A Brother's Love - Book 3 - The Frencolian Chronicles (complete)

Chapter Eight

"So, how is my little patient?" Boone strode into the bedroom and flung open the shutters. "Not ornery—or sulking—I hope..."

"Yes, I am, too! And I'm not a little patient! I'm a lot impatient!" Jobyna cried. "I want to get up. And I want Ellie to come back and sleep in here."

Boone drew a stool to the bedside and sat, taking Jobyna's small hand in his. He looked deep into her eyes and said gently, "Jobyna. Ellie died. She died of the plague. You must remember, you sat by her bedside and sponged her face while she was sick." He was going to say, 'before you, Jobyna, relapsed again and became desperately ill, again,' but he refrained.

"No, she isn't dead! She can't be! I didn't go to her funeral." Jobyna dropped her head in her hands and wept, remembering now that Boone had told her about Ellie before. "Marcus?"

"Yes, and John, and Jane, and Hedy."

Boone took the tray from Josie, saying, "You must rise and sit at the table to eat your breakfast today. In fact, if you eat it all, you can get dressed and come downstairs."

Boone knew his words were a stab in the dark. Jobyna was likely to fall into her usual state of half-consciousness and wake to eat a little food later in the morning.

"Who else died from the plague?" Jobyna asked, leaning forward as Josie wrapped a shawl around her shoulders. The table had been placed where Ellie's bed once stood. Jobyna allowed Josie to lead her to the table and seat her before the food.

Boone was pleased to see his patient rising to eat. Jobyna was making progress today.

He listed the names once more, adding, "Your cousin, the queen, she died; all your royal cousins, Katherine, Leopoldina, Estella, and Prince Charles. From the manor house here, the recent deaths have been David, Eadlin, Paddy, Anton and Letty both, Luther... and... my Narda... she's sick today." The doctor's latter words caught in his throat as he struggled to maintain normal tone.

"Oh." Jobyna's eyes took on the distant stare again before her body shook and she exclaimed, "Oh, no, not Narda, no!"

Boone put the spoon in her hand and pushed the bowl of oatmeal towards her. "Say your prayers and eat, Jobyna." He frowned.

The Shepherd's wife, Jane, was in the same state as Jobyna. They had been touched by the plague, but by some strange quirk, it had not taken them. They were like the living dead. Jobyna and Jane were so thin, they looked like living skeletons.

Doctor Gilbert had written about three similar cases in the capital. How long recovery would be from such a strange malady, no one knew; or maybe, eventually, they would die. He sighed. Some battles for life were great mysteries.

"You look tired; I'm worried about you, Boone." Jobyna frowned at him. She had eaten half the bowl of oatmeal and now began on the scrambled egg.

"You worry for me?" He smiled. Everyone in the house, left alive, was worried for her, expecting the worst, every day.

Swallowing her mouthful, Jobyna said, "Yes. If I die, I won't ever see you again. I'll see Marcus and Ellie, but you won't be there. Why won't you believe?"

Boone did not answer her question. Instead he said, "I don't think you're going to die, Jobyna. Not yet, you're too impertinent."

"Then what will happen if you get the plague and die? You're not ready. You need to be ready, Boone."

She cocked her head, and asked, "I can hear a baby crying. Is it yours?"

Boone, pushing his deep grief to the bottom of his heart, was pleased. Jobyna remembered their baby!