A Minx for the MacKenzie [Highlanders Love #2]

Chapter 8

Pushing open the door, a partial weight on Amhuinn's heart lifted when she saw Tamhas sitting up in his bed. His face looked worse for wear, but at the very least he was alive, to Amhuinn. She had spent the past 2 days fussing over his well-being, whether he had been taken in by the Kincaids, that finally being able to meet their identical eyes was a great relief. For the first time in two days, Amhuinn smiled as she quickly strode to her brother's side as fast as her uneven gait would bring her, and began inspecting his wounds, much to the annoyance of the elder sibling.

"Och, Ammi, ye fuss too much. I'm fine." Tamhas tried to fidget away from his sister, but winced when it pulled upon the wound on his waist that Amhuinn had stitched back.

"Ye are nae fine, Tamhas, and ye know it. Dinna be stubborn and let me check on it." she insisted, scowling. Her brother mirrored her scowl, but knew he had little choice but to do as his sister said, staying there as she reapplied salve on some wounds, and started on the biggest one on his head before moving on to his waist.

"Is the boy still here?" he asked. Amhuinn nodded. Her brother looked at his sister concentrating on cleaning the gaping wound on his waist. "How did ye come ter gain the help of the MacKenzie's, Ammi?"

"I was desperate. I couldna go after ye meself, or we'd both be caught." Amhuinn replied.

"But why the MacKenzie's?" He asked.

She paused, uncertain of how much she could tell Tamhas without her overprotective brother blowing his top. The truth was, she had found it difficult to get Hammond out of her mind, ever since he had came upon their little exiled dwelling in the woods just a year ago. While Hammond's rugged exterior, and his red curly locks had managed to capture her attention, it was the caring way in which he looked after his cousin and how he still kept them in mind when he sent provisions to aid them which stayed in her mind. But Tamhas wouldn't understand. He'd just think she was being flighty again, as he had once accused her of when she had first fallen pregnant with Adair. While Amhuinn loved her brother, Tamhas had a tendency to speak without thinking.

"They were the closest I could find." Amhuinn finally said, not wanting Tamhas to jump to his own wild conclusions. Her brother raised a brow, but let the matter rest.

"Is the boy still asleep?" he asked.

Amhuinn shook her head, picking up her salve pot and starting to generously lather it over the still damp cut. "He woke up screaming this morning, but Hammond manhandled him back and set two guards on his door until he supposedly calms down."

"Does he know?" her brother asked. Amhuinn paused, her hand midway through dabbing more of the paste on the wound. Having lived together for so long however, Tamhas was perceptive to his sister's reaction, and pounced on her moment's hesitation. "Ye told him, dinna ye?"

She sighed, and nodded. "He deserves ter know, Tamhas. He risked his own clan's safety bringing Adair ter me." she tried to reason with her brother. Tamhas had grown mistrustful of everyone ever since he had to save his own sister from Dougal MacCallan's wrath, and watched as she grew hard, cold and a spitfire ever since she lost first her womanhood, and then her son and mother in the span of a few months. Some may call him illogical, but Tamhas Kincaid was extremely overprotective of his sister. And the way she now defended the redhead clan laird who had barged in on their home in the woods not too long ago, did not sit too well with him.

"Hammond? Yer on first name terms with him now? Ye barely know him fer a week, Ammi." he cautioned. Amhuinn replaced the cap of the pot and flashed her brother a warning glare. "I am eight and twenty, Tamhas. I'm sure I know how ter tell the good from the bad."

"Yet, ye insist on having yer son back with ye, when he is as tainted as his fither." her brother retorted sharply. In her fit of anger, Amhuinn tightened the bandage on his waist a little too quick, causing him to wince.