After rinsing the day away and resting, Paige felt a slight surge of bravery and quietly tiptoed downstairs. The aromatic scent of dinner hung heavy in the air as she made her way toward the kitchen. Molly stood busy by the fire and was too absorbed with her duty to pay any attention to the girl who was lurking around the room. Paige glanced nervously toward the sick room, where candlelight could be seen twinkling through the half open door. She peered cautiously into the room where Gerald had pulled a stool next to the cot the man was laying in while Elizabeth was cleaning the remaining mud and sweat from his body. Paige felt her cheeks flush, the man was wearing nothing save his breeches.
"Paige! What in sweet heaven are you doing?" Molly scolded. Paige flinched as she saw Gerald and Elizabeth both look up at her standing in the doorway. She turned around to face Molly, who had her hands planted on her wide hips, her graying hair frizzed by the heat of the fireplace, and her face reddened by the warm flames she was cooking over.
"I only wanted to see how he was." She stated defensively as Molly shook her head. A touch on her shoulder gave her pause and she slowly turned around to face Elizabeth.
"Young ladies should not be sneaking around. You can come in and help Paige, he won't bite." Elizabeth chimed ushering Paige into the sick room. As the two neared the cot, Paige got a closer look at the man. His skin was slick with sweat and his facial features were marred with pain. His chapped lips were parted and his breathing sounded ragged and forced. As Elizabeth knelt next to his head and tried to cool his face with a cloth he thrashed his head away from her and mumbled under his breath. Paige stood fearful; she wasn't sure how to react. She had seen her share of patients come and go from the home, but none as gravely wounded as this man. Gerald glanced up at her from his position on the man's right and gave her an encouraging wave to come forward. As she inched closer she saw the bandaging circling his lower torso and Gerald putting his sewing tools away.
"He was previously wounded and the stitches were pulled open." He spoke softly, not wanting to disturb the troubled rest of the man.
"He will live?" Paige whispered, her apprehension stealing the voice from her throat. Gerald nodded, drained. He had been sitting in the room for several hours, working diligently to do what he could to help the wounded man.
"He most likely has been feverish for at least a day or two already, since it has taken such a strong hold of him. He will need to rest for awhile, that gash was deep but it does not appear that he was shot; it looks more like a stab wound. I want someone to sit with him for the next few days just to watch him." Gerald answered, weary. He glanced at Paige when he mentioned wanting someone to stay in the sick room with the man.
"Me? Gerald, I know little of the healing arts…." She began to say when he took a firm hold of her wrist.
"He already knows you, in a way. If he wakes while you are here, I think the situation will be easier for us to handle. Do not worry; you need only make sure he is comfortable." He gave her an encouraging smile and proceeded to show her how to make him drink water. He coughed, producing various verbal complaints, but after gentle coaxing, he took the water down. Elizabeth produced various dry cloths to mop the sweat dripping from his fevered body and water to help keep his brow and chest cool.
"Do not be afraid, someone will be here with you. We will take shifts so someone will always be sleeping in this room." Elizabeth reassured her as Molly entered and announced dinner was ready. Gerald stated that he would take his meal in the sick room and that he wanted Paige to take the schedule after. She grudgingly agreed and dragged herself into the sick room after eating, she didn't want to be near him, he made her uneasy. Being kept awake in the deepest part of night by the sick and dying was something she could not get accustomed to no matter how often or rarely it occurred. Plus the fact that he was a native, she did not want to say anything to Gerald or Elizabeth since they never hesitated to help anyone no matter the color of their skin, but this was different…
"Paige, are you listening?" Gerald interrupted her thoughts. He was handing Molly his empty plate while explaining to Paige how to clean and bandage the man's wound. The man was becoming slightly volatile and much more vocal in his protests. Elizabeth and Paige had to hold him down as Gerald cleansed the wound and applied fresh bandages. Paige could hear the concern in Elizabeth's voice when she spoke out about how boiling his skin felt.
