Free The Healer by Allison Butler Page A

that you use this one.’
    William didn’t hesitate.
    While she waited for his consent, she hid her irritation by retrieving a fresh cloth and dipped it into the second bowl, squeezing out the excess moisture.
    ‘Go on,’ he finally said.
    Licking her dry lips, she looked into Edan’s wide eyes and explained what she meant to do. ‘It’s important to keep wounds clean. I’m going to bathe your wounds and then apply more ointment.’
    Lynelle washed the gash on his cheek first and using a different cloth carefully began wiping all traces of the salve from his thigh. The flesh surrounding the wound looked slightly pink, but appeared free of infection. A neat line of dark stitches held the broken skin together and she stared in awe at Iona’s handiwork.
    ‘Where did you learn your healing methods?’
    Lynelle glanced up at William before quickly looking back at the wound. ‘My knowledge comes from Fenwick’s previous healer, Ada. She taught me everything I know.’
    About life as well as healing .
    Swallowing past the lump that formed in her throat, she gently patted both wounds dry and grasped the crock of salve. Releasing the stopper, she scooped a little onto her finger and rubbed it into the back of her hand. She knew what William expected of her and would rather do it without his command.
    The hog fat she believed Iona used to make the ointment made its application smooth and slippery. Not having prepared the salve, she didn’t know the precise ingredients Iona had used.
    She waited, half expecting some strange reaction to unfold when a large masculine hand was thrust into her line of sight. The offending limb slowly turned, revealing a hairless wrist, the skin a shade paler than the bronzed upper side.
    Her mouth suddenly turned as dry as the leaves in her herb satchel. For most of the day she’d endured him touching her by necessity, avoiding it whenever and however she could. Now, she was expected to touch him. The thought of doing so terrified her.
    You freely touched Edan .
    But he is wounded, less dangerous .
    Two weeks, Lynelle. Get used to it .
    ‘Is there a problem?’
    ‘No.’ She answered too quickly, her voice too loud. ‘No, there is no problem,’ she said more calmly.
    She coated the tip of her finger with salve, resolved to have it done. Carefully bunching her remaining fingers so they wouldn’t brush against him, she aimed her extended finger at the centre of his inner wrist.
    Heat shot through her finger on contact, but she forced herself to hold still and not snatch her hand away. With slow, even strokes, she painted an inch of his flesh with the salve. It was like caressing hot steel.
    ‘Enough!’
    She jerked at his low growl and the mesmerizing moment was broken. Her cheeks warmed and she gazed intently at Edan’s bared wound to cover her embarrassment.
    ‘You may apply the salve and bandage the wound,’ William said. ‘I’d like to eat and have all settled before nightfall.’
    Lynelle glimpsed the fading daylight and set to work. She smoothed a small amount of ointment to the scratch on Edan’s face and left it uncovered. As she applied a thick coating to the leg wound, she didn’t bother telling William she was capable of tending to Edan if he had other things to do. She knew he wouldn’t leave.
    She wrapped fresh linens about his leg until a thick protective bandage covered the wound. Dropping back on her haunches, she inspected her work. Fierce pride filled her chest and a shimmer of moisture blurred her vision.
    ‘Thank you, Lynelle.’
    Lynelle blinked and smiled into Edan’s young face. ‘You’re welcome, Edan. I’ll leave you to rest now.’
    Standing, she waited for the blood to rush back into her lower legs and then bundled the bandages together to be boiled for re-use later. Gathering the used bowls, she wandered to the stream in the fading light and washed them clean. Once done, she set them on the grassy bank and sat back, wrapping her arms about her bent