Elmore's hands shook as he reached for the matchbox. They shook even worse when he struck the match, and bright flame bloomed. Yet his hands were steady as he brought it to the leaves.
The leaves caught fire immediately and smoke bloomed, billowing high into the air. Elmore jumped back before the smoke could consume him, setting the plate on the ground at Aurora's feet. He still caught a whiff of the acrid burning scent, however, and cringed.
He and Mr. Washam waited with bated breath as Aurora inhaled. The smoke itself was thick and white, blurring their vision of Aurora's face as she leaned over the leaves.
“How do we know when it has worked?” the Duke asked.
Elmore could only shrug. He supposed all they had to do was watch and wait.
"How do you feel?" Mr. Washam asked after a tense moment.
Aurora nudged the plate away with her foot. The leaves went with it, and the smoke, revealing her pale face.
"It smells awful," she admitted, nose curling in disgust. "Like something died."
Elmore winced. That sounded about right. "But other than that, how are you?"
Aurora glanced down at the plate, and then to Elmore. The leaves were almost cinders now, only a wisp of smoke remaining; it curled against Aurora's jaw and brushed against her hair.
"I feel...fine, I think. I don't feel any worse, at least, than I did before."
Relief spread through Elmore, making him shudder. He had feared the worst, in truth, because so far the angel's trumpet was completely untested.
"I coughed so badly as a child, I wish we'd come up with this sooner," Aurora was saying now.
There was a faraway look in her eyes as she stared at nothing. Eyes unfocused, Elmore couldn't tell what it was Aurora was looking at. The sky? something behind him?
Then she said something utterly unexpected. "Mama would have been proud of us, I think, to see what we're doing now. Maybe she's in heaven now, watching us. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Aurora rarely spoke of her mother. In fact, Elmore couldn't remember a time when Aurora had mentioned her in his presence. A few comments, perhaps, but only in passing. He had always rather thought that Aurora didn't trust him with fond memories of her mother, and so avoided the topic entirely.
Yet now that Aurora had begun talking, she didn't want to stop. Sitting on the steps, leaning forwards, she appeared to be speaking with somebody that Elmore couldn't see.
"I don't remember Mama, but Father always said that she was a wonderful woman. Kind and beautiful and loving in all of the ways I wish I was too… I hope thatIcan be as good and kind as her someday, but it doesn't come as easily to me. I'm not patient or sweet like she was; I'm cold and suspicious, and I know I test Father's patience sometimes… but I can’t help it, no, it’s just the way I am… "
Elmore and Mr. Washam shared a look of concern. Who was Aurora talking to? She spoke of Mr. Washam as if he weren't there, and seemed to have entirely forgotten about Elmore himself.
"I think she's hallucinating," Mr. Washam whispered. Even though Aurora was oblivious to them both, it didn't feel wise to let her overhear. "I've never seen her like this before, not even when she was delirious after a coughing fit."
“Is this supposed to happen?” the Duke hissed.
Elmore didn’t know. He risked another glance her way. Although she hadn't moved from her spot, Aurora looked dangerously close to toppling from the steps outside of the house. Perched on the very edge, every little movement came too close to send her tumbling.
Did she not even remember where she was?
"My father is a kind man," Aurora stated, "a good one. He had to raise me entirely on his own, and did a better job than most men would have…” She was nodding along with her words, pausing for replies that didn’t exist. “Yes, heis the entire reason that I love wildlife so much, because he grew that interest in me since I was little. One day, I will be a proper botanist and it will be all thanks to his support."
Elmore was surprised to note that Mr. Washam was smiling, despite the way things were going.
Truth be told, as hallucinations went, this one wasn't terrible. Whoever she was talking to, Aurora appeared to be enjoying the conversation.
"Of course, you probably don't wish to hear my life story. Oh, but I do hope that you will reconsider your support; without it, I fear that we won't be able to continue since Lord Foley had refused to sponsor us."
Elmore's brows furrowed, and his heart skipped. Was she speaking with the Duke? The Duke was beside his wife across the grass, not beside Aurora.
Regardless, she was waving her hands in an animated fashion, and her feet were slipping-
Elmore caught Aurora before she could fall from the step, strong arms wrapped around her shoulders.