Chapter 11

After waiting a few moments while his directions were followed as to how the bed should be prepared and the fire shielded for the time being, James had placed William on the bed, which had been covered in blankets and towels. Bowls of water were placed on the chest of drawers, and laudanum was supplied for use later. He was worried that William was too cold, but he seemed surprisingly alert for having spent hours outside on the frozen ground.

"You need to get warm, but for now the weather has worked in your favour," he explained to William. "It will have slowed the blood flow and hopefully the spread of infection."

William nodded without saying anything. The journey to the house had been a test of his resolve, as he seemed to have felt every step that James had taken, though the Scot had carried him as gently as he would have a child.

James examined the trap, along with Matthew and Captain Kelly. "We need to remove this." He stared grimly at the teeth of the man-trap clamped into William's ankle and lower leg.

"Who would use something so barbaric?" Matthew asked. "I am surprised there are any on this estate. Surely they are not so desperate to get rid of the poachers to set such a primitive method." The iron trap was solid with heavy steel springs, made to cause enough injury that the person unlucky enough to step into it would not be able to escape.

"I cannot see either Mr or Mrs Follett knowing about this," Captain Kelly defended his hosts.

"Nor I," James responded. "That doesnae alter the fact that we have tae release it. This is not going to be pleasant." He aimed his comment at William, who nodded and gritted his teeth.

Captain Kelly moved to William's head, ready to restrain him, whilst James prepared to force open the iron teeth. Matthew was on hand to put pressure on the wounds to try and stop the excessive bleeding that would occur once the metal was released.

The shout William let out when James used all his strength to open the clamped trap was cut short as he fainted into unconsciousness. Captain Kelly moved to help Matthew and James, knowing there would be no struggle from the patient, at least for the moment.

"He is better off not feeling this," James said, gritting his teeth as he grappled to release the heavily strung mechanism. "There ye go!" he said with relief, pulling the trap away and throwing it across the room to let it clamp shut on itself, landing with a resounding thud but no longer able to harm anything.

Matthew and Captain Kelly wrapped towels on the wounds, putting pressure on them. They did not check to see how deep the wounds went; their aim was to stem the blood as much as possible.

Thankfully, the doctor arrived as William was regaining consciousness, groaning as the feeling returned to his leg. James told the doctor what had happened, and the medical man glanced at the trap before his mouth set into a thin line.

"This is not good," the doctor started. "The rust on the trap and the fact that it was on the ground makes me sure that if we do not move quickly, you will suffer from lockjaw and all it brings with it, never mind the state of the foot now. That in itself is enough to lose the leg." James had sucked in a breath, and Matthew looked a little queasy at the doctor's prediction. "You have both seen what I am referring to, I take it?"

"Yes," they answered.

"Then you know how serious this is. Mr Marsh, if the poison is already in your system, then there is little we can do to stop it attacking your body. I am sorry to be so direct, but I cannot emphasise enough that time is of the essence here. The only small chance you have is because of being in the cold, and let us pray it works in our favour. So we need to remove your leg. Now."

"No," William said firmly.

"This is no time for vanity," Matthew said. "I have seen the consequences of tetanus, and very few survive."

"Your age will work against you. I do not think your body will cope with the spasms and potential fractures it will have to endure once the poison gets into your system. Do not refuse lightly, sir, for it is not a pleasant experience, even if you do survive dying from it," the doctor said.

"No, I am not losing my leg. Just give me something to kill me and let it be over with," William responded.

"I do not kill my patients if I can help it. I would prefer to keep them alive so that they can pay their bills." The doctor's words were said with a look of appeal to the men who stood nearby. It was clear William was not going to be easily persuaded. "In this instance, every moment is precious time wasted."

"What would Julia say if she heard you speak that way?" Captain Kelly snapped. "What would Florry think? All she went through, and she never gave up trying to find ways to survive, and you are being defeatist at the first hurdle you are facing. I thought better of you than that."

William scowled at him. "You know nothing about what I have and have not gone through, you being nothing but a boy. Wait until you have reached my age and all that it entails, and see how you feel then."

"I refuse to get into some petty competition with you about who has had the roughest life whilst there is poison in your body which is going to give you an horrific death. You do not understand how bad it will be. You will be begging to die, only you will not be able to speak or move."

"Leave me be. There is no requirement on you to remain here."

"You are a stubborn fool, and Florry and Julia do not deserve to be put through the pain they will suffer at your loss!" Captain Kelly said, walking out of the bedchamber.

