Katrina

Chapter Four

Katrina, feverish and delirious, had lost all sense of reality as she lay bathed in sweat, despite the fact she was stripped to her undergarments.

She was having visions of her father lying in his coffin, turning into rotten bones.

All those she had once thought her friends stood around, laughing at her and pointing a finger. Including her former fiancé Paul. She was pleaded with them to stop and they just turned their back on her.

She could hear voices mocking her laughing at her. Suddenly she felt like she was being pulled down, into a deep swirling whirlpool of water, but a hand grabbed her pulling her up. When she looked at the owner of the hand it was her uncle Fredrick, leering at her, she screamed, struggling to get free from his grip as he loomed closer and closer.

"No, No!" she howled gripped in terror, someone was holding her, putting something to her lips, she pushed it away, her arms flailing wildly

"Bugger this!" Patrick muttered as the mug of water he had been trying to give the delirious Katrina, went all over him and the bed.

He put the mug down on the floor, realising she was in the throes of some horrible dream. He grabbed both her hands to stop her from hitting out at him,

"Katrina, it's alright, you are safe, no one is going to hurt you, calm down"

He soothingly stroked her hot damp forehead "Ssh, you are safe," he kept repeating until it seem to penetrate her clouded delirious mind and she stopped thrashing about and went limp against him, opening her eyes a little to peer at him

"Patrick" she recognised him, and suddenly clung onto his arm "Don't let him come near me Patrick" she pleaded faintly

"No one is going to hurt you sweetheart, I promise" Patrick reassured her quietly, holding her against him, "You just try and get better, that's all you have to worry about d'ya hear me?"

She just let out a small sigh and shuddered before closing her eyes again, still clinging to him for safety

He continued holding her for a while, until he was sure she was calm and peacefully sleeping, then he gently eased her back onto the pillow, before put the blanket around her.

His shirt was soaked in her sweat where she had lay against him. It brought back memories of his wife Juanita, who had also been feverish in the days before she had died in his arms.

He closed his eyes to block out the painful memory, and decided to go and change his shirt, not believing fate was doing this to him again..

Much to Patrick’s great relief, when doctor McCracken called on Katrina again later that evening, he was happy to report that the fever had broken and her temperature seem to be dropping to normal again.

He and Myra had been taking turns watching over her, and he had managed to get a little sleep in between

It would be a while before Katrina would be up and about again the doctor had warned. Patrick was just glad she had survived through it, and was not going to die on him.

He send Myra back to her own cottage, assuring he could manage fine until the following morning, as Katrina seemed to have settled in a more peaceful sleep and was no longer burning up.

And although he was satisfied she was on the mend, he still took the precaution of keeping an eye on her, bringing a chair by her bedside, where he slept most of the night, just in case she woke up needing him

He was sprawled on the chair dozing, when Katrina finally opened her eyes the following morning.

Her head and throat still ached a little, but not as bad as it had done. She found was able to think more clearly remembering where she was.

Though not too sure what had happened to her, and why Patrick was sleeping by her bedside.

 He was sprawled out in the chair, his head was tilted backwards resting on the back of it, and  his lips parted slightly his long legs stretched out, with his arms folded on his chest.

When she tried to lift her head, the room seem to spin and she let out a little moan as her head fell back on the pillow again It was enough to wake Patrick, who sat up with a start

"W-what happened?" Katrina asked putting her hand to her forehead, wondering why she felt so weak and dizzy.

"Are you alright?" Patrick asked anxiously, sitting up leaning over her

"I-I think so" she replied, "I just feel so weak, I can hardly lift my head"

"Hardly surprising after all you have been through," Patrick replied, his green eyes inspected her in a clinical manner. "You are looking a better colour, that is a good sign" he remarked

"Was I very ill?" Katrina then asked

"Yes, you were" he replied, "But you seem to be over the worse, thankfully"

"I have been nothing but a bother, from you met me." Katrina realised in dismay

"Don't fret yourself over it. Besides which, you wouldn't have fallen in the river if I hadn't startled you, and I feel kind of responsible" Patrick told her, " So I just want you just concentrate on getting better and stronger again, that's all that matters"

She looked into his face, there was a kind gentleness there that overwhelmed her, and as hard as she tried, she could not hold back the tears that welled up in her eyes, as her emotions overcame her.

"What is wrong?" Patrick asked in concern.

"You have been much too kind and good to me, and just when I was feeling so alone and abandoned.,, I had given up faith in my fellow man." she confessed through her tears

"Now c’mon its going to be alright" he told her, reaching up to stroke a stray lock of hair from her forehead.

The light touch of his hand brushing against her skin, was soothing in a way that made Katrina feel a strange, but not unpleasant twinge through her body.

It brought deeper flush to her cheeks.

"You just promise me you will get well" he then ordered

She sniffed and manage to nod her head, "I will" she promised

He rewarded her with one of his smiles, before replying, "That's good enough for me"