Chapter 54: Warmth- Part 1

When Heidi reached the mansion, she was a mess, both physically and mentally. Even with the cloak Nicholas had given her she felt cold. Seeing both the lord and the lady soaking wet, the butler instructed the maids to prepare the baths for both of them. Seeing the maid close the doors of the bath on her way out, she removed her clothes before immersing herself in the warm water. The tremor in her body stopped, the water soothed her sore muscles and in the absolute silence she felt good. Too tired to move her arms, she sat still in the wide tub staring at her palms of her hands.

Today had been quite a day for her. Her small visit to the town had ended up in her falling in the water. She was glad that it was her who had gone in search of the book instead of the little boy. In the process of wanting to get out of the flowing river she had felt someone pull her ankle out of no where. Had she mistaken it? she wondered before raising her leg above the water level to inspect it. Sitting up straight in the tub she brought her leg closer. It wasn’t evident but the three faint red lines that had formed at one side of the ankle. The memory of her falling into the water was fresh and she kept replaying it in her mind, wondering who or what had pulled her down the river. Thinking about it brought chills to her body.

But that wasn’t the only thing that had been bothering her mind. It was something to do with the lord of Bonelake.

“No…” she denied in a whisper, drawing her knees close so that she could rest her forehead on it.

It wasn’t possible. It wasn’t supposed to happen and she had never thought about it. On her way back, Heidi had tried verifying and denying on how she felt right then but everything seemed to have come down to one conclusion that she was attracted to the lord. Her heart flipped over and over again, tirelessly when he had held her in his arms. She had been so used to the lord always taking a jab on her with his words that she was taken aback when he had showed a worried expression which was meant for her. Just thinking about what happened at the river brought heat to her cheeks which she hadn’t been able to stop since they had got into the carriage. Thinking and hoping that the feeling would pass after a good night’s rest she dried herself with the towel that was placed at the side before getting out of the room.

Unfortunately even a warm didn’t help in relieving the muscles in her body. Placing the back of her hand over her forehead and neck, she sighed. She then realized why she had been tired since a day ago. She had caught a cold and falling in the river had only made the cold she had caught more evident.

Warren who returned back to the mansion after taking the children back to the orphanage not before going to the river to check if the lord and Heidi were still there. Hearing what happened from the lord, he had gone to visit Heidi in her room.

“You look tired,” he commented taking in her appearance, who had her back leaned while blanket covered the lower of her body, “I think it would be better for a doctor to examine if you received any wounds,” Heidi shook her head quickly.

“Don’t worry, there’s no need for a doctor. I didn’t injure myself. I will be fine by tomorrow morning,” she assured him with a smile. It seemed like even smiling took a lot of her energy. Warren pursed his lips but nonetheless quietly agreed to her. A maid entered the room with a trolley of food to place it next to Heidi’s bed.

“I asked the butler to send my dinner with yours. I hope you don’t mind my company,” asked Warren.

“I could use some company right now,” Heidi answered him.

The muscles of her back felt sore but she quietly got out of her bed and took a seat at the table where the maid was setting the plates and food. During their dinner she heard him call her name, “Heidi” and she looked up to meet his eyes.

“I don’t have enough experience when it comes to taking heed and notice of women therefore I apologize if I come off to be odd to you. I understand that this is a marriage of truce to bring peace both our kinds but it is a marriage. I promise that I will be a better partner for you from now,” he promised with a serious face and for an odd reason even though she should have been happy, she felt her heart sink at his words. Her conscious mocking at the guilt that had begun to form. Not able to say anything to him, she mustered a small nod before continuing to eat her food.

Sleep had come really soon when her head hit the pillow. In the morning, Heidi had woken up early but the tiredness still lingered in her body. Her mind was foggy as she sat up on the bed. The fever hadn’t decreased but only increased overnight. Looking at the clock on the wall, she began to get ready and before she could leave the room for breakfast, she felt dizzy before losing conscious. When her conscious returned, she noticed she was back in the bed, with a cloth over her forehead.

The maid who was asked to lookout for the lady in the room, quickly shuffled out of the room. Heidi sighed, putting the cloth that laid on her forehead on the table. Her feet felt cold, like she had stepped into a bucket of ice filled water. As her room door opened, she saw it was her fiance who came and took a sit by pulling a chair next to her bed.

“I have a fever,” she sigh.

“You do. The doctor came to look at you in the morning. He said that you might have caught a cold due to falling into the river yesterday. He also said that you will recover in two to three days of rest. I should have called the doctor yesterday,” he said disappointed in himself.

“Please don’t say that. Truth to be told, I have never been good with doctors,” she said not wanting him to take the blame for her current condition.

“Is it because of the needles?” he inquired to which she nodded.

The time when Heidi had only begun to live with the Curtis’ family, one summer she had fallen sick due to exhaustion. Her mother Helen worried, had taken the girl to the doctor to only find her screaming in the corner of the doctors room at the sight of the needle in his hand. It was a completely normal reaction to be scared of a needle at that age but there was more story behind it.