touch.
“Good grief,” she muttered, and leaned down to put on her other boot.
As before, the room began to spin like a top. She managed to get her foot into the other boot, then grabbed onto the bedpost to keep from falling on her face.
What’s happening to me? I was fine at breakfast, although the eggs Alice fried did taste a bit off.
She’d suffered food poisoning once before when she’d eaten some bad meat, and didn’t relish a repeat of that event. Wondering if anyone else in the house was feeling ill effects, she managed to get herself downstairs and headed for the kitchen.
Alice was standing at the stove, taking pieces of fried chicken from a large cast iron pot. Delilah was moving from the kitchen to the dining room, setting the table with Letty’s good dishes. Through the window, she could see Katie with Mary Whiteside bringing up a fresh pail of water from their dug well. No one seemed the worse for wear, so she decided not to mention it. The last thing she wanted was for Alice to start fussing.
“That chicken smells good,” Letty said.
“It’s mite near done,” Alice said. “You could carry that plate of cornbread to the table.”
Letty reached for the plate, then staggered.
Alice saw her stumble, and grabbed her before she fell.
“Here now,” Alice said, and sat her down on a stool beside the window. “Are you all right?”
Letty shuddered. Suddenly the scent of cooking chicken didn’t smell so good after all.
“I don’t think so,” Letty said. “I’m thinking the eggs I had for breakfast might have been a bit off.”
Alice frowned. “I got them from Milton Feasley yesterday. He said Georgia Bennet brought them in fresh that morning. Besides, we all ate eggs this morning and no one else is ailing. Do you hurt anywhere?”
“No. Just a little dizzy,” Letty said. “I’ll just sit here a bit until the room stops spinning.”
Alice frowned, eyeing Letty’s pallor, as well as her clothes—a sign she planned to go riding.
“You stay by the window. There’s a good breeze blowing.”
“Yes, I believe I will,” Letty said.
Alice went back to her cooking, but ever so often looked back at Letty, her frown deepening with every glance.
“I see you’re planning to go somewhere. Do you think that’s wise, considering how you feel?” Alice asked.
“I intended to ride out to the mine and check on Robert Lee, but I suppose now I’ll wait and see how I feel after we eat dinner.”
Alice nodded approvingly.
“Do you reckon we’ll have enough chicken that you could put back two or three pieces for Robert Lee?” Letty asked.
“Of course,” Alice said. I fried up two big hens. There should be plenty… and fresh cornbread, too.”
“Good,” Letty said. “I know he’ll appreciate your fine cooking.”
Alice beamed as she continued to take up the rest of the chicken.
Mary Whiteside and little Katie came in the back door with the bucket of fresh water as Delilah came in from the dining room.
Delilah glanced at Letty, then stopped and stared.
“You’re sick.”
Letty shrugged.
“It’s nothing. Just a little bit dizzy.”
“You’re white as a sheet,” Delilah said.
Mary hurried to the sideboard, got a clean glass and filled it full of fresh water.
“Here now,” she said, handing Letty the water. “Drink up while it’s still cool from the well.”
A little embarrassed by all of the female attention, Letty took a quick sip. Within seconds of it hitting her stomach, she knew it had been a mistake. She made a dash for the back door and barely made it to the edge of the porch before everything in her stomach came up.
Someone was holding her around the waist, while another was wiping her face with a wet cloth. She could hear little Katie’s nervous whisper, asking if Miz Letty was going to die. Letty wanted to assure her that she was just fine, but she couldn’t draw breath long enough to talk before another spasm would hit. By the time she was finished, she was of the opinion that little Katie could be right. Except for the time she’d been skunked, she had never felt so miserable.
“I think I’ll just sit out here for a bit,” Letty said, as Alice helped her to a chair near the edge of the porch where the breeze blew strongest. “You all go on ahead and eat your dinner. I couldn’t eat a bite.”
Alice frowned.
Delilah stared.
Mary Whiteside set her jaw.
Katie began to cry.
“Here now,” Alice said, gathering Katie up into her arms. “Miz Letty isn’t dying. She’s just