“I don’t see any glass fragments. The glass broke into three pieces and it looks like everything’s there.” He pressed his napkin to my hand and it quickly turned red.
“Ouch.”
“You might need stitches,” Tane said.
Just then, Elias ran into the room with a white box, setting it beside Tane and opening it. Inside were bandages and bottles of medicines.
“Should I call a doctor, sir?” Elias asked.
Tane took his glass of water and poured it over my hand.
“Ow! That hurts.” I tried to pull my hand away.
“Just seeing how deep it went,” he said. “Try to relax.” He turned to his butler. “Elias, maybe some whiskey?”
“For him or you, sir?”
I glanced up quickly to note Elias’s face was deadpan serious.
“Both. My best Scotch, please.” Tane never took his eyes off my hand.
As Tane slowly rinsed off my hand, not caring that blood and water went all over the pristine, lacy, white tablecloth, the pain turned to a sharp ache. I felt lightheaded. I’d never liked the sight of blood. Especially if it was my own. I didn’t want to have stitches. The thought made me even queasier.
“Can you move your fingers?” Tane asked.
I wiggled them a little, trying not to wince. “Is it bad?”
“Not too deep from what I can see. Just bleeding a lot. Which is good.”
“Why is that good?” My voice quavered.
“Because it gets all the germs out.” He pressed the napkin harder to my hand, making me grunt, and said, “Hand up. Hold this in place.”
I used my free hand to press the now very red napkin while Tane rummaged in the kit.
Elias returned with a tray holding two snifters of gold liquid and a large bowl of water. “Filtered, sir,” he said. “And cold. The cold will help stop the blood. Wash the wound carefully before applying the antiseptic.”
Tane looked up. “You sound like you know what you’re doing.”
“I work alongside the kitchen help, sir. There have been some accidents.”
“What? I didn’t hear anything about that.”
“We take care of it, sir. You don’t need to be notified of every cut and burn.”
“Cuts and burns?” Tane sounded shocked. “If there are medical bills I most certainly need to be notified.”
Elias ignored the statement and gently steered my hand toward the bowl, taking away the sodden napkin. I hissed as my hand sank into the water. The liquid immediately turned pink.
Elias had towels draped over his arms which I hadn’t seen until now. He brought them forward and placed them next to the bowl.
Tane set a couple of tubes and clean bandages beside them. He looked into the bowl. “Looks like the bleeding is slowing.”
I couldn’t bring myself to look. I hoped he was right.
“Here, drink some.” He handed me one of the glasses of Scotch.
I wasn’t a big drinker but right now I needed it. I took a few sips, letting the warmth spread through me.
