Page 35 of Ella and the Enchanted Bookshop

With the blanket still wrapped around my shoulders, I shuffled out to the barn and began filling the horse’s feed buckets. But not three buckets in, I paused. Something wasn’t right. One of the horses… Trixie. Trixie was supposed to get her powdered medication mixed into her feed. But as I stared stupidly down at the buckets, I couldn’t remember which one was Trixie’s.

As I tried to puzzle this problem out, I began to shiver until I couldn’t get my legs to hold me any more. It was all I could do to shuffle over to the nearest hay pile and lower myself onto it, pulling my blanket tighter and praying for the sickness to go away.

But instead of the sickness going away, my consciousness left instead.

17

Rain, Cinnamon, & Lemon Tea

When I woke up again, I found myself in a cozy bed wrapped in blankets with a tray of steaming tea beside me. It was gray and drizzly outside, and it took me a moment of searching for a clock to realize that it was ten.

Ten in the morning? I started to panic. Where was I? And how long had I been asleep?

That’s when Margaret walked in. “She’s awake!” she called from the door before hurrying in to sit on the edge of the bed. “Goodness, child. I thought I was going to have to summon a wood elf to wake you.” As she said this, her eyes twinkled with mischief.

I didn’t even try to make sense of that statement, though. Instead, I slowly pushed myself into a seated position and looked around again. “Where am I?” As I spoke the words, however, my throat felt like a knife had slashed it, and I was reminded of the virus that had hit me after Casey had gone out of town.

Had that been yesterday?

“You’re supposed to be at church right now,” I added. “And so am I.”

“You’re in my guest bedroom,” Margaret said as she began to rearrange my blankets. “No need to go to church and cough on everyone there to get them ill. The Lord says the Sabbath is a day of rest. And sick as you are, that’s exactly what you need. So here you will stay until you’re markedly better.”

“I don’t remember what happened,” I croaked, putting my hand on my head where a splitting headache was beginning to bloom. “I was feeding the horses, and–”

“And you passed out from the fever,” she said, her mouth tightening into a thin line. “Derrick found you. He was driving by and saw the barn door open much later than it should have been. If God hadn’t sent that man to check on you, I don’t know what state you would be in right now.”

I drew in a shaky breath.

“Here. Drink.” She took the teacup from the tray beside the bed and lifted it to my lips. “This will help your sore throat and your headache.” Once I had obeyed, she put the cup down and looked at me, reproach in her sharp eyes. “Now, tell me what in the world you were doing out in the barn when you’re this ill.”

“Casey went on a business trip last night,” I said, my voice sounding much like a frog’s. “She said Harper was supposed to help me, but I couldn’t find her.”

Margaret rolled her eyes so hard I wondered if it hurt. “Harper wasn’t found because she chose not to be found.” She shook her head and studied me with pursed lips. “I don’t like this, Ella. Not one bit.”

I gave her a small smile. “Thanks, Margaret. For taking care of me.”

“Thank Derrick when you see him. He had enough sense to bring you straight to me.” She tucked a piece of hair behind my ear, just the way my mother had once done. “Just you wait until that woman gets back. I have some choice words for her!”

Anyone else might have tried arguing with Margaret. After all, I was twenty-three years old and had been tucked into bed like I was four by a woman I wasn’t even related to. But I knew better than to think I could win that debate. And even if I had wanted to go home, I knew I wasn’t strong enough. So I snuggled back down under her thick, plush covers and closed my eyes, listening to the steady sound of rain on the roof, drinking in the smell of cinnamon and lemon tea.

“That’s right,” she said, pulling the covers up over my shoulders. “You rest. Derrick said he’ll watch the horses for you while Casey’s gone.”

And so I submitted, glad for once to let someone else take the wheel. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d slept this late. So after another forced sip of tea–which I was rather sure tasted like sleep–I drifted into unconsciousness once again.

I stayed at Margaret’s house for three days. Harper never appeared, but Derrick did.

“Everything’s just fine,” he promised me with a smile. “Nevada’s restless, but that’s just because you’re gone. She’ll calm down once you get well again.”

Asher called as well, but his voice didn’t hold a smile the way Derrick’s had.

“She just left you like that?” he demanded. It was the first time I’d ever heard him angry.

“I was getting sick when she left,” I croaked out. My voice still sounded like a frog’s, but after three days of nourishment from Margaret’s chicken noodle soup and various blends of tea, my throat no longer felt like someone had taken a knife to it. “I passed out after she left.”

“It doesn’t matter,” he snapped. “She should have stayed.”

I couldn’t help smiling at the indignation in his voice. “Thanks, Asher.”