“But—”
“Now, I am not unreasonable. If you feel well enough in the morning, I promise we can go home. But you must trust me, Faith.”
Faith wanted to tell her that she didn’t mind Logan’s presence as much anymore, but she nodded, thinking the better of it.
“Of course, I trust you, Grace. And you are right. I will stay in the room until you’ve dictated otherwise.”
Bringing her fingers to her forehead, she made a mock salute as they reached the guest room where Faith had been staying, causing Grace to smirk.
“Alright, enough of that. Back into bed.”
Faith allowed Grace to help her undress, and soon she was tucked back into her sick bed. Dinner was served some hours later, bone broth and plain tea. Not terribly pleasing, but Faith did not argue.
Once her tray was removed, Arabella was permitted to read to her for an hour, and she, Grace, and Faith spent the evening in pleasant enough company. At the same time, the maids began to pack the sisters’ belongings as Grace had decided they could return to Lismore the next day.
“I must say, it’s been a grand thing, having you stay here,” Arabella said with a yawn as she closed her book. “Even though you’ve been sick. I hope you’ve had a pleasant enough stay.”
“I have, Arabella, thank you.”
“I should like to give you something, to remind you of your time here,” she said as her hand dipped into the pocket of her dress.
Bringing her small fist up, she uncurled her fingers and revealed a small, circular piece of amber stone. The light from the lamps shined through it as she held it up between her index finger and thumb, causing it to glow.
“It’s lovely,” Faith said.
“Isn’t it?” Arabella replied, handing it over. “I gave Logan a near identical one before he left for Burma. Amber is lucky, you know.”
“Is it?”
“Oh yes. Old Miss Fletcher told me so when I was girl, just before Logan left for war. He had taken me to Glencoe with him for a visit before he left. She gave me one just like this, so that I could give it to Logan.”
“Miss Fletcher?” Grace said, coming forward to inspect the gem in Faith’s hand. “I’ve met her. She has a set of rooms behind Dr. Barkley’s office.” Grace frowned. “Doesn’t she have a bit of a reputation for, well, folk medicine?”
“That’s a kind way of saying that some people call her a witch,” Arabella said, turning back to Faith with a wink. “She’s a firm believer in the wee folk.”
“Oh dear. Not more fairy tales.”
“I don’t believe in witches,” Grace said. “Nor in talismans, although there is a certain train of thought that a positive attitude can lend itself to good things. There was an English physician, Dr. Haygarth, who did a study about positive influence and imagination. Supposedly, if a patient believes they have been given an effective treatment, regardless of whether they’ve actually been given something with medicinal value or not, it can make them better. Of course, it’s all very subjective.”
“The power of positive thinking to cure an ailment?” Faith asked suspiciously. “That seems ambiguous at most.”
“It is. But I know Miss Fletcher does have a healthy knowledge about local herbs and remedies for ailments. I’ve spoken to her a number of times and many locals will still pay her a visit, if they don’t agree with or like Dr. Barkley’s diagnosis, which is probably why he lets out his rooms to her—to keep his patients close.”
“Well, even if it is a superstition, I believe that amber is lucky. It brought my brother home safely, although he did lose his amber,” Arabella said off handedly. “Still, I was very pleasantly surprised to find this one, just on the front steps. Itwas rather magical, really, considering how deep one must dig for it usually.” She smiled. “But there it was, just the other day. I thought of giving it to Logan, to replace his, but he’s a bit like you, Faith. Only, I’m sure you’ll humor me and accept it as a token of my friendship.”
Faith’s fingers clasped tightly over the small stone.
“Of course, I will. Thank you so much, Arabella.”
She smiled, and after bidding them goodnight, she left, soon followed by Grace, leaving Faith alone to finally rest.
The blankets that had kept the chill away from her during the height of her fever were now far too warm. With one leg hooked over the edge of the blankets, she flipped through the book Arabella had given her. It was a recent print about Renaissance painters. Fascinated by it, she was peacefully enjoying herself.
But then, about an hour after her sister left, there was a knock at the door. Glancing up and putting her book down, she wondered what Grace could possibly want.
“Come in,” she said, expecting to see her sister when Logan’s frame filled the doorway.
She immediately sat up straight.
