The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison

Author:Mette Ivie Harrison [Harrison, Mette Ivie]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: Juvenile Fiction, Fantasy & Magic, Fairy Tales & Folklore, General, Girls & Women
ISBN: 9780061973628
Google: VsZNjae0xPQC
Amazon: B001QIGZRW
Publisher: HarperTeen
Published: 2009-10-05T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

F OR MANY WEEKS King Davit seemed better, and preparations for the wedding were so fierce that George let go of his suspicions about Dr. Gharn. But then George heard that Dr. Gharn had spent some hours tending to a family of peasants that had come to him from the north, begging for his particular assistance. He had gone to them, given them a few packets of herbs, and sent them on their way. But why? It seemed thoroughly out of character for the unpleasant man George had seen.

George decided in a rush of impatience that he would go to Dr. Gharn that very day. When he had a few moments between appointments, and the merchant he was to meet with was late, George disappeared.

“But your duty,” said Sir Stephen.

“My duty does not include encouraging my own people to treat me badly,” said George sharply. He slammed the door behind him on his way out.

So he went to the main hall and asked a few of the servants where Dr. Gharn was likely to be at this time of day. The physician was rarely out of his chambers, he was told. In fact the kitchen always sent his meals directly to him in the isolated tower where he slept.

Even at the bottom, the tower was hot and stuffy. George felt closed in as the staircase narrowed and the steps grew steeper.

Nervously George knocked on the door at the top.

“Leave the tray outside. I’ll get it when I’m ready,” came a distracted voice from within.

George knocked again. “It’s Prince George,” he said. “I would speak with you, if I may.”

A short flutter of wings within, and there was a clicking sound as the door opened just enough to show Dr. Gharn’s face. “I’m sure we have nothing to speak of,” he said, not allowing George a glimpse of his chamber.

“Please. I should like to talk to you about my father’s treatment.” He tried not to breathe in the foul stench, but even with the door open a few inches, it was powerful indeed.

“Your father does as well as can be expected. Go talk to him if you wish,” said Dr. Gharn.

George put his boot in the door before the physician could close it again. “I will speak with you.” This time he did not speak tentatively. He used a deep, commanding voice, as he had on King Helm’s hunt, and pushed firmly against the door.

Dr. Gharn stepped back, eyes wide for a moment. But very quickly they turned dark and cloudy. He waved George into his chambers.

Once George got used to the eye-stinging smell, he allowed himself to take in the details.

No one could say that the king’s physician was overly indulged. There was but one small window that looked out to the east. The shelves on the walls were filled with odds and ends, and on the table by the bed were several vials like those that held his father’s medicine and alongside them some dried herbs.

“Is this what you give my father?” George reached for a bit of the herb, and it crumbled in his hands.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.