“I…I am sorry,” she panted. “Last night…I was confused and distraught and…”
Alasdair clasped both her hands in his own, then lifted them to his lips and briefly kissed her knuckles.
“Go inside. Get warm.”
“But what about…?”
He shook his head. “Do what ye can to erase last night from yer memory. For in just a few short days we wed and…”
“And after that, everything between us will be changed?”
She had finished his sentence for him, leaving nothing left for him to add. So, Alasdair kissed her trembling hands once more,then pulled her toward his side, and sheltered her the best he could with his body as they hurried back toward the castle.
Soon, we’ll wed…Soon enough our lives will change.
The wide wooden doors swung open before them and immediately servants surrounded them, making it impossible for Alasdair to stay next to Isobel. But as her lady’s maid fussed over her wet garments and his own groom tsked about the dampness seeping into the stone floors, Alasdair caught Isobel’s eyes and held her gaze.
He looked forward to their wedding ceremony and welcomed all that came along with becoming this headstrong woman’s husband.
Chapter Fourteen
Sarah had been fine at supper and was not fine by morning.
Jane brought the news with the breakfast tray, her face doing the careful thing it did when she was delivering information she expected to cause a reaction. “Lady Sarah took ill in the night. Fever. She’s askin’ for the elderflower from the stillroom, but Moira’s hip is bad, and she cannae manage the stairs.”
Isobel was already getting up. “I know where the stillroom is,” she said. “I’ll go.”
“Ye daenae have to…”
“I know I don’t have to.” She yawned sleepily, stretched, then added, “Tell Sarah I’ll be there in ten minutes.”
She got dressed hurriedly and half-run, half-walked to the still room.
Lady Sarah’s chambers were warm, the curtains half drawn, and Sarah herself was propped against her pillows, looking furious about being ill, which Isobel took as a good sign. Her color was high, and her eyes were bright with fever, and she had the expression of a woman who had things to do and was deeply resentful of her own body’s timing.
“Ye didnae have to come,” Sarah said. “Ye’ve too many things to do before the wedding ceremony to concern yerself with me.”
“There may be much to do over the next few days,” Isobel allowed, “but I will always make time to check on you, Lady Sarah. After all, quite soon, we shall be sisters.” Isobel set down the things she had brought and looked at her properly. Skin too warm, breathing a little fast, the flush concentrated high on her cheeks. “How long have you had the fever?”
“Since about midnight. It’s nae serious.”
“I’ll decide that.” She poured water from the pitcher and began making up the elderflower infusion, her hands moving from memory. “Have you eaten anything?”
“I’m nae hungry.”
“That wasn’t the question.”
Sarah looked at her for a moment, and then, despite herself, the corner of her mouth moved. “Nay,” she said. “I havenae eaten.”
“I’ll send Jane for broth.” Isobel pulled the chair close to the bed and sat in it. She felt Sarah’s forehead with the back of her hand and then her pulse at the wrist. Fast, a little thin, but steady. “This isn’t serious,” she said. “You were right. But you are going to stay in this bed today and possibly tomorrow, and you are going to drink this when it’s ready, and you are not going to argue with me about it.”
“I wasnae goin’ to argue.”
“You were absolutely going to argue.”
Sarah laughed, which turned into a cough, and Isobel handed her the water and waited. “Alasdair always said I’d argue with a stone wall if it looked at me wrong,” Sarah said, when she had her breath back.
“I can hear him saying those words.”