Later, an older fisherman approached, leaning heavily on a stick. “Strange thing, Me Lady,” he muttered. “Those of us who drink from the upper spring are well enough. It is the folks below the bend who fall ill.”
“The upper spring?” she repeated.
“Aye. Clear as glass, but farther away.”
Her mind turned over the pattern, pieces aligning with uneasy precision.
By the time Fergus returned, dusk had begun to settle over the rooftops. “The priest will make the announcement,” he said. “Boiled water only, until we ken more.”
Relief mingled with urgency in her chest. “Then we must go. I wish to study what you gathered.”
The ride back to the castle was slow and peaceful. Lilliana sat quietly, replaying every conversation in her mind—the thirsty boy, the fisherman, the line of pale faces waiting for relief.
Nonetheless, she could not help but feel slightly disappointed that she had not seen Kayden all day. After their heated encounter the night before and the very flirtatious conversation they had at breakfast, she’d half expected him to appear with awink and a smirk, throwing his weight around like the Laird he was. Instead, the road stretched empty behind them.
She was both relieved and disappointed that he had not. She touched her throat, where her pulse fluttered every time she thought about him leaning down to press his lips to hers. She dared not think of his lips on any other part of her, lest she combust.
As they came to a stop at the castle doors, Lilliana began to gather her samples. She wanted to start her research right away, as one of her books warned that samples might expire if kept for too long.
“Will you be joining me?” she asked Old Fergus, holding up the samples.
He shook his head. “Ach, what use have I of these newfangled apparatuses? I will wait to hear what ye find.”
Lilliana nodded and then climbed out of the carriage, heading straight to the healer’s quarters with her basket of samples, Betsy following behind with what was left of the simples they had gone with.
“Well, that was a busy day,” Betsy said breathlessly.
Lilliana nodded absently, her mind on her samples. “Yes, and too many children are suffering. I must check if there is a difference between these samples before the light fades.”
“Oh, I expect we will. You have so many ideas!”
Lilliana unlocked the door to the healer’s quarters and placed the basket on the stone table. She went to the cupboard where she had stored her microscope and pulled it out, placing it on the table. It was no miracle device, but another way to compare color, sediment, and clarity.
Betsy squealed in excitement as she peered over her shoulder. “Ooh, are we looking at the water through that? Will you see tiny creatures dancing in there?”
Lilliana smiled. “Perhaps only grains of silt and a trick of the glass. But sometimes even illusions teach us where to look.”
“Mmm,” Betsy replied, unconvinced. “Well, I shall go and draw you a bath, shall I? Will you be going down for dinner?”
“In a moment,” Lilliana said, adjusting the lens. “I wish to note what I can tonight. Let me have a look at these before I lose the light, so I can be prepared for when I return to the village.”
“Very well, My Lady.”
She leaned closer to the glass, the fading light catching the surface of the dark water.
There is so much at stake. Lives depend on me finding an answer.
16
It was later than she had anticipated when she finished studying the samples. She stretched, blinking her tired eyes. She was certainly feeling the aches and pains of an active day, as well as one spent bouncing around in a carriage.
I’ll just have Betsy bring me some soup. I’m not in the mood for company.
She also wanted to write down her findings before she forgot. She was still surprised that Kayden had allowed her to go to the village. He’d been so adamantly against it.
She could not help but wonder if it had something to do with their time together the night before. Her cheeks flamed every time she thought of it.
His tongue…
