William
Entering the Doctor's house, I felt flustered, and my legs were shaking from my close to one hour ride to get here. I scanned the front room where patients would be seated while they waited for the doctor. I noticed that there were now, people here, with varying degrees of injuries. There were five men, and only two women. One of the women was holding onto a little girl who had a small gash on her head. They all looked slightly wet and solemn. I could only assume that they were rescued from the same wreck Will was just in. The women holding the little girl looked up to me. I wanted help comfort them all. I had many times day dreamed on my own long voyage out here what it would be like if our ship sunk. These people had lived through the reality of it, and it broke my heart.
I heard the door behind me open and felt the presence of Charlie, and then Ashley came up beside me and held onto my arm. We all stood, motionless, for what seemed like hours, but, in fact, was only seconds. Then through a door over to our left, Lady Townshend, came, sweeping in.
“Oh my dear girls, you made it.” Ashley let go of my arm, and then walked straight, into her mothers. I stood there and watched mother and daughter embrace. I started to wring my skirts in my hands; I needed to know what was happening. I looked around me again in frustration. All eyes were on us, and movement had stilled. I wondered if there would be any family coming for any of these people, looking them all in the eye. I felt a deep compassion for them. I knew what it was like to feel alone and unsure.
“Payton.” Lady Townshend called to me and waved me over with her graceful hand, breaking out of my revere. “Come here.”
I needed, no more encouragement; I also fell, into Lady Townshend arms. I felt Ashley put her arms around us too. I looked up at into Lady Townshend's eyes and asked.
“How is he, what’s going on.” I saw the sadness in her eyes; she looked over my face, and then Ashley’s. And then, answered me.
“He apparently had a nasty knock on the head, and was supposed to have had a freshly healed broken arm William received during the riots, after we left him on the docks. It’s most likely fractured again, so it’s been splintered. He hasn’t woken since they were bought in.” She gestured about the room to the other wreck victims. I let out a very audible sob; Ashley was shaking her head whilst tears ran down her cheeks. “When he was briefly awake, he called for you Payton. I want you to go to him please, see if he can hear you.” Lady Townshend was pleading me with her eyes. I didn’t need anyone to plead me, I wanted, needed to go him. I nodded my head. We all ended our embrace. Ashley, and I followed Lady Townshend's lead back into the room she came from.
The room was lit with several lanterns, there were four cot beds, two adjacent from the other s and all were being used. We moved past the first two and found Charlie laying on one in the back right corner. Both Ashley, and I went to opposite sides of Wills Cot. There was a stool on the side, where I was, so I sat on it. I looked over my, beloved Will, only very briefly I felt, as though, I didn’t deserve to call him that, but as usual lately with feelings I couldn’t deal with, I pushed it back till later. His hair was dry but messed from his ordeal. There was dried blood to the back of his head, which must be where he took his knock. I could smell a stale salty scent; it clung to the air in this room. Wills eyes were shut. Lying before me was the same face I remembered. Only more tanned, from his days on the deck of a ship. His shirt had been taken off, and his right arm was lying across his torso, while his left, which had been splintered, lay down his other side. He still seemed the picture of strength, and I was glad of that. I leaned over and put my hand over his and held it.
An instant later, I felt Lady Townshend come up behind me. “Payton, we’re going to leave you, could you, please try talking to him. Now that you’re here I have things, to do, to help Lord Townshend.” I turned my head slightly in her direction and subtly nodded my head. I listened to the sound of Lady Townshends and Ashley’s skirts walking away then focused my attentions on Will.
I took my other hand and held Wills in both of mine. Tears ran down my cheeks. Then I released his hand from one of mine and placed it against Wills cheek.
“Will, can you hear me.” I started to sob again. “You made it here Will, you’re ok, you’re going to be alright.” I don’t know why you didn’t come with Night and Sketch. What business did you have that needed your attention, and put you in this predicament?” I started to trace the planes of his face, rubbing my thumb over his cheek bone, eyes and chin. I squeezed his hand with my other one, which was lying across his body still. “You have to wake up there are people here who need you to wake up.” I rested my face against his bicep. His skin felt warm against my own. I let the tears fall. It felt good to be this close to Will again. It was very familiar. How many times have these arms embraced me and comforted me in just the way I felt I was failing to do for him now.
I stayed this way for a long while, it probably wasn’t very decent of me to be showing such familiarity with a man I wasn’t married to, and was half undressed. I should have been embarrassed. But I wasn’t, and I didn’t care, I needed to feel that he was truly here.
