After seeing the look Miss Mundee had given her, Rebecca set her mind upon what to do next. It was true that she did feel helpless and unsure of what to do as she had never really come across a situation like this before. However, she was also beginning to work out what had happen. Everything had seemed fine until the two men walked into the room and so it figured that one of them must have been the cause.
Seeing the younger man rush to help Bridget, left only the older man. Perhaps he was the cause and it would be better if left. Just as she about to approach him, Arabella Wentworth came rushing into the room and proceeded to deal with what was going on. It seemed that this wasn't the first time that poor Bridget had suffered something like this.
While the others were occupied with Bridget, Rebecca walked over to the older man, "Mr. Gilcrest, it might be wise if you go and get the doctor."
Storyteller / Shared NPC
Gilcrest looked to the women who made it seem this was his fault? He looked to the girl who was as scared as he'd ever seen, and maybe he reminded her of some terrible time from the past, that could be, he wouldn't say it couldn't, or didn't. Then he looked at Brendan and shook his head.
"I'll fetch the Doc alright, and Brendan, I'll ride back ta th' Evergreen and tell what I seen here. Ain't sayin' they won't come for ya, ain't sayin' that a'tall." With that, he turned and went out of the room, down the stairs, and out the front door.
He got his horse and located the Doctor's place , dismounted and strode to the door where he knocked and waited for him to answer.
Caroline was glad Arabella could be so calm about it all, it meant this wasn't apparently as bad as it looked. Biting one's tongue was painful but if that's all the blood came from things could have been far worse. And wetting one's pants...again embarrassing at best and Bridget wasn't the sort to be embarrassed about pretty much anything it seemed. On account of her being slow witted, poor dear.
As for Arabella's question to her, Caroline glared, "No I did not. Don't go blamin' this on me. She was fine and then just like that she started screaming and then...well, this."
She glanced at the bearded man. Hmmm, he had just come in? Maybe....nah, the old geezer didn't even do anything...other than shoot his mouth off.
"So, yer sure she's gonna be alright then?" Caroline hoped Ara knew what she was talking about. There were a whole lot of times when she didn't afterall.
The man was gone, that left this Wentworth woman so Caroline looked her in the eye.
"So...why you here again?" Caroline once more tried to get some info out of her.
After Gilcrest had left, Rebecca had started to work out in her head what she would do next. Thankfully, she had a nurse on the way to help look after Ruth, who was now bedridden due to the complexity of her injuries. The nurse would be a great help if Bridget were to have another fit like she did today.
The man was gone, that left this Wentworth woman so Caroline looked her in the eye.
"So...why you here again?" Caroline once more tried to get some info out of her.
Rebecca sighed. Considering what had just happened, she felt it a bit inappropriate to divulge as to the reason why she was here, but Miss Mundee seemed like someone who would keep persisting until she got an answer.
Glancing over to make sure Bridget was fine, she turned her attention back to Caroline, "I'm here because of request that was made by the late Mr. Crabbe. He left clear instructions in his will about Bridget in the event of his untimely demise."
Brendan gaped at Arabella as she took charge of the situation. "You mean she's done this before?" He eased Bridget's head down onto the pillow, keeping a hold on one of her hands.
Momentarily distracted by Gilcrest's words, he looked up at the older man and nodded. "Thanks, Gilcrest." The word thanks, although simple, expressed more than just thanks. Even though Granger and the rest of the hands at the Evergreen might still have it in for him, Gilcrest's testimony could mean the difference between life and death.
Once Gilcrest was gone, he turned his attention back to Bridget, lifting her hair off the back of her neck in hopes that would help her revive. Poor, sweet Bridget. What had brought on this fit? Would she be able to tell him when she woke up?
His head jerked around at Crabbe's name. The older woman talking to Caroline had said it, and something about a will. Leaving his place at Bridget's side, he stood slowly. "Did he...leave her enough to live on?" he interrupted, conscious that he knew nothing of wills and inheritance.
Rebecca looked at the young man. He seemed genuinely concerned about Bridget's welfare but she wasn't quite sure how far that extended and if it would after he heard what she had to say.
"My husband is going over the details now of Bridget's legacy," she answered. Realising that she hadn't been properly introduced to the man, which was understandable given the circumstances, she continued, "I'm Rebecca Wentworth."
Once again, she looked over to Bridget to see how she was faring. The poor thing still hadn't stirred much since her outburst. It would be impossible to move her until the doctor had assessed her. Hopefully, Dr. Danforth wasn't out on a call, the quicker he got here the better so that they could be taken to more comfortable and warmer surroundings.
Glancing at both Caroline and the young man, Rebecca took a deep breath. "Mr. Crabbe's will stipulated that Bridget will be indeed taken care of...by my husband and myself."
"Everybody can feather their nest, but it's not just anybody that can lay an egg!"
Brendan gaped at Arabella as she took charge of the situation. "You mean she's done this before?" He eased Bridget's head down onto the pillow, keeping a hold on one of her hands.
"Oh sure" replied Arabella matter-of-factly, pushing her way through and helping Brendan make Bridget comfy. She was a bit confused when Gilchrist was sent for a doctor but guessed these more grown up folk knew best.
