Chapter 122
On Tuesday, Louisa explained to the children that they would work in groups of 6 and use the new software to study animals and nature. They had first to choose which animal or bird they wanted as "their" creature. "There will be no fighting over this, be sensible and first pick whether it is an animal or a bird. Then narrow it further, such as horse, elephant, panda, toucan, sparrow or eagle. Find some of your own choices to pick from, using the nature books already in class."
"Please Mrs Ellingham, what if we can't choose the one, we want?" Amy Peterson wanted to know.
"You will be in a group of 6, Amy. Only the 6 of you may decide what to study. If you cannot agree, then I will choose one for you. Understood?"
The class chorused, "Yes Mrs Ellingham."
The children sat at their tables while ideas were proposed and rejected. Eventually various subjects were discussed and then they decided which one to study.
"Have you all picked your bird or animal?"
"Yes."
"Right, starting with Amy's table call out the name of your chosen animal, please."
"Tiger"
"Horse"
"Eagle"
"Parrot"
"Whale"
"George, is everyone happy to study eagles on your table?"
"Yes, I think so. He looked around his table and they all nodded."
"Good, in that case you are the eagles. Peter, are you all agreed to study parrots?"
Peter looked at his table, but Mary said she wanted to study tigers.
"Anyone on the tiger table want to study parrots?"
Colin put his hand up, "I do, Mrs Ellingham."
"Colin and Mary, for these lessons only, I want you to swap tables." The two children changed places.
"Now, the whales and the horses' tables. Are you all happy with your choices?" Fortunately they all were pleased with what they'd chosen."
"You have all made excellent choices for creatures to study. All of those named have several different species. Who knows what a species is?"
Trevor's hand shot up first.
"Yes Trevor?"
"A species is a type of animal or bird."
"Well done, Trevor."
"Yes, a species is a particular breed of that animal. For example, who can tell me three different sorts of dog?"
Several children put their hands up.
"Brenda what are your answers?"
"Sheepdog, poodle, Labrador."
"Well done, Brenda."
"Now who can tell me the name of a wild dog?"
Tommy's hand was first this time. "Wolf!"
"Good. Can you all see what is meant by species, now?"
"Yes, Mrs Ellingham."
"First, I want you to write down any facts you know about the creature you are investigating. Then I want you to compare notes with the others on your table. I'd like as many different facts as possible. You may start."
A hubbub arose as each table got down to work. "Quietly, please!"
By the end of the morning all the tables had assembled many ideas and facts about the creatures. "I'm very pleased with the work you have all done so far. Put your books away quietly and we'll go for lunch, at the bell."
After lunch, the subject turned to maths, specifically the 9x tables. A groan went up around the class. Louisa suppressed a smile, "I want to see how many of you have remembered the table from before the holidays."
Meanwhile, Martin saw several patients, none of whom exhibited much more than basic aches and pains. He made a call to the hospital enquiring again about the victims of the car crash. He was told that the man who'd had the crush injuries had succumbed to those without regaining consciousness. The lady with the injured hip had broken her pelvis and had been admitted for bedrest. Her fracture was considered to be conservative, that is, the pelvic ring was still intact. She would need physiotherapy and painkillers. Most of the other patients were undergoing further treatment for broken bones and cuts, but mainly day treatment as the wounds healed.
He put the phone down and sighed. The fallout from the accident just kept on widening further. He wrote up the notes of the patients he'd seen that morning, before going to make the sandwiches for lunch. Louisa was staying at school today.
The afternoon for both the Ellingham's went smoothly, but both were pleased to be home. Louisa made their evening meal, which was ready when Martin came in. He disappeared to get ready for an evening's relaxation, beginning with his meal.
Once he was partway through it, he ventured to ask Louisa how her day had gone?
"Pretty good. The children seemed to grasp quite quickly what was required. I'm wondering if the eagerness isn't due to the prospect of the new computers and software." She smiled.
"Most children like to play with new things, I know I did." Martin gave a little more personal information out.
He seemed to hang onto them like nuggets of gold, not to be broadcast too widely.
"Ooh, you've just reminded me."
"Of what?"
"I was watching a program on gifted children which pointed out that many of them were left to teach themselves because teachers tended to concentrate their efforts on the children who struggle. You are gifted. Did that apply to you? Did you teach yourself when you were in school?"
"To some extent, yes. As you know, my parents weren't that interested in me. At school I was picked on by the other boys if I gave too many correct answers and so I camouflaged myself in the middle stream. There I was neither too clever, nor too ignorant. I developed the habit of going to the library and reading a great deal on my subjects, there. I suppose you could say I taught myself."
Louisa looked at him. "I'm awestruck! To think you learned as much as you did, with not much encouragement! That's just amazing."
"Erm, not really. Just practical. I wanted to know things and that seemed to me to be the easiest way of doing it without incurring anyone's displeasure. Hmm." He was deprecating of himself, as usual.
Louisa smiled at him. "Better your way than the 'aren't I the greatest thing since sliced bread' way.
