Episode SEVEN

“Okay.” Luke has his head lowered, but she can tell he smiles. He turns and walks in the house.

She thinks to herself that she’s finally making progress with him opening up more. She stands up and brushes her shirt straight and turns seeing everyone busy unloading the cart. Alfred tending the horses. She sees Henry and Joseph start to try and lift up Bill, but she stops them quickly, “Hang on boys, let’s use the stretcher to bring him in…” She stops and turns towards the horse-shed, spotting Alfred hanging up the reins, “Al…hunny, please bring the stretcher down from the back room of the barn please.”

“Okay mom!” Alfred replies running to the other side of the courtyard.

She hears rustling around inside the barn and finally Alfred returns dragging the stretcher behind him. “Thank you Love.” she sweetly kisses his head, “Are all the horses tended to?” She says helping to unload Bill with the assistance from Henry and Joseph.

“Yes ma’am, I just need to unhitch Myrtle and Agnes after you all unload Mister Lilly’s father.” Proudly stating his quickness in tending the horses and eager to finish his chores.

“Good job dear, please detach the cart over by the dock.” She motions for Henry to go to the other side of the stretcher and help Joseph lift while she has the other end. “Ready boys? On the count of three we lift together. Keep him even, and we’re going to the guest bedroom. Are you both okay to walk backwards?”

Both boys acknowledge with a unison reply of, “Yes.”

As they lift and walk in the guest bedroom, Lillianne is just finishing up getting her hair braided in pigtails by Nora and Winnie who are talking her ear off. “Thank you, girls. Do you feel better Lilly?”

“Yes, much better. I must say, I’ve never had a…” she stops and looks at Nora, “…What was it called again Nora, a shower?” Nora nods gleefully giggling, Lilly continues, “I’ve only ever had a bath in a big ‘ole tub.” She spreads out her arms to show how big the tub was. Standing up to come over to her father’s bedside. Seeing his bloody bandage her smile disappears. Her brow furrows in worry, “Will he be alright still?”

Elouise stops pouring hot water in a bowl and sits it down, walks over to Lillianne and answers, “Of course my dear, I just need to tend to his wounds more now.” She places her arms around Lilly and embraces her, “It’ll be alright, for now, why don’t you all go start to have dinner. I’ll join you in a bit.”

Lenora entwines her hand with Lilly’s hand for more reassurance and walks her out the door, while Winnie stays behind asking, “Do you need help mama? I can stay and help.”

Smiling gently at Winnie, Elouise reassures her, “No my darling, I’ll be alright, I need to inspect and clean his wound, if I need help, I’ll give a holler. Please close the door behind you.”

With the door shut, she turns her attention towards Mister Bill. Starting to undo buttons she starts to remove layers of clothing after layer. Peeling the damp clothes off of his glistening skin, it feels as if he has a fever. Bruising all over his body, knife defensive wounds on his forearms, several gashes across his face, from what looks to be from a blunt object. She opens his eyes and sees that his pupils are dilated. She thinks he must have been given the blow to the head last after slumped over from the most obvious wound to his abdomen. A sword pierced his right side, luckily it doesn’t look like it hit his lung, but it surely nicked the liver. Not a death sentence, only a lot of bleeding she thinks. The head injury however might be the problem.

She washes him down, cleans the blood from his body, and gently sews the gaping wound with her homemade sutures. She applies ointment to the other cuts, and lastly starts to dress him from the one luggage full of his clothing. Needing to reduce his fever, she wishes he would wake to drink some tea, but it looks like it’ll just be a waiting game for now. She tenderly tucks him in under the covers, and places a cool cloth on his forehead to try and keep the fever at bay.

Sitting alongside him, she lays his hand in her lap and holds it, softly speaking, “I don’t know if you can hear me, but…” She delicately entwines her fingers with his, “…my name is Elouise. You’ve had, what seems like an encounter with Robert Cowl, though everyone around town calls him Robin, he’s a local thief and brawler towards persons who seem to have coinage. But…” she pauses to watch him breathe slowly, “…but he’s never attacked a father with a child. With what your luggage looks like, and your tailored clothing, it gives you the appearance of wealth, so you were the perfect target.” She stops to wipe away angry tears, “But Lillianne was with you, he SHOULDN’T have done all of this, nor put her at risk of harm.” She combs his messy hair, “I can assure you, she is safe, a little shaken mind you…but she is unharmed. Until you wake and heal, I will care for her. And…” Laying her hand on his solid muscular chest, “…I will also care for you.” She stands and adds another log to the fireplace to keep the chill at bay, and walks out the room.

She’s greeted with the sound of laughter and chatting coming from the kitchen. She leans against the doorway and smiles at the horde of children that are messy faced and happy. Lilly is gleaming with joy it seems, unaware of how lucky she is to be here.

Alfred sees Elouise first and delightfully announces her presence to the room, “Mother!”

Everyone turns and is just as delighted to see her. Winnie stands up and starts to make a dish for Ellie, “We have venison stew and baked fish sandwiches, is that alright mam?”