Hob's Hill

Four

Complaining floorboards announced Finn's return. Wet rag in hand, he made a show of displaying his find. "Clean. Just like you asked."

Nell returned a smile of thanks. "A fine one indeed." Upon taking it into her grasp, she asked, "Could you wait outside for us?"

He shrugged. "Suit yourself."

As he ambled away and shut the door with him, Ellie felt relieved his churlsome nakedness had once again left the room.

Nell bent over Ellie and made sure to brush aside any stray hair that remained near the bloody mess. Examining the damage, she held her patient's face steady with an assessing scrutiny. Her hands were so cold. This brief moment of pause gave Ellie an unhindered glimpse of the green core in the child's eyes.

Despite a touch of redness round her lids and the mark of dark circles, her lashes were so thick and curly, and the emerald of her gaze so clear and faceted, that if Nell were to sit very still she truly might be mistaken for a life sized marionette or porcelain doll.

As Ellie marvelled this, she then noticed how thin Nell's skin was. Beyond pale, blotchy translucency revealed the veins climbing down from her jaw to her throat, disappearing only for the collar of her teal pinafore. Ellie also detected a mild rasp in her breaths, possibly from a coughing fit or build up of phlegm.

"Nell?" Ellie probed.

The child hummed in response, folding the wet rag.

"D'you," here Ellie interrupted herself with a wince while Nell dabbed and cleaned her temple, so she repeated "D'you feel alright, sweetheart?"

The child tinkled her little laugh. "I should be the one asking that."

Ellie quirked a half smile in response, but wasn't dissuaded. "It's just that you look ill - not a shade off me, I'm sure, but..."

Nell stiffened and a look of realization passed over her. She pressed her lips into the making of a smile but managed to look even more uncomfortable. "Oh it's just a summer cold. T'isn't serious."

Ellie conceded and they lapsed into silence. Awkward and restless in the quiet void, she absently flexed her hands. Her fingers brushed over worn flannel.

Flannel? She picked at the seams discreetly.

Trousers. Where's my nightgown?

Nell noticed her fidgeting. "Your clothes are outside drying, Miss. Dripping you were. T'wouldn't be proper to have you rest like that."

Ellie felt crimson at the implication. She shot looks between the child and the shut door.

Nell added lightly, "I used to change me cousin's clothes often - she was sickly you see - I didn't need another's help."

The girl was barely taller than a bed post. Ellie didn't know if she believed that.

A spluttered coughing from beyond the door further belied the child's statement, ratcheting Ellie's humiliation.

Nell's head swung toward it and she spat in a thickened accent, "Ye didn't see nothin'! Don't be makin' tails."

There was a snicker in response. Nell stepped back and retrieved a box from under the bed and shook it at Finn's unseen form. "Off with ye. She needs no more of yer nonsense."

There was a rueful shifting of the floorboards in the hall. "Won't happen again," he mumbled.

Nell pursed her lips but she didn't push it. She fiddled with the latch on her box, which was white, reminiscent of a first aid kit, but instead of a red cross there was a black clover symbol. She got it open and plucked out a small jam jar. The contents of the jam jar were olive in color. Twisting the lid, scents of rosemary and pine with a spicy nutmeg undertone wafted out. Nell re-folded the cloth for a fresh corner and rubbed the cloth around in it.