Page 17 of A Zephyr Rising
Ginger’s knees weakened as the attacker disappeared.Unsteadily, she approached Henry.“Are you all right?”
In the pale moonlight, his expression was haggard.Scrapes and cuts marred his face and hands and his lower lip was swollen and split.He dabbed at his lip with his fingertips, then pulled her into his arms.“I could murder you for being here, but thank you.”
“I-I…” Relief overcame her.Thank goodness he’s all right.She took a shattered breath, then pulled herself away.“Charlie—they hurt him.”
Henry approached Charlie with caution.The boy continued to moan and shake.“My leg—” he managed.
“It must have been the same lot that torched the Martins’ shop,” Henry said, crouching beside the boy.He winced at the dark pool of blood under his leg.Slipping his arms under Charlie’s thighs and back, he lifted the boy, causing the boy to scream.“Let’s get him to Dr.Morgan.”
The cottage hospital wasn’t a long walk.But for the first time in her life, Ginger feared being in the village.She followed Henry closely.“They attacked us,” she said, partially to herself.
“They did.”Henry squinted in the darkness.His words told her nothing about his thoughts.Was he still angry with her for all of this?For as much as was happening in the village at this late hour, they were alone.Surely people had heard Charlie—his cries were enough to provoke curiosity.But it was as though others felt they shouldn’t interfere.
They arrived at the cottage hospital.Ginger removed her glove and rapped on the door with the heavy knocker.Within minutes, a shuffle sounded as the lock turned.The door opened and Dr.Morgan stood there.
He gaped at them, the glow of a yellow electric bulb behind him.Ginger had only met the man once—he’d replaced the former physician in the village late in April.“Two men with burns, a woman in labor.What now?”The annoyance in his voice was thick.
“It’s one of the Martin children,” Henry said, lifting the boy just slightly.“They’ve attacked him.”
“Come in.”Dr.Morgan held the door for them.He gave Ginger an odd look.She touched the back of her head.Straw stuck out from her hair and to her dress.
She brushed away the straw on the step, then followed Henry and Dr.Morgan into the hospital.
He led them into an examination room and switched the light on.Henry set Charlie on the table.The boy shrieked as his leg met the hard surface.
Ginger leaned into the door frame, hanging back.In the light, she saw more than she’d been able to before.The bone below Charlie’s kneecap jutted out from the skin and fabric of his torn pants.
She grimaced.
Dr.Morgan cut the fabric of his pants away, revealing the gruesome injury further.Charlie howled, and Ginger stepped further in.She gripped the boy’s hand and offered a soothing hush.“It’s all right, sweet boy.Hold my hand tight,” she whispered.She mopped up his tears with a handkerchief.
The attacker had bludgeoned Charlie’s kneecap, breaking the bone.Dr.Morgan’s lips set in a grim line as he leaned closer, inspecting the wound.His touches were light, but even the slightest pressure seemed to provoke screams from the boy.
Straightening, Dr.Morgan nodded at Henry.“Follow me.”
Henry did as Dr.Morgan had asked him.Eager to hear what the doctor had to say, Ginger pressed the handkerchief into Charlie’s hand.“I’ll be right back,” she said, before rushing to follow them.
Dr.Morgan shut the door to the examination room.The closed door did little to diminish the sounds of Charlie’s cries.He turned to them.“I’d like to speak to the boy’s father.”He checked his pocket watch.“I have little time.I must go to check on the laboring mother.”
“The boy’s father isn’t available,” Ginger said.She hesitated to say more.Who knew how Dr.Morgan felt about the Martins?Her willingness to trust in the goodwill of the people in the town had serious limits.
An impatient look crossed Dr.Morgan’s face.“Then I’ll need to speak to the mother.”
“I can go and fetch her.”Henry put a soothing hand on Ginger’s shoulder.“My sister will stay with the boy in the meantime.May I borrow your telephone to call my driver?”
“Can you give the boy something for his pain?”Ginger asked as Dr.Morgan moved to lead Henry away.
He scratched his forehead.“I can sedate him.I’ll return shortly.”
As Henry and the doctor walked away, Ginger let herself back into the room.Charlie’s eyes were wild as he pivoted his head toward the door.“I want my mum.”Fat tears ran down his cheeks, his face red.“I want my mum.”
Ginger was at his side and wiped the tears from his face, her heart heavy with guilt.His mother needed to be here.She would be the only one who could console him.But who would console the other frightened children she’d have to leave behind to come here?“She’s on her way, Charlie.We’re going to make sure you’re taken care of, I promise.”
Without Dr.Morgan or Henry in the room, disquiet crept into her heart.The image of the man hovering over her with a lead pipe made her startle.Had Henry not arrived, what might he have done?She’d been foolish to go on her own.She’d been too trusting.
The people in this village had known her since she was a child.They’d celebrated at events thrown by her parents.Benefited from her family’s charity.
They had still attacked her and Henry.
