Ella emerged from the barn tired, hungry, and in search of something to help reduce the man’s fever. She hadn’t slept a wink. Instead she’d spent the late-night hours trying her best to soothe the man with cool cloths. Cool cloths alone would not keep his fever at bay. He needed something stronger, she wouldn’t be able to stand over him every moment of the day wiping his brow. She also needed to change his bandages, which had yellowed with age and filth. However, she didn’t have any cloth to replace them—the cottage was her only answer. Now that dawn was creeping in, she felt comfortable going to the cottage to see if she could find any supplies. Hopefully Sarah kept willow bark handy, the tea could be quite effective in reducing fever. If not, she would have to accompany Fergus to the woods beyond the field to try and identify the right tree to strip in order to make the pink-brownish concoction.

She quietly entered the kitchen, only to see the fire was already started in the hearth and Sarah was standing over it with a kettle going.

“Good marrow tae ye lassie, I trust ye slept well?” Sarah said in greeting.

“Good marrow to you as well. I didn’t sleep as well as I’d hoped, but tis no bother,” Ella replied, sitting down at the table. Sarah set three bowls of porridge down and Fergus came in to join them.

“Good marrow tae ye, Emily,” he said with a bright smile, Ella couldn’t help but return genuinely.

Sarah sat down with them, “Why did ye not sleep well, lass?” she asked, and Ella appreciated the concern the woman showed her. Even though it’d only been a day Ella felt the woman had warmed to her.

“I heard strange noises coming from the barn throughout the night,” she said innocently, watching Fergus grow antsy in his seat.

“Och, what noises?” he asked looking at the ground.

“I’m not sure, but mayhap it was the horse? I can help if you need, he may need constant care through the day.” Ella wasn’t sure which one of them, or if they both knew about the man in the barn, but she was determined to find out. She felt strongly Fergus knew, he was so adamant she stay away from the barn on their walk yesterday, and he was acting strangely now.

“Don’t need no help in th' barn lassie, best ye bide wi' Sarah in th' scullery. She'll need th' help wit her hand the way ‘tis,” he said.

“Could it be Fergus, that there is something in the barn you don’t want me to see?” she asked, doing her best not to laugh, as she could see Fergus’s frustration growing.

“Och, there be naethin' in th' barn ye need tae see lass. An' that's me final word on th' matter,” Fergus said before stomping off.

“Sarah, do you happen to have any dried willow bark?” she asked, turning her attention to the older woman.

She saw the woman freeze and try to quickly recover from Ella’s question. “Why would ye need willow bark, hen?” she asked, with forced pleasantness. Ella knew that Sarah knew exactly what she needed the bark for.

“I think we both know why I need it Sarah,” Ella said quietly. “His fever was bad overnight, and he needs help. If you have the willow bark, I can make the tea in the barn and do my best to keep the man alive,” Ella said, all hints of lightness gone from her tone. She was already fond of Fergus and Sarah, but it was clear Fergus wasn’t going to tell her anything, and she was worried the man would grow too sick if she continued to play games.

Sarah nodded and went to the cupboard to get a jar of the dried herb. “His name is Lucas,” she said. “Fergus will be angry if he knew I told ye.”

“Sarah, I only wish to help. Fergus will have to get over it. I know I’m English, but I mean you no harm. I swear,” she replied.

“I ken, lass.”

“I also need fresh cloth to change his bandages. He may have an infection that needs treatment,” Ella said.

“Aye, dinnea fash yerself, lass. I’ll get ya what ye need,” Sarah replied, rushing from the kitchen.

Lucas, Ella thought. How did you end up here? It seemed to Ella that the Camerons had a history of collecting strays.

Ella had been in the barn most of the afternoon tending to Lucas. She had tried to force the willow bark tea down him, but not having any experience trying to feed an unconscious man, she feared more tea went down his chin than down his throat.

She hadn’t seen hide nor hair of Fergus since their row in the kitchen that morning, so when he entered the barn to let her know it was time for the evening meal she readied herself for a fight. But she could tell by the man’s eyes he had no fight in him. He sat down on a bale of hay close to Lucas’s pallet, defeated and tired from a hard day’s work, the old man started talking.

“A good man by th' nam of Magnus brought him tae us. Begged us tae care fur him, he's from a noble Highland clan, named MacGille. He was fightin' against yer people,” he began, pointing to Lucas. So he was a Jacobite, Ella thought. She wondered if he’d fought in the same battle of Dunkeld that the men of Carlisle Castle were readying themselves for. Were Commander Evans or any of his men responsible for Lucas’s wounds? Her heart softened toward the injured soldier.

