Chapter 50

He stood and removed his shirt revealing the bandage beneath. Ailene removed the wrappings around his torso showing the two pads over the wounds. She carefully peeled them away so as not to tear any scab which may have formed.

"Lachlan took a musket ball through the meat of his side. It didn't appear to strike any internal organs, at least I saw no signs of bile or any fluids but blood. There's no sign of blood in his chamber pot." She touched his forehead. "No signs of fever on this one either and the wound appears to be healing properly. I consider this one more dangerous than Tam's due to the location. I'm more concerned with blood poisoning because I've no idea what was struck internally. Lady McTavish is going to make sure to keep a close eye on him until we're sure there's no complications."

The doctor examined the wound very closely, probing the tissue around the entry and exit lightly with his finger. While Lachlan flinched, he didn't cry out.

"How bad does that hurt, laddie? Would you compare it more to sticking yourself on briar bush thorns or burning yourself on a hot pan?"

"More like briars, sir," Lachlan replied.

"I would associate his pain more with normal healing than an infection. There's no sign of dead flesh, which is good. I think this one will be fine as well. Let's have a look at the last one, shall we."

Grant stood and Ailene removed his head bandage. The furrow cut by the musket ball had crusted over to a scab.

"Grant was struck in the head," Ailene explained, "cutting the groove along his scalp. It bled badly for awhile, but the bleeding's stopped and it's scabbed over. I was worried about internal bleeding, but he's shown no signs of over sleepiness, nor slept more than the others. We've been giving him willow bark tea for headaches, but he hasn't complained of one this morning. I thought he could be released as well as long as he stuck to jobs like mending tack or other jobs requiring little movement or exertion."

The doctor examined his wound closely as well, felt for a fever and looked for any signs of cranial swelling.

"Aye, I'd let this one go too. No whooping it up, lad. No running or fighting for at least a week. Quiet jobs with limited physical activity as the Lady suggested. I don't even think you need to replace his bandage since a good scab has formed. The air will be good for it." To Grant he said, "You won't grow hair where it took off your skin along the bone, but that's better than a hole in the head with your brains leaking out, wouldn't you say?"

"Aye, doctor."

"Tell either of your care givers here if you suffer from headaches, lad. If you're still having them in a week, you'll come to Dervaig to see me. Thank these ladies, young fellow, as they've taken good care of you."

Nodding, he thanked both Isobel and Ailene and started to run to the door.

"No running, Grant, walk please," Isobel reminded him.

"Aye, ma'am," he said, slowing down.

"Lady Cameron, may I enquire where you got your medical knowledge? It seems substantial for a young woman of good family."

"My father was a second son and not going to inherit my grandfather's lands. He attended medical school at the University of Edinburgh, intending to seek a career in medicine. He nearly completed his studies when my uncle died of a sudden illness, leaving no wife or children. My father inherited the lands and titles and gave up his intent to practice medicine in order to run our estate. He continued to have a fascination with medicine, kept all of his books from his studies and taught me much of what I know."

"You've done very well. I imagine as well as I could have, given their injuries. Call me if you need help, but I'm sure everyone will be fine."

"Thank you, doctor. If I might, I have a question I'd like to ask?"

"Go ahead."

"One of our wounded took a musket ball to the shoulder, shattering the joint and nearly taking the arm off. He was bleeding badly and I couldn't apply a tourniquet. What would you have done under those circumstances?"

"Taken the arm off and cauterized the wound with red hot metal. What did you do?"

"I had Lady McTavish sew up his wounds. I had no instruments to remove the arm other than knives and we didn't have time to start a fire and heat up a blade. We were afraid of further attacks and wanted to keep moving. Isobel was able to stitch quickly enough to have the bleeding stopped within ten minutes, but I'm afraid we didn't get it stopped quick enough. He died late yesterday afternoon."

"What time was the attack?"

Ailene looked at Isobel for confirmation. "I think it was between 8:30 and 9:30. We hadn't proceeded far from Cameron Keep and we left at 7:00," Isobel said. "Riding hard on horseback, it only took Thorburn a half hour to reach us after hearing gun shots, even having to muster more men."

"And he stayed alive until when?"

"Around 4:00 in the afternoon, maybe a little later," Ailene said.