She picked up the empty dishes and took them to the sink.
"I'll do that, Louisa. You go and sit down. Do you want another drink, now?"
"Thanks, and yes please."
Martin filled the bowl, with what seemed like scalding water to Louisa, and then put the kettle on. He readied the teapot and was about to make the drinks when his phone went off.
"Ellingham."
He listened and then said, "Slow down, I'm not understanding what you are saying!" He listened to the speaker, frowned and then asked where they were. Scribbling down the address he told the person he would be there as soon as he could.
"Louisa, sorry I've got to go. How long will it take me to get here?" He showed her the address of a farm up on Bodmin Moor.
"A good half an hour Martin. You'll need your sat-nav for that one." She didn't bother asking him what had happened as she knew what his reply would be.
Quickly he went to the consulting room to get his bag and defibrillator. Better to be safe than sorry, he thought.
Going back into the kitchen he gave her a brief hug and kiss, "Don't wait up, I've no idea how long I'll be."
She smiled up at him, "Love you, take care."
"Yes – I love you too." With that he was gone and striding quickly to his car.
As he drove out of the village, he was grateful for the lighter summer nights. It should make his trip that little bit easier. He'd programmed the sat-nav and was carefully following its directions. The nearer he got to his destination the narrower the roads became. Eventually he came to a turn off which seemed to him to be little more than a cart-track. He slowed and looked ahead but couldn't see any house or cottage. He was about to reverse and go back a bit, when a boy on a horse appeared.
"Doc! Doc! It's this way," the boy waved him forward and Martin gingerly followed. The "road" twisted and turned as it snaked its way down a steep-sided hill. No wonder he hadn't been able to see the farmhouse!
Arriving in the yard he got out with his bag and followed the boy inside. He heard a weak voice shouting "Help! Help me."
Looking around he couldn't see anything. "Where's the patient?" he asked the boy.
"Mam's down there, in the cellar." He pointed to a door which was slightly ajar.
"What happened to her?"
"She's fallen down the steps, 'cos they're slippery. She's hurt her leg. I phoned you to come."
Martin pulled open the door and peered down into the lit cellar. He could see a figure on the floor. "What's happened," he asked the mother.
"Is that you Doc? I fell on the steps and I can't move my knee."
Martin clung onto the banister and moved carefully down. The woman was laid on her side, with her knee tucked at an awkward angle under her other leg. "You are?"
"Mrs Jennifer Brown, Doc. Jenny."
"I'm going to examine your knee as best I can without moving it." He told her to stay still.
When he looked at her legs, he could see that the knee was dislocated, possibly broken. "Does anything else hurt?"
"My wrist. I can't move that either."
Martin felt gently around her hand and concluded that there were definitely broken bones there, as well.
As he looked at the woman's awkward position, he knew he'd have to straighten her, but decided not to do it until he'd given her painkillers. "Jenny, I'm going to give you something for the pain and then I'm going to call for the air ambulance. It appears to me that you have either broken or dislocated your knee and there are definitely broken bones in your hand." He got out an ampoule of morphine and administered a dose to her.
"I'll go up and call the ambulance. Is there a field nearby where a helicopter could land?"
"Yeah Doc. Out the back is flat. Don't know if it's big enough though. Peter can show you."
Martin went back up the stairs and outside. Using his phone he contacted the emergency services and secured a visit from the air ambulance. He told the dispatcher what the problems were and was assured the ambulance would not be long.
"Peter, can you wait outside and wave the ambulance down? You must keep to the edge of the field and not go out into the middle. Do you understand?"
"Yeah Doc. I can do that."
"Where is your father?"
"He's dead, Doc. Died 3 years ago, now."
"Do you have any aunts or uncles who can take care of you? Your mother will have to be in hospital for a week or so."
"No, there's just me and Mam."
"Right, well you wait here and bring the paramedics to the cellar after they've landed. OK?"
Peter nodded.
Martin returned to the cellar to see if the morphine had taken effect. He pressed lightly on Jenny's wrist and she didn't flinch. He reached around to her knee and tried to lift her leg. Again there was no resistance.
"Right Jenny, I'm going to straighten your leg, and try to make you more comfortable. An air ambulance is on its way."
He assessed again the method of manoeuvring her leg into a straighter position. When he was satisfied, he lifted her ankle and pulled her leg straight. Jenny gasped, but the anticipated pain was much less than she thought. Martin wrapped a supporting bandage around her shoulder and put her arm inside the sling, before fastening it at her shoulder. He assisted her down into a prone position.
"Peter tells me he has no aunts or uncles who can look after him. Is that right?"
Jenny looked at him and began to cry again. "Yes, I've only a neighbour who might agree to look after Peter."
Martin heard the air ambulance land and within a few minutes the paramedics were at the top of the stairs.
"Careful! The steps are slippery. You'll need a backboard and neck brace. Jenny Brown, the patient, has a broken wrist and a dislocated, if not broken, knee. She'll need to be assessed at the hospital for head trauma as well."
