Page 45 of Leila’s Legacy

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Leila’s skin practically glowed with the refreshment of her bath. Granted, the water had been cold, and the soap was lacking the scents and benefits of the herbal mix Isla added for her at Werrick Castle, but at least she was clean. The kirtle she had been given was as fine as the other two, this one of a soft blue wool.

Once she was clean and ready to go to Lady Davina, Leila was led through the castle by a servant who had been waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. The woman’s dark hair was tinged with gray beneath her mobcap and she held Leila’s basket at the crook of her arm.

She bobbed a quick curtsey. “I’m Ana. I’ve been tending to Lady Davina since she fell ill three days past.”

She led Leila, with Brodie in tow, to Lady Davina’s chamber. The servant’s manner was perfunctory, but her demeanor was kind. She had been a member of the kitchen staff before her assistance was needed with Lady Davina. And while Ana had no knowledge of healing, she had willingly risked herself for the earl’s daughter and sought to aid Lady Davina in any way possible.

“’Tis kind of ye to assist us, Lady Leila.” Ana’s heavy brows knitted together. “I heard ye dinna have a welcome reception to Liddesdale and that ye’re being held on suspicion of witchcraft. I dinna know anything about any of it, but I know we all care greatly for Lady Davina and our hearts are all grateful to ye for yer aid.”

“I have aided many villagers near my home in Brampton.” Leila chose her words carefully. “You must understand I cannot cure the pestilence. I can only help ease her discomfort. The strength to survive will need to come from her. Knowing that you have seen to her needs, ensuring she had enough food and water, is the best thing you could have done for her, Ana. If she is able to survive this, it will have been from your efforts.”

Ana’s face colored in a blush. “Aye, well, she’s in here.” She pushed open the chamber door and bustled inside.

Leila followed and was met with the sickly-sweet odor of illness. The room was shuttered in darkness and a fire roared in the hearth. After having been in so cold a room for so long, the excessively hot chamber made Leila feel as though she were being roasted on a spit.

“Ana?” The feminine voice was softly spoken and wispy.

Leila looked to the bed and found a slender woman with flushed skin and lank strands of red hair lying beneath a mountain of blankets and furs. A sheen of sweat glistened at her brow.

“Aye, my lady.” Ana bent over the hearth to settle another log into the flames. “I’ve brought—”

“Nay.” Leila put a hand on the new log Ana reached for to keep her from adding it to the flames. “Please do not add more. We will need to air the room out. It is far too hot as it is.”

“Whoever is here, you must leave.” Lady Davina’s voice was frantic. “Please, I do not want you to become ill.”

Leila went to her side. It did not escape Leila’s notice that as soon as she redirected her attention, Ana shoved the log into the greedy flames. No matter. Leila would have it all sorted out in good time.

“Lady Davina.” Leila approached the ill woman.

An angry black lump swelled at the side of her slender neck, making her head lean to the right, where Leila stood. Her eyes slitted open, so bloodshot, Leila could not make out their color.

“Please go,” Lady Davina panted.

Leila sat on the chair beside the bed and took Lady Davina’s hand in hers. The young woman’s small hand nearly burned Leila’s fingers. “My name is Lady Leila. I have been ill before with the pestilence and from what we have seen, once one is ill with it, they cannot get it again. I have worked with my own healer at Werrick Castle and am here to help you.”

Davina’s hand closed on Leila’s fingers in a weak grip. “Bless ye for yer care. Thank ye for coming to my aid. Ana hasna been ill. She must—”

“They’ll have to drag my corpse from this room before I leave ye.” Ana set about organizing the small bottles beside Davina’s bed.

“Ana, please boil some water for a tea.” If the servant was going to stay, Leila would at least put her to work. “While we wait on the water, I want you to open the shutters and move off most of these blankets. ’Tis far too warm in here.”

The servant’s eyes went wide. “But letting in the air will bring contagion.”

“She is already ill, and the fresh air will do her good.” Leila reached for the ginger balm in her basket, the one infused with willow bark and meadowsweet root, to aid with pain relief. “Water is much the same as air.” She spoke as she worked, saying the same thing to Ana now that she had been telling the villagers for years, each time she was called to a sick bed. “Free flowing is best while stagnation allows filth to gather. You should not drink from a murky puddle any more than you should breathe fetid air.”

Ana nodded, understanding immediately as many often did after Leila’s explanation. She and Isla had compared their experiences through the years, and they both had noticed the introduction of fresh air improved the patients in nearly all cases.

She turned her attention to Lady Davina while Ana set to work to comply with Leila’s instructions. “Lady Davina, I need to put a balm on your neck, and it will hurt. But the effects are worth the discomfort.”

Lady Davina squeezed Leila’s hand with her hot palm. “Thank ye.”

Leila cast a quick glance to the cauldron of water set to boil over the flames. It could not boil fast enough to suit her. Not when the fever had clearly been burning in the young woman for a while. The sooner Leila could get the tea down her throat, the higher the likelihood of Lady Davina’s survival.

Leila withdrew her hand from Lady Davina’s grasp and popped the cap from a pot of balm before taking her hand once more. “Forgive me,” Leila whispered. She scooped the balm onto her fingertips and carefully, oh-so-gently, spread the greasy salve over the swollen lump at Lady Davina’s neck.

The young woman pressed her lips together, her fingers gripping Leila’s as a tear ran down from the corner of her eye. Leila’s own eyes welled with tears to know the amount of agony she caused with her ministration. “It will be better soon, I promise,” Leila whispered.