The rich savory aromas of chicken stew wafting under my nose was all it took to roust me out of my slumber. It was at least a day since I’d eaten and my stomach walls were beating and growling for attention. They were so loud I couldn’t blame Anna for the giggle that escaped her as she leaned forward to slip a spoonful of the delicious broth between my parched lips.
“What day is it?” I asked after swallowing the hot broth and savoring its delectable flavor.
“’Tis the end of your second week, Lady Jane,” she replied. “Ye have been sleeping for most of the days, with little coherence in between.”
“Ach,” I moaned as I pulled my body into a sitting position.
I was weak. Although they’d given me sponge baths daily, I longed to immerse my entire body into a soothing lavender bath. I felt like tiny creatures took residence in my head and were chopping wood or something on a consistent basis. It was a barely noticeable sensation, but it was there.
I assured Anna that I was well enough to feed myself and she warily handed the bowl to me. Admittedly, I was a bit shaky, but after a few more spoonfuls my movements grew progressively steadier. By the time I’d cleaned the bowl, I was feeling very close to my normal self.
Anna watched me with a smile of appreciation.
“’Tis splendid to see you up and alert, m’ lady, you had me worried for a while,” she whispered.
I stretched my body in a catlike manner and muttered, “I long for a bath.”
“’Tis a simple enough request. I shall check with Lady Helen to make sure you are fit for bathing. Should she agree, I shall have one set up right away,” she assured me as she hurried from the shack.
Since Anna was only gone a minute or two, I deduced Lady Helen was just outside the door. I was right. Her beaming face was quick to follow Anna through the door upon her return.
“Ah, Lady Jane, you look much better,” Helen exclaimed, “How do you feel?”
Her hand radiated a soothing coolness against my forehead.
“Methinks I shall live,” I replied quietly.
With a light hearted chuckle, she reached to the small table next to my cot and handed me a trencher of stew. I sat up immediately and took it gratefully. I was ravenous!
“You have a splendid appetite. ‘Tis a sign of quick healing,” she boasted.
“I can’t thank you enough,” I replied, too tired to bother with shifting my language.
“’Twould not due to lose thine habit of speaking our way,” she whispered. “I fear we are not as secure as I hoped for. It appears Lord Rufus works with a very powerful witch. Your use of improper speaking could tip off the winds.”
“Pray tell, whither is this witch?” I asked, taking heed to her suggestion.
“We know not the location or identity of the witch,” she replied. “What we do know is the power is profound. ‘Tis equal to that of our high priestess.”
“Does it match your own?” I asked.
She looked away as if embarrassed and shrugged her shoulders in a non-committal way.
“The power of the spell we detect is strong enough to be of a coven leader,” she explained, “a high priest or priestess for certain.”
“Can you match it?” I persisted.
“I cannot say,” she sighed. “’Twould depend if the magic is worked by one or many. I suspect ‘tis more than one.”
“They desire what?” I asked, already knowing the answer.
“To find you, of course,” she said flatly. “Lord Rufus sends a small army in search of you. He becomes desperate.”
“Is Lord Duncan aware of this search?” I ask hesitantly.
“I think not,” she sighed. “Perhaps he should.”
“Why do you think such a thing? ‘Tis madness,” I hissed.
“’Tis sensible,” she hissed back. “Let vampire protect against vampire. I have not the magic on my own.”
“What about the coven?” I demanded.
“None with the skills required,” she said sadly.
“Truly, I say Lord Duncan is not to task for such a battle. He has not the constitution to equal Lord Rufus. He dines on vegetables and occasionally the blood of animals. Lord Rufus feasts on humans.” I touched my neck, “Of this I know firsthand. ‘Tis what makes him so robust.”
“You underestimate Lord Duncan,” she said softly.
“Perhaps… but ‘tis better to be safe. I could not bear losing him in such a way,” I replied.
I was determined to keep Duncan and Rufus apart. I knew inherently that Duncan wasn’t up to fighting Rufus. It was more than their difference in diet. There was something about Rufus that seemed different. It was like a force flowed through him that wasn’t present in most vampires. I wondered if this force had something to do with the witch he was working with. I discussed this at length with Lady Helen, who was heavy hearted when she agreed it probably did.
Garth arrived with a beaten and banged copper tub in tow. Following close behind him were several maids with buckets of water. I watched as my bath was prepared with the utmost care and attention. It didn’t matter that the little tub looked like they’d salvaged it from a junkyard and only half my body would fit into it. It didn’t matter that the sides were full of bumps and lumps. At that moment and time, it was the most luxurious, wonderful vessel of lavender essence on the planet.
It took a moment for me to find my footing. Having always had an independent streak running through me, I politely waved away Lady Helen’s offer of assistance and forced my legs to do my bidding. It was bad enough that I needed their assistance for protection from Lord Rufus and Lady Vivian and whoever the mysterious witch was… oh yes, and the anonymous person in the mansion who was helping them… the very least I could do was to walk on my own. I needed that small semblance of control over my life.
I allowed the maid, Gwendoline, to help me undress and lower me into the copper tub. My knees were practically tucked under my chin. but I didn’t care. The soothing lavender scented liquid swirled around my aching body like tiny massaging fingers. The girl pulled my braided locks free and poured warm water over my matted hair. As she worked in the lathering oils created by Anna’s expert hands, I just knew I was in heaven.
I was so content with the experience that I never notice the mood of the little shack change from warm and cozy to cold and frosty. It took a few minutes of immobility on Gwendoline’s part for me to open my eyes and see Duncan standing over me wearing a scowl that would frighten Frankenstein out of his wits.