"Are you sure you are well enough to attend Robert and Marianne's wedding, my darling?" my mother asked in her normal worrying, mollycoddling fashion, "You look quite flushed, and has your headache eased any?"
"Mother, there is no chance I am missing the wedding," I argued mutely, and subtly wiped away the sheen of sweat from my brow. With latent hesitation, I rose to my feet and went out to wait for the carriage to arrive. To my surprise, I found Christopher coming up the front steps. "Christopher," I greeted him warmly, falling into his arms with ease.
"Hello, Kiley," he murmured gently in my ear, tightening his arms around me. I smiled into his chest, and I felt one of his hands play with some loose strands at the nape of my neck. "May I escort you to the nuptials today?" he asked chivalrously.
"As if I would consent to being escorted by anyone else," I answered with a smile.
"You are blushing," he commented softly and added, "How I love when you do so." He took the chance to steal a brief kiss, and then led me to the carriage that had just pulled up to the front of the house.
"I am looking forward to seeing Elinor again, I miss her terribly," I said softly.
"Ah yes, Miss Dashwood, I hope that she is in better spirits than when I saw her last."
"What do you mean? Is Elinor ill?" I asked frantically, my brow furrowed with worry.
"Calm yourself, Kiley, the only affliction she faces is one of the heart."
"Oh dear," I murmured, and suddenly my head pounded viciously- causing me to blanch and break out in a cold sweat.
"Are you ill, Kiley? You look quite pale," Christopher inquired, taking hold of my clammy hand in his warm one.
"I am quite well, Christopher, please do not worry about me," I assured him half heartedly.
"I always worry about you," he whispered, and brushed his lips against my hand within his grasp.
The carriage door opened, revealing my slightly frazzled mother. "Ah, there you two are, very well- Charles, drive on!" she exclaimed. As the carriage lurched into a bumpy gait, I fought back the overwhelming waves of nausea.
I stood beside Christopher outside the chapel waiting for Marianne and Robert to emerge; I fought to keep away any visible signs of the fatigue that plagued me, a cold sweat trickled down the length of my spine. I was sweltering under the spring sun, but it appeared that I was the only one affected. Christopher seemed to sense that something was wrong and he would keep glancing at me periodically. The doors to the chapel opened and revealed a beaming Marianne and Robert. Amidst the surge of well wishers, I swayed dangerously on my feet; my trembling hand rose to cup my forehead, and I let out a breathless, "Christopher-" I tumbled to the ground, already fallen into darkness by the time I hit the ground.
I was forced to remain in a state between fever-induced slumber and consciousness; many times I wished I could awaken and reassure the people, who faintly conversed at my bedside. The voices who spoke to me the most were Christopher and Elinor; I do not think Christopher ever left my side, and Elinor came in a very close second.
"Give me an occupation, or I shall run mad," my beloved Christopher murmured to the unknown, other occupant in the room, all the while having my hand securely ensconced with both of his.
"Fetch a physician, Colonel," the person, whom I now knew to be Elinor, instructed, "I will watch over her whilst you are away." Elinor did not speak for some time, and I thought she had left. Suddenly, her hand fiercely grasped mine, "Oh, my dear Kiley- please...wake up...I find myself at hysteria's feet in supplication at the thought of you gone- with Marianne in London- you are the only confidant I have left. Time and time again, you have performed great services to those you love- yet here you are, succumbed to whatever malady uses you..." The raw, intense quiver of her voice not only moved me, but greatly disturbed me. Of what severity was my being that caused my dear Elinor to lose her legendary sense? "Please, Kiley, do not leave me here alone." She kissed my scalding brow, and as she drew away she took hold of my hand. I fell asleep fully to the sound of her somewhat broken breath.
"I am afraid that she has an infirmity of the blood- as I recall this is not the first time she has fallen into such a state," my family's physician explained, pulling me out of unconsciousness, "She will awake soon- today or tomorrow, I imagine- since her fever broke. She will be extremely weak when she does, and do not worry if she should vomit for a day or so."
"Thank you, doctor, what can be done to prevent a recurrence?" my Christopher inquired.
"Remind her not to waste away from lack of proper meat intake- that was the cause of the previous bout," the physician replied.
Cool fingers stroked through my sweaty hair and I heard everyone except the person running fingers through my hair. "My dear, I never wish to see you in a state such as this," Christopher murmured, "If only you would wake."
My eyes fluttered and I willed them to open. "Chris...pher.,." I rasped, my eyes opened only slightly. I smiled when his head jerked up at the sound of my voice.
"Oh Kiley," he gently murmured and took me into his arms. "Thank heavens, you are finally awake. How are you faring?" he asked tenderly.
A wave of nausea came upon me as I whispered, "Like I-" I cut myself short, and leaned over the edge of the bed. My body briefly tensed like a coiled spring, and then I abruptly vomited on the floor of my chambers- I repeated the process thrice. I fell back against Christopher, whom at some point had come to rest behind me and kept my hair away from my face, and sighed wearily, "I am so sorry-" I began in a timid mumble, my face scarlet with mortification.
"-You have absolutely no reason to apologise," he interjected softly, and tightened his arms about me. I rested my head in the crook where his shoulder met his neck; I felt so much better than I expected, but as annoying as it sounds, I had my best friend comforting me. He played with my fingers, gently manipulating them to curve then straighten. I closed my eyes, and breathed deeply. "Why did you not confide in me that you were ill?" he asked faintly, the hurt latent in his voice.
"I did not want you to worry incessantly over me; you would not have slept well."
"You think I slept undisturbed these past days?" he inquired skeptically. He kissed my temple and then murmured, "Kiley, I want you to tell me when you feel unwell, do you understand?"
"Yes, Christopher, I am sorry-" I wrenched myself out of his embrace and once again vomited on the floor.
"I will go call a maid to clean this up, is there anything you require?"
"Is Elinor still here, or did you send her back to Barton Cottage?"
"She is in one of the guest chambers resting, but I will fetch her...and have someone clean up before she arrives," he explained, then promptly left.
Shortly after his departure a maid arrived and cleaned up the sick, and then I heard soft footsteps start from the end of the hall. With forced silence, my door burst open to reveal a slightly mussed Elinor. Her blue eyes instantly found my brown, and she wordlessly made her way to my side. She sat silently at the edge of my bed that was not soiled by remnant spittle, and seemed quite content to remain silent and stare at me.
"Elinor?" I inquired softly.
Elinor lunged forward and enveloped me in a firm embrace, and I felt her tremble slightly in my arms. "Thank you, thank you, thank you," she chanted under her breath, although I did not know to whom she was speaking to. She pulled back slowly, her cheeks lightly tinged pink; she smiled warmly at me, and gave my hands a gentle squeeze.
"Thank you, Elinor," I said in soft warmth; at her quirked brow, I continued, "For never leaving my side- it was you and Christopher that encouraged me to get better."
"You would have done the same," she said, belying her kindness.
"Yes, but that does not make your efforts of any lesser value," I countered, "I thank the heavens whenever I think of how blessed my life has been to have a friend such as you/"
The door opened once more and revealed Christopher, who smiled at me and then bowed his head in greeting to Elinor. He sat on the edge of the bed that was unoccupied and took hold of my other hand. "You need to rest," he urged, "The more you rest the sooner we can go riding."
I gave him a half-hearted glare, which caused Elinor to laugh faintly behind a well-placed hand. "Stay with me?" I asked, already falling asleep. I felt his fingers thread through mine, causing me to smile- reveling in the simplicity of love.
"Always."