His tongue ran over chapped lips. There he lay, once again being tended by his redheaded spitfire. How did this state of affairs come to pass? “Water.”

“At once.” She took a cup from the table and gently slid a hand behind his head. “Can ye sit up a wee bit, else I can spoon it into your mouth as I’ve been doing.”

He felt as weak as a bairn, but he managed to clench his muscles, lift his head, and drink. Groaning, he dropped back to the pillow. “How long have I been abed?”

“Three days.”

“Damn.” He closed his eyes and pressed the heel of his hand against his forehead. His thoughts were a complete jumble. Hadn’t he been traveling somewhere? “How the bloody hell did I end up at home?”

“Do ye not remember being shot?” Divana set the cup on the table. “Ye were thrown from your horse as well—sustained quite a nasty bump to the back of your head.”

“Och, that explains the endless throbbing.”

It took a great deal of strength to pull himself up against the headboard, but he bore down and tried not to grunt. “I remember now. The men and I were headed to Glasgow.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “But everything after that is mired in blackness. Tell me, where’s the Lady Heather?”

“Why, Lachie Mor and the men went on to Glasgow to oversee her refitting, just as ye’d planned.”

“No, no, no. There is too much to be done. I must be there as well.” Kennan pushed away the bedclothes and moved his feet over the side of the bed.

The lass jammed her fists into her hips. “Ye’ve been on the brink of death for three days and ye’ll set foot out of that bed over me dead body.”

“I’ll not allow a woman to tell me—” His bloody knees buckled as he took his weight onto his feet.

“Nay!” Divana caught him under the arms—uncannily strong for a wee lass. “How dare ye give me such a scare when I’ve had naught but a wink of sleep in three long days, worrying about whether ye’ll live or die.” With a gentle push she coaxed him to the mattress. “Back in bed with ye afore me heart fails.”

“But you don’t understand,” he said, his voice cracking with the dryness.

“I understand everything quite well. Now if ye’ll lie back, I’ll tell ye why.”

Kennan eyed her. “Good God, I must regain my strength at once.”

“Agreed, but ye’ll accomplish nothing by falling on your bonny face.” She shoved a lump of cheese into his hand. “Eat this, ye surlyheaded boar.”

He took the food and clipped a bite, reaching for the water on his own. “I’m listening.”