Royal Feud

Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Belwick put his knife in the brazier. As they waited for the knife to heat, Hermione carefully washed Delvin's chest wound with warm water and wine. She then washed the wound on his thigh, clearing away some of the blood for the cauterization. After testing the knife, the castellan instructed Renwold to hold Delvin's lower body still while Hermione held his upper body, then he laid the flat side of the blade directly against the gaping wound. Even though Delvin's unconscious body arched as he instinctively recoiled from the pain, Hermione was easily able to hold him immobile. She almost wept when she realized the extent of his weakness.

The smell of burning flesh assaulted her nostrils before Belwick pulled the knife away and covered the wound with a cold, wet cloth. After returning his knife back into the glowing brazier, the castellan returned to the bed and lifted the cloth.

"I need to do it one more time to cover all of the wound," Belwick explained, his voice hoarse.

Hermione and Renwold resumed their positions holding Delvin's unconscious body still as the castellan cauterized the remainder of Delvin's wound. His battered body lay motionless under this new assault. Hermione determinedly blinked away her tears as she unwound the cloth had been placed around Delvin's neck wound. Relieved to see that the bleeding from this lesion had ceased, she gently washed the laceration and applied a poultice to it to guard against infection before bandaging it securely around Delvin's neck, making sure it was not tight enough to interfere with his breathing.

Once his major injuries had been treated, she spread the poultice on the wounds on his chest as well as his thigh and bandaged them. She and Belwick then washed and treated the remaining abrasions, cuts, and gouges that covered Delvin. A long time later, the last gash and lesion treated, Hermione numbly sank to her knees beside the bed. She raised anguished eyes to Belwick's haggard face.

"What happened?" she asked. The mutilation that had been staggered her.

inflicted on Delvin

"Delvin was hunting with four of his men," Belwick responded. "A fifth man was shadowing them, to warn the castle if there was trouble. It appears that they were taken by surprise and ambushed. When we arrived, there were only five of the attackers still standing. We killed them all. Delvin was the only one of our men still alive when we reached them. Bernard, Roger, Gordon, Walter, Edmund...they are all dead. Every man fought valiantly."

"Bernard is dead," Hermione whispered. "Clare and Nicholas will be devastated." "Aye. All our men perished. All were courageous and experienced fighters. They had no chance. They were ambushed by an overwhelming force. We counted over thirty attackers."

"There were six men against thirty?" Hermione was appalled, incredulous that Delvin had managed to survive the savage onslaught against him.

"Aye. Delvin and his men were able to kill twenty-five of their attackers before we arrived. Milady, I have ordered that the bodies of Ishton's dead be brought back to the castle with all reverence." "Have you specified they are to be brought to the chapel?" Father Thomas asked.

He had left his prayers to listen to Belwick's account. When the castellan nodded, the

priest turned to her. "Milady, if you will excuse me, I will go see to our dead."

"Aye, of course, Father." "Milady, I will also say mass for Lord Ishton and arrange a prayer vigil around the

clock."

"Thank you, Father."

The priest touched Hermione's hand lying on the bed next to Delvin's inert body. "Lord Ishton is in God's hands now, milady."

Hermione nodded, her eyes resting on Delvin's white face. "Milady," Belwick said after the priest left, "I have also instructed that the enemy dead be searched to see if they carry any identifying markings. I need to go now to see to the castle defenses."

Hermione raised her eyes to Belwick's. "Aye, Sir Hugh. Thank you. For everything." She did not have the words to express her gratitude to this man who loved Delvin as if he were his own son.

Time ceased to have meaning for Hermione, as she concentrated all her energies She stayed close to his side, monitoring him and administering medications. Elizabeth came in, offering to help, but Hermione declined. She could not bear to leave Delvin Throughout the long night Hermione watched as Delvin's strength ebbed dangerously. She was helpless to do anything for him but pray. Over and over again, she pleaded for God to save him. With the dawn a raging fever engulfed Delvin's tortured body. Hermione roused the on Delvin,

servant sleeping outside the chamber, sending him for cold water and cloths. After stripping the sheets off Delvin, she bathed him endlessly with the water to cool him. "Milady," Belwick said, "how is Delvin?"

Hermione raised burning eyes to the castellan. "I do not know if send for Lady Lucy."

"Aye." Belwick said. "I will send a messenger immediately."

Hermione's consciousness dwindled to Delvin. Her arms and hands ached with the strain of wringing out the wet cloths and plastering them to his body. She urged tinctures down his throat and bathed his wounds in wine to stop the infection. "Hermione," Elizabeth said, "you must eat. You must rest."

Hermione looked up at the older woman who had become a good friend. "I cannor

leave him."

"Hermione, you have not eaten nor slept in more than two days. You must keep up your own strength, or you will be useless to Delvin." Hermione looked at Delvin. Despair and hopelessness filled her weary mind. She had ferociously battled the fever that ravaged him. She had prayed endlessly to God to heal

Delvin.

"I am a skilled nurse," Elizabeth said. "I will take care of him while you sleep. If

there is the slightest change in his condition, I will wake you. Let Clare take you next

door to Lucy's old chamber." "Aye." Hermione allowed Clare to lead her away from Delvin. Suddenly remembering the loss the other woman had suffered, she gripped the widow's hand. "Oh, Clare, I am so sorry for your loss. Sir Bernard was a valiant man, and I know that Delvin will grieve for his loss."

