The men laid Lucan on the table. He struggled to breathe and groaned loudly when Margaret Scott inspected his wound. "Thaiter where's some liquor, rum, anything?" She touched the wound once more.

Lucan tensed. "Ah... fuck woman." He pushed her hand away, raised himself up onto one elbow but Margaret placed a hand on his chest.

"Lay back down you stupid man, you'll need ta be stitched."

"I'll wait for the doc then," he said and rose a little higher.

Margaret pushed down firm on his chest. "You'll stay where you are. We need to clean you up and get some rum in your gut before he comes because you still got half a strut stickin' out of ya." She pushed him down once more. Lucan slowly lay back and Margaret said, "Meggy get him a pillow and we'll need clean cloths and some hot water."

Meggy moved off, her face drained of colour. "The waters already boiled, Margaret. It's on the stove." She raised her arm and indicated the steaming kettle then looked back at Lucan, hitched Riley higher on her hip and ushered Covey through the door in front of her. She took him by the hand and led him into the bedroom they shared. The noise had woken them. "You stay here, Covey. Play with Riley. Da's hurt bad and I need to help Missus Scott."

Covey nodded. A tear glistened in his eye. "Will he be alright, Meggy?"

She knelt down and drew him to her. Meggy wrapped her arms around him and kissed his cheek. "I hope so, Covey. The doctor's coming and ya Da's a strong man." She ran her hand gently through his hair. "You'll stay here won't you and look after Riley for me so I can help your Da?" Covey nodded once more. Meggy smiled tenderly. "You're a good brave lad, Covey." She kissed him and turned to Riley. "You stay with Covey. Meggy be back soon."

Riley grinned and repeated, "Stay with Covey."

Meggy chuckled. She cuddled him, rubbed the top of his head, and then grabbed a pillow and blanket as she rushed from the room.

When she got back to the kitchen Thaiter was there with a large bottle of rum. He encouraged Lucan to drink from the glass he had poured. "Good girl, Meggy. Come hold Lucan's head so he can drink."

She handed the blanket to Margaret, and then lifted Lucan's head and slipped the pillow beneath it. Meggy looked at his face, his deep blue eyes. She touched his cheek gently with her hand. "It's goin' tae be alright, Lucan," she said as she stroked his face again.

Lucan felt her presence surround him. The touch of her hand dulled the pain as he smiled up at her.

Reaching for the glass of rum, Meggy said, "Here, let me hold it, Thaiter." She took it from him and held it to Lucan's lips, and then nodded her head in encouragement for him to drink.

Margaret laid the blanket over him as he parted his lips and allowed the amber liquid to flow into his throat. Lucan swallowed until the glass was empty. Meggy wiped the moisture from his mouth with her fingers, and then laid his head back on the pillow.

Feeling the lingering touch of Meggy's fingers on his lips, Lucan followed her movement with his eyes. She filled a small basin with warm water and took a clean cloth from the cupboard. As he watched her a multitude of sensations surged through him. She dampened the cloth and bathed his face. The warmth of the rum had mellowed him and Lucan felt himself relax.

"You're doing a good job, Meg." Margaret smiled and touched Meggy on the arm, and then lifted the blanket to survey Lucan's wound once more. She moved her bowl and cloth onto a kitchen chair and said, "You got any scissors?"

Nodding, Meggy indicated with her head where the scissors hung. Margaret took them from the hook and cut Lucan's shirt from his body. She threw the ragged material in the fire and proceeded to clean the skin around the wound. A shaft of timber, the remnants of a small beam, was protruding from Lucan's left side. Its entry had been from above and had torn a gash down the length of his rib cage. Dirt and grit were embedded in the tear. She emptied the already dirty water from her basin and replaced it. With a clean cloth Margaret squeezed the warm water onto the injury to try and wash away some of the grime.

Lucan howled, "Fuck...!" He kicked down on the table with his heels and gripped the edges with his hands.

Meggy whispered in his ear, "It's got to be cleaned, Lucan."

He jerked his head in a nod, then Margaret squeezed more water onto the wound. Lucan's teeth ground together and his chest heaved.

"Thaiter! The wooden Spoon! Get the wooden spoon for him to bite on!" Meggy urged.

Thaiter did as he was told. They placed it between Lucan's teeth so he bit down every time Margaret applied more water.

Meggy stroked his face, ran her fingers through his hair and cooed to him, telling him it must be done, that it would soon be over. Lucan barely heard what she said. He felt the rum burn in his stomach and tried to concentrate on that heat from within but the pain from without was too much to bear.

"No more, Margaret," he gasped. "I'll need more rum."

"It's as clean as I'm gonna get anyway but it needs some alcohol on it, Lucan, to clean it good." She touched his forehead with her hand. "It won't take but a second, what ya think? Then we'll get some more rum in you before the doc comes to pull the spike out."

Lucan nodded, gripped the table's edge and waited.

When the rum hit his wound Lucan bellowed like a dying animal. The wooden spoon propelled from his mouth. Meggy couldn't look at his face. "It's enough, Margaret. He cannae take no more!"

Margaret agreed. She handed the bottle to Thaiter, who took a swig of it himself.

Meggy didn't realise she was sobbing, until Lucan's fingers touched her face. "It's alright, Miss Meggy, I ain't dead yet."

A short burst of laughter blurted from her mouth. She wiped her nose and face with the sleeve of her shirt. Lucan smiled as Meggy blushed. "Well," she huffed. "I'm glad ta see you think it's funny."

He chuckled. "I just never realised you cared so much."

"You might not be dead yet but if you keep up with your lip you soon will be." She pouted and crossed her arms.

Lucan laughed, then grimaced and grabbed hold of his side. "Better give me some more of that rum, Thaiter. Send me to heaven with a gullet full, eh?"

Thaiter chortled and filled the glass. "Well, Meg what ya waitin' for? Lift his head up."

"I need to check on the boys. Margaret, will you? Or I'll kill the both of 'em," she said grinning as she moved away.

Meggy is so worried about Lucan but he keeps teasing her :) ♥

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