“Aye, it is,” she said as her eyes shifted to Isobel a moment before returning to Gabriel. “How much longer before we get home?”
“Willnae be long now,” Gabriel said as he studied her.
“I recall the trip being a bit longer the first time around,” she said with a hint of a smile playing on her lips. Gabriel couldn’t help but feel a bit bashful. He shrugged as he flashed her a wink.
“Well, the sooner we get ye back in the carriage and on the road, the sooner we’ll get home.”
“Then we should go.”
“Are ye sure ye’ll be able to?” Isobel asked as she helped Elena to her feet. “I daenae mind stayin’ here for a bit longer. The forest is pretty and the weather is nice.”
“Nay, we need to get home,” Elena said, patting Isobel’s hand.
Gabriel helped Elena back into the carriage. He kept his eyes on her, refusing to ride faster. His heart pounded in his chest as they rode on. It didn’t take them much longer to reach the castle. Gabriel slipped off his horse the moment the servant held the reins and scrambled to the carriage. With one hand extended, he helped Elena out. She looked better, not as pale or sickly as before and he couldn’t help but make a mental note that she was, in fact, not poisoned. Yet, he couldn’t understand the cause of the sudden illness.
“Daenae worry about me,” Elena said as she cupped her hand to his face and pulled him out of his thoughts. “I’m better. I swear. And I ken what yer thinkin’, yer wonderin’ what caused this. Well, it may very well have been my maither’s cookin’.”
“This is nae the time for jokes,” Gabriel said.
“Oh, Elena is nae jokin’,” Isobel chimed in. “Have ye nae tasted our maither’s food? It would kill a horse if she fed it half the stuff she makes.”
“I had the same food,” Gabriel said.
“Aye, but yer constitution is a bit stronger than mine,” Elena said as she made her way up the steps with Isobel and Gabriel’s help.
“I daenae ken about that,” Gabriel chuckled. “But ye might be right.”
“I ken I am,” Elena said with such certainty that Gabriel had no choice but to believe.
“I still think ye should rest though,” Gabriel stated. “Even if it is just for a bit.”
“Yer probably right,” Elena said as they made their way through the castle and made a beeline right for her room. “I could use some sleep. I’m just so tired.”
Gabriel helped Elena to her bedchambers and exhaled as he watched her drift off to sleep.
“Suppose she’ll be alright?” Isobel asked as she pulled the blanket up to Elena’s shoulders.
“She better be,” Gabriel mumbled as he grabbed a chair and positioned it right next to Elena.
Or so help me there will be hell to pay.
Chapter 27
What is happenin’to me?
Elena’s head spun around as if she were a child out in the field playing in the tall heather and high weeds. The world moved around in great circles as her stomach flipped and tossed about like she were at sea. Never in her life did she feel so unstable and unbalanced.
Carefully, she sat up praying that whatever she had in her stomach would come out so that she could feel relief, or would settle down to give her some comfort. But it seemed no matter what she did her body was not cooperating.
“Easy,” Gabriel’s hands were on her the moment she started feeling wobbly. She didn’t dare look at him for fear that moving too fast would offset the whole world. Normally, she welcomed his touch, but his hands felt like heated ore against her skin.
“Why are ye so hot?” Her words scrapped her throat as she spoke and she found her tongue thick.
“Tis nae me love,” Gabriel answered. “Yer cold. Ye’ve been in and out all night.”
“Night? What happened to the day?”
“Ye’ve been asleep since we arrived home. Do ye nae remember comin’ inside to rest?”