2nd of two updates. Just a wee one. Enjoy!


Chapter 9:

Unknown Prognosis


Robert left John to find Dr. Clarkson. The doctor led him towards the under-butler, and the earl now stood over Thomas and assessed his supine body. A bandage was wound around his head and obscured most of his forehead, but Robert could see the appearance of a bruise at its lowest edge. The bandage was curled around Thomas' head in a way that sprung his raven hair in an unruly shock that the under-butler would have never allowed had he been awake. Dark rings circled the unconscious man's eyes, and his skin was almost the shade of the linens draped over him. Scrapes and scars littered his face and forearms and served as the only presence of colour on the under-butler.

"Dear God, man. What happened?"

"Thomas has sustained a substantial head wound in the crash," Richard pointed at the left side of the under-butler's forehead hidden by the dressing, "The blow actually fractured the skull and created a gash along his hairline as well as some considerable bruising."

The earl grimaced as he craned over of the wounded man.

"I know the words 'skull fracture' sound worrying, but Thomas was relatively lucky: it was a linear fracture that was quite small. It definitely could have been worse – the skull didn't depress or fracture inwards."

Robert looked queasy, but Richard continued.

"My worry lies in the broken skin surrounding the fracture, as it can be a breeding ground for bacteria, and it was quite dirty when he first arrived. We've cleaned the wound as best as we could, and I've started a round of antibiotics in anticipation of any infection, but we'll have to watch for fever."

"So he's going to be fine then?"

"Head wounds are finicky things, and the human brain is a complicated and complex organ. Each head injury – each man for that matter – can beget different outcomes. I just don't want to give you false hope."

At Robert's concerned look, the doctor continued, "All things considered, Thomas has looked promising so far: his breathing is regular and his heart is strong; he's responded to pain stimuli and his pupils reacted evenly to light."

Richard paused to draw in a breath.

"However, Thomas didn't respond to any of our questions or instructions. He remained unconscious throughout my examination. I must keep him under observation to ensure he hasn't suffered any severe brain damage."

The earl gasped. He knew the under-butler looked ghastly lying there on the bed, but he couldn't imagine Thomas waking up permanently damaged or different in anyway.

"We'll only know this if and when Thomas wakes up, and then we can assess how easily he can communicate and follow commands. Until then… I can't answer your question."

Robert nodded his head weakly, "Yes, yes, of course. I—this is most unfortunate news."

The doctor offered his apologies, "We'll just have to wait and see."

"Thank you, Doctor Clarkson. I expect it was due your expertise that we have him to this point as it is. We'll just have to pray for good fortune."

Robert gazed at Thomas a moment longer and remarked at how young and small he looked. The search for both men was exactly that – a search for both of them; however, Robert was self-aware enough to recognise that his main concern had been finding Bates. It was his valet – a man he had known for decades through good and bad – that went missing. It wasn't that he had worried any less for Thomas, but Bates was always at the forefront of his mind. Now that he saw the under-butler laid out and damaged before him, he felt guilty for having done so. The earl found his stillness disquieting, and after only a moment, Robert turned away to return to Downton.