Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 90574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90574 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 453(@200wpm)___ 362(@250wpm)___ 302(@300wpm)
“I see that I leave him in capable hands.”
Anna turned to refill the water cup and the fire’s light glared off the rash on her neck.
Aliss could not help but examine it.
Anna jumped when Aliss’s finger touched her.
“I am sorry,” Aliss apologized. “I have been meaning to have a look at your rash. How long have you had it?”
“It started just around the time people began falling ill.”
Aliss studied the persistent skin irritation. “I think I may be able to rid you of it.”
“Really?”
She rummaged in her basket and opened a small crock. With a gentle touch, Aliss covered the rash with the thick salve.
She handed the crock to Anna. “It may take several applications before we see results.”
Anna hugged it to her chest. “I will faithfully apply it as often as is necessary.”
“Morning and night to start,” Aliss said and yawned.
“Go and rest, morning will be here soon enough.”
Anna was right. Morning arrived with a shock; another new case of the mysterious illness had surfaced and fear grew in the healthy.
In late afternoon Aliss returned to the cottage to replenish her basket, and realized that she needed to take time and search the surrounding woods for herbs. A few of her staple herbs were nearly depleted and she could not afford to run out of any of them.
When she left the cottage, she gave a quick glance to the woods behind it. She halted. Had there been a stirring in the woods? A figure? A pair of eyes? Green ones like the ones before?
Or had she imagined them? Yet again?
A strong hand grasped her shoulder.
Aliss jumped and yelped.
“I am sorry,” Rogan said, stepping in front of her. “I did not mean to frighten you.”
Aliss took hold of his forearm. “I was deep in thought and did not hear you approach.”
“You were staring at the woods.”
She nodded and grasped his arm more tightly. “I think my tired mind sees things that are not there.”
“The woods are safe now.”
“That is good to know.” Still she clung to his arm.
“Aliss! Aliss!”
She let go of Rogan and turned to see a frenzied John running toward her.
“Hurry, James’s grandmother is screaming that Anna is a witch.”
A crowd had gathered around James’s cottage listening to the hysterical woman inside screaming accusations of witchcraft and the devil’s cohort at Anna.
Rogan quickly dispersed them with a firm voice. “Go tend to your business.”
Aliss hurried into the house followed by John and Rogan.
Anna turned to Aliss. “I stopped by to see how he was and he suddenly began burning with fever.”
The old woman rushed to Rogan’s side, grasping at his shirt. “Keep the devil’s own from my grandson. She brought this fever on him. He was fine before she entered and laid hands on him.”
“Anna did no such thing,” Aliss said sternly, while hurrying to examine James. “She is a new healer with good instincts. She would cause no one intentional harm.”
“She bears the devil’s mark,” the woman said, backing away from Rogan and pointing to Anna. “It grows bright.”
The salve had soaked into Anna’s skin, causing the rash to look as if it burned her skin; an effect of the salve Aliss had not considered a problem. She had no time to explain this to the woman, her concern being for James.
He had a fever and the wound festered.
Aliss turned to the woman who cowered in her husband’s arms. Her fear of losing her grandson caused her foolish accusations; Aliss did not wish to cause her any more pain, but she needed Anna’s help.
“Do you trust me?” she asked the woman.
The woman nodded without hesitation.
“Then believe me when I tell you that Anna is no threat to your grandson, and leave us both to try to save him.”
Rogan and John assisted in getting the distraught couple out of the cottage while Aliss and Anna went to work on James.
Shortly after midnight, Rogan attempted to get Aliss to return to the cottage and rest but she refused. James’s fever had risen and fallen throughout the evening and she could not leave his side. It was imperative that she continue to rub him down with a damp cloth that had been soaked in a mixture of herbs. She also had to keep the blankets stripped off him in hopes of ridding him completely of the fever. Only then would he have a fighting chance.
Just before dawn the fever finally broke, releasing James to rest comfortably. She sent a protesting Anna home, the young woman insisting that she should remain and look after him. Aliss felt that James’s grandmother could do what was necessary until morning and would probably want to help, relieved that her grandson still lived.
Rogan was standing by the fireplace when she returned home and she eased his concerned expression. “James is still with us.”
“Your hard toil is much appreciated.”