"The fever needs to burn itself out; the fact that he took a wound this deep and lived proves he is strong. I am confident that he will be fine." He smiled as he finished closing the bandage and began to settle himself into another cot that sat against the wall. Elizabeth motioned to the stool that Gerald had vacated and Paige shyly took her place at the man's side. Elizabeth handed her a cool cloth and moved the water bowl within Paige's reach. She gave her shoulder a comforting touch before leaving the room. The stairs leading upstairs gave a loud disapproval as Elizabeth made her way to her room for the night. Gerald's deep and relaxed breathing filled the room and clashed horribly with the wheezing of the man Paige watched over. She studied him in the dim candlelight, he didn't look much older than her but she had never been good at judging age. As though sensing her stare, he turned his head in her direction and groaned loudly. She quickly soaked the damp cloth in the cool basin of water and moistened his sweat drenched forehead. As she began to lift the rag from his brow, he suddenly grabbed her wrist. Frozen in terror she dared to look at his face and met his hazy eyes. She could see in the muted light that his eyes burned with fever and his face was deeply flushed.
"Where…" He choked, grimacing in agony at the pain the single word brought him. She opened her mouth, but could produce no sound. A strangled cry of anguish rippled out of his throat, waking Gerald who was at Paige's side instantly.
"Easy son, easy, Paige move." Gerald ordered, carefully prying her wrist free of the man's grasp. She jumped back once released, nearly falling onto the cot behind her. The man cried out again as Gerald began to examine the wound. She watched him writhe in pain as Gerald moved over him.
"Paige, I need your assistance. He's moving too much… calm down young man, you are in a safe place." She stood frozen as the man tired to sit up and push Gerald out of the way. He fell back onto the cot, his movement causing him too much pain. He lay moaning, his chest heaving. Without thinking, Paige rushed to his left side and took his hand in hers and began to slowly rub his knuckles.
"Sssshhhh, everything is all right. A doctor is here, relax." After a few laborious breaths, he began to calm down. He turned his head toward her and she could see him trying to focus on her face. She could see Gerald peeling the bandage off the injury from the corner of her eyes and the man's jaw muscles tense. She softly dabbed the cloth she was gripping in her hand over his face and neck as his eyes rolled back into his head and he became still. Her eyes darted to his chest and she released the breath she had been holding when she saw it rise and fall several times.
"He's fainted. The fever will be breaking soon if he's woken up already. This was a very good sign. You did well Paige." Gerald announced after checking to make sure the wound had not reopened. She continued to hold his limp hand in hers and looked up at Gerald. He was giving her an appreciative and respectful look. The warmth rose into her cheeks and she was thankful for the soft darkness, she didn't want Gerald to see her blushing. She didn't seek his esteem, but it did feel good to receive it from him.
"You should go back to sleep, I am wide awake now." Paige joked, trying to make light of the situation. Gerald gave her a pat on the arm in thanks and buried himself under some blankets on the cot. Paige turned her attention back to the man in front of her. He almost seemed to be sleeping a little easier, but his large hand in her tiny one still felt hot. She risked feeling the warmth of his forehead; he still smoldered under the weight of the fever. She retreated back to where the basin of water sat and began to sponge the sweat from his face. The soft trickling of water saturated the room as she wrung out the rag and resoaked it again. Placing against his neck she trailed it across his collar bone and down the side of his chest. As she satiated the thirst of the cloth again, she ran it slowly horizontally over his chest, feeling the steady pump of his heart and each inhale of breath he took. She did her best to avoid wetting the wrappings around his torso as she tried to smooth away the fever from his body. He really looked no different than any other man, not that she had experience on that topic, but living with a doctor she had seen men shirtless before. This one though, his presence permeated the room. She felt a strong will emanating from him plus he was huge. She had never seen such raw strength on a person before. Paige stared mesmerized as the droplets from the rag traced each curve of his muscles as they slid off his chest and torso. She had no idea how long she sat next to him, doing her best to smother the flames of his fever, until a warm glow peeked from the far window. As sunlight began to seep into the room, Paige heard someone moving in the kitchen and then the soft creak of the door opening. Molly's head appeared and she smiled when she saw Paige.
"How is the young man?" She whispered into the room. The soft hiss of her slippers met Paige's ears as the cook came over to the cot.
"He woke briefly and then fainted. His sleep wasn't troubled again." She answered stifling a yawn. Although their voices were hushed, Gerald woke and leaned over the man. He felt the beat in his neck and then checked his forehead for traces of fever.
"His fever broke. He still feels warm but not nearly as bad as he did yesterday." His voice still laden with sleep, Gerald still sounded pleased.
"I'll get some food ready, hopefully he wakes." Molly smiled and quietly exited the sick room. The clanging of pots could be heard echoing from the kitchen.
