Reena helped to fashion her excuse intending to prevent anyone from disturbing Mary, if she could.
Mary had just tossed herself on the bed to wait for the light fare Reena was having sent to her room when a sharp knock sounded at the door.
“Mary! I wish to speak with you.”
She rolled her eyes at Decimus’s familiar voice.
“I am not feeling well, can it not wait?”
“Open the door.”
She sat up quickly, shivers racing through her upon hearing his tightly controlled speech. He was angry and she wished to cause no problems for herself or anyone else.
She went to the door and opened it, keeping her head respectably bowed.
He grabbed the door from her hand and slammed it shut, the force sending the sound echoing throughout the keep.
“I will tell this to you now, and you will remember it well.”
She looked at him, and there in his dark eyes that raged in anger she thought she saw loneliness. It was a brief sighting and one she was not fully certain she had seen at all, it so startled her.
“No locked doors will ever separate us.”
There would be no place to escape him, ever.
“We will talk now,” he said, letting her know he expected no reply, just obedience.
Though her head had not ached before, it did now. “Please, can this not wait? My head aches.”
“I will not tolerate excuses.”
She wanted to scream at him to leave her alone, to go away and never come back, but her silent ranting served no purpose other than to cause her head to throb more.
She held her hand to her head. “I speak the truth, my—” She suddenly felt dizzy and stumbled backward.
Decimus was quick to reach out to her, grabbing her arm. He had just lifted her up into his arms when the door opened.
Reena walked in with a tray of food and stood startled by the sight of Mary’s head resting against Decimus’s chest.
“You have a healer?” he asked, looking to Reena.
She nodded.
“Go fetch her at once.”
Reena left the tray on the table and hurried out the door.
Decimus carried Mary to the bed and laid her down gently. “From this moment on you will do nothing without my approval and I care not what anyone says.”
“Mary is still under my guardianship,” Magnus said from the open doorway.
“She is no longer,” Decimus challenged with authority. “She is my wife to be and, therefore, my responsibility.”
Magnus attempted to protest.
“Do not make me go to the king to make it official,” Decimus warned. “You may be in his favor, but he will not deny me.”
Magnus could not argue. He knew Decimus was right.
Old Margaret entered the room and seeing the two men about ready to battle, ordered them out. “Be gone, both of you, while I tend to her.”
“I will stay,” Decimus said.
“You will not,” Old Margaret said firmly. “I am the healer here and I know what is good for her. Now be gone. I will let you know when you can return.”
Decimus looked down at Mary, her eyes were barely open, he then looked to the healer. “Treat her well or you will suffer.”
“She is in good hands, my lord,” Old Margaret said then turned her back on him.
Magnus waited until Decimus left the room then followed him out, closing the door behind them after Reena slipped into the room.
Old Margaret heated water over the fire and mixed a special brew after Mary complained about her head.
“You are not well,” Reena said surprised, sitting by her side on the bed. “I thought it a ruse as we planned.”
“My head began to ache when Decimus knocked on my door. Then I grew dizzy and my stomach felt upset.”
“Has this happened before?” Old Margaret asked, returning to the side of the bed.
“Nay, it has not.”
“Drink this. It will help you rest.” Old Margaret handed her a cup of the steaming brew. “You will sleep well and your head will feel better when you wake.”
Reena and the healer helped Mary get undressed and settled her in the bed before Decimus was told he could speak with Mary.
“Only a few moments,” Old Margaret warned him before she left. “She needs to rest.”
Reena sat in a chair near the bed and Magnus stood next to his wife.
“I will be alone with her,” Decimus ordered.
Reena did not want to leave Mary alone with him. “I thought to sit with her in case she requires help.”
“Wait outside,” he ordered and looked to Magnus as if ordering him to tend to his wife.
Magnus took his wife’s arm. “We will wait outside the door.”
Decimus sat on the bed beside her.
Mary’s eyes flickered open.
“I have made a decision, Mary.”
She wondered if she dreamed that Decimus sat beside her. Her head felt light and fuzzy, and she did not know if she was awake or asleep.
“We will not wait to wed. By week’s end you will be my wife.”
She sighed. “You are not real. This is not real. Nothing is real.”
“I am real, Mary,” he said and slowly reached out to touch her face. “I am very real. And you are mine.”
Reena returned after Decimus left and let Mary know that she was there and would remain so throughout the night.
“Nay, you must not,” she whispered. “I must be alone, please leave me alone.” She begged until Reena agreed and left her to sleep.
Mary dreamed all night, her aching head playing tricks on her. One minute she thought Decimus was with her and the next she was certain Michael was there, until she finally realized that she was alone in her bedchamber.
Only then when she was certain no one was with her did she close her eyes and whisper, “Michael, I love you.”
Her eyes were heavy with sleep when she heard the faint whisper. She ignored it wanting to remain in the cocoon of peaceful slumber. But it was a persistent whisper and she had no choice but to heed it.
Mary.
She struggled to wake, struggled to open her eyes.
Mary, I have little time.
Michael? Did Michael call her? Was she dreaming again? She fought harder to shake the sleep from her.
“Mary, are you all right?”
“Michael?”
“It is me. Are you well?”
She tried to open her eyes but they were so very heavy. “So tired . . .” She could not get the rest of the words from her mouth.
“Say nothing. Rest.”
She needed to ask him something, but she was not certain what it was. Her mind was too foggy to think. It was important, though; she knew it was. But what was it?
“Question,” she murmured.
“Sleep,” he urged her. “Stay well.”
Important. The question was important.
Why could she not remember?
“I love you,” he whispered.
The words I love you were strong in her mind, but she could not force the thought aloud. And she returned to her cocoon of peaceful slumber.
Mary woke to a clap of thunder the next morning feeling much better, though concerned—she was not certain of last night’s events. Had Michael visited her? Had Decimus told her they would wed by week’s end? She did not know her dreams from reality, but she intended to find out.