A Friendships Love - Settler series book 1 (Wattpad version, first draft)

William

William

Entering the Doctor's house, I felt flustered, and my legs were shaking from my close to one hour ride to get here. I scanned the front room where patients would be seated while they waited for the doctor. I noticed that there were now, people here, with varying degrees of injuries. There were five men, and only two women. One of the women was holding onto a little girl who had a small gash on her head. They all looked slightly wet and solemn. I could only assume that they were rescued from the same wreck Will was just in. The women holding the little girl looked up to me. I wanted help comfort them all. I had many times day dreamed on my own long voyage out here what it would be like if our ship sunk. These people had lived through the reality of it, and it broke my heart.

I heard the door behind me open and felt the presence of Charlie, and then Ashley came up beside me and held onto my arm. We all stood, motionless, for what seemed like hours, but, in fact, was only seconds. Then through a door over to our left, Lady Townshend, came, sweeping in.

“Oh my dear girls, you made it.” Ashley let go of my arm, and then walked straight, into her mothers. I stood there and watched mother and daughter embrace. I started to wring my skirts in my hands; I needed to know what was happening. I looked around me again in frustration. All eyes were on us, and movement had stilled. I wondered if there would be any family coming for any of these people, looking them all in the eye. I felt a deep compassion for them. I knew what it was like to feel alone and unsure.

“Payton.” Lady Townshend called to me and waved me over with her graceful hand, breaking out of my revere. “Come here.”

I needed, no more encouragement; I also fell, into Lady Townshend arms. I felt Ashley put her arms around us too. I looked up at into Lady Townshend's eyes and asked.

“How is he, what’s going on.” I saw the sadness in her eyes; she looked over my face, and then Ashley’s. And then, answered me.

“He apparently had a nasty knock on the head, and was supposed to have had a freshly healed broken arm William received during the riots, after we left him on the docks. It’s most likely fractured again, so it’s been splintered. He hasn’t woken since they were bought in.” She gestured about the room to the other wreck victims.  I let out a very audible sob; Ashley was shaking her head whilst tears ran down her cheeks. “When he was briefly awake, he called for you Payton. I want you to go to him please, see if he can hear you.” Lady Townshend was pleading me with her eyes. I didn’t need anyone to plead me, I wanted, needed to go him. I nodded my head. We all ended our embrace. Ashley, and I followed Lady Townshend's lead back into the room she came from.

The room was lit with several lanterns, there were four cot beds, two adjacent from the other s and all were being used. We moved past the first two and found Charlie laying on one in the back right corner. Both Ashley, and I went to opposite sides of Wills Cot. There was a stool on the side, where I was, so I sat on it. I looked over my, beloved Will, only very briefly I felt, as though, I didn’t deserve to call him that, but as usual lately with feelings I couldn’t deal with, I pushed it back till later. His hair was dry but messed from his ordeal. There was dried blood to the back of his head, which must be where he took his knock. I could smell a stale salty scent; it clung to the air in this room. Wills eyes were shut. Lying before me was the same face I remembered. Only more tanned, from his days on the deck of a ship. His shirt had been taken off, and his right arm was lying across his torso, while his left, which had been splintered, lay down his other side. He still seemed the picture of strength, and I was glad of that. I leaned over and put my hand over his and held it.

An instant later, I felt Lady Townshend come up behind me. “Payton, we’re going to leave you, could you, please try talking to him. Now that you’re here I have things, to do, to help Lord Townshend.” I turned my head slightly in her direction and subtly nodded my head. I listened to the sound of Lady Townshends and Ashley’s skirts walking away then focused my attentions on Will.