Shadow of Regret (Shadow #3) by Barbara Goss

kissed his forehead, and suddenly alarm filled her. He felt warm. She felt his forehead with her hand. Was she imagining it? Were her worst fears coming to fruition?
    She opened the bedroom door and yelled for Jonas. Within minutes, he was there.
    “He’s feverish!” Rose exclaimed.
    Jonas ran to the bed and felt Quinn’s forehead. “Dagnabit!”

Chapter 6
     
     
    “Could you fetch the doctor?” Rose asked, wringing her hands.
    “Yes, I’ll go now,” Jonas said, “but meanwhile, sponge him with cool cloths. I’ll see if the general store is still open and bring back ice from their icehouse.” Jonas hit his head with the palm of his hand. “Agh, I can’t take the buggy. It'll only slow me down. I’ll have Caleb get the ice. I’ll stop in to tell him on my way to town.”
    “Hurry!” Rose said.
    When Jonas was gone, Rose took the flannel that Jonas had given her, soaked it in the cold, spring water, and laid a sheet of it on Quinn's head, and another on his chest, legs and feet. The cold seemed to revive him because he began to thrash about, which made it challenging for Rose to keep the rags on his body. She was kept busy replacing them as he tossed and turned, moaning as he flayed about. All Rose wanted to do was to hug him, but she didn’t have time. She had to find a way to break his fever.
    Jonas came back before the doctor did. “He’s on his way. Caleb’s got the ice, but he’s traveling a bit more slowly. How is he?”
    “Burning up,” Rose cried, tears running down her cheeks. “What else can we do?”
    Jonas put his arm around his sister-in-law. “Calm down, Rose. The doctor will know what to do.”
    At that moment, the doctor burst into the room. “I was afraid of this,” he said. “Everyone out! Bring in the ice as soon as it arrives.”
     
    Rose and Jonas stepped out of the room. Rose sat down in the sitting room and cried. Jonas sat beside her on the sofa. “So, I hear you’re in love with Quinn. Is that right?”
    Rose nodded, dabbing at tears that wouldn’t stop falling.
    “I had no idea. He was always a good man. We just need to find him again,” Jonas said. “I’m thinking you just might be able to reach him—with your love.”
    “I’ve tried, Jonas. He does care, but he says I’m too young and innocent for him. But I’ll keep trying. He’s worth it.”
    “You need to find a way to explain to him that just because his prayers weren’t answered it doesn’t mean God doesn’t care about him,” Jonas said.
    Rose nodded. “I’m praying that I get the chance to.”
    Caleb burst into the room. “I need a hand with the ice.”
    Jonas patted Rose’s hand. “Keep praying.”

    Rose wasn’t allowed into the room for the ice bath. They stripped Quinn and packed ice around his whole body. Jonas watched Quinn’s body shivering, even as sweat poured off his body. “More ice!” the doctor kept yelling.
    Jonas and Caleb kept bringing in more ice. What they didn’t use immediately they took down to the root cellar. They kept up the ice baths, running out for more ice, and packing it around him, all night long.
    Jonas looked in on Rose a few times, but she’d fallen asleep on the sofa. He covered her with a blanket, turned off the lamp and let her sleep. She’d need it for nursing tomorrow—he prayed there would be a tomorrow for Quinn.

    Rose jerked awake when she heard Jonas and Caleb saying goodbye to the doctor. She sat up, rubbed her eyes, and ran into the kitchen.
    “How is he?” she asked, fearing the worst. Had the doctor left because Quinn had died, or because they’d broken his fever?
    “The fever has broken, for now,” Jonas said. “The doctor can’t promise it won’t return, but for now, Quinn’s cool. He was even awake for a few minutes.”
    “Did he say anything?” she asked, her body relaxing in relief.
    “He just groaned a lot and asked if he still had a leg. He was a bit out of it, and some of his words didn’t make any sense,” Caleb