Day 26: Laryngitis
He woke up with a sore, scratchy throat. Coughing didn't relieve it, in fact it just made it worse. He groaned and fell back onto bed. Maybe he could just turn over and go back to sleep.
Yeah. Sleep. That sounded good right now, and before he knew it he'd curled up in the blankets and nodded off.
A light tapping on his door woke him up.
'Come in,' he called.
Rather, he tried to say it, but the sound that came out was nothing like words. It was more of a croak. The tickle at the attempt to speak irritated his throat more and he ended up coughing again. And found he couldn't stop.
A slender hand held a glass of water in front of him, and an arm around his shoulders helped him sit up to drink it. He accepted the help and drunk the water between coughs.
Once the water was drunk he lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. He felt hands tuck the bed clothes in and he drifted off again.
Another knock at the door. He didn't need to answer, the door opened after a couple of heartbeats. He struggled up and was given a mug of warm soup. Tomato. His favourite. Drinking was hard with his sore throat, but he downed it and it was taken away, a fresh glass of water by his bed as he collapsed back into bed.
The day was almost over before he became conscious enough to realise that he had missed the day, his duties. But he didn't have the energy to worry overly, and before he realised he had slept through the night too.
The next morning he forced himself out of bed and dressed with effort, but he was determined that today he would be normal. He got on with the morning routine, a little slower than normal and not without a good deal of water being drunk.
Taking a try upstairs was difficult. He was trembling by the time he got to the top. Holding the tray in one hand to knock on the door caused him to do the one thing he had never done.
He spilt the tea.
The clinking of china sounded loudly in the silence of the manor, and before he knew it the door was opened. Penny stood before him, concern radiating. She took the tray off him at the door.
'Parker, you should be in bed.'
'I'm fine, me Lady.'
It would probably have been more convincing if he had said it loud enough for anyone else to actually hear the words. Penny rolled her eyes fondly at the man. When it came to being ill and stubborn, Parker was right up there with the Tracy boys.
'You're not fine, Parker. You can't speak, your tired and have a cough. Sounds to me that you have a touch of laryngitis. Go back to bed, Parker. There's nothing worth worrying about for the next couple of days. Rest. Get better.'
Parker tried to protest, but no-one was more stubborn than a member of the British aristocracy, and he found himself escorted back to his room. While he changed Penny disappeared and returned with a tray of chamomile tea.
It was a quiet couple of days, and Parker didn't think he'd ever slept so much. Penny and Lil kept him supplied in water, tea and soup.
By the fourth day Parker began to feel better, but he still slept a lot throughout the day.
By day six he was ready to get back to work, even if he wasn't quite up to speed.
He got dressed and made his way downstairs, only to receive a shock. Sitting in the kitchen, in his seat, drinking his tea served by Lil. He frowned.
'Master h'Alan, sir, what are you doing here?' At least his voice was better, even if it wasn't fully back to normal. Alan started. He had been chatting to Lil. The housekeeper had taken the youngest Tracy under her wing, feeding him up. It was nice to have a teen in the house, and those Tracy boys loved their food, which Lil really appreciated.
'Parker! I'm, uh, I'm driving Lady P, I mean, Lady Penelope around to her meetings and shopping.'
'Very good, Master h'Alan, sir. Thank you for your 'elp.'
He pulled a chair up and Lil poured him a cup of tea. The three of them supped in silence. Parker reflected on Alan's presence. Lady Penelope couldn't stop her life because he was ill, and he did trust Master Alan with driving FAB1, probably the only one besides Master Scott.
At least it hadn't been Gordon.