Chapter 8 - A Stitch In Time
Pippin watched Donnabelle unwrap more layers, "Merry! It's still bleeding!"
"It wasn't earlier when Frodo wrapped it."
As soon as Donnabelle took off the last of the bandage blood overflowed the cut and ran down Merry's finger and hand. She held the strips under his hand and led him to the side table and sat him down. "Wait here!" The she quickly left.
"You're getting stitches!" Pippin teased.
Merry was indignant, "No I'm not!"
It wasn't long before Donnabelle returned holding a jar, clean linen, a bottle, and a needle and thread. Merry took one look at the last and jumped up. "You're not getting near me with--with that!"
"Merry! If your cut isn't stitched it will keep breaking open and take far too long to heal, leaving it open to infection--which I can already see setting in it!"
"That's all right," Merry said, "No one has ever died from an infection in a little cut!" The look Donnabelle gave him told him otherwise; "This is not a little cut!", she said. Merry closed his eyes in resigned fear, "Will it hurt?"
She took Merry's hand and led him back to the table and made her preparations. "It will only take a few minutes!"
Yet another knock at the door. Pearl and Pim came in holding a tray with supper; apparently for Pippin. Pearl noticed Merry and Donnabelle sitting at the table with Merry's bloodied hand lying on towel. "What's going on?" She asked.
"Merry's getting stitches!" Pippin announced. "Can I watch, Donnabelle?"
"No!" She looked back at Pippin, "I want you to stay in bed!"
"Merry! What happened to your finger?", Pim put down the tray of food next to Pippin's bed and went over to observe Donnabelle's ministrations. She watched as Donnabelle carefully cleaned in and around Merry's wound while Merry held his breath in discomfort.
"What is taking you both so long?" Pervinca stood in the doorway and addressed her older sisters. "Mother wants us all at the supper table now!"
"Shhh!" Was Pim's reply. "You're disturbing Donnabelle's concentration!"
Pervinca entered the room and watched along with her sisters--Pippin also peeked in where he could, as Donnabelle pricked Merry's skin with the needle. Merry jumped up out of his chair, "Ahhh!"
The girls all chuckled, "Now you know what we go through when we hem your trousers!" Pervinca said.
Donnabelle put down her needle, "I can't work with everyone watching!" Donnabelle waited as the girls left. Then she caught out of the corner of her eye a small, fourth shadow making for the door. She turned towards Pippin, "I didn't mean you, Pippin! Back in the bed!" Donnabelle held out her arm and pointed to the bed.
Then she had an idea and called after the girls, "Pearl! Please wait, I will need your help!" Pearl stayed behind and closed the door behind her.
"Sit in Merry's lap." Donnabelle sat down again.
"Excuse me?" Pearl wanted to make sure she heard her elder cousin correctly.
"Sit in Merry's lap. I can't take the chance on him jumping up again, and if you sit in his lap, you'll be like.... a sort of weight!" Then catching Pearl's expression, "Honest, Pearl--you won't break his legs!"
Pearl turned to Merry, "Are you all right with this?" He shrugged in indifference. Wanting to help the healer, Pearl sat on Merry's legs as Donnabelle busied herself with mending the wound. Pearl could hear Merry holding his breath and saw him flinch many times, but he never once cried out--though she certainly felt it. "Merry! You're digging your fingernails into my leg!"
After two stitches, Donnabelle was finished and then cleaned the wound again. Next, she opened the jar she brought with her, dipped her finger inside and spread the balm over Merry's new stitches. Taking clean linen strips, Donnabelle wrapped Merry's finger and hand. "You were wonderful, Merry! Now, I want you to eat a little supper, and when you're finished, I'll have something for you to ease the pain, all right?" He nodded.
Pearl stood up and lifted her skirt just above her knee to show Merry his nail marks. Merry held his bandaged hand and looked so miserable. Pearl couldn't stay cross with her young cousin for long; she kissed his head and said, "Would you like to take dinner with Pippin?"
Merry nodded again; he was still clenching his jaw. Donnabelle and Pearl helped him onto Pippin's bed and he let himself fall onto the extra pillows--being careful of his hurting finger and hand. Pearl left to get another tray, while Donnabelle cleaned up the table, and then she, too, left.