Strife Beyond Tamar by Oliver Marina

Author:Oliver, Marina
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: romance, cornwall, ships, english civil war, treachery, fowey, royalists, century 17, river tamar, saltash
Publisher: Marina Oliver

Chapter 7

Thinking back, Kate could not be sure whether it had been the pain in her head or that in her arm she had first noticed when she had regained her senses. She had come to herself to find someone bathing her temples with water while her arm was being tightly bound with a bandage. For a moment she lay still, and the words she heard made no sense to her, until she heard Jon's name mentioned. Then, forcing her disordered senses to obey her, she tried to follow what was said.

'It makes no odds. Why were you here?' The voice, to Kate's vaguely puzzled ears, sounded like Petroc's, and her first thought was that he could not be present for she had not followed him, only Nick and Jon. Then Jon spoke.

'I fail to see why I should answer your questions, Tremaine! Let us first carry Kate home. She is our first concern.'

'She was not when you shot her!' This was Nick, and Kate felt a strange surge of relief they were all three accounted for, while she wondered what Nick had meant.

'I did not shoot her, and will not be so accused! You both wish to discredit me, and I suppose will attempt to convince folk that two lies are better than the truth from one man!'

Kate felt an arm being slid beneath her shoulders, and she was raised gently to a sitting position. She groaned as the movement made her head throb violently.

'So you have awoken?' Petroc said quietly. 'Do not fear, you will soon mend.'

'My head!' was all Kate could mutter in reply.

'Do not try to talk. I am going to carry you home now, and when you are recovered a little will be the time to ask questions.'

He lifted her easily and she let her head rest thankfully against his shoulder as he carried her along the cliff path. She thought she heard Jon protest, but the pain in her head, aggravated by the movement as she was borne along, made concentration or thought impossible.

When they arrived at the Trevoses' house it was to find Mistress Trevose prepared and waiting for them. Afterwards Kate learned Nick had run on ahead to appraise his mother of the accident.

'Take Kate into the spare room at the top of the stairs,' she said calmly. 'Then no one else need be disturbed. Unless you wish for your mother, child?'

'No, do not disturb her,' Kate answered weakly. 'But what is the matter with my arm?'

'Do not talk,' her aunt admonished gently, but Petroc also answered.

'You were hit by a pistol ball, but 'tis only a graze and will soon mend. Then you hit your head on some stone, so that is why you must be still and patient.'

Kate sank gratefully into the soft feather mattress of the bed as he laid her down on it and closed her eyes, content to allow her aunt to remove the rough bandage that had been contrived and inspect the wound. She bathed it

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