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.“He has lost a lot of blood,” Doctor Faulkner said in a low voice, “and it is very important that he should not move about and start the wound bleeding again.”Jacoba nodded to show that she understood and the doctor went on,“He has had a nasty blow on the head, but fortunately they hit him not on the top but on the back.”Jacoba drew in her breath.She knew that if the Earl had been hit on the very top of his head his brain could have been damaged.“The skin was not broken,” the doctor said.“At the same time it is a very ugly bruise, which will be painful for a long time.”He replaced the sheets over the Earl’s chest.And then, taking Jacoba by the hand, he drew her to the window.“You will understand,” he whispered, “that I cannot stay here all day.I have several other patients who are very ill and it is my duty to attend to them.”“Yes – of course,” Jacoba murmured.“What I want you to do,” he went on, “is to keep him quiet and make certain that he does not toss and turn about, which he is very likely to want to do.”Jacoba was just going to ask how she could prevent him when his doctor continued,“I have given him a herbal remedy, which in my opinion is far more effective than any drug and Cook on my instructions is mixing a great deal more.“If he is restless, you must make him drink it.”“I will – try,” Jacoba promised.“I am sure you will be very effective, Jacoba.You realise that I have to trust you? The servants would be too afraid to gainsay him in any way.”Jacoba smiled.“I too – am frightened of him!”“I realise that,” the doctor replied, “but you have not so much to lose as they have.You can therefore be braver and, if necessary, dictatorial!”His eyes were twinkling and Jacoba stifled a little laugh.“I will do my best, I promise you – but you must not expect miracles.”The doctor put his hand on her shoulder.“You are a good girl,” he said, “and I trust you.I will be back as soon as I possibly can, but it will not be for a few hours.Ask the servants for anything you want and I will order a footman to be always on duty outside the door.”As he spoke, he pulled his watch from his pocket.There was a look of consternation on his face.“I must go at once,” he said.“And I am very thankful that I can leave you in charge.”Before Jacoba could reply he had hurried from the room.As he closed the door behind him, she looked across at the bed.Incredible though it seemed, the Earl was now in her charge and she had to look after him.She walked nearer to the bed and stood looking down at his white face on the pillow.It seemed extraordinary that this man who had shouted at her, frightened her, caused her through his anger to faint away, was now so still and silent.Unexpectedly she found herself feeling sorry for him.It seemed wrong that the poachers who were no more than simple thieves should have assaulted him in such a horrible fashion.How could they have thrown him into the river?‘It was a very wicked thing to do!’ Jacoba thought angrily.She could not bear to think of such violence taking place in the beauty of Scotland.‘You must get well,’ she said to the Earl, speaking without words, ‘and perhaps you will forget the way you have been treated and be happy again and enjoy the magnificence of your castle.’She was not certain why this was what she wanted for him.But she had always hated suffering and pain.She felt that it was somehow an insult to Nature, which was in itself so lovely and perfect.“We must make you well,” she said softly to the unconscious Earl.She recognised that she meant not only physically well but also well in mind, heart and soul.‘Then,’ she told herself, ‘he will stop hating women.’CHAPTER SIXThe Earl stirred and was vaguely aware that someone was instantly beside him and was preventing him from turning on his side as he wished to do.He felt very strange and his head hurt abominably.He wanted to ask what had happened.Then someone gently raised his head and a soft voice said,“Drink this and you will feel much better.Try to drink please.It will do you so much good.”He thought vaguely that it must be his mother who was speaking to him.He then wondered what had happened to him and if he had been hurt in any way.Then darkness seemed to cover him and he slipped away into it.*“You are to go out into the fresh air,” Doctor Faulkner said, “and don’t come back for at least an hour-and-a-half!”Jacoba gave a little laugh.She was becoming used to the doctor giving her orders as if she was a raw recruit on the parade ground.But she knew that she had to obey him.“The Earl has been very quiet,” she reported, “and Angus only came to me once during the night for me to give him your herbs.”Doctor Faulkner had arranged that Angus, who was the Earl’s valet, should sit up with him at night while Jacoba slept.But she was to be with him in the daytime.As he had already made clear, the doctor had a number of other very ill patients on his hands and he was unable to spend much time with the Earl.It was now the third day that he had been unconscious.As soon as Jacoba had gone, he and Angus redressed the Earl’s wound as they did every day.The doctor could see that he was definitely improving and rather quicker than he had dared to hope.“His Lordship is a strong man,” he said to the valet.He had thought, as Jacoba walked towards the door, that she looked very lovely.The weather had grown warmer and she was wearing a thin gown, which was very simple if a little old-fashioned, but at the same time it suited her.Her hair with its touches of red seemed to hold the sun’s rays in it.“You are quite sure you don’t need me?” she had asked before she left the room.“What I am concerned with is you,” he answered.“You need to be out in the fresh air and get some sunshine on your cheeks.”“I will do that,” she promised.She gave a little whistle and the two spaniels that had been lying beside the Earl’s bed jumped to their feet.They followed her out into the corridor and then, as she hurried along it and down the stairs, they scampered ahead of her.The gardens, which were very beautiful, she had already partially explored in the brief intervals she had been able to go outside while the doctor was dressing the Earl’s wound.Now she thought that she would explore the village.So she walked up the long drive, the spaniels enjoying the walk.They were now very friendly towards her and she often thought, when they nuzzled against her, that they were apologising for having been so ferocious when she had first appeared.The village was small and she thought very pretty
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