Anastasia

The Female Physician

Anastasia knew not how long she slept for, but when she woke it was to see Felicity's eager eyes staring into her own.

"Hallo!" the young girl said.

"Miss Felicity," Anastasia murmured. "I did not know you were here."

"James told me what happened. Does your leg still hurt? James said you'd injured it before, when you were in a river. Do you think it is the same wound?"

"Yes, perhaps. I - Where is James?" Anastasia sat up, craning her neck to see around the room.

Felicity shrugged. "He went to send for something or other. Shall I fetch some cards, or a game? We must find something to amuse you with. I remember once I broke my arm playing hockey; I had to spend several days in bed with nothing to do. I was dreadfully bored."

Anastasia smiled. "I would be very pleased if you would play for me," she said, nodding towards the piano in the room.

"Well, of course, if you wish!" The youngest Campbell jumped up, moving to the instrument. "How is it you know that I play?"

"James told me. He said he would often turn the pages for you. He did so once for me."

"You play too? I must hear you then, Lady Anastasia, once I have finished."

"I'm afraid I haven't practiced - "

"Oh, please!" Felicity begged. "Stella and Rebecca are always too busy and Adelaide can't play a note. I taught Richard - that's Lord Terbridge, you know - to play a simple tune once, but I'm afraid he's forgotten it. It's been so long since somebody's played for me!"

Anastasia laughed and stood up, disregarding the small shoot of pain which travelled up her leg. "Very well, then. I think you have proved your point."

Felicity looked at her doubtfully. "Are you sure you should stand, Lady Anastasia? You look a little pale."

"I feel perfectly well," Anastasia assured her.

So Felicity played her piece, a sonatina by Clementi, who, Anastasia was told, was her favourite composer. Anastasia then sat down at the instrument and played a song she had found in the Campbell's large collection of music. It was a sweet piece and Felicity was persuaded, eventually, to sing the melody. Not having played in quite some time, Anastasia realised she had forgotten how calming it could be.

They finished on a soft note and Felicity sighed contentedly. Anastasia looked up, but froze as she saw James leaning against the door frame, watching the two of them with a small smile. She didn't blush, her heart didn't race. She just stared at him, and he at her.

"Lady Anastasia!" Rebecca appeared next to James.

"Miss Campbell, how - "

Before she could finish, Rebecca had led her back to the sofa on which she had been lying only a few minutes before. "Felicity, could you fetch Ellen, please?"

Felicity immediately hopped up and rushed to do as she was told.

"Thank you, James. I shall tell you when we've finished." Rebecca moved to the doorway where her brother was still standing, showing no signs of leaving. He nodded silently, glanced at Anastasia and left.

"Well, then," Rebecca sighed, coming back to her patient. "James said something happened to your leg."

"Yes - But, Miss Campbell, what happened - "

"Lady Anastasia!" Rebecca interrupted her. "We can talk about the rally presently, but first of all, I should like to examine your injury. If I may?"

Anastasia nodded, allowing her to expose her leg. Unlike the last time, there was no blood, no evidence of an injury beyond the faint scar where she had cut her calf the previous time. Rebecca prodded the muscle gently.

"I understand you injured it before, last summer?"

Anastasia nodded.

Rebecca spent a few more minutes examining her leg with a thoughtful expression before announcing, "I have not yet completed my studies, but I am quite sure it is nothing to be concerned about. You seem to have twisted your ankle, and, the muscle in your leg being - "

She was cut off by a soft knock on the door and the entrance of a maid. "Ah, good! Ellen, I need a jar filled with hot water - and bring a cloth too."

"Very good, miss. There's a gentleman just arrived. He's with your brother in the library."

"Thank you, Ellen. We shall send for them soon."

"Who is the gentleman?" Anastasia asked as soon as the housemaid had left.

"Your cousin, I believe. James said he would come to smuggle you home." Rebecca smiled.

"What happened, Miss Campbell? At the demonstration?"

"Oh, we got into some trouble with a few bobbies who wouldn't let us pass. Mother and Stella were arrested. Adelaide too, I think. I somehow managed to escape them - I was following them to the police station, when James found me and told me what had happened to you."

Anastasia pressed her hands together, uncomfortable. "Miss Campbell, do you - do you think it was right for James to take me away? I was in such pain and there was so much confusion - I - I didn't know - " she stopped, choking back her words.

"Lady Anastasia," Rebecca said firmly, taking her hands in her own. "Some people may try to tell you that you should fight, and fight on, regardless of what you suffer. Some may make you feel we should give everything up for the Cause. While I cannot justify my brother's interference in your, indeed our, affairs, had he not come, you may have been very seriously injured."

Anastasia nodded, her mind overflowing with thoughts and emotions. She was saved from replying by the reappearance of Ellen, who brought the hot jar wrapped in a cloth. "Keep this against wherever you feel the pain," Rebecca instructed, "You'll need to rest your leg for a day at least."

"Thank you, Rebecca," Anastasia said as her doctor went to summon Robert and James.

Rebecca smiled. "There's no need to thank me, Anastasia. It is my job, after all."

***

Promised note on Roger Casement (as mentioned in previous chapter):

Most people in Ireland will recognise the name of Roger Casement. He was a well-known figure in Irish history, playing an important role in the the 1916 Easter Rising. Casement imported weapons from the Germans during the first world war, weapons needed for the IRB to have the Rising. The Germans agreed to provide the weapons as the Rising would divert Britain's attention from the War in Europe. Of course, the Rising failed and Casement was executed for treason.

What I did not realise until I had been doing some research into the abuse of the natives in South America during the rubber boom, was that Casement had worked for the British government on a report on Congo and investigations of human rights abuses in Peru, for which he was knighted.

Having seen the horrors faced by those in the Congo and the Amazon Rainforest, Casement became a great human-rights activist, hence his fighting for Irish independence.

-Sorry for boring those of you are not interested in this at all!