Page 27 of Unforgotten
Heart pounding from being ripped from her slumber, Ella pushed herself up into a sitting position. “What is it, Da?” she called back, her voice croaky with sleep.
“It’s yer mother,” he replied, “she’s in a bad way and is asking for ye.”
The edge of panic in his voice roused Ella from her bed. Throwing back the covers, she reached for her habit. “I’m coming,” she called back. “I just need to get dressed first.”
“There’s no time, lass … she has little time left.”
Ella froze and straightened up, her pulse accelerating once more. It was forbidden for others to see a nun in such a state of undress, but what could she do? It took her an age to put on all her layers of clothing.
Dropping her habit back over the chair where she’d draped it before retiring for the night, Ella reached instead for a long robe. She would have preferred something with a hood that covered her unbound hair, yet there wasn’t any time to braid it. Instead, she heaved in a deep breath, pulled the robe tightly over her night-rail and padded, barefoot, toward the door.
Out in the corridor, one look at her father’s face and she knew things were bad.
Stewart Fraser looked scared. His rugged face was strained. A nerve flickered under one eye, and his gaze guttered as it met his daughter’s. Wordlessly, he reached out and took Ella by the hand, leading her up the shadowy hallway toward Cait Fraser’s sickroom.
Ella knew the smell of impending death. She’d attended many patients with Sister Coira and watched the life fade from them as the healer did her best to make them comfortable.
Death had a sweet, cloying odor that made Ella’s bile rise.
The healer, an elderly man named Farlan, stepped away from the bed when Ella entered. His gaze widened as he took in Ella’s state of undress, yet he said nothing. With a nod, Farlan moved around the bed and leaned close to Ella.
“Her time is near … shall I call for the priest, or will ye do the last rites?”
Ella swallowed. “I will do them.”
Farlan nodded and stepped back. “I will leave ye alone then.”
The healer’s footfalls whispered across the flagstone floor, and the door thudded shut behind him. Ella glanced over her shoulder, expecting to find her father present. Yet he too had left them alone.
Approaching the bed, Ella’s gaze settled upon her mother.
Cait Fraser watched her. The woman’s eyes were sunken with pain, her breathing shallow. Her skin was ashen.
“Daughter,” she rasped. “Please say the words … bless me before the end.”
Ella swallowed. “Of course, Ma.”
The last rites required anointing the forehead of the dying person with oil, yet Ella had none. Instead, she dipped her thumb into a bowl of water that stood on the bedside table and pressed it lightly to her mother’s forehead.
“Through this holy anointing,” she began softly, “may the Lord in his love and mercy help ye with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees ye from sin save ye and raise ye up.”
Her voice died away, and a smile graced her mother’s lips. “Thank ye, lass … ye were always good, Ella. I’m just sorry I never told ye that.”
Ella swallowed once more, in an attempt to dislodge the lump that was making it hard to breathe.
Not now … not so soon.
Although she didn’t like being away from Kilbride, she had wished for more days with her mother before her time came.
She took hold of Cait’s thin hand, entwining her fingers through her mother’s. “It matters not now,” she whispered. “I’m just sorry I came here too late … I wanted to spend more time with ye.”
Her mother gazed up at her. “And I with ye. I have missed ye over the years.” Cait’s frail fingers tightened around hers. “Are ye truly happy, lass? We didn’t all drive ye to a life of misery, did we?”
Ella shook her head, tears trickling down her face now. “Ye didn’t drive me to anything. As I have told ye, I am content with this life.”
Her mother nodded, her eyes fluttering closed. “That’s a relief,” she whispered. “Innis blamed herself for ye going away … and I was sure I’d played a role in it.”
“Kilbride was my choice.” The words were an effort, for tears now scalded Ella’s cheeks. This conversation was tearing her heart out. “I love ye, Ma.”
