Avery lugged in an armful of wood as Laura held the door open for her. The weather had turned cold two days ago and she stepped gratefully into the warmth of the kitchen, dropping the wood into the box with a loud clatter.
"Gods be damned, it's freezing out there tonight." Laura rubbed her arms as Avery stood next to the stove, holding her cold hands over it for warmth.
"Aye. I'll be taking a warming rock to my bed tonight," Avery said.
She had spent the first night of the cold snap in her small room huddled under multiple blankets and still shivering uncontrollably. Without a fireplace, her room was as cold as a crypt. Laura had taught her the warm rock trick, showing Avery how to warm it in the oven and then carefully wrap it in cloth and transfer it to her small bed. The room was still freezing cold, but Avery could at least curl up around the rock and enjoy its heat.
She glanced around. "Where is everyone? It seems quiet tonight."
It had been two days since her discussion with Tristan's mother, and since then she had done everything in her power to avoid Tristan. Mrs. Lanning had been all too willing to send her off to the less-used rooms of the house to clean, and she had eaten her meals standing in the kitchen, rather than at the slave's table in the dining room.
"Haven't you heard? Mrs. Williams collapsed just after supper. Mrs. Lanning does not believe she will make it through the night," Laura said.
"What?" Avery stared wide-eyed at her.
Laura nodded. "It's true. Lord Tristan carried her to her room and has been keeping watch over her since then. Marian went to gather his supper dishes, and she said he hadn't eaten a bite and would not speak a word to her when she spoke to him. She said he is very distraught over his mother's condition."
"How is Sophia?" Avery asked.
Laura sighed. "She's been in her room crying. Maya is with her and trying to comfort her, but I guess the little one has become quite taken with her grandmother. It's terribly sad, it is. Mrs. Williams is not that old."
"Did Tristan, I mean, lord Tristan, ask for me to come see his mother?" she asked.
Laura gave her a strange look. "No. Why would he?"
Avery shook her head. "Never mind. He wouldn't."
Using long metal tongs, Laura pulled the large rock out of the oven and wrapped it carefully
in a large piece of flannel. "Here - take this to bed with you."
Avery took the rock, slipping quietly down the hallway and into her cold, dark bedroom. She
climbed into her bed, sliding the rock in after her, and curled her body around it, staring thoughtfully up at the ceiling.
** *
Avery, dressed only in her nightgown, walked barefoot through the house. She had lain in bed for almost an hour before easing out of her room and creeping out of the slave's quarters. She knew which room was Vivian's, had scrubbed the floor and changed the sheets of her bed, and she made her way silently through the hallways toward it.
She opened the door and slipped into the room, wincing a little when the door clicked shut loudly behind her. She could just make out Tristan sitting in an armchair next to the bed. His
head was back, and his arms folded across his chest. He was snoring softly, and she crept carefully past him and looked down at the bed.
Mrs. Williams was lying on her back, breathing harshly through her mouth. Her usual tanned face was pale, and her mouth trembled with every breath she took. Quickly, before she could change her mind, Avery slipped into the bed beside the woman and molded her body to hers. She kissed Vivian's cheek and then rested her head against hers. She closed her eyes and waited.
** *
"Maya! Let me in. Maya!"
Maya woke with a start and stared at the door as there was another soft knock. "Maya, please let me in."
Maya climbed out of bed, glancing across the room at Sophia asleep in her small bed and at Nicholas in his crib, as she crossed the room. It was only a few hours until dawn and she frowned as she unlocked the door and pulled it open. "Avery, what's wrong?"
Her face pinched with worry as Avery, her skin pale and her legs trembling violently, crashed against her. "Maya, can I lie with you in your bed for a while?"
"Of course." Maya helped her to the bed and tucked her in, climbing in next to her and hugging Avery close to her small body.
"Avery, what happened?"
Avery shook her head, "Later, please, Maya. I need to sleep." Maya nodded and stroked her back as Avery slipped into sleep.
