The anger was gone, having been replaced with a bone deep weariness that Isobel had only ever encountered living on the streets. Still, despite her tiredness, restful sleep wouldn’t come at all that night, and she was reduced to restless dosing. She vaguely recalled waking several times during the first few nights in Havistock and finding Dominic seated beside her and now understood just how difficult it must have been for him to be reduced to sitting and waiting because now, she felt so frustrated at being truly helpless. The doctor had been a few hours earlier and after much deliberation, and a lot of tutting and sighing, had declared that Dominic had suffered several breaks to his ribs, as well as concussion and numerous cuts and bruises. They wouldn’t truly know the extent of any other injuries until Dominic was awake and was able to tell them for himself. Until then, they had to keep him warm and feed him the Laudanum for the pain. The doctor had also left a poultice to apply to his battered flesh to ward off infection but could do little else except promise to return the following day.
