Read Online Before the Scarlet Dawn by RITA GERLACH - Free Book Online
Authors: RITA GERLACH
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that, and will spend very little time in this little hutch. You’ll see. I shall make the best of it.”
The first month out at sea, gusty winds blew down from the northeast, and the ship cut through the waves at a pace where even the dolphins could not keep up. On the fifth week at sea, fever broke out among the passengers, and the sick were confined to their cabins with only one steward to attend them and a ship’s surgeon to administer to their medical needs. Every precaution was made to keep the fever from spreading. Decks and floors were scrubbed twice daily. Chamber pots emptied almost immediately instead of left to linger. The ship’s surgeon insisted on it, much to the doubts voiced by the captain that sanitary efforts would do much good.
As the days went by, more grew sick, and the supply of paregoric ran out. Eliza offered the surgeon her help, but he refused her each time and told her to avoid anyone with a cough.
“My servant and I both know how to care for sick people, sir,” she told him one afternoon as she stood outside the door of an infected passenger. “My father was a vicar, and we gave aid to the ill in our church. Most could not afford a doctor, and . . .”
“I would prefer, madam, that you stay out of my way.” He looked her up and down with a pair of beady gray eyes. She had seen him in the mess, and knew he had no lack of appetite and would scarf down enough food for two. Yet his clothes hung loose over a very lean frame, his face so narrow and thin one could see the bones protruding in his cheeks.
“I will,” said Eliza. “But you cannot stop me from giving comfort to those who accept it.”
He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. “Hmm. Do as you wish. Only do not interfere. I am the doctor here, not you or your servant.”
In spite of him, she took it upon herself to visit, along with Fiona, those who were ailing. Together they washed their faces and spooned broth into their mouths. She read to them, talked, and prayed with them. The ship’s surgeon took all the credit when anyone recovered.
Hayward grew anxious after the surgeon alerted him to what his wife and female servant were doing. When a man’s young wife died, he ordered her to stop. Eliza stood beside him when the woman’s body, wrapped in canvas, slipped off a plank into a watery grave.
He heard the grieving husband say, “We were only married a few months.” And, “We left Britain to begin a new life in the Colonies.”
The captain stood beside him, opened a prayer book, and recited along with the passengers and crew the Lord’s Prayer. Hayward felt a sting of dread pass through him when he saw the man cry as the body went over the edge of the ship and splashed into the ocean.
Later that evening, he found Eliza sitting with a woman close to Fiona’s age. By the door, he watched her. With care, she put a tin cup to the woman’s mouth and helped her drink. Her compassion amazed him.
“You must drink all you can. It will help you get well.” She wiped the woman’s mouth with a cloth.
“Thank you, Mrs. Morgan,” the woman said, her voice raspy and low. “You are so kind and have lifted my spirits. I know I shall recover because of you. I didn’t think anyone cared, me being a person of low estate.”
Eliza patted the woman’s hand. “It should not matter, Matilda. We are all God’s children and equal in His eyes. Good news. Your fever has broken.”
Hayward snatched Eliza by the arm and pulled her away. “You must stop.”
She looked up at him, wide-eyed. “Why? I have done nothing wrong.”
“You are interfering with the surgeon’s duties. And this fever is contagious. You could catch it. As your husband, I order you not to help these people.”
Her eyes filled, and she looked down at the floor. “I will obey you, Hayward. But it makes me sad to do so.” And she hurried away from him, back to her modest compartment.
He heard her sob, and would have opened the door and tried
The first month out at sea, gusty winds blew down from the northeast, and the ship cut through the waves at a pace where even the dolphins could not keep up. On the fifth week at sea, fever broke out among the passengers, and the sick were confined to their cabins with only one steward to attend them and a ship’s surgeon to administer to their medical needs. Every precaution was made to keep the fever from spreading. Decks and floors were scrubbed twice daily. Chamber pots emptied almost immediately instead of left to linger. The ship’s surgeon insisted on it, much to the doubts voiced by the captain that sanitary efforts would do much good.
As the days went by, more grew sick, and the supply of paregoric ran out. Eliza offered the surgeon her help, but he refused her each time and told her to avoid anyone with a cough.
“My servant and I both know how to care for sick people, sir,” she told him one afternoon as she stood outside the door of an infected passenger. “My father was a vicar, and we gave aid to the ill in our church. Most could not afford a doctor, and . . .”
“I would prefer, madam, that you stay out of my way.” He looked her up and down with a pair of beady gray eyes. She had seen him in the mess, and knew he had no lack of appetite and would scarf down enough food for two. Yet his clothes hung loose over a very lean frame, his face so narrow and thin one could see the bones protruding in his cheeks.
“I will,” said Eliza. “But you cannot stop me from giving comfort to those who accept it.”
He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes. “Hmm. Do as you wish. Only do not interfere. I am the doctor here, not you or your servant.”
In spite of him, she took it upon herself to visit, along with Fiona, those who were ailing. Together they washed their faces and spooned broth into their mouths. She read to them, talked, and prayed with them. The ship’s surgeon took all the credit when anyone recovered.
Hayward grew anxious after the surgeon alerted him to what his wife and female servant were doing. When a man’s young wife died, he ordered her to stop. Eliza stood beside him when the woman’s body, wrapped in canvas, slipped off a plank into a watery grave.
He heard the grieving husband say, “We were only married a few months.” And, “We left Britain to begin a new life in the Colonies.”
The captain stood beside him, opened a prayer book, and recited along with the passengers and crew the Lord’s Prayer. Hayward felt a sting of dread pass through him when he saw the man cry as the body went over the edge of the ship and splashed into the ocean.
Later that evening, he found Eliza sitting with a woman close to Fiona’s age. By the door, he watched her. With care, she put a tin cup to the woman’s mouth and helped her drink. Her compassion amazed him.
“You must drink all you can. It will help you get well.” She wiped the woman’s mouth with a cloth.
“Thank you, Mrs. Morgan,” the woman said, her voice raspy and low. “You are so kind and have lifted my spirits. I know I shall recover because of you. I didn’t think anyone cared, me being a person of low estate.”
Eliza patted the woman’s hand. “It should not matter, Matilda. We are all God’s children and equal in His eyes. Good news. Your fever has broken.”
Hayward snatched Eliza by the arm and pulled her away. “You must stop.”
She looked up at him, wide-eyed. “Why? I have done nothing wrong.”
“You are interfering with the surgeon’s duties. And this fever is contagious. You could catch it. As your husband, I order you not to help these people.”
Her eyes filled, and she looked down at the floor. “I will obey you, Hayward. But it makes me sad to do so.” And she hurried away from him, back to her modest compartment.
He heard her sob, and would have opened the door and tried
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