Free Bittersweet Endeavors by Tamara Ternie

her down and secured the blankets around her, he went forward with the chore .  Within minutes, a roaring fire burned and soon chased the chill from the room.  Myra moaned out as if pained, and Seth sat on the edge of the bed and took her hand into his.  Her grip held h im so tight that her nails cut into his flesh.
    “ Nay ,” she screamed out.  He r limbs writhed beneath the covers and her head turned from one side and then the other.  Tears emerged in the corners of her closed eyes.  Seth took in the scene before him , overwhelme d by his helplessness.  T he fever gripped her and caused the horrendous nightmares , and he wanted to ease her fear.
    “Please, leave her be!  Leave her be,” Myra pleaded .
    “ Myra , ” he softly called out.   With a feathery touch, he lightly patted her cheeks with his fingertips.  “ Tis only a dream caused by t he fever, Myra .  Don’t fret , I’m here.” 
    At the sound of his voice, she stilled.  Her face, which con torted with torment and rage moments before, now found peace . 
    “Much better, ” he soothed .  “That’s it, Myra , rest easy, and I promise I’ll not leave.”
    Seth looked at the door and contemplate d his next move.  Get the physician , sense urged, but he couldn’t leave her.  He worried the dreams would return and he wouldn’t be there to chase them away .  He knew Lucia would check on her friend and then she w ould help him .   If not alr e ady aware of her illness, she’d still make her way back , set on protecting Myra from him since he left the kitchens with such anger . He noticed th eir friendship ha d grown insomuch that they were near inseparable.  Aye, she’ d come, he thought with relief.
    The door crashed open and b iting whirls of cold wind delivered the warmth of the room to the outside.  Seth used the bulk his body and shield ed Myra , protecting her from the gust of cold that flooded the room . “Close the door, you little fool!”
    “What is the meaning of this?” Anvil shouted .  S eth flinched at the intensity of his father’s anger.   “You know better than being alone with this girl!”
    Seth was startled by his father’s sudden arrival and he quickly rose.   A large lump in his throat quick ly form ed .  “I didn’t know t’was you.  I thought —” he started, but remembered his father’s order of never hearing Lucia’s name.  It offered Anvil assurance that he’ d not be remind ed of his promiscuity—or reminded of the woman who bore her. 
    Anvil reached the side of the bed and looked down at Myra .  “What’s ailing her?  Did she contract something from the ship, you think?”  He hastily removed the handkerchief from his jacket and covered his mouth.
    “ Nay , I don’t believe so.  Too much time has passed, surely nothing would have lingered this long.”  Seth frowned.  “ The week past, I carelessly soaked her with a bucket of water and believe she spent too much time in the cold afterward s .  I t must’ve caused an infirmity within her chest.”
    Anvil lowered the handkerchief and his face softened for a split second when he looked down at Myra ’s helpless body, b ut he recovered his error.  “Go,” he sternly ordered.  “Find a servant who’ll care for her, Seth.  Being here in her room isn’t decent , and for all we know, whatever she’s contracted mayhap be a contagio n !”  Anvil stepped back. 
    Not once ha d Seth disobeyed his father in all his years, but he knew he must now.  He was the one responsible for her being ill and he wouldn’t leave her.   Not considering the deathly state that she now laid .
    “Father,” Seth began, but whether his father recognized his tone or saw the determinat ion in his eyes, he cut him off.
    “I’ll hear no more, Seth .  Leave now and go find someone to care for this girl.  I’ll s tay with her until someone arrives.”
    “I’m sorry, f ather, but I shan’t leave her. ”   Seth lowered his head and his