“Your neck giving you gip?” he asked, handing me the hammer. He brushed his fingers against mine and I pulled my hand away quickly.
“What are you doing here Gwynfor?”
“Gwynfor? I’m Gwynfor now?” I was being petty again, but I was already past trying to control or contain it. I kept my gaze on him, waiting for his reply. “I already told you. I just wanted to see you. I miss you.”
“Well, I didn’t ask for any of this.” I rubbed my neck, trying to ease the ache, but it seemed to be travelling to my head and giving me a migraine and I was losing patience with him again.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come,” he said, and I let out an annoyed sigh. Seeing him was both wonderful and enraging and I hated how much it was messing with my emotions.
“Is this funny to you?” I asked, waving the hammer and making him step back. “Coming up here acting as if everything is normal after you’ve avoided me for weeks.” I reached for my collar, suddenly feeling hot, and undid the buttons.
“I never wanted to not be friends.”
“And I never wanted to only be friends,” I was trying hard to keep my tone even and my voice down so that I didn’t bring attention from inside the house, but it was a struggle. “You chose this and now that you’re feeling sorry for yourself you think you can just stroll on over here.”
“I should go,” he said, turning his back to me. “This isn’t what I wanted.”
“I’m leaving,” I blurted out, making him stop and turn back to face me. My body felt like it was on fire and sweat was beginning to pour down my face. I shook off my coat, nerves obviously getting the better of me, then straightened up again as he approached. “I’m leaving the village.”
I’d been contemplating it since my discussion with Nan but seeing him again, then watching him turn to leave me once more, was more than I could bear and it made the decision clear. If I had to keep doing this it would hurt too much and I’d never feel better. I had grown to love the village and the Hopkin’s but with no Gwyn to keep me here and no ring to get me home I would have to start a new life somewhere else.
“What? Why?” he asked.
“I can’t stay here. I can’t keep seeing you. I’m going to look for work and make a fresh start somewhere new.”
He rubbed at his temples, frustrated with the turn of events. “I don’t want you to go.”
“Well, it’s not up to you,” I said, wiping the sweat from my brow. “I just thought you should know. Now, if that's everything then I’ve got work to do.”
He stared at me for a minute looking defeated, then gave me a begrudging nod and turned to walk away.
I reached up to mop more sweat from my forehead. My head was pounding and I thought my legs were going to buckle as I watched him walk away. I already regretted it.
“Gwyn!” I yelled out as my legs started to give way. I clutched onto the coop to steady myself as he turned back around. I tried to call out to him again but this time I couldn’t get his name out. A look of panic overcame him and he started to run back but I was already on the ground before he got to me.
I awoke in a bed that was not my own. For a moment I thought perhaps I was somehow back in my own time but as the fog cleared and my eyes focused, I could see Betty sitting in the chair next to the window. Someone had brought me to the master bedroom of the Hopkin’s farm.
“What happened?” I asked as I attempted to turn my head. I felt like hell and my whole body ached.
Upon hearing my voice Betty rushed from the chair to the door. “He’s awake,” she shouted, and seconds later Mrs Hopkin, Nellie, Nan and Gwyn all shuffled in and gathered around the bed. They all looked down at me with concern, though I struggled to focus on any one of them in particular.
“Ok, give him some room,” Nellie said, taking charge and popping a thermometer in my mouth. The only one I’d known to ever be in the house was used on the cattle and I prayed she’d washed it first. Before she even read the results I knew I was burning up. My body felt like it was on fire but I was shivering as though I’d been left outside naked in the snow.
“You’ve got a fever,” she said to me, putting the thermometer into the pocket of her apron. She poured a glass of water from a jug on the nightstand and placed it in my hands. I didn’t have the energy to sit upright so I had to try and take sips without pouring it over my face. “How long have you been feeling unwell?”
“Just today, I think. What’s wrong with me?”
Nellie moved to the front of the room and pulled the curtains closed, blocking out the last rays of sunlight that were peeking in through the glass and allowing me to see a little clearer. “You’re probably just overworked and run down, which has let a fever take hold, but we should call for the doctor to be safe.”
“Honestly, I’ll be fine,” I said as she felt around my forehead. “There’s no need for a fuss.”
“You’ll do as you’re told,” Mrs Hopkin said, grabbing my hand and giving it a light kiss just above the fingers. “Rest, and I’ll bring you some soup.” She tried to force a smile but I could see the concern in her eyes.
“Ok, everybody out,” Nellie said, ushering people to the door. “Let’s give him some room.”
“Gwyn, can you stay for a moment?” I asked.
My request elicited a curious look from Mrs Hopkin but she left us alone and shut the door. The second the room was empty he grabbed my hand and leaned in to kiss my forehead.