"Thank you, Hermione."

Clare settled Hermione into a chair and brought her cold venison, cheese, and bread. "You should not be waiting on me," Hermione protested. "You must take care of yourself."

"I would rather help you and Lord Ishton since I can do nothing more to help my

Bernard. 'Tis better to focus on helping others."

"How is Nicholas faring?" "He is bearing up as well as

can be expected."

"Clare, please let me know if you need anything. Anything at all."

he will live. Please

"Aye, Hermione, I shall." She put a piece of bread in Hermione's hand. "For now, you

must ear." Hermione, rung out and limp as a rag doll, mindlessly followed Clare's gentle orders. Clare helped Hermione bathe, dressed her in a clean chemise and tucked her into bed, then remained by Hermione's side as she slept.

"Delvin!" Hermione woke abruptly. "I must see Delvin."

Hermione accepted Clare's assistance as she dressed before hurrying back to her

husband's side. "There has been no change," Elizabeth informed Hermione. She stepped back from

the bed to allow Hermione to minister to Delvin,

At Elizabeth's insistence, the women fell into a routine. Hermione nursed Delvin through the long, dark nights, when his strength was at the lowest, and he was most in danger. Elizabeth nursed him during the morning hours when Hermione slept. Fever continued to devastate Alarie's weak body. He alternated between burning up and shaking with chills. He became delirious, thrashing about and speaking gibberish. Hermione held him to still his movements and to prevent his wounds from reopening. "Sir Hugh, have you been able to identify the assailants?" Hermione asked during one

of Belwick's regular visits to check on Delvin's condition.

"Nay, milady," Belwick replied. "Although they wore ragged clothing and did not wear armor, their weapons were such as only knights and men-at-arms would have. There is no doubt in my mind that Morefy ordered his men to disguise themselves as vagrants and to attack Ishton."

"But you have no proof?" Hermione asked. "Nay, milady." Belwick shook his head, his mouth set in a grim line. "I do not."

Desolation as black as the dead of the night filled Hermione's soul. Delvin's emaciated

body was so weak and frail. How could he endure any more pain and agony? "Dear God," Hermione pleaded for the hundredth time, "do not let Delvin die. Please

heal him." Despair crushed her spirits. She laid her head against the pillow next to him.

"I love you. I love you. I love you," she chanted. Tears wrenched her body as she sobbed out her misery and torment.

H elena roused from the stupor caused by her storm of weeping. The light of the candles bathed the chamber in a warm glow. Something had changed. What was it? Delvin's body was no longer a furnace burning beside heart froze as she reached a shaking hand to his throat, fearing that he had died. The slow, steady beat of his heart against her fingers sent blessed reassurance through her. her. Her flooding

She sat up in the bed and closely examined Delvin. His breathing was laborious; his skin was neither cool nor hot to the touch. He appeared to be sleeping naturally. "Thank You, Lord," she whispered. "O, gracious Lord, thank You. To You belongs all glory and honor and praise. Thank You for answering my prayer and sparing Delvin's no longer

life."

As she held her hand to Delvin's cheek the realization flooded her that she had not trusted in God at all during his illness. Pleading and cajoling, she had beseeched Him to spare Delvin and heal him, wanting only her own will to be done. She had not committed Delvin's life to God's loving care.

"Oh, Lord, forgive me for not trusting You, for not fully surrendering Delvin's life to You. I know you love him so much more than I ever could. I know You have a plan and a purpose for his life, as well as for my own. Please forgive me for not trusting in Your love or in Your plan. Most merciful Lord, help me to surrender my will to Yours and to seek to do Your will always, in every circumstance. Amen."

Leaving the bed, Hermione pulled up a chair next to it and closely observed Delvin as he slept. Finally freed from the awful burden of fear and worry, she relaxed enough to be able to contemplate the danger still facing Delvin,

By the time the new day dawned, and the rising sun warmed the chamber, she was convinced that Delvin was out of danger. When Elizabeth quietly entered the chamber,

Hermione turned to greet her with an ecstatic smile. "How is he?" Elizabeth asked, as she had every morning for the

last fortnight.

"Elizabeth, I think the crisis has passed. See? Delvin is sleeping peacefully.

is gone.

The fever

Elizabeth felt Delvin's skin to see for herself. "Oh, Hermione, I think you are This is indeed cause for celebration."

"Elizabeth, I do not want anyone to know that Delvin is getting better."

right.

"Why ever not?"

"I have been doing a lot of praying and thinking while I was watching Delvin this morning. I have an idea I need to discuss with Sir Hugh. Would you ask him to come here? And please do not let him or anyone else know that Delvin is out of danger now."

"As you wish, Hermione, but I would like to hear your plan as well, if I may."

"Aye, aye, of course.

Within a few minutes Elizabeth returned to the chamber with her husband. Belwick's face was set. He was obviously preparing himself to hear the worst. "Sir Hugh, Delvin is much better." Hermione said without delay. "His fever has

broken, and he has been sleeping naturally since the middle of the night." Belwick's grim face dissolved into a broad smile. "That is very good news, milady." "I am now convinced that Delvin will recover, but I want everyone to think that he

will die." "What?" Belwick asked. "Why?"