A LITTLE TWIST OF FATE

Chapter 22

Danielle had been up all night with Thérèse and Jacqueline tending to her stepmother. It was trying and it was all they could do to keep her fever down, but with Thérèse's potions, poultices and some ice, Rodmilla was now sound asleep and her temperature had been greatly reduced to a normal level until the arrival of Dr. de Vol, the court physician. He arrived a little after midnight with his two children and two of Danielle's friends, Alex and Adrienne. Seems that the doctor had met them in the woods after their horse ran off and Alex's ankle had been bruised, which, the doctor had explained, was all that it had been, nothing more.

But his arrival had been more of a hindrance than help and she could have done without that. She had felt the same way about Adrienne.

They were nothing compared to Rodmilla, however. The doctor assumed the trials and her fever was broken, giving all three women a much needed rest.

Even though she was exhausted, Danielle couldn't sleep and decided what she needed was a short walk in the small garden toward the rear of the manor. She had fond memories of it as a child and was looking forward to traveling its paths once more. She always ran through barefoot, leaving her shoes at the entrance so her father would know where she was. Well, she would do it again; this time would be no exception.

She began to familiarize herself with her surroundings only the garden turned out to be an overgrown mess. Plants needed to be tended to, the grass needed to be cut. The weeds needed to be pulled and the trees needed to be cut back. The neatly cut paths and rows she remembered as a child had disappeared with the passage of time.

She was just about to turn around and leave when she heard a voice behind her calling her name.

She turned in the direction of it.

"Good morning," Henry said, smiling at her. "I'm surprised that you're up so early. I was sure that you would be fast asleep."

Danielle smiled. "Just overtired, I guess. Too much going on, too many thoughts running around my head."

Henry laughed. "Funny, I couldn't sleep either and for the same reasons."

Danielle looked at him. "Would you like to talk about it with me? I'm a good listener."

Henry nodded. "I was hoping that you would ask me, but where can we go that we won't be disturbed."

Danielle smiled. "Come," she told him. "I know the perfect place where we won't be disturbed, at least not for a little while and it's not that far away. I used to play there as a child."

Henry smiled. "You sure it's alright?"

Danielle nodded her head. "We'll wait until the bells of St. Etienne's strike eight, then we will return."

Henry looked at her. "That two hours from now."

Danielle nodded. "That should give us enough time. Come, Rodmilla is in the best of hands."

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