"He slept the rest of the night? You could have woken me Paige, you did not need to stay up all night with him." Gerald scolded her with the loving fatherly tone he used sometimes when they were alone.
"I didn't mind…" She yawned again and stretched the sleep out of her limbs. She didn't realize how sore she was from sitting in one position for so long. A soft rustle from the cot drew the attention of both of them. The man was stirring. Gerald quickly took the stool Paige had vacated and watched. The man inhaled deeply and flinched at the pain in his side. His eyes began to blink open.
"Paige, fetch a glass of water, quickly now." Gerald whispered, gently pushing her toward the door. As she left the room, she could hear the man moaning softly as he woke. She snatched a clean glass and dashed outside to fill it at the pump, ignoring Molly's questions. As she hastened her steps to return to the sick room, Gerald's voice could be heard. Paige recognized his doctor tone.
"How old is the wound?" He was asking the man as she handed him the full glass. His eyes strayed to Paige and she shrunk away from the man's gaze. His red-rimmed, fevered stare made her feel like a rabbit being sized-up by a wolf.
"A week…" He croaked, his voice raspy with sleep and exhaustion. Gerald knelt on the floor next to the cot and assisted the man in drinking from the glass.
"Slowly, take small sips, good. A doctor stitched the wound?" The man nodded in response and sank his head back onto the cot when he had his fill of water.
"With an injury as severe at that, you should not be up and around. The stitches were pulled out and part of the wound had reopened. When did the fever set in?" Gerald prodded him again with questions, wanting to get as much information from the man before he either fainted again or fell back to sleep.
"Two days…after…" The man answered closing his eyes in fatigue. Gerald began to unwrap the bandaging and Paige came closer in case she might be needed. Some blood spotted the wrappings, but nothing that had Gerald too distressed. He motioned to Paige for the alcohol and began to talk again to distract the man from what he was about to do.
"So you've been feverish for five days? Young man, I don't mean to pry, but what could be so important that you would risk your health?" Gerald asked, soaking a clean towel with alcohol and pressed it firmly to the injury. The man hissed and Paige watched him grip the side of the cot so hard his knuckles were turning white.
"My job…" He spat after catching his breath. Paige looked over to where his personal effects were resting, not only was he carrying two pistols, but he clearly knew how to use a bow and two strange blades worn on his wrists. What kind of profession would warrant such gear? Gerald looked over the wound again before applying clean bandages.
"Well, I'm afraid you won't be working for some time, that wound needs to heal. You're fever only just broke this morning…" Gerald was stern in his reprimand, but was unable to finish his sentence. The man began to sit up, ignoring Paige's hand as she tried to stop him.
"Stop please, you aren't well." She pleaded with him as Gerald took a hold of his shoulders.
"No, you're not going anywhere. I doubt you can even stand without fainting. I must insist that you lay back down." The man was too weak physically to prevent Gerald from easing him back down on the cot. He gave Gerald and Paige a harsh glare as Molly entered the room with a steaming plate of food.
"Oh! He's awake, good, good." She handed the loaded plate to Paige, with a fork and excused herself.
"Do you feel well enough to eat? I want to see if you can keep any food down." He took the plate from Paige and scooped up some eggs with the fork and tried to feed the man. He turned his head away in disgust.
"You need to eat…"
"Connor, my name is Connor." He forced the words through his pain-clenched teeth. Paige suddenly didn't feel as shy and scared in his presence, he had a name. Gerald smiled and responded by introducing himself and Paige.
"Well Connor, I would feel much better if you ate something." He said trying to persuade Connor to eat again.
"Let me." Paige said taking the plate back from Gerald. He gave her a surprised look and even a more shocked stare as Connor grudgingly accepted her assistance in eating.
"Thank you." Connor spoke under his breath when Paige scraped the last of the food onto the fork. She nodded, a bit embarrassed at the recognition of her aid. With empty plate in hand, Paige pardoned herself and left the room. She immediately felt worn out, her lack of sleep and the excitement of Connor finally waking causing her to lean heavily against the wall. As Elizabeth announced herself into the kitchen with the heavy tapping of her heels she looked shocked at Paige's tired state.
"Goodness Paige, you look positively tired. Did you stay up all night with that young man?" She nodded in response and explained that she needed to sleep. As she heaved herself upstairs to her room, she could hear Elizabeth and Molly gossiping about Connor. Dragging herself to her bed, she could only manage to pull off her shoes before collapsing into her inviting bed.