Ice Maiden Read Online Free PDF Page B

small figure dart behind a
boulder. “Whoa boy, take it easy.” Taking a deep breath she took
the chance. “Cal? Is that you?”
    “Aye, my Lady.”
    “Why are you hiding?”
    “I didn’t mean to spook him.”
    She hadn’t the heart to scold the boy. “Come
on out.”
    She waited for the boy to approach, he looked
about ten and as wiry as the spindly bushes around them. “Were you
hiding from someone?”
    “Nay, there were some riders, but they went
off towards the west. I watched, they be gone.”
    “Good. Shall we get this medicine to Bessie?
Come on, up with you.” Amy took her foot out of the stirrup
allowing the boy to climb up on his wide back.
    “Someday I will have a steed like this.”
    “I believe you will, Cal. I’ll tell you what,
why don’t you pretend he is yours right now and you tell me
everywhere I need to turn him.”
    “Ah, tis’ a silly game.”
    “A fun game if you let yourself pretend.”
    The boy was silent for a while and Amy
thought she lost her chance to find the place without being
obvious.
    “Go straight over the next hill.”
    Amy kept the boy’s interest by talking to him
and telling him to feel the changes in Squire’s body as they rode.
After a few directions Cal took over the game by remaining silent
and leaning into the turns he wanted her to take.
    The small cottage they finally arrived at was
a quaint, stone structure, with a neat garden off the one side and
a wild hedge of roses trailing up the front to the sod roof.
    Cal slipped off and held Squire while Amy
dismounted. “Cal can you water him for me?” The boy’s eyes grew
large in prideful pleasure.
    A girl about Amy’s age came out to meet her.
Amy could see she was frantic with worry. “Emily?”
    “Oh Amelia, tis’ Bess, she is so sick.”
    “I brought the herbs.” Passing her the
basket, Amy followed her into the cottage. It took a moment for her
eyes to adjust, when they did Amy was impressed by the neat room
she stood in. It only took a moment for them to find Bess.
    The poor baby looked as done in as her
mother. Amy felt her forehead and pulled her hand back from the
heat.
    “Emily, we need to get her fever down.” Amy
only thought for a second over the consequences of interfering.
“Fetch me the coldest water you can find.”
    “The spring is always like winter ice.”
    “Good, a full bucket, hurry.”
    Amy cleared the table, discarding her hat and
cloak over the warmth in the small house. Finding a large bowl she
placed it on the table, then went to the baby. “Ah sweet Bess, you
will be fine once we get that nasty fever down.” All the while she
talked to the baby her fingers worked to unclothe her. Wrapping a
blanket around her she cradled the babe in her arms until her
mother came back in.
    “Fill the bowl about half way and I need a
cloth.”
    Holding Bess, Amy lowered the protesting
child into the cool water all the while cooing softly to her. With
all the gentleness in her heart Amy sponged the cooling liquid over
the baby.
    They changed the water twice before Amy
finally felt the baby’s temperature coming down. “There Bess, we’ll
feel better now. Emily brew the mint leaves your mother sent and we
will spoon some into her, they will soothe her breathing and
stomach cramps. And Emily, fix some for yourself and calm down, she
is fine, aren’t you love.”
    The baby’s cooing brought a relieved smile
over Emily. Bess reached up and took hold of Amy’s fallen braid as
she dried her and wrapped her up in the blanket.
    Amy brought the baby up to her shoulder
placing her head against her cheek to be sure the fever was down.
“Emily, if she gets hot again do the same thing with the water
until she cools. Don’t let her get too chilled and try to get the
mint down her.”
    “It was the milk, the cow’s gone bad. I did
na’ know...”
    “Hush, I will have Lansing send one out in
the morning.”
    Bern moved away from the door, no longer
wanting to burst in and drag her out of