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Chapter 37

(10 minutes later) Port Wenn Primary School

"And now, it is with great pride that I hand over the reins to my dear friend and 25 year veteran of Port Wenn Primary Mrs. Pippa Langworth!"

Louisa smiled broadly at Pippa as she came up to the podium.

This was the moment. In a few minutes, she would no longer be a teacher, the responsibility passed onto the soldiers of someone else.

Her heart beat fast as she gave her friend a quick hug and handed over the microphone.

She turned to leave, but felt the older woman gently, but firmly grab her arm and pull her back.

"A round of applause for Mrs. Louisa Ellingham."

The crowd burst into a cacophony of clapping, whistling, and cheers. Toward the front, a group of students unrolled a giant banner reading "We Love You Mrs. E!" Louisa blushed sheepishly.

"Thank you Pippa!" she said, tears in her eyes as she gave her another embrace.

"This, this really means alot!"

Suddenly, a rickety old Land Rover pulled into the schoolyard and honked loudly.

"What on-?"

"Doc!' someone shouted. "It's Gwenn Tremethyk. She's stranded in a ravine up on the moor with a broken leg. Penhale and her husband are with her.

Martin looked up at Louisa, a pained expression on his face.

Suddenly, Pippa spoke.

"I imagine you'll be needin' some help Doc?"

Bodmin Moor (30 minutes later)

"Louisa, I don't really see what purpose there was in you coming along."

'Oh...so you don't want me here?"

"No...no, that's not what I said at all..."

"What were you saying, Martin?" She raised her eyebrows at him.

"Well...there's James..."

"He's fine. We fed him earlier and he's slept most of the way."

Martin sighed, 'You're pregnant Louisa..."

"So?"

"Louisa, when will you..."

He thought for a moment about what he was about to say. It was so natural for him to say something biting and ultimately hurtful.

"I'm just trying to make sure you and the baby don't get hurt."

"I'll be fine, Martin," she said smiling. "Quit worrying so much."

Suddenly the rickety old Land Rover in front of them stopped. Flashing his lights to signal the other vehicles in the veritable caravan of volunteers to stop, Martin got out and raced over to where a man was talking with the driver of the Land Rover.

"Hey, Doc, this is Doug, Gwenn's husband. Says Penhale and him have been out combing the Moor the past 4 or 5 hours looking for Gwenn, she went looking for their runaway dog last night and must have fallen down the ravine."

"How is she?" Louisa said from behind Martin, James still asleep in her arms.

"She's been down their all day. She seemed a bit woozy. I thought she might be dehydrated so we gave her a drink."

"Good thinking," Martin nodded, a bit surprised at his own compliment.

"How serious is the break?"

"I think you should know that better than I do Doc."

Martin sighed "Is the bone breaking the skin or is the arm bent at an unusual angle.

"No, no. Nothing like that. But she's in a good bit of pain."

"Hmm." Martin, said.

"I need some of those lights he called back to small crowd assembled outside the line of vehicles. And probably some rope."

"A little more...No!...For heavens' sake!"

Finally Martin's feet touched relatively solid earth at the bottom of the ravine.

"I've come to the bottom!" Martin called up as he loosened the rope around his waist. By now the night had turned the ravine pitch black.

Suddenly he heard a splash and felt cold water in his shoe.

"Mind the bog, Doc!"

The doctor glared toward up toward the top of the embankment and slowly removed his shoe from the thick mud.

"Doc?"

"Penhale, is that you?"

"Thank heavens!" he heard Gwenn's faint voice say. He walked over toward the voices.

"Can someone shine some light over here?"

Soon he was able to assess the situation.

'Does this hurt, he said, gently pressing on her lower left leg.

Gwenn let out a low groan and writhed in pain.

"Right, looks like a fracture alright. We'll need to put a splint in and get you to the hospital in Truro.

He began scrounging around in his bag.

"Sorry Doc."

"Hmm," he said. "Why on earth were you looking for your dog out on the morr in the middle of the night anyway?"

"My son is very important to me."

"Your son?"

"Fluffles."

"You named your child Fluffles?"

"Well, he's not really my child...bein' a dog and all..."

Martin, who at this point was thoroughly confused, decided that taking the conversation any farther was purposeless.

Finally finding a leg splint he carefully put the device around the woman's leg.

"Now, Penhale, I'm going to need your help.

"Almooost there, Doc," one of the men at the top of the ravine said. "Almost there."

Martin, dangling 15 feet in the air, with a semi-conscious woman who cried in pain every 5 seconds would believe it when he saw it.

Louisa bit her lip as she watched the operation unfolding. It was bad enough that her husband was called to emergencies at all times of the day or night. But when he was put in positions of actual danger, as frequently seemed to be his fate, she would just as well not know.

"Just another meter or so Doc."

"Come on! Get him up already."

"Mrs. Ellingham, we're trying our..."

Louisa watched in horror as the man let go of the rope.

Down Martin and Gwenn were plunged, with a ghastly shriek from Gwenn.

Louisa quickly raced over to the rope, and with help from the others arrested the rope's movement.

"Martin!" she yelled, her voice catching in her throat.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes!" he said, his voice revealing his deep irritation.

"Tell whatever imbecile let go of the rope to be more careful."

With Louisa's help, the rope-pullers finally pulled the pair to the top of the ravine.

Martin's face was full of shock at seeing his wife in the rope-pulling line.

"Louisa! What on earth are you-"

Suddenly Louisa bent over nearly double, closing his her eyes in agony.

"Louisa!" Martin quickly scrambled over the edge, unbound himself from the rope and ran over to her.

"Martin! I think our little package is about to arrive, she said with a weak smile.

Martin barked out orders as the couple raced to the car.

"Al you stay here, and wait for the ambulance or helicopter or whatever the heck they're supposedly sending to get Gwenn. Make sure she sits flat."

"Mrs. Tishell?"

"Yes, Doc? What can I do to help?" Martin disregarded her overly subservient manner and scratched out something on a piece of paper. "Tell the paramedics it appears there is a simple fracture in her lift tibia, as a well as possible dehydration. Can you remember that?"

Mrs. Tishell's eyebrows drew together. She yanked the piece of paper out of Martin's hands.

"Of course I can Doc. I had years of training you know. Quite a..."

"Good. Morwenna, you need to come with me in case I need to deliver the baby on the way to the hospital."

"Doc, I don't know nothing about..."

"Just get in the car!"

To be continued...

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