Leigh's eyes were heavy. She knew she needed to open them, but she was just so tired. No, not tired, sleepy... there was a difference. She felt fuzzy, groggy. She heard muffled voices around her.
"How is she?" That... was Hamid's voice... she recognized that voice.
"She is sleeping. I gave her some herbs to help her sleep. Her foot is swollen and tender to the touch. From what Ardeth told me, she kicked him in the shin earlier in the day, yes?" Who was this? She didn't recognize this voice... "Ahh, so that is where the bruise came from. I first thought a horse had kicked him. But she is to stay off of it for the next few hours, two days would be best."
Two days? Like Hell!
"I also cleaned out the cut on her forehead. It looked like it was a few days old and it needed some herbs to draw the infection out of it."
"Shukran Nabil. You have done well in helping Miss Crawford. I will tend to her the rest of the night." Ardeth's voice... Vaguely she heard movements, like people leaving.
Leigh groaned and tried to open her eyes. Her reward was a pounding behind her eyes that put her back into her place.
"Easy little Harami..." Ardeth knelt down beside here where she was laying on his bed. He took the cloth that Nabil had left in a basin of cool water and gently pressed it against her forehead. "You need to rest. You had that old man worried sick over you, do you know that? Hamid cares for you like you are his own daughter."
Leigh smiled and opened her eyes again, slowly this time. A very gentle looking AND SMILING Ardeth greeted her. "where.... where am I?"
"In my tent. It was closer than yours and Nabil would not go into your tent." He chuckled softly. "He still does not believe in entering a 'woman's domain'."
Leigh just groaned and closed her eyes again. "Oh that just explains everything. Now explain to me why I'm in your bed, please."
"You passed out in the temple ruins. Your body took a lot of abuse and needed a healer's attention. You have a cut on your forehead which is infected, a cut on your arm which Nabil cleaned and wrapped with herbs to keep it from becoming infected. He also bandaged your foot, which you are to stay off of for a few days. I think you'll make it, don't you?" He winked in jest.
Leigh looked at him like he was a raving loon. This wasn't the same Ardeth Bay, was it? The one who'd scooped her up onto his horse, smacked her rear end, threatened to kill her, spied on her as she changed clothing, treated her like she was a child, spanked her in public and then walked away from her?
"What? You look at me like I am mad."
"I must be dreaming again." Leigh's eyes closed and she drifted back into La-La-Land.
****
"How is she?" That... was Hamid's voice... she recognized that voice.
"She is sleeping. I gave her some herbs to help her sleep. Her foot is swollen and tender to the touch. From what Ardeth told me, she kicked him in the shin earlier in the day, yes?" Who was this? She didn't recognize this voice... "Ahh, so that is where the bruise came from. I first thought a horse had kicked him. But she is to stay off of it for the next few hours, two days would be best."
Two days? Like Hell!
"I also cleaned out the cut on her forehead. It looked like it was a few days old and it needed some herbs to draw the infection out of it."
"Shukran Nabil. You have done well in helping Miss Crawford. I will tend to her the rest of the night." Ardeth's voice... Vaguely she heard movements, like people leaving.
Leigh groaned and tried to open her eyes. Her reward was a pounding behind her eyes that put her back into her place.
"Easy little Harami..." Ardeth knelt down beside here where she was laying on his bed. He took the cloth that Nabil had left in a basin of cool water and gently pressed it against her forehead. "You need to rest. You had that old man worried sick over you, do you know that? Hamid cares for you like you are his own daughter."
Leigh smiled and opened her eyes again, slowly this time. A very gentle looking AND SMILING Ardeth greeted her. "where.... where am I?"
"In my tent. It was closer than yours and Nabil would not go into your tent." He chuckled softly. "He still does not believe in entering a 'woman's domain'."
Leigh just groaned and closed her eyes again. "Oh that just explains everything. Now explain to me why I'm in your bed, please."
"You passed out in the temple ruins. Your body took a lot of abuse and needed a healer's attention. You have a cut on your forehead which is infected, a cut on your arm which Nabil cleaned and wrapped with herbs to keep it from becoming infected. He also bandaged your foot, which you are to stay off of for a few days. I think you'll make it, don't you?" He winked in jest.
Leigh looked at him like he was a raving loon. This wasn't the same Ardeth Bay, was it? The one who'd scooped her up onto his horse, smacked her rear end, threatened to kill her, spied on her as she changed clothing, treated her like she was a child, spanked her in public and then walked away from her?
"What? You look at me like I am mad."
"I must be dreaming again." Leigh's eyes closed and she drifted back into La-La-Land.
****