“We tried our hardest tae bide the law, but when th' sassenach came it was difficult, an' Magnus ye see, he kept us fed, an' brought extra sheep tae stock our herd. We couldnae turn him awa' in his friend's hour of need. But if the Sassenach found out we were hidin’ ‘im here. Well...” he finished.

“I have a pretty good idea, of the punishment you would face,” Ella said, laying a gentle hand on Fergus’s arm. “I’m so sorry you and Sarah have had to struggle, and I mean what I said. I cannot easily repay the kindness you have shown me, but I can help this man, Lucas. I want to help him. I can help with the household chores as well and keep Sarah’s hand on the mend.”

“Ye ur a good lassie, an' good things will come tae ye,” he said before leaving the barn.

“I hope to God you are right Fergus,” she said after him, knowing he didn’t hear her at all.

After the evening meal Sarah gave Ella a stack of cloths that were clean and dry enough to make perfect bandages for Lucas’s wounds. She made a simple poultice of what little honey they had in the cupboard of the cottage, knowing that the honey would help heal any infection. Gathering the cloths, bandages, the last of the willow bark, and a fresh bucket of water she went back to the barn. She had been able to convince Fergus it was best for Lucas if he moved her pallet into the barn; he gave a little bit of a fight, not wanting to risk Ella’s honor by having her unchaperoned with a grown man, both being seemingly of marriage age. She assured him that Lucas was in no position to compromise her and he relented. The sun had set by the time she reached the barn again.

She was horrified to find Lucas’s fever had gotten worse. He was shivering but his skin was dry and on fire. She quickly covered him with all the plaids in the barn and set to boiling his tea.

“You blasted man,” she said to him. “Why can’t I break your fever?” She moved toward him, placing her thumb delicately on the inside of his wrist hoping to feel a heartbeat. It was weak but there. She tried to force the tea down, this time tilting his head all the way back, so his mouth would open on its own, and massaging his throat as she poured the tea slowly down. It seemed to work, even though he was still out cold, she saw him lick his lips.

“I know,” she said, placing another cool cloth to his forehead. She must be delirious herself, because she swore she saw a slight smile cross his lips as the cool, wet cloth hit his skin. “It tastes awful.” If he kept the tea down and his fever broke, she wanted to try and get him to drink some broth. She was still unsure if he would make it through the night.

She heard the barn door creak and was surprised to see Sarah come in carrying a fresh pail of water, and more clean bandages. The load looked heavy, and Ella tried to get up to help her.

“Och, dinnea fash, Em, I’m fine. Been carryin’ loads bigger than this since I ‘twas a mere lass like yerself. How be Lucas?” she asked.

“His fever is worse, and his heartbeat weak. I don’t know if he’ll live the night. His wounds had festered more than I’d ever seen. Hopefully it wasn’t too late,” she replied, and sank further into the chair she sat in. “Sarah, do you believe in fate?” she asked.

“Och, aye, I learned young nae tae questions th' signs God sends,” she replied.

Ella didn’t want the woman to think she was touched, but she felt a sudden need to unburden her soul. “I think ‘tis my fate to be here,” she said. “I dreamed of Lucas before I came. A man with fire-red hair and emerald green eyes. I was tryin’ so hard to reach him, but he was just out of my grasp. And now here he is, and he will most likely die before I find out why God sent him to me,” she said, placing her head in her hands letting out the sob that had been threatening all day.

“Wheesht, lassie,” Sarah said, moving closer to Ella to place the comforting arm of her good hand around Ella’s shoulder. “Mayhap ye were sent tae fix ‘em, when none other can.”

“So you don’t think I’m touched?” she asked, looking into the older woman’s eyes.

“Nae, nae tetched. Blessed mayhap, but nae tetched,” Sarah said, causing Ella to cry again. She missed a motherly touch so much and it felt good to let Sarah comfort her, but she broke the embrace to prepare more tea for Lucas. This was the trying time. If he made it through the night, Ella was sure he would live, and she wanted to do everything she could to make sure that happened.

Once Sarah took her leave for the evening. Ella forced another dose of tea down Lucas and was satisfied when more went into his belly than onto his chest, she moved her pallet closer to his. She needed to be near enough to him to tell if he stopped breathing in the night, but she knew it was more than that. Something inside her was pulling her toward him. He filled an emptiness she hadn’t even known she felt. Without thinking too hard on it she took his hand in her own and began to pray. For the first time in weeks she had something she wanted from God.

“God, if you exist, please spare this man. I know not why, but please do not let him die this night, or any other in the too soon future.”

He needs to live, she thought over and over as tears flowed down her cheeks in waves. He needs to live, was her last thought before falling asleep holding tightly to Lucas in the glow of the dying fire.