Page 80 of Their Brazen Countess
Well, at least for a very long time.
Exhaustion tugged at Arthur’s eyes, but he ensured that Matthew followed Ros, Jo, and Linc into another bedchamber. There both patients were settled on the bed side by side, and Ros began barking her orders for supplies.
“I need fresh sheets, hot water, and the best bottle of whisky or brandy you can find.”
Arthur and Linc quickly headed downstairs to fetch what she requested.
“You’d best boil the water. I’ll go find the linens and booze,” Arthur said to Linc.
“Why do I have to boil water?” Linc looked incredulous.
“Because you wouldn’t know a good bottle of whisky from rotgut if it bit you, and I haven’t a bloody clue how to boil damned water,” Arthur shrugged with a mischievous grin.
“And I do?” Linc still looked both surprised and offended.
“You are far more resourceful than I am. You knew how to start a fire and make a bed…that’s leagues above my domestic skills.” Arthur smiled and winked before he peeled off to find the linen closet.
After acquiring both items Ros requested, and verifying the quality of the whisky he found, Arthur headed back upstairs and found Linc hadn’t returned yet. Ros was already working on her patients with whatever she had in the black satchel she’d brought with her. “What is in your bag, Ros?”
“A field medical kit. I always keep one in the carriage since the lot of you seem to get into trouble rather often. I grabbed it before we rushed over here. First time I’ve had to treat one of the ladies, though.” She snorted softly in disgust. “Rushing in there without us!”
Arthur shrugged and handed her his items. “We did what had to be done. Linc should be up any moment with the water.”
“Excellent. I’ll start with Matthew if you can hold on a few more moments for that hot water, Jo.” Ros looked at the pale and now very subdued woman Arthur loved.
“Please do. I’d like to know he is well,” Jo said in a whispered tone. She was clearly in a great deal of pain. Arthur went to her side as Ros took a closer look at Matthew.
Ros briskly checked the boy over. Then she took a square of sheet she’d torn off and made a sling for his arm. “You should have the doctor look at it again tomorrow to be sure, but I believe he’ll just be tender for a day or two. I’m putting him in a sling until you see a doctor so he doesn’t do little boy things and make it feel worse.” She tapped his nose gently and smiled at him.
Matthew grinned back. “I won’t. Probably.”
“We shall see. Now, let me take a look at your brave mother.” Ros moved around the bed as Linc walked in with the pot of hot water carefully balanced.
“Where should I put this?” He looked about the room for a suitable spot.
Ros moved some things on the bedside table. “Right here, please. I must say, I’m impressed you know how to boil water.”
Linc set the pot down and stepped out of the way. “When I had just a few rooms as lodgings, there were a few things I took care of myself to conserve expenses. Making tea for myself was one of the things I figured out how to do on my small stove. So you were in luck.”
“You are a man of hidden talents. Why don’t you two take Matthew into another room while I take care of his mother?” Ros suggested meaningfully as she started tearing off strips of linen.
“I’ll take him,” Linc offered. “Arthur, you stay here in case Jo needs you.” He reached out and took the boy's hand as he gingerly got off the bed with one arm incapacitated.
The pair left the bedroom, leaving Arthur and Ros to care for Jo. Ros set about slicing Jo’s bodice off her body quickly and efficiently. Then she had Jo roll onto her left hip so she could see the injury more clearly.
She scrutinized it. “It was hard to tell what happened with your bodice still on, but I am happy to say Lady Downs was not a good shot. It seems you have just been grazed. Obviously, nothing vital was hit. But you are still at risk of it festering if any material got stuck in there. That’s the good news.”
Jo nodded as Arthur’s jaw tightened. “And the bad?”
“The bad news is, this is going to hurt like bloody hell when I clean it out. Feel free to scream,” Ros said grimly as she doused a piece of linen in hot water.
Arthur climbed on the bed and held Jo through the pain of her wound being tended. He wrapped his arms around her as she buried her face in his shoulder and screamed, the pain clearly beyond agony. He comforted her as her tears fell, and she refused Ros’ offer to stop. He braced her as the burn of the whisky poured into the wound caused uncontrollable shivers of pain and he immobilized her as Ros pierced her skin with a needle and thread.
Before long, her sewing closed the gash. “That’s a nice little scar you’re going to have there,” Ros said when she was done.
“Is it?” Jo asked listlessly as she lay there still shivering in Arthur’s arms.
His heart ached for the pain Ros had caused her, but he knew it was necessary. The wound had to be cleaned and closed up to prevent infection. He was sure the doctor would agree with their choice.
