ISLA’s POV
I slowly stirred, my body heavy, as if I had been submerged in water for too long. The warmth surrounding me was comforting, but I couldn’t ignore the throbbing in my bones. The fever had not let up, still clinging to me like a second skin. I opened my eyes, and the soft, familiar sound of someone breathing nearby caught my attention. My vision was still blurry, but as it cleared, I saw Mary—the housekeeper—sitting quietly by my side. She was staring at me, her hands folded in her lap.
When she noticed my eyes flicker open, a soft sigh of relief escaped her lips, her shoulders sagging as if the weight of worry had been lifted. “Thank God, you’re awake,” she murmured, a motherly tone in her voice. “How are you feeling, Mrs Blackwood?”
I blinked, trying to focus on her. My thro
