The Rock by Monica Mccarty Page A

building windblown, breathless, and half-frozen.
    But none of that mattered when she caught sight of the man seated on the stool with his back to her. He had his shirt off again, but this time she didn’t notice the broad shoulders, narrow waist, and wide expanse of muscle. This time all she could see was the patch of horribly bruised and swollen skin that covered a large portion of his right shoulder.
    A sharp cry strangled in her throat.
    He turned at the sound, and their eyes met.
    “You’re hurt!” she exclaimed accusingly.
    “It’s nothing,” he replied, a hint of annoyance marring the overly polite tone. “I thank you for your concern, my lady, but you should return to the Hall.”
    He didn’t wait for her response, turning his head and giving her his back. Apparently, she was supposed to leave. Well, she was about to disappoint him. Undaunted by the cold clip of his voice and undeniable air of unwelcomeness, she closed the door behind her and crossed the room.
    Although Thommy was ignoring her, the healer was not. The young, very pretty healer, she suddenly realized. The red-haired, green-eyed, pixie-faced woman was looking at her with unabashed curiosity.
    “Elizabeth Douglas,” she said by way of introduction. “The injury is my fault. Is it broken?”
    “Ah,” the healer said with a smile. “You are James’s sister. I thought you looked familiar. We met a long time ago when the Highland Games were held at your uncle the Steward’s castle on the Isle of Bute. My father was the Earl of Sutherland. I’m Helen MacKay.”
    MacKay . It took Elizabeth a moment to make the connection. “Ang—” She started to say Angel, but stopped, realizing she wasn’t supposed to know that Lady Helen was the unofficial physician of the Phantoms. The woman’s eyes widened; she’d caught the slip. “You are Magnus MacKay’s wife,” Elizabeth said instead. “I’ve heard James speak of you.”
    Thommy was in good hands indeed.
    Helen’s mouth twisted. “It seems you have. But to answer your question, it is not broken. Although, as I was explaining to Thom here, he made it much worse by working all day after he was injured. I’m sure it must have hurt like the devil to swing a hammer or pick with this. If something hurts,” she explained, as if talking to a bairn, “that means you shouldn’t keep doing it.”
    “It was fine,” Thommy said stubbornly.
    Both women acted as if he hadn’t spoken. Men were so ridiculous when it came to admitting pain. Elizabeth didn’t need a physician to know that. She had three brothers.
    “Now, he will need to keep it bound for at least a few days until the swelling goes down,” Lady Helen continued. “I’ve applied a soothing salve, which should be reapplied in the morning and evening before he goes to sleep. He’ll need someone to help him wrap it.”
    “I can—”
    “I will have one of the men in the barracks see to it,” Thommy said, cutting her off with a sharp glance. “You should go back to the Hall, Lady Elizabeth, you don’t belong here.”
    If Helen was surprised by his rudeness, she did not show it.
    “As it was my fault you were injured, I certainly do,” Elizabeth replied.
    “I doubt your brother would agree. Should we go ask him?”
    Elizabeth smiled sweetly at the threat. “You are welcome to when he returns.”
    Helen’s head was going back and forth following the exchange, and she seemed to be fighting hard not to smile when Elizabeth finished.
    “Would you show me how?” she asked the healer. “That way I can make sure it is done properly.”
    “Damn it, I don’t want—”
    “I’m sure Lady Helen has other patients who need help,” Elizabeth said, cutting off his protest. “Do you want to waste time arguing or will you let me do this? Good gracious, Thommy, it’s not as if I haven’t touched you before.”
    Helen’s eyes shot up at that, and when she realized how it sounded, Elizabeth’s cheeks heated. But at least Thommy