her shoulders. "Let's clean it and get him stitched."

"I'll help ye, lass." Glenna offered.

Malcolm nodded. "I'll go see how Rory is faring."

"Keep us posted, Malcolm." Callie requested.

He nodded briskly before leaving them. "Aye, mistress."

The ugly gash started just above his knee and sliced down inside his calf. It was a miracle that it didn't cut deeply into the muscles. She worked with measured care with Glenna handing her items she needed. She first cleaned it of any dirt and debris, then doused it with whisky. Alex groaned, calling out Callie's name, as it touched the wound. It took all her efforts not to fall apart when hearing him say her name.

"It's all right. I'm here, my love." Callie whispered to him.

She said a prayer of thanksgiving for the fact her husband wasn't awake to feel the work being administered to his wound. Stitching it up was delicate work, but Callie refused Glenna's offer to do anything more than pass her needed items. It took a lot of time, but Callie kept her focus on the task until it was done. She next applied a damp poultice of garlic and herbs over the wound before they wrapped it in clean cloths. As soon as they were done, Callie ran to the privy and repeatedly threw up, not returning to the main chamber until she felt nothing left to give from her stomach. She stood on shaky legs, putting a tired hand to her forehead in an effort to calm herself.

She realised that Glenna had been watching her with a knowing look. "How long have you known?"

"Known what?" Callie shook her head.

"Callie..." Glenna smiled after looking first at Callie's stomach and back up to her eyes, watching with interest as realisation dawned on her niece by marriage.

"No, it canna be!" Callie started to sway on her feet, as her hands went to her middle.

"Here, sit down before you fall down." Glenna ordered, then gave the younger woman a saucy grin. "You mean the two of you haven't recently..."

Callie immediately blushed. "Well, aye, we have. But, I dinna expect it soon after..."

A quiet knock sounded on the bedroom door, then Malcolm appeared. An air of intense fear washed over the women before he spoke to them. "Moira says Rory'll make it. He needs rest, but his injury wasna as bad as we first thought."