A Name Unknown by Roseanna M. White

Author:Roseanna M. White
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Historical Fiction;FIC042030;FIC042040;FIC027200;Man-woman relationships—Fiction;Women spies—Fiction;Christian fiction;Love stories
ISBN: 9781441231215
Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
Published: 2017-04-20T04:00:00+00:00

Fifteen

Peter opened the pot of salve, inhaling the dual scents of honey and lavender. He mustered a smile for the young man sitting at the kitchen table with gritted teeth and wished he had the gift of conversation to put Treeve at ease. “R-Ready?”

It was hard to think of him as man rather than boy. Seven years his junior, Treeve had been a presence at Kensey Manor as long as Peter could remember, eventually taking over his father’s job in the stables. But for most of Peter’s memory, he’d been a child. Running about chasing butterflies and squirrels as often as he was helping in the stables or with errands.

His arm screamed, loud and red, when Peter unwound the bandage from it. The worst of the burn had healed—Mrs. Teague or Grammy could probably stomach dressing it now, though the first day they’d both fled the room to lose their breakfasts when they’d tried. Hence why it had fallen to Peter.

Oh, he could have found someone else. But the boy had been hurt saving his property. If anyone should tend him, it should be Peter.

“Does it s-still . . . hurt?”

Treeve’s fingers curled, then went flat against the tabletop, worn smooth from years of service. “Not nearly as much. I should be able to get back to work soon.”

Peter set aside the old bandage and dipped his fingers into the salve. Scooped up some, waited for it to drip. Applied it as gently as he could to the raised, bumpy skin. It wasn’t hot to the touch anymore. Hadn’t been for a while. “I am . . . I am less concerned with th—that than with . . . with your health.”

“I know.” Voice low, Treeve kept his gaze focused on the wall. In their daily meetings here in the kitchen, the young man had done his best to avoid looking at his arm altogether. “And I appreciate, sir, that you haven’t replaced me during these weeks when my arm’s been all but useless.”

Peter focused on applying the honey to each bit of burned skin. If the scarring ever faded, it would take years. The doctor had declared it one of the more severe burns he had seen—though thankfully not large. Had infection set in, it could have spelled disaster for the boy.

But they had been diligent. The honey had done its job.

“Re . . . replacing you was never . . . never a c-consideration.” He wiped his sticky fingers on the damp rag he’d set on the table for that purpose. Then reached for the fresh bandage awaiting him. At least Treeve he could help. Miss Gresham reported that her little sister was still battling infection, but Gryff’s man in London had failed totally in locating the family.

Which made precious little sense. He’d tried to find an address on her outgoing post again, but if she was writing to her family, he never saw the letters.

“It would have been for most. So I wanted to say it. Thanks, I mean.

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.