"And the only treatment to stop his bleeding was sewing him up?" The doctor asked.

"Aye, it's all we had time or tools for."

"Can I see him? Inspect your work?"

"We just finished burying him when you arrived. I don't think we should dig him up again."

"No! Quite right. Well, if his injuries were as you described them, and I've no doubt to disbelieve, he should have bled out within an hour or less. The fact that he survived until four in the afternoon means you did something right. You must have stopped the major bleeding anyway. Sewing, huh?"

"Aye, sir. Isobel is quite the seamstress. Tidy, neat stitches, done quickly. It was all I could think to do," Allene said.

"Is that something your father taught you?"

"No, sir. He believed you had to cauterize wounds as well."

"No man would have thought of sewing a man up. It's a good thing he had women looking after him."

"He still died, doctor."

"I learned a long time ago you can't save everyone, no matter what you do. Maybe you got to him minutes too late, maybe there's internal injuries you can't see. Maybe the Almighty plays a part in it. You did the best you could with what you had and gave him a longer life than he had a right to expect with those injuries. Don't presume miracles. Do the best you can and that's all anyone can ask."

He laid his hand on Ailene's arm, saying, "You did just fine, Lady Cameron. Be proud of what you did. Well, I'd better be off. You have things under control here."

"Thank you, doctor."

Ailene turned to Lachlan. "You're to stay here a while longer. I'm turning your care over to Lady McTavish. She'll find things for you to do, I'm sure, that allow her to keep an eye on you."

"My thanks, Lady Cameron."

"I'd better get a move on," Ailene said to Isobel. "Thorburn will be wanting to move quickly. You know what to look for. Send for the doctor if anything else crops up, but I'm not expecting it to. Is your dress completed? Do you want the maids to work on it while you're gone?"

"It's almost done. If we return the day before the party, I should be able to finish it."

"I wish you could return with us. I'll miss you. It's been a joy having you around the house."

"I'll miss you too, Ailene. Be safe on the trip back. Be alert."

"Aye, you too. You're the least heavily defended here. We have walls around the Keep. It's only a few days and we'll be together again."

Ailene went upstairs to gather her things. Isobel went to the head housemaid to discuss the changes she wanted made now the Camerons were leaving. When she asked that her things be brought to the second bedroom, she was informed that Frang had already arranged for her things to be moved.

"His lordship also told us to have a hot bath waiting for you this evening at nine, my Lady."

"How thoughtful of him," Isobel said, almost to herself.

"What was that, my Lady?"

"A bath sounds delightful. I shall have to find some way to thank the Laird for his consideration." A thought occurred to her. "Have Rupert report to me in the kitchen in a half hour."

"Yes, my Lady."

Isobel went to discuss the next few meals with the cook, based upon what they had available, particularly with the additional supplies they'd brought yesterday. By the time she'd finished, Rupert was standing at the kitchen door waiting for her to finish.

"Ah, Rupert, come in. I need to discuss something with you."

"Yes, Lady McTavish. What can I do for you?"

"Frang, that is to say, Laird Cameron, has decided that he doesn't want a valet. He's used to dressing himself and actually prefers to do so. You're certainly welcome to seek another gentleman to serve as valet. I should be happy to write an excellent recommendation. Or if you prefer, the Laird can write it for you. I thought since I knew you better, I might be able to say more on your behalf. If you don't wish to leave our service, I'm sure we can find something else for you, but it will probably be outside as the house staff seems quite sufficient at this time. Maybe cleaning the barn or the horse stables."

"You can't dismiss me. McTavish hired me himself. It's not within your authority."

"McTavish no longer owns this property, and if McTavish wanted you, he was certainly welcome to take you with him. But he didn't. Don't misunderstand me, Rupert. I'm not discharging you from Cameron's service. I merely gave you the opportunity to leave if you didn't wish to work mucking shit in the stables. I know it's not what you're accustomed to and not what you were hired for. But I leave it up to you. You may leave of your own volition with a nice recommendation as a valet, or stay here in some other capacity."

"I don't know anything about cleaning stables, my Lady."

"You didn't know anything about being a valet when you started that. Shoveling manure is much easier to learn than becoming a valet. It's harder physically of course, and I realize it may not be what you're used to. That's why I leave the choice to you. What will it be?"