I apologize for the shortness of this chapter.  I had some re-thinking to do over the direction it took, due to some suggestions made by Bodkin in a review...

CHAPTER 20

The next two days were hectic for Diamond: two adults and five children began to show the early signs of spotted fever. One of the adults she thought, was just getting a cold, as he claimed to have already had spotted fever, but she was isolating him just the same, in case he was wrong. By the end of the second day, four of the children were showing the spots in their mouths. All of them were between the ages of nine and fourteen, just about the perfect age to contract the illness and get it over with.

She had barely had the time to check on Opal and Pippin; thank goodness both were doing well. She hoped that she’d have no other patients or emergencies before her mistress came home.

It was with a great deal of satisfaction when she looked up from her solitary tea in the healer’s cottage to see Lavender coming in the front door.

“Welcome home, Mistress Lavender!” she said with heartfelt relief.

Lavender looked at her apprentice. The lass’s usual look of well-groomed professionalism was sadly awry. Her hair was escaping its confinement, there were dark circles under her eyes, which were also red and bloodshot, and she was pale. Her simple grey dress was badly wrinkled, as though it had been slept in.

“I’m glad to be back, Diamond. It looks as though you have not been getting much rest.”

Diamond shrugged. Of course, not getting rest during a crisis was the norm for a healer.

“After you finish eating, I suggest you retire early, and sleep late. I am back and can handle things on my own for a while. I do not want you to already be run down if you should take this illness.”

It was a measure of just how tired Diamond really was that she offered no arguments to this. She got up and put her dishes in the kitchen, and headed to her own small room. Lavender put away her traveling case, and went to fix her own tea. Afterwards, she would go to the Smials and speak to Mistress Took, and make rounds of the patients.

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Lavender was pleased with the progress Opal had made in her absence. The new crutches of proper size were making all the difference. She was pleased to tell her so.

“I think, Opal, that you soon may once more have the run of the Smials, if you keep up this progress! I am sure you will be ready for your apprenticeship when Mistress Poppy returns.”

Opal smiled proudly, and then turned to look at her father, who sat by during the examination.

“Father?”

Reggie cleared his throat. “Mistress Lavender, we know that Miss Diamond is likely to fall ill of the spotted fever soon. You will be busy having to care for everyone yourself. Miss Diamond has been a good friend to my daughters, especially Opal. All of us have had the spotted fever, and so we were wondering if it might help you to let her stay here with us while the fever runs it course with her. She has no closer kin here to watch her, and you will not be able to stay by her all the time.”

Lavender was touched and surprised by the offer. But she wondered if it might be too much for Reggie and his daughters.

Opal saw the doubt in the healer’s eyes. “Mistress Lavender, please, it would mean a great deal to me. Diamond is the first friend I’ve ever had. I know Amethyst and Garnet feel the same. And it would give me a bit of practice tending a sickroom.”

Lavender looked at her patient carefully. There was nothing but sincere confidence on Opal’s face. This was one lass for whom pain and tragedy had been a benefit. “Very well, Opal, if, as I expect, Diamond falls ill in the next few days, we will put her here with you to recover. I warn you though, that it may be more work than you have anticipated.”

“Thank you, Mistress Lavender.”

Reggie nodded. “I thank you as well. My family owes you healers a debt that goes beyond mere coin; I think you know what I mean.”

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Her next stop was to see Peregrin. Diamond’s report on his progress had been glowing, but Lavender was uncertain of her apprentice’s objectivity when it came to the son of the Thain. She found him ensconced on the settee in the family sitting room, his cousin Meriadoc keeping him company as usual.

She did not miss his anxiety when he did not see her apprentice with her.

“Mistress Lavender, is Diamond well? She’s not got the spotted fever yet, has she?” he asked before she could say anything else.

“No, Mr. Peregrin, she has not. But she was a bit overtired from all she had to do in my absence, so I sent her to bed early.”

“Oh.” He sounded disappointed now.

“Buck up, Pip. Mistress Lavender’s here to check on *you*,” said Merry in an amused tone of voice.

Lavender examined the leg, and then took out the pendulum. She was pleased to realize that Diamond had not exaggerated his recovery. “You are doing well, Mr. Peregrin. How is the pain?”

Pippin made a face. “It’s there. I can live with it.”

“Diamond tells me the willow-bark is upsetting your stomach?”

He nodded.

“That is not unusual for the doses you have been given. I do not care to use poppy; it is too strong for what you need right now, and can be habit forming as well.”

Pippin nodded. Aragorn had used poppy on him sparingly in the first days after the battle, but had very quickly switched him to something milder, lest he get addicted to it.

“I am going to give you a lighter dose, as I feel willow-bark is still the best pain relief I can give, but I will add some things to it, so that it will not be so acidic on your stomach. Do you like buttermilk?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Very well. I will tell them to give you buttermilk to drink with your meals, that should help.”

“Thank you.”

Lavender smiled. “And I think that if your progress continues as it has, you may be able to try out crutches as early as the end of the week.”

Merry gave an exclamation of joy, and Pippin rewarded her with a grin that lit up his whole face, and made her suddenly realize just what her apprentice was seeing in him. My word, she thought, he *is* a very attractive lad!

“Mind you,” she said “you will have to take it very slowly at first!’

“I understand.” But from the look on his face, she knew that once he was at all mobile there would be no keeping him down.

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She found Eglantine in her small office.

“Mistress Lavender! I am so glad to see you back!” the Mistress of the Smials exclaimed.

“Well, I am glad to be back,” she said. “Has Diamond been satisfactory?”

“Oh, she has been more than that! The child has been very competent in this unexpected emergency. I know that the Thain feels the same way, and he plans to tell you so himself. We are both very impressed with your apprentice!” There was no mistaking the warmth of affection in Eglantine’s voice.

Lavender reported to her the offer that Reggie and his daughters had made, and Mistress Took nodded as though she had already known about it. She was thrilled at the news that Pippin’s progress was so good, though, like Lavender, she had her doubts about keeping him down once he got his crutches.

They talked briefly about the spotted fever, and then Lavender took her leave.

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By the next day four more children were showing symptoms of the illness, though no more adults. One of the adults however, was having a very severe case; his fever running very high and he was showing signs of developing a lung infection.

The two healers were pre-occupied with him when word came that Mistress Greenhand had gone into labor.

It was a long day.

They finally got the patient’s fever down, and had left medicines to help him cough up the congestion in his lungs.

And after several hours, they delivered Mistress Greenhand of a large and healthy lad.

As they started back to the healer’s cottage for a well-deserved respite and a late tea, Diamond sneezed.

Lavender turned to her immediately. “How are you feeling?”

“I’m tired. I have a headache, and my eyes burn…” she stopped. “Has it come on then?”

“I am afraid so, my dear. We will go directly to Mr. Reggie’s apartment. They have made a room ready for you.”

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