“I am quite alive,” she said, pulling back to look at him. “See? Look at me. I am not dead, I swear it.”
Curtis grasped her face, gazing into those miraculous blue eyes. “God, I hope I am not dreaming.”
“You are not.”
“You’re real?”
Elle smiled weakly. “I am real.”
He fought to regain his composure now that his shock was wearing off. “But why are you here?” he said. “You should be in bed.”
She leaned against the wall again, her hands on his face. “My entire body aches from having been lying in bed for so long,” she said. “The moment I awoke, it was screaming to get out. I am sorry that I could not wait for you to help me.”
He shook his head, kissing her twice, tremulously. “That does not matter,” he said. “But… Oh, God, I keep saying this, but I cannot believe it. You’re alive.”
Her smile grew. “I am,” she said. “Did you really think I was going to leave you, Curt?”
He lifted his big shoulders. “Sometimes we have no control over things,” he said. “My father told me to have faith. He said that women are stronger than we know.”
“Your father is very wise,” Elle said, watching him lift her hand to kiss it reverently. “How could I leave you? We have a son coming in a few months. We have a life to live. I could not let you live it without me.”
He put his hand against her belly, on the heavy robe in between. “And he is well?” he said. “He has not suffered?”
Elle put her hand over his. “Pliny says that if he has survived my troubles, then there is every chance that he has not suffered,” she said. “I suppose we will find out.”
Curtis simply couldn’t speak anymore. He was overwhelmed. He pulled Elle into his embrace, finally picking her up and carrying her back to bed, because he wasn’t comfortable with her sitting in the breeze of an open window. Elle didn’t put up a fight, letting him do what he wanted to do. She simply went along with it. But when he set her down on the bed, she finally noticed what he’d been holding in his hand the entire time.
She pointed.
“Is that honey bread?” she asked.
He shook his head, putting it behind him. “It is nothing.”
“Show me.”
“You must conserve your strength.”
Elle was lying back on the pillows, looking up at him. “Curtis?”
“Aye, my love?”
“Show me what is in your hand.”
With great reluctance, and fighting off a grin, he produced the honey bread with two big bites taken out of it. Dustin, who was back at Elle’s bedside now, put her hand over her mouth to keep from laughing as Elle sighed faintly.
“You promised not to lie to me again,” she said softly.
He closed his eyes for a brief moment, knowing he was caught. “I did not lie to you,” he said. “I simply said that it was nothing at all.”
Elle shook her head at her guilty husband. “I am too weak to punish you, but know that when I am feeling better, my punishment shall be swift,” she said. “Do you have anything to say in your defense?”
He smiled and sat down on the bed next to her. “There is more of it in the kitchens that is untouched and waiting for you,” he said, reaching out to take her hand. “The villagers brought it as a show of gratitude. They wanted you to know that they were praying for your swift recovery.”
After hearing that, of course she could not become angry. In fact, she was quite touched. “Will you bring me some of it?” she said. “I think I could eat something.”
That was a good sign, but Pliny put up a hand. “Broth for you, my lady,” he said. “You have not eaten in days. We must introduce food slowly so that your belly will become used to it again.”
Elle was disappointed, but she understood. “Very well,” she said. “May I have some broth, then?”
