Ella looked back at her cousin Estelle and ignored her pleas, took hold of the rope, climbed onboard the toboggan, and pushed herself off before she lost her nerve.
It only took a second before Ella’s stomach lurched to her throat. Her peripheral vision was a blur of brown trees whizzing by, as if they were moving, not her. Her muscles were taut, if she dared move she knew she would head right into one of them. It was terrifying and exhilarating at the same time. She heard someone yelling in the distance, moved her head to see who it was, and then everything went black.
She woke up to find William sitting next to her bed reading. Everything was hazy and her head hurt. She tried to lift herself up and winced in pain at the effort.
“Can’t ever sit still can you, Ella?” William said. He was smiling with relief.
“Good lord my head hurts. What happened?” Ella said, placing a hand over her eyes to ward off the sun shining through the windows. “Close the shutters, please.”
William got up and shut the light out. He came back and took her hand in his own. “You scared us all, father especially. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so distraught. You’re lucky he was there. All of his medical training came back to him. He wouldn’t allow us to move you until he was sure you hadn’t broken your neck. And he immediately acted to make sure you didn’t go into shock, taking his heavy coat off and placing it on top of you. He bundled you up and carried you to the sleigh. He wouldn’t let anyone else touch you. Mother of course was hysterical, I think she believed you would die. Now I know where your propensity for drama comes from.”
Ella smiled.
“The good news is you’re not going to die.”
“Thank you for informing me of the obvious,” Ella said sarcastically.
“You do however have a concussion.”
“But what happened? Last I remember I was flying down a hill and my stomach was lurching from the excitement of it all.”
“What happened? We were all waiting at the bottom of the hill for you and Estelle to show, wondering where the devil you were, when suddenly you came flying out of a patch of woods like a horse let loose from a barn fire. Your toboggan must have hit a patch of ice and you swerved one way and it went another. You went tumbling down the hill, and the toboggan came crashing down after you, hitting you on the head when you finally landed — face first in the snow. It was quite comical really. Until we all realized you weren’t moving.”
“How long have I been in bed? And where’s Estelle?” She lifted herself up slightly onto her elbows and then collapsed back on her pillow.
“You’ve been asleep since the accident yesterday. And Estelle left this morning with the rest of them. Uncle Charles was snarling at her, telling her she should have known better than to follow you around, and to grow up or something like that,” William laughed.
Ella started to laugh as well, but stopped as it hurt too much. “Oh poor Estelle. She will never learn will she?”
“No, and neither will you my dear. Now you have really done it. I was planning on bringing you with me when I head back to New York City. I had father talked into it as well until this incident.”
Ella tried to sit up again but couldn’t. “Please William,” she pleaded from her bed, “don’t leave me here! Wait until I’m better.”
“Can’t. I have to get back on railroad business, wining and dining some politicians at the club.”
“But I’m sure by tomorrow I’ll be up and around.”
William kissed her lightly on her forehead. “It wouldn’t matter. Father’s furious with you. You’re not going anywhere until he brings you up to Pine Knot this summer.”
“But where will you be for the next few months? Are you staying in New York?”
“No. I plan to leave New York City by mid-February. I’m traveling with cousin Frederick to Blue Mountain and then on to the lake to start construction on the main house at Pine Knot.” He glanced at the door in a conspiratorial manner, “Don’t say anything to father but it will be modeled after a Swiss cottage.”
“Really, our own playhouse? Like the one at Osborne for the Queen’s children? How charming,” Ella said wanly. She rubbed her temples, it didn’t help the pain.
“Not exactly, but modeled after it, yes. Good–bye, then.” He got up to leave.
“Good-bye,” Ella said, and closed her eyes. Even in the dark of the room keeping her eyes open was too much to bear. She was quieted by the thought of her father tending to her. She wished she’d been conscious enough to experience what that was like.