"Thank you, Elijah," Ben said wearily. "I appreciate it."

Anne returned with the doctor, and the doctor examined him, told him it was flu and gave him some medicine. Alice had come back in sheepishly. When the doctor was gone, Ben turned to her. "Alice, lass, ye ought to be ashamed of yerself, screamin' like ye'r some child. Yer too emotional." Alice bit her lip, looked at her hands and apologized quietly. "Elijah will take Bram and Will for a few days, so that should be some weight of yer shoulders." Ben explained. Alice looked at Elijah miserably, her face pale and her lips thin and she nodded at him.