Celestre's Song: Strong Heart: Open Spirit by Danni Roan

Author:Danni Roan [Roan, Danni]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2016-07-02T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 11

Trevor rose and stoked the fire back to life in the kitchen stove, then slipped out to the barn to do the chores.

Filtering the milk through cheesecloth draped over the butter churn, Trevor looked around the empty kitchen, surprised that Celestre was not already there starting breakfast.

Ducking his head in to see that Eliza was still sleeping, he took the stairs two at a time and peeked into Beau's room. Beau was sleeping peacefully. He had been sure he would find the young woman in his son's room, and with a worried scowl, he turned toward her room.

Knocking gently, Trevor got no reply, so he eased the door open to find Celestre still in bed. A heavy cough rolled from where she lay, nightgown twisted in a sweaty knot around her legs.

"Celestre?" he called gently, making her open her eyes and stare at him blearily.

"I'll be up in moment," she croaked, trying to pull the quilt over her.

In two long steps, Trevor was at her side, pressing his palm to her damp brow. She was burning up.

“You’re staying right there,” he said gruffly. “I’ll bring you a drink. Stay in bed.”

As the day wore on, the light sprinkle turned to a heavy downpour, and as evening approached, the rain lashed the little ranch with a fury.

At the first signs that the weather was shifting, Trevor had herded the horses back into the barn and closed the doors.

By dinnertime, he was pleased to see that Beau was much recovered, and aside from an occasional cough, seemed almost back to normal. Celestre, on the other hand, seemed to get worse with every passing hour. Her fever raged and he could only get a little tea into her.

He had not purchased much in Fort Collins, but he had picked up a box of tea for Celestre. She had worked so hard at restoring his home to order and had done so much to make his children happy, she deserved that much.

A black sky hung ominously over the little ranch house as the storm raged, pounding the buildings with lashes of wind and rain. In the distance, jagged streaks of lightning split the heavens, quickly followed by rolling thunder that rattled the windowpanes.

Trevor laid a cool towel on Celestre's forehead and felt the rage building inside him. "It isn't fair," sizzled through him again and again. This young woman did not deserve to die like this. Her only crime had been to answer his letter and now she lay delirious, racked with fever, in his home.

"I'm sorry, it won't happen again," Celestre's voice shivered into the room.

“Don’t fret, now," Trevor tried to sooth her.

"No Jake, no, please don't. I didn't mean to, please..." The pleading of her words struck Trevor in the chest like a hammer's blow and suddenly he understood what he should have seen all along. The reason she seemed so frightened around him. The bruises, the words at the train depot echoed in his head.

"I... I just need you to know I will not tolerate any abuse in this arrangement.

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