Martin's crisp instructions were heeded and the medics soon had Jenny strapped to the back board in preparation of being moved out of the cellar.
Peter was stood near the door of the cottage watching with wide, shocked eyes.
"Peter, who is the neighbour who will look after you?" Martin enquired.
"Mrs Bromley. She lives in the next cottage down the road."
"Have you got her telephone number, written down?"
"Er, Mum keeps her phone numbers in the book."
"Will you show it to me, please?"
Peter walked back into the cottage with Martin and went to the bureaux on top of which was the phone. He pointed to the book, laying there.
When Martin scanned through, he couldn't see a Bromley listed. "What's her first name, Peter?"
"Susan, Dr Ellingham."
"Susan" appeared prominently on the first page. When he put in the number the phone rang for a while, but then was answered, "Bromley".
"Ah, this is Dr Ellingham. I'm sorry to have to tell you, but Jenny Brown has had an accident and been taken to Truro Hospital. Her son, Peter is here with me, now. Mrs Brown suggested that you may be able to look after him in the meantime? Is this true?"
"What sort of accident? What's happened?"
"She fell down the cellar steps and has broken bones. She won't be out of hospital for a short while. Now, can you or can you not, look after Peter?"
"Oh. Well yes Doc, we can. I'll come along now and pick him up."
Martin told Peter that Mrs Bromley would look after him until his mother was out of hospital. "I assume you will go and stay in her house. Do you know where there is a suitcase?"
Peter shook his head. "No, but I've got a rucksack, will that do?"
"Yes, it will do for a while. Show me where you keep your clothes and we'll pick out some so that you can just stay at Mrs Bromley's."
They went upstairs to Peter's room where Martin found the wardrobe and bedside cabinet with the clothes in. He quickly packed some trousers, three T-shirts and all the underpants and socks he could find. Peter's coat and a couple of jumpers were added to the pile. "Have you any other shoes, Peter?"
"Just me wellies, near the back door."
Back downstairs, Martin found a plastic bag and put the boots in. "I saw you on the horse. Is it yours?"
"Yes, that's Seth, he's our farm horse." Peter smiled up at Martin.
"Where does Seth stay overnight?"
"Oh he's got the field and a stable to stay in."
"Show me please?"
They went outside and Peter trotted across to the field where the ambulance had landed. The horse was tied to a pole of the open stable. There was a manger with straw in it, alongside a trough with water. Looking around Martin could see that the field was bordered by a wire fence.
"Can Seth get out of this field?"
"Only by that gate," said Peter, pointing to a wooden gate, nearby.
"Do you have any other animals or pets?"
Peter's head went down. "No, my dog Rusty died last year and mum said I couldn't have another one."
"Are there any other animals on the farm?" Martin was persistent.
"No Doc. We only have vegetables for our food, no cows."
Just then a car could be heard pulling up outside the cottage. A voice called out, "Peter? Where are you?"
They went around the corner of the house where Mrs Bromley was stood next to her car. She was a middle-age lady and to Martin, had the same no-nonsense look about her that Auntie Joan had. "Oh, Peter. Are you alright?"
Peter burst into tears and ran to her. "Mum's hurt herself and gone away in a helicopter!"
"I thought I heard one," said Mrs Bromley "but I didn't know it was here!"
"As I said earlier," explained Martin, "she's broken several bones and will be in hospital while they ascertain the extent of the damage."
"How did she do it, Doc?"
"She slipped on the steps, going down to the cellar. Are you OK to look after the boy in the meantime?"
"Yes, I can do that. I've a spare bed and a car, so I can take him to school, then pick him up." Turning to Peter she said, "We'll go and get you some clothes and pyjamas. Come on."
"Me 'n' the Doc packed some while we were waiting for you," Peter told her. "I didn't put any 'jamas in or my slippers."
"Come to think of it, I didn't get a toothbrush, either." Martin told her.
Mrs Bromley told Peter to go and get the forgotten items.
As Peter left Martin asked about the farm animals.
"Only the horse, Seth left, doc. Rusty died last year. It can stay in the field and we'll come around to make sure it has food and drink. My husband is fond of animals. I'll lock the house up, when we leave. Peter will be fine with us."
"Thank you, Mrs Bromley. If you need anything else, please let me know, and I'll try and help. I'll tell the hospital to inform Mrs Brown, of Peter's whereabouts. Does Peter go to Portwenn school?"
"Yeah Doc. He's in Miss Soames' class."
"My wife also works there as a teacher. Tell Peter that he can contact me through her, if he needs to."
"Oh, thanks Doc. That will make things easier for him."
"Do you need anything else at the moment?" Martin asked.
"No Doc, you go on, we'll be fine."
Martin retrieved his bag and went back to the Lexus. He put the bag in the boot before making his way carefully up the track. His thoughts were on the little boy and the predicament he was now in. It reminded him of when he was shuttled off to live with Joan, during the summer holidays.
Sighing he got back onto the better roads and was able to increase his speed. It was after 8p.m. before Martin got home.