needed her, but Susan had always remained kind, unlike many others.
Glancing around the small parlor where the child's bed had been brought down close to the fire, she saw the touches of a loving family-finger painted masterpieces by the little girls tacked on the walls, a doll on a bench in the corner and beneath it toys huddled in a small pile. Such a priceless life Susan had.
Pain wedged into an unyielding ball in her throat and Tessa blinked away unwanted tears. Mercy coughed, and Tessa held her gently. Susan crept close and she handed the child to her mother, the poor thing so fevered she did not know who held her.
'I can see it in your eyes, Tessa.' Susan's face crumpled. 'I'm going to lose her.'
'I can't lie to you.' Tessa's throat ached with sadness. 'I can think of only one thing to try, a stronger dose of blackbale root. 'Tis a dangerous level, but at this point she'll not recover anyway.'
'You know we can't afford a surgeon, but if that would save Mercy-'
'Nay, he wouldn't get here in time. Besides, I have never noticed much improvement from bleeding. If it comes to that, I can do it myself.' She hurt for Susan, for this precious child she stood to lose. 'She needs more cool compresses. Like this.'
She showed Susan how to apply them, then hurried to the kitchen to crush more roots into powder. As she worked, a tiny girl crawled down the ladder in her flannel nightdress, her cap askew revealing bountiful gold curls.
'Whatcha doin'?' the child asked as both stockinged feet hit the floor.
'Making medicine for your sister.' Tessa knelt down, her roots forgotten, to admire the child, still plump with baby fat, her eyes as blue as berries. 'Is your other sister up in the attic sleeping, too?'
A serious nod. 'Julia's a slug 'cuz she won't get outta bed.'
'I see.' Tessa spied a crock and peered inside it. Just as she suspected. Cookies. She snatched two and held them out for the little girl. 'Why don't you go sit at the table and eat these? I need to talk to your mama.'
'Thank you.' Delight shone in those eyes, for what a treat cookies were before breakfast.
But 'twas the only thing Tessa could think of to keep the child from the sick room. 'Susan?'
The woman sat on the bed, leaning over her dying daughter, applying die cold cloths to her fever-raged body. She looked up and, as if she could tell from the tone in Tessa's voice, tears welled. 'No, not my other girls.'
'Julia is upstairs. I need to go check on her. I want your husband to take little Judith over to your mother's house and keep her there in isolation. She doesn't yet look flushed. Mayhap she will not fall ill.'
'Zeb!' She flew at her husband, panic sharp in her voice, for she knew this illness could take all her children.
Tessa checked on Judith, who was just starting in on her second cookie, and then quietly climbed the ladder. She spied a small lump in the bed. 'Julia, I hear you are feeling poorly.'
'Aye, is that you, Mistress Tessa?'
' 'Tis. Remember when I tended your fever last winter?'
'I do. You made me better.'
'Aye. Let me feel your forehead now.'
The child's brow was indeed warm.
Tessa smoothed Julia's unruly curls, sadness filling her. A deadly illness was sweeping through the village. Her problems felt small in comparison.
Dawn teased at the curtains in Andy's room, a gray dreary light that promised a rain-filled day. Jonah dusted the slivers of bark from his shirt and straightened away from the hearth as the flames greedily licked at the new wood.
'Where is Tessa?' Andy asked from his bed. 'I'm surprised she is not here to torture me with more of that evil brown powder.'
'She was called to the Hollingsworth home late last night and we have not heard from her since. One of the girls is ill.' Jonah tugged the chair sideways and sat on it. 'You look fevered. Your face is flushed.'
'I sure don't feel like getting out of bed.' Andy stared at the ceiling, looking troubled. 'But I have no time to be sick. I have to help you thick-skulled oafs turn the sod in the fields to get it ready for planting.'
'Aye, Thomas and I are dolts and we would not know where to start without you to show us.' Jonah scooped a dipper of water from the small pail and poured it into an empty cup on the nightstand. 'Drink this. I'll have Anya bring your breakfast to you.'
And he would fetch Tessa home. Andy worsened. And besides, they had much to discuss. He didn't like how they parted last night with her running off in a cold temper, even if it was to help a sick child.
'Thomas, mayhap we should head to the Hollingsworths' house and see if they are in need of anything.'
'I know what you're up to. You just want to try to make things right with your wife.' Thomas clomped into the room with a cup of steaming tea. 'From Anya. Tessa left it behind for you, Andy, and it smells powerfully bad.'
'Oh, joy.' Andy made a face, then stopped to cough. 'I had hoped without her here, I could escape her bird dropping tea.'
'And she scared Anya into the importance of your drinking it, so I suspect she will be up here shortly with some ruse to check and make sure you didn't dump it into the chamber pot.' Thomas handed the cup to his littlest brother.
Jonah laughed. 'I hear footsteps on the stairs.'
' 'Tis her, Andy. Drink it quick, else she will tell Tessa.' Thomas teased.
Andy doubled over with a fit of coughing, nearly spilling the tea. Jonah swiped the cup from his hands and held it far away so he did not need to breathe in the horrid aroma from the steam.
Anya rushed into the room carrying a tray of corn pone and poached eggs and fragrant sausages. Her pale face flushed as they watched her unload the plates and bowls, and he realized she had brought food for all of them.
'And I served your father as well,' she said quietly, chin bowed to avoid eye contact. She looked more rested today without the bruised fatigue beneath her eyes. She had looked like little more than a skeletal waif on the ship's deck in a worn dress that looked as if it could be patched no more.
Now, she wore a simple muslin dress that had been their sister's long ago, a light yellow fabric with sprinkles of tiny budded roses. 'Twas too large for her narrow frame, and birdlike, she practically hopped to the door. 'I know 'tis wrong of me to presume, but mayhap I could take a meal basket to Mistress Tessa. She has worked the night through and that means the child is so ill she cannot leave her side. I know, for my mother was a healer once, too.'
Jonah had wondered if the Hollingsworth child was gravely ill. 'Twas the only reason he hadn't charged over there to speak with Tessa and soothe her temper. ' 'Tis a good idea, Anya. Prepare the basket and we'll take it over to her.'
'Might I add more for the family? In times such as this, no one has the heart to cook, yet they must eat to keep up their strength.'
'Aye, that would be fine.'
He watched Andy's face change as the servant left the room. His cough had stopped, but his face was red and strained with pain. 'Thomas, did Tessa leave any more medicine?'
'Nay. She wanted to see how he was before she administered more.'
Jonah handed the tea to Andy. 'I know. It smells like a wet rat, but there is naught to be done but to drink it. It should give you enough piss and vinegar to chase pretty Anya around the kitchen.'
'If I did, Tessa said she'd have my head, and I believe her. Your wife may be a kitten when it comes to you, but she is still fearsome when riled.' Andy took a sip of his tea and choked. 'You cannot imagine how powerfully putrid this tastes.'
'Drink it.' Thomas crossed his arms over his chest and braced his feet against the floor. 'I'll not have my brother become more ill.'
Jonah caught Thomas' gaze and read the concern there. Aye, he had worries, too.
'I'll saddle the horses.' Jonah stood. Keeping his hands busy would make him less likely to worry over the dangerous work Tessa did, tending to those who were ill, and how he wished he had last night to do over again.
The pain in his heart reminded him she was gone. He couldn't believe it hurt so much to be without Tessa in his life.
