She looked around. “Downstairs? I understand the butler and housekeeper are upstairs with the measles?”
A woman and man, both around thirty, came forward. “I am Jason Lovel, the head footman. This is my wife, Martha Lovel, the cook. I believe we can manage affairs.”
Elizabeth looked to Georgiana, who nodded, then tried to signal her to speak but abandoned the effort after a few seconds.
She sighed resignedly and got down to business.
“We will have much to do over the next several days. The most important task is ensuring measles does not spread to anybody else,especiallythe villagers. To do that, we must quarantine the sick and keep them from the rest. I have read quite a lot about measles, and nearly died from it myself, so I know what to do.”
She turned to Miss Darcy and asked loudly enough to carry, since everyone would hear it either firsthand or through gossip, “Has the apothecary or a physician been by?”
“There are cases in several estates and villages, but he did manage to visit, and is satisfied with our quarantine.”
“Very well, let it remain so. Did he suggest anything else?”
Georgiana started listing his instructions for caring for the invalids. Elizabeth was content that they were mostly sensible—though a bit timid, in her estimation—and already being implemented.
“Pray raise your hands if you have known measles and are willing to care for the invalids.”
Perhaps a dozen raised their hands; she was satisfied with the numbers.
Georgiana added, “There are two maids upstairs tending them now, and a footman doing the fetching and carrying.”
“Good, good—” Elizabeth nodded and addressed the group.
“This situation is unusual, but not unprecedented. Those of you who have been here for decades, I am sure, have seen worse. For safety’s sake, those of you on nursing duty must go to the guest wing and stay there. Miss Darcy, might we organise some of the guest rooms as quarters for those doing the nursing?”
“Of course!”
“Very well. Let us mark the passage clearly. Nobody goes in or out of that wing for a week or two… at least while the villagers are here. We shall dedicate the entire wing to nursing. Agreed?”
Everyone agreed, and the half-dozen who had volunteered for the duty left to go about it. A maid of forty stepped forward. “If you please, ma’am. I did some nursing in the war. If you allow it, I shall take charge of those in the sickrooms. I have known measles and treated it from time to time. It was common among the soldiers.”
Elizabeth breathed a huge sigh of relief and looked to Georgiana, who nodded enthusiastically. Elizabeth thought the woman should have been on task two days earlier, but better late than never.
“What is your name?”
“Jenny Humphries, ma’am. I am widowed, and my children grown. I shall do my best.”
“Very well, Mrs Humphries. Keep the windows open, and the fires going. The idea that shut-up rooms are healthy is foolish. Make sure everyone has clean linens and night clothes. Change them regularly; either burn the old ones or place them to be washed by staff who have known measles. Make sure everyone gets water and broth and is kept as clean as you can. Beyondthat, they must fight the disease themselves. If a physician arrives with bleeding tools, set the dogs on him, but draughts from the apothecary might not be amiss. They have to fight the disease themselves, so all you can do is keep up their strength.”
Mrs Humphries smiled at both the humour and the trust she was being shown.
“I shall assign footmen to carry wood, food, and water to the border. Disposing of waste could be a problem, though.”
“There is an outside staircase at the end of the wing,” Georgiana said. “It is rarely used, being awkwardly placed. Perhaps Mr Breton could dig a latrine back there just for the waste from the invalids?”
Elizabeth nodded. Mr Breton had quietly joined them.
“I shall see to it, ladies,” Breton said calmly. “There is time, so on to more pressing matters.”
Elizabeth gave further instructions before excusing Mrs Humphries. Nothing must be shared between the invalids and the rest of the household. Between them, they determined that everything from cooking pots to water buckets to chamber pots would never be shared between the groups unless boiled first.
Finally satisfied the decisions were well in hand, she sent Mrs Humphries to her duties, while Mr Breton delegated tasks for the stable or garden staff.
“Now, we must prepare for the villagers,” Elizabeth said. “Mr Breton, I assume you can send someone to purchase supplies on credit?”
“Of course,” Georgiana answered. “Spend as much as necessary. My brother will not begrudge the funds.”
