He followed her back to the castle, down a passage leading away from the great hall. They took the stairs down a floor, and with a shove, Lucy pushed open the heavy door, grateful there was at least one window, even if it was small and barred.
Pleased that Catherine had kept the room clean and organized, Lucy sniffed. The smell of lavender, rosemary, thyme, and other drying herbs hanging from the rafters was pleasing, as she bustled around the room.
The room itself was modest, but well-stocked with supplies. A long wooden table ran down the center, topped with bowls, a few scraps of parchment, quill and ink, and bundles of drying herbs.
Cool air blew in through the window. While many of the rooms at Blackford had glass in the windows, several did not, including this room.
Along the far wall stood a few simple wooden shelves, packed with all manner of things Lucy and Catherine hadn’t had time to sort through yet. Some were ridiculous, like unicorn tears and dragon’s blood, while others were merely disgusting like bat wings and powdered mice.
Seriously, what on earth did the previous healer do with powdered mice? Lucy had half a mind to pour it out for Thor and see if he’d eat it, but not knowing if it really was made of mice or something else that might not be safe for him to eat, she decided the remains would go in the trash the next time she had time to work in here.
Lucy gestured for Gerald to sit on a stool by the fire, while she considered how best to treat his pain. As she thought, she added a few logs to the fire to keep the chill at bay. The stone walls were always cold, especially down here.
She took a bowl and went to the pipe that brought cold water from the cistern on the roof to the chambers and other rooms. Once the cauldron over the fire was filled, she waited until it was hot, then ladled some into a bowl to wash her hands.
She lit a candle, so she’d be able to see inside his mouth.
“Let’s have a look then,” she said gently, holding up the candle, and carefully peering into Gerald’s mouth where she noted reddened, inflamed gums around the problematic tooth. He flinched when she gently touched the area with a wooden spoon.
“It looks like you have something caught in-between your teeth,” Lucy murmured, trying to get a better look. “It looks like a small piece of bone. The swelling is likely what’s causing your headache as well.”
When William had asked what on earth she’d spent so much money on the last time the silversmith visited, she showed him the beautiful tweezers she’d had the silversmith fashion for her. They were larger than the tweezers she’d used in her old life, but they were a work of art with tiny waves etched along both sides. As she showed him how they worked and explained the uses, he nodded, but told her to keep them locked up.
In the time she’d spent in the healing room and talking to the healers at court, Lucy had learned a few things, and had also learned that presentation mattered. The ritual was just as important as the treatment.
She went to the basin on the table and dipped out a cup of salt water that Catherine must have fetched that morning.
Handing it to Gerald, she said, “gargle with the salt water while I prepare the remedy.”
He took the cup, gargling with the salt water from the sea, then spit it into a bucket she’d placed near his feet. Once finished, she’d leave the bucket outside where one of the servants would come by and empty it.
Next she had him gargle with wine and mint, almost like a modern-day mouthwash.
The small locked chest held the silver tweezers, which Lucypassed through the flame before dipping them in whiskey, then she handed Gerald the candle.
“Hold it like this.”
He did as she said, opening his mouth wide, making her breathe through her mouth, eyes watering at the smell.
She quickly grabbed hold of the tiny shard of bone and pulled it out.
“Better?”
He nodded as she took the candle from him, setting it on the table.
“Gargle again.” Lucy handed him another cup of salt water, and then another of wine and mint to stop the bleeding and clean out the area.
“Almost done.”
“I thank ye, my lady.” Gerald had one fist clenched so tightly she thought he might draw blood.
Selecting a small clay jar from the shelves, Lucy explained, “I’m going to burn these seeds. You inhale the smoke and hold it in your mouth, then I will apply an ointment. Together they should help reduce the swelling and inflammation, which should also ease your headache.”
The henbane seeds were in the ointment as well. Catherine and Lucy had learned the hard way not to let the patient chew the henbane seeds, as they could cause the patient to feel as if they were flying or to have hallucinations.
Gerald nodded, desperate for any relief as she tied a cloth around her nose and mouth so she wouldn’t inhale the smoke, no sense feeling high for the rest of the day, then she set about lighting the seeds on fire so they would smoke. Once they were smoking, she took a piece of parchment and rolled it up to direct the smoke.
“Lean over the parchment and open your mouth. When thesmoke goes in, close your mouth and hold it until I tell you to let it out.”