The feeling was faint at first, I wasn’t even sure if I felt it. Then it happened again. I felt his hand give mine a hint of a squeeze. I didn’t want to move, for it might have been a dream. Then I heard a soft, husky voice say my name.
“Payton.” I raised my head to see the most incredible pair of green eyes looking at me. I sat up and started to ease the hair away from his forehead and smiled through my tears.
“Will, your awake.” He tried to smile at me, but instead Will shakily raised my hand to his lips and kissed it. I cried tears of joy. Will was going to be ok. I could just feel it. “Will you have had us so worried; your family are out in the sitting room, I’ll go get them.” I started to rise to leave, but Wills slight tug on my hand halted my progress. So I sat back down again. My eyes never leaving his face, I smiled warmly at him. He arranged my arm under his; continuing to hold my hand and pulled me closer to him so the back of it was against his beating heart.
“Payton, I am so happy to wake up and find you by my side.” Wills voice still sounded hoarse and was barely loud enough for me to hear, but I did and it made me happy.
“Of course, I’m here Will; I rode Night here as fast as, he, could bring me.” I could feel the laugh that didn’t quite make it out vibrate gently in Wills chest, under my hand.
“So Night got here in better shape than I did, I’m glad.” Oh this dear man, I placed my hand back on his cheek, his normally immaculately shaven face was, bristly, and he smiled at my gesture.
“Yes he did, and I’m so glad you sent him, thank you. Will I need to get your parents; they were hoping you would wake up if I came to talk to you.” He frowned.
“I’m not ready to say goodbye to you again, Payton.” He held tighter to my hand that was still in his.
“It’s not good bye Will I’m going to be right here, but you have to share yourself.” I laughed.
“Ok Payt bring them in.” We smiled at each other.
I looked up towards the door to see, Nash and Charlie leaning against the frame.” He’s awake he’s going to be fine.” I said, beaming a smile at them both. Charlie nodded and left, Nash smiled and followed Charlie. I assumed it was to get the rest of the family, because moments later Lady Townshend and Ashley came excitedly back into the room. I moved away from the bed. Will tried hard to keep a hold of my hand, but his strength couldn’t match mine, and I slipped it out of his hold and stepped aside for his mother and sister.
I watched as Lady Townshend fussed over Will, and Ashley cried for the wellbeing of her brother. Lady Townshend turned to me and gave me a kiss on my head. I was touched by the thankyou she had given me. I then looked about the room, to give them a semblance of privacy, and saw that the other beds had men in them also. I walked slowly out of the room. I wanted to know, if, there was anything else I should do, but was met right away by Pa.
“Is he ok Payton?” He asked with concern written all over his face. He pulled me into a fatherly embrace. “You did good Payt.”
“I didn’t do much Pa, I just spoke to him.” I said into his shoulder.
“Well that seems to be all he needed.” Pa rubbed his hand up and down my back. It felt so, comforting. I didn’t realize how much I needed to be comforted until I was.
“Pa there are quite a few people here. I wonder if they need help too.” He pulled away and; looked about the sitting room, as, I was.
“Where are Nash and Charlie?” I asked when I didn’t see them.
“There helping with the horses, and other things out side.” I looked over at a window across the patient’s waiting room, to see the rain falling, and I frowned at the thought of my brother and Charlie out in this weather. “They are trying to find them all places to stay, and sort out what was able to be salvaged. The wreck didn’t happen far off shore. But the winds knocked the ship over and most of the passengers we swept to sea. And now the rain has hit, it’s quite hard to see the bodies that are being washed up. I was waiting to see if you were, ok before I went and help, retrieve them.” Pa explained.
“Pa how many were on this ship, I heard it was an immigrant one.”
“Around four hundred Payt.” My hand flew to my mouth and tears stung my eyes again. “All that survived are here.” This was said low and right into my ear.
“Pa, what can we do, to help?”
“Like I said Payt, I’m going to help out side, and you stay in here please.”
“Pa maybe we can take someone home, with us. Maybe, that women and child over there.” I motioned slightly with my head to the direction of whom I was referring to; I noted that the woman was no longer there.” I saw Pa nod his approval.
“And Payt, we have Charlies wood shed. Maybe, a couple of the men might want to bed down there. Unless, there might be somewhere, more comfortable than a wood shed for them to go.” I gave Pa a hug.
“Yes Pa that sounds good.”
I watched Pa leave. I loved his generous spirit. Mama and Pa had always been giving people. I looked over to the child. I smiled when the little girl looked up to me. I walked over to her and crouched down near the little girl. She looked to be about eight or nine.
