Full Summary: When Jack has no choice but to pose as a Navy officer in order to get his precious Black Pearl fixed from a sea battle against another crew of pirates, he ends up finding help in one of the most unlikely of places.
Chapter Five
Nell sighed and stood back, her hands on Mary's shoulders. They had to get a doctor here right away and try to make sure the Admiral was comfortable.
"Mary, I need you to run down to the doctor. Get him up here as soon as you can. Tell him everything." Nell ordered, and watched the girl run away, trying to do as she was ordered. Meanwhile, Nell ran up to the Admiral's room, throwing open the door to see Katie by his bedside. Nell quickly rushed over.
"Get a bucket of cold water, and some extra blankets. Quickly, now." She said quickly, and took the seat when her sister ran off to get the objects.
Admiral Georges looked terrible. His skin was pale and had a yellow tinge. His wig had been removed and his greying hair was plasted to his forehead by a thin sheen of sweat. He was shaking and convulsing, sometimes rolling over. His breathing was rasping and laboured. He looked like he was dying very slowly and painfully, judging from the low moans he was issuing. What would happen if he died? Where would they all go?
Don't think of that. She warned herself, and looked up when Katie brought in a bucket of freezing water from the well outside and three thick blankets. Grabbing the rag in the bucket, Nell rung it out as much as she could and lay it flat on her master's forehead, hoping to God he wouldn't knock it off. She then lay one blanket over his bed covers and pulled out the warm pan from the fire and placed that in his bed. They had to keep him warm.
A knock alerted her to the doctor and she let out a sigh of relief when he entered. The man checked the Admiral over, measuring vital signs before turning to Nell.
"You did the right thing, Miss. You called me and you've made sure he is warm. Ufortunately, Admiral Georges is very, very ill. He will, most likely, make it through the night, but I can't say anything about the next week or so. He will get gradually iller and may be close to death. You must make sure he is as comfortable as possible when they happens, Miss." He turned away and walked out of the room, leaving her to watch the Admiral alone.
When the Admiral awoke a little, she tried to feed his some broth carefully, to help him gain his strength. He managed to eat a few mouthfuls before he succumed to unconiousness. Every time he awoke, this would repeat and repeat. Every day and every night, for a week and a half. Nell barely ate. And when she did, it was the broth she ate with an extra spoon before it went cold; the Admiral couldn't eat it.
Eventually, he began to stay awake for longer periods of time, but he was still weak. He started eating bread throughroughly soaked in broth or soup, but that was about it. She made sure he drunk plenty of water and cleared away any sick.
Admiral Georges was getting stronger.