She found it odd how concerned he was about her welfare. His expression showed the helplessness he felt. It pleased her to know he was actually thinking about her instead of himself at a time like this. Then again, he had thought about her a lot since he found her on the ground after the mare had run away.
“If we can’t ride your horse, and we can’t stay here, are you going to carry me in the rain all the way back to the house?”
Gavin shrugged. “If I have to.”
She tried not to let his selfless gesture soften her heart. “I can’t let you do that, Your Grace. We will both catch our deaths from the cold, most definitely. Besides that, if you are as hungry as I am, I know you won’t have the strength to carry me all that way.”
Raking his fingers through his hair, he blew out a heavy breath. “There has got to be some food in this place.” He turned his head and peered toward the door leading into the kitchen.
Priscilla’s mind scrambled to remember what it had been like those few months her family scraped for food. She touchedhis arm until he looked at her. “Gavin? Do you think there is a garden close by? I know it is early spring, but I wonder if there are any vegetables that survived the winter.”
His eyes widened and he smiled. “You said my name.”
Inwardly, she groaned. Indeed, she had, but she hadn’t meant to.How embarrassing!“Yes, well… I have decided that you are correct. We are friends, and as such, I shall call you by your given name, but only when we are alone.”
She quickly bit her bottom lip, praying he didn’t take that as an invitation for them to be alone more often. If he did, she would set him straight in a heartbeat.
“I’m glad we are friends. And I’m also happy that your mind is working better than mine. I will indeed go back outside and search for a garden. If memory serves, I believe there was one not long ago.” He took her hand and gently rubbed her fingers. “Pray that I find something soon.”
“I shall.”
Once he was gone, a strange coolness seeped through her body. She wished her body hadn’t heated when he rubbed her fingers, because now she felt the emptiness filling her as he left. Shivering, she wrapped the blanket tighter around her shoulders. Whatever it took, she must not let him touch her so tenderly again. She couldn’t afford another heartbreak. Besides, he’d shown interest in Georgina Burns, and Priscilla would not stand in their way.
Slowly, she rose to her feet, trying to add pressure to her sore ankle. Now that she knew she had to walk on it no matter how much it hurt, she clenched her teeth and struggled through the pain as she hobbled into the kitchen.
Two large cooking stoves took up most of the small space, and a wall covered with hanging pots and pans decorated the far side. She limped along the counters, peeking in every drawer and every space that might have stored some food, but she foundnothing. She opened the two stoves, and as luck would have it, there were a few half-burned logs in there. At least they could stay warm for a little while longer, even if they were starving.
Priscilla carefully pulled out the logs, carried them back into the front room, and knelt in front of the hearth. The flames grew once the logs were inside, but she knew it wouldn’t take long before the fire dwindled again.
Brushing her charcoaled hands on her dress, she struggled to stand. The throb in her ankle let her know she had done too much, so she moved slowly back to the sofa to prop her foot up again. Another chill rushed through her, so she tightened the blanket around her.
Gavin was still outside, and she said a silent prayer that he would find something for them to eat. Of course, he would be wet and muddy upon his return…
Priscilla sighed. He would have to take off his wet clothes so as not to catch a chill. Heavens, this was not good at all. Because of all the time they had spent alone together already, would her reputation be ruined? Would his grandmother understand? She doubted the dowager would forgive her, and by morning, Priscilla would have to return home to live out her last days with her father. Her younger sisters, Felicia and Jannette, would find husbands quickly. Both were lovely and outgoing. Priscilla had been the shy sister in the family.
Gavin’s heavy boot steps on the porch brought her out of her misery, and she looked toward the door. It sounded as though he was kicking his boots against the wall. She prayed he had found something in the muddy garden.
When he entered, he was drenched from head to toe, and covered in mud from his knees down. Yet in his mud-coated hands were carrots and two potatoes.
“You found something!” she cheered.
“Not only that, but I discovered a meat room around back, and inside was some jerky.” He motioned toward his coat pocket.
Not thinking about her ankle, she rose and limped to his side, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the jerky. She quickly took a bite, and then closed her eyes and sighed with satisfaction.
“Let me go back outside and wash my hands clean, along with the vegetables.”
She nodded and took another bite of the jerky. It didn’t take him long before he came back, handing her three clean carrots and two potatoes. As she took a bite of the potato, her hand shook as though she was half starved. She really wasn’t, so why did she feel the need to forgo her manners and eat in a hurried fashion?
Gavin moved to the fire. As he ate, he shivered. Her heart wrenched. He would catch pneumonia after this was over. And it was all her fault.
She limped to him and handed him the extra blanket. “Gavin, it is now your turn to get out of those wet clothes. Hopefully, we will have enough fire to dry your clothes before the flames disappear.”
“Did you find more wood?”
“In the cooking stoves.”
“At least you found some.” He bit into the carrot.
