When Isabella woke, the room was darker. Evening had settled over Ella's house, and soft lamplight flickered against the walls. She felt different somehow, more aware of her body, of the way her stomach felt strange and unsettled.
Ella was sitting beside her, but she wasn't alone. Dr. Whitmore stood nearby, packing his medical bag with careful movements.
"Ah, Lady Isabella," he said when he noticed her eyes were open. "Welcome back. You gave Lady Ella quite a scare."
Isabella tried to sit up, moving slowly this time. "What happened?"
"You fainted!" Ella whisper-yelled, her voice tight with worry. "You were out for nearly twenty minutes. I sent for Dr. Whitmore immediately."
"I'm fine," Isabella said automatically, though she didn't feel fine at all. "I just haven't been eating properly—"
"It's not just the lack of food," Dr. Whitmore interrupted gently. "Though that certainly didn't help matters."