“How are you, are you ok? It’s been quite a day for you.” I stated. The little girl nodded.
“You’re Payton?” The girl asked. I looked at her face. She looked tired.
“Yes I am,” I wondered briefly how she knew my name, and then I remembered the scene in this exact room earlier. “Do you have anywhere to go?” I saw the girls eyes flicker to the room that held Will and the other badly wounded men in it. “Do you have family in there?” I asked
“No.” She shook her head.
“Do you have anyone here?” She shook her head again.
“Well then I insist you come home with me once this weather clears.” She seemed unsure of my offer. “You will be safe with us, I promise.” She looked directly at my face, imploring my eyes with her own.
“My name is Grace.” I smiled at the little girl.
“Well it’s settled then, when were done here your coming with me. Now I’ll go find you some food and a blanket.” With that, I stood and left for the kitchens. Where the doctor's wife and a few other women were busy making a meal for the wreck victims and workers outside.
I went about some chores that were given to me, getting clean blankets, heating water and helping clean up. I volunteered to take Will some soup I was ready to see him again.
Coming into the room where Will was I saw his face light up upon seeing me. I was glad he was still awake; this could only be a healthy sign. I walked over to his cot. Will reached out his good hand, and after placing his soup on the side table, he took mine in his.
“The last time I saw you in that dress we were in a very different place.” I looked down at my crinkled satin dress. I hadn’t given a thought to the way I looked. I shrugged my shoulders and smiled at him.
“Yes well I haven’t put on anything as fancy for a long while now, and look what I go and do.” We laughed. “Do you want anything to eat Will?”
“No thank you, not just yet, I still feel queasy, maybe from this.” He let go of my hand, and reached to touch the lump at the back of his head. “Or from all the sea water I swallowed.” He took my hand back in his again, and I was forced to come closer to him while pulling my arm back under his and laid our joined hands on top of his chest the way he had earlier.
“Will I’m not sure I should be sitting with you like this.”
“I don’t care Payt, I’ve missed you, and I want you close.” He smiled at me. Even with the way he looked just now he was most handsome. I looked up to some movement in the door. It was little Grace. I smiled at her. Will looked over to her and smiled too. “Come in Grace.” He said
“Oh you two know each other.” I asked
“Yes were old friends. “ I watched as grace came over to stand by my side. She leaned in close to me and whispered in my ear.
“Eliza said I should stay near you.” I again wondered where the women had gone.
“Yes you can stay near me.” I put my free arm around the little girl, as Will was not releasing my hand.
“Yes stay with Payton little one.” Will said. I looked over at him, and he was frowning. I’m not sure what he knew of her, but I was taking this little girl with me.
“Your parents?” I asked but was cut off when Grace started shaking her head softly. I nodded at her and tightened my hold. “Well you’re going to be just fine with me now ok. I live with my Pa and brother and friend, and we will be your new family ok.” Grace nodded and tucked her head into my shoulder. I looked at Will who was still frowning.
“Will is everything ok?” Will shook his head slightly and smiled warmly at me.
“Yes Payt, looks like you have yourself a ward now.”
“Well doesn’t this look cosy” Ash said smugly whilst walking over to us. You two always did look good with children surrounding you.” I looked up at her, I caught her meaning, and it rudely bought me back to an almost cruel reality. Nash and Charlie were following close behind her. They stood at the end of the bed.
“Well hello old friend.” Nash said with a broad smile on his face. “You bought the bad weather with you.” I could feel Will laugh as my hand bounced with his over his chest again. I looked at Charlie. He wasn’t looking at me at all, he was smiling at Will.
“Yes, I’m afraid I did, you two look good, wet but well, Charlie.” Will paused, and both men looked at each other. “You look good, I’m mighty glad to see you’re not in chains.”
“Yes well I still have them, to remember that nothing could be quite as bad as wearing those things.” All three men lightly laughed. Personally I didn’t see the funny side of those terrible scars on Charlie’s wrists, and thinking about it, he probably had them on his ankles too.
“It’s good to see you all. It’s been too long.” With that, we all looked at each other in turn and smiled. Then, I felt my hand being lifted up to Wills mouth, I turned my head in time to see him place a long, lingering kiss on my knuckles. He then put his head back on his pillows, smiled, let out a contented breath, and pulled me closer to him, tightening his hold on my arm. I stared at the place where our hands were joined and then I looked up first to Ash who was shifting uncomfortably, then to Nash, he was frowning at me. And then to Charlie, he was focussed on my hand, in Wills. And at that moment I realized exactly, what a predicament I was truly in.