** *
Tristan woke with a start. Sunlight was streaming through the window and dread filled his body when he realized he could no longer hear his mother's harsh breathing. Slowly, the muscles in his neck creaking, he looked at the bed.
Vivian, her cheeks rosy and her dark eyes sparkling, was sitting up in the bed staring at him. "Good morning, Tristan."
"Mother?" He stared in shock at her. "What happened?"
She smiled. "I do not know. I woke up this morning feeling much better than I have in a long time."
He sat beside her on the bed and took her hand in his. "Do you remember what happened last night?"
She shook her head. "No. I remember I felt very poorly after supper."
"You collapsed, Mother. I carried you to your bed."
"Did I?" she said. "I don't remember that. In fact, I don't remember a night where I have
slept so well. Perhaps that was all I needed – a good night's rest."
"Perhaps." He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "I'm going to find Sophia and tell her
you're feeling better. She was very worried about you last night and will want to see you." "I'd like that," Vivian replied. "I'll ask her to go for a walk with me this afternoon." As Tristan walked to the door, she called out to him. "Could you have them bring me
something from the kitchen? I'm starving." He smiled. "Aye, of course."
He left his mother's room but instead of heading to the nursery, he turned right and hurried to the slave's quarters. By the time he reached the hallway he was almost running, and he burst into Avery's room without knocking.
"Avery, did you
He stopped, staring at her empty bed with disappointment. "Maya," he said, and bolted for the nursery.
Avery sighed and snuggled closer to Maya. Her sister kissed the top of her head. "Do you feel better?"
"Aye." She smiled at Maya and nestled her head back on her shoulder.
"Avery, did you heal Tristan's mother last night?" Maya asked.
Avery nodded and Maya sighed harshly. "Why did you do that? After what she said to you –
you should have let her die."
Avery sat up and stared at her in shock. "Maya – I had to."
Maya shook her head angrily. "No, you didn't, Avery. He did not ask you to heal his
mother. You could have - should have - let her die. With his mother dead, you may have had a chance with Tristan. Why did you heal her?" She smacked Avery repeatedly on the arms.
"Maya, stop it." She grabbed her sister's hands and squeezed them tightly. "I had to. Don't you get that? I could not stand to watch Tristan or Sophia suffer the way we did after our father died. Not when I could save her."
"Oh, Avery." Maya began to cry, and Avery wiped away her tears.
"Stop crying, Maya. Everything will be fine."
The door to the nursery opened and Tristan stepped into the room. He stared at Avery. "Did
you – you healed her, didn't you?"
Before Avery could reply, Sophia sat up in her small bed. "Papa?"
She looked at him with alarm, tears beginning to slide down her cheeks. "Is Grandmamma
dead?"
He shook his head. "No, my love. Your grandmother is feeling much better today."
She grinned through her tears and then held her arms out to him. "Take me to see her, Papa." He picked her up and she flung one thin arm around his neck. He looked at Avery and Maya
still huddled together in Maya's bed.
"Thank you," he said hoarsely before carrying Sophia from the room.
Avery crawled into her bed. She pushed the rock to the far side of the bed and curled up close to it. After Tristan had left the nursery, she had dressed quickly and left for the west field with Laura and Leo, digging potatoes from the cold ground for most of the day. It was cold and unpleasant work, but it had kept her out of the house and away from Tristan.
She stared at the wall, shivering despite her hot bath before bed and the heat radiating from the rock next to her. Leo and Laura had spent the entire day giggling and flirting, and she had found it both amusing and irritating.
She realized she was jealous of their obvious affection for each other and rolled her eyes at herself. Being jealous of something she would never have was a ridiculous waste of energy. Sheclosed her eyes and moved closer to the rock, resting it against her midsection and ignoring the voice that called her a fool when she pretended it was Tristan's warm body.
She woke in the dark a few hours later. Someone or something was in her room and she clutched the rock in her bed nervously.