“Ignore my words.” He waved Ash’s question aside.
The man looked like he was in pain now. Clearly his family meant a great deal to him. Ash had felt like that about Gus. He’d felt closer to him yesterday, and this family. Felt hope. Now he felt fear. This was what happened when you allowed yourself to get close to people again.
“I have just heard what is happening in the village.” Baron entered, once again with a child hanging around his shoulders and one holding each of his hands. Dogs bounded in barking. “What can we do?” he said.
Family started arriving behind Baron. Clearly word had spread. Gus arrived holding his wife’s hand.
“Is there an absolute certainty this is scarlet fever?” Cambridge Sinclair said. Worry sat heavily on his shoulders also.
“Yes. Essie knows what it looks like,” Devon said.
“I felt her fear,” Somer said softly. “Dorrie is scared.”
Gus pulled her closer.
“I want to help,” another Sinclair woman said. Alice, from memory, married to the Marquis of Braithwaite. She was heavy with child, and to his eyes looked ready to give birth at any moment.
“And yet you cannot even reach your toes, so you will not be going anywhere,” the marquis said, reaching her side.
“I know about scarlet fever,” Gus said. “I will take the supplies to the village and help.”
“No, Gus!” Somer said.
“Yes. The others have children to watch over, we as yet do not. I will be all right,” he added.
“You cannot go, as you have not had scarlet fever,” Ash snapped.
“I will go.” Rory walked in.
“Have you had scarlet fever?” Max demanded.
“I have not.”
“Then no, you will not go,” his brother stated.
They all began to debate who would take the supplies to the village, talking over the top of each other.
“Be quiet!” Dev roared. “We need to load supplies, then we will decide who can take them. We have Lilly, should we need her to heal.”
What the hell did that mean?
“We need as much bedding as we can find to put in the church,” Max said. “As Oaks Knoll is now empty, Dorrie and Essex will be able to sleep there, if they leave their patients long enough to do so.” He looked grim.
“They will not sleep, and if they do it will be where they sit or fall.” Cam for once did not have a smile on his face. He looked more like his eldest brother now.
“I just heard.” Warwick ran into the room. “I will take the supplies.”
The arguments and debates started again. Each wanted to risk their own health to get the supplies to Essie and Dorset.
“It is best I go,” Gus said. “I know a bit about this kind of thing.”
“You are a professor, not a doctor or healer,” Ash snapped. “I will go. I have had scarlet fever.”
“What? When did you have scarlet fever?” Gus asked him.
“Years ago,” Baron said. “That was how we were able to escape. I too have had it and will go and help Essex and Dorset.”
“Escape what?” Dev asked.