"I agree with him," James said to William. "Ye cannae let those lasses lose you."

"They are both secure; there is nothing else for me to live for. My time has come, and I have accepted that."

"Is there not one thing or one person that you would wish to live for?" Matthew asked. "Are you being truthful with yourself, or are you afraid that she will turn away from you if you have the operation? I doubt she would care whether you have one leg or two."

William flushed, but his scowl did not lessen. "You say that, yet she is to marry someone else. Why do you look so surprised, seeing as you seem to know everything? Did you not know that? She will not give a damn about what happens to me, for she will be happily married to that popinjay."

"Who is she marrying?" James asked in surprise.

"That uncle of Mrs Follett's." William's tone had turned mulish despite the sweat beading on his brow and his shallow breaths from the pain he was clearly suffering.

"While all this is very entertaining and enlightening, we really do need to get on with things," the doctor interjected before the conversation could continue.

"Patch me up and leave me be, the lot of you."

"Sir, I cannot in all conscience do that, not when we could try an alternative. I know it is not ideal, but at least with the operation, there is a chance you will live."

"Why the devil can you not do as I ask? Do I not get a say in what happens to me?"

"Yes, but when it is…"

"There is no need to go on. It is my decision, and I have made it, and there is nothing you can do about it."

"Oh yes there is when you are being a bloody-minded fool." Grace's voice came from the doorway. "Doctor, prepare what you need to do. This man is having the operation he needs."

"You have no say in the matter," William spluttered.

"Do I not? You would go against the wishes of your betrothed?"

The men looked at her in confusion, but William stuttered out a response. "Betrothed? Y-you are engaged to that man who can offer you everything that I cannot. We are nothing to each other. You have made that quite plain."

Grace looked with approval at the doctor, who was busy setting out his tools and preparing the mixture to put William to sleep while the operation took place. "How can I marry someone else when I am betrothed to you?"

"Doctor, you cannot listen to the words of a madwoman. It is my decision, and I say no!"

Grace pulled a chair and sat near to William's head as he rested on a pillow. "Why are you going to sacrifice yourself?"

Although he was lying down, William seemed to sag. "When I heard that you were considering him…"

"It was a kind offer he made, but I could not marry him when I am still in love with you, now could I?"

William stared at her, seeming unable to believe the words he had just heard. "Are you saying this just so I will agree to lose my leg?"

"Of course I am." Grace smiled at him. She stroked his hair off his face, noticing how he relaxed under her touch. She could only guess how much fear he must be experiencing, and he had been going through it alone. "Now, are you going to be a good patient and take this nice medicine the doctor has prepared?"

"I do not wish to have the operation."

"Why not?"

"Is it not obvious?"

"No, I am afraid you are going to have to explain it; there's a good boy." Grace wanted to smile at the scowl William sent her, but she could feel his resolve weakening.

"I will not be whole."

Grace put her hand on his arm. "I will not say that losing a leg does not matter, for of course it does, but surely you want to be around when Julia has yet another baby and Florry comes home with more tales of pirating on the high seas? Come, you can do this. I know you are a brave boy underneath all this bluster."

"You do not have to speak to me as if I am still in leading strings," William muttered, but he nodded at the doctor.

"Then stop acting the buffoon, for there are a lot of people who need you in this world, William Marsh, and I am one of them." She kissed the top of his head and helped the doctor administer the drink.

"I know you will return to your dislike of me when this is over. This is just a ploy to get me to do as you wish. You have obviously learned some wiles over the years."

"That is something you are going to have to chance, isn't it, my foolish man?"

"Why did you say we were betrothed? You know we are not."

"I have been thinking a lot over what was said during that difficult time, and do you know, I do not think either of us ever officially broke off the engagement."

"If that is the case, it has been the longest, most painful engagement in history."

"It has, but it means that I cannot marry someone else when I am already taken." Grace's tone was teasing, but she was all seriousness as she looked into William's eyes.

William smiled at Grace. "Stay," he slurred as the concoction took effect.

"I will always be here for you," Grace said as his eyes closed.

The doctor checked William and nodded in satisfaction that the drug had taken effect. "You might want to leave now," the doctor advised Grace. "These two gentlemen will help with the operation."

"I would prefer to stay."

"The noises and the blood; it will not be pleasant," Matthew cautioned.

"I will stay at this end, but as the one who has just persuaded him to risk his life, I need to be here in case the worst happens," Grace explained. She did not wish to see or hear what was about to take place, but she had to remain with him. It was almost a belief that if he could sense she was close, he would come back to her.

He had to.