But now it might be all right to remember. There were signs he was yielding at last.
He had sent her Selene.
She was dreadfully ill, Selene realized even before she opened her eyes.
She barely made it to the basin across the room before she started to throw up.
"What's wrong?"
Someone was behind her. Layla.
"Answer me."
Dear God, couldn't the stupid woman see she couldn't answer her?
Layla was beside her, her arm bracing Selene's shoulders while she heaved. "It's all right--I think."
"It's not all right. I'm dying." Her stomach was empty but she was still miserable. She staggered back to the bed and crawled beneath the covers. "Go away."
"You're not dying." Layla was standing by the bed. "I won't have it."
She opened her eyes to see Layla frowning down at her. "Go away."
"You're not being reasonable. If you're truly ill, I'm the only one here who can help you. Now be silent while I decide what course to take."
Selene was too sick to argue. She shut her eyes, trying to fight off the new surge of nausea that was overwhelming her.
Cold water was running down her face and onto the covers.
She gasped, and her eyes flew open to see Layla wielding a sopping-wet cloth with vigorous authority. "You're drowning me."
Layla scowled. "Well, it was all I could think of to do. I told you I wasn't good at this sort of thing."
"You're right."
"And you're not supposed to be ill. I hadn't planned--Why are you?"
It wasn't enough that she was sick, but this heartless woman expected her to make apologies for it. "It's probably from being in the same chamber with you," she said through her teeth.
"I don't think so. Do you hurt anywhere?"
"No." She huddled beneath the covers. "I don't want to talk."
"We must find out the problem. Did the beef from supper disagree with you?"
"Get that cloth away from my face or I'll throw it at you."
"Very well. It doesn't seem to be doing much good anyway. I've always suspected bathing brows is much overrated."
"I'm going to try to go back to sleep. Leave me alone."
"I suppose that would be all right." Layla dropped down in the chair. "But I'll wake you if the sleep appears too deep."
Probably with another ice-water dousing. "If you do, I may throttle you."
"Ungrateful wretch." But the gentleness with which she straightened Selene's covers belied the roughness of her tone. "Rest. I won't let anything hurt you."
The nausea was gone when Selene opened her eyes again.