"So, yer sure she's gonna be alright then?" Caroline hoped Ara knew what she was talking about. There were a whole lot of times when she didn't afterall.
"Oh yeah, I mean, this ain't the bad part, that's when she wakes up an' she's all groggy. Sometimes she barfs up..." she was kneeling close enough to the bed to turn and reach under it, pulling out the china potty to act as a sick bucket if needs be "... an' sometimes she gets pains in her ghost leg real bad and Lorenzo used to give her laudanum for that." she chirruped on in her usual breezy way.
Caroline and Mrs Wentworth were now talking about Bridget's future and Brenden's head jerked around at Crabbe's name. The older woman talking to Caroline had said it, and something about a will. Leaving his place at Bridget's side, he stood slowly. "Did he...leave her enough to live on?" he interrupted, conscious that he knew nothing of wills and inheritance.
Arabella looked up too.
"My husband is going over the details now of Bridget's legacy," she answered. Realising that she hadn't been properly introduced to the man, which was understandable given the circumstances, she continued, "I'm Rebecca Wentworth."
"Mrs Wentworth's real fancy, her husband's Mr Wentworth, the bank manager!" Arabella added helpfully, she didn't expect Brendan would know Mr Wentworth, him never having any money to put into the bank!
Glancing at both Caroline and the young man, Rebecca took a deep breath. "Mr. Crabbe's will stipulated that Bridget will be indeed taken care of...by my husband and myself."
Arabella gasped at this notion. "Lorenzo left you Bridget in his will?!" she goggled. "What'd he leave me, Charlie Fa?!!"
Caroline now got her answer.
"I'm here because of request that was made by the late Mr. Crabbe. He left clear instructions in his will about Bridget in the event of his untimely demise."
Well, this woman clearly wasn't a lawyer so.............. ?
Leaving his place at Bridget's side, Brendan stood slowly. "Did he...leave her enough to live on?" he interrupted.
"My husband is going over the details now of Bridget's legacy," the woman answered,"I'm Rebecca Wentworth."
"Mrs Wentworth's real fancy, her husband's Mr Wentworth, the bank manager!" Arabella added helpfully.
Glancing at both Caroline and the young man, Rebecca took a deep breath. "Mr. Crabbe's will stipulated that Bridget will be indeed taken care of...by my husband and myself."
Arabella gasped at this notion. "Lorenzo left you Bridget in his will?!" she goggled. "What'd he leave me, Charlie Fa?!!"
Caroline ignored Arabella (something she was quite used to doing given how the girl babbled) and faced Mrs.. Wentworth.
"Yer husband and you are gonna raise Bridget? You don't even know the girl. And as you can see she needs a lot of care and......patience."
Still it wasn't the worst idea in the world. Brendan couldn't do it. Caroline loved Bridget but she was a realist enough to know she would make for a shit mother. Least this family would have money to throw at the problem.
"Alright, I get it. I hope you don't plan on cutting her off from the people she already knows and is fond of? She'd get powerful lonely."
For a minute, Brendan was so stunned he couldn’t talk. He was almost as flabbergasted as Arabella. Crabbe had left Bridget in the care of strangers?
Luckily, Caroline was thinking more clearly. She started questioning Mrs. Wentworth about caring for Bridget. All her points were good ones, especially the one about cutting her off from the folks she already knew.
It didn’t sit right with him; his Bridget being with this family…even if they were bankers.
“Hold up!” He jumped onto the tail end of Caroline’s sentence. Scowling at Rebecca, he questioned, “How come Bridget goes to you? I’m gonna take care of her.”
His conversation with Caroline about finding a job was still fresh in his mind, but he wasn’t making the connection that he couldn’t take care of Bridget without a job. He didn’t see why this lady who Bridget barely knew should get her; when Bridget loved him.
Arabella gasped at this notion. "Lorenzo left you Bridget in his will?!" she goggled. "What'd he leave me, Charlie Fa?!!"
"Not exactly..."
"Yer husband and you are gonna raise Bridget? You don't even know the girl. And as you can see she needs a lot of care and......patience."
Rebecca nodded, "Yes, I understand that. I have already sent for a nurse to take care of another lady who currently living with us. Her duties will now also include looking after Bridget. So you need not worry...Bridget will get all the care and attention she needs."
"Alright, I get it. I hope you don't plan on cutting her off from the people she already knows and is fond of? She'd get powerful lonely."
"I have no intentions of cutting off anybody unless it is warranted."
“Hold up!” He jumped onto the tail end of Caroline’s sentence. Scowling at Rebecca, he questioned, “How come Bridget goes to you? I’m gonna take care of her.”
Looking at the young man, Rebecca sighed. It was clear that they all cared deeply for Bridget but the question was were they capable of taking care of her. The answer was probably no since Mr. Crabbe had appointed her and Charles as guardians. "As to why Bridget is coming with us, that is a legal matter, which would probably be better answered by Mr. Reeve or by my husband."
Whatever the real reasons as to why Bridget was now in her care, Rebecca knew that she would do her best to take care of her, even if it meant alienating some of the girl's friends. It was becoming clear that she needed help and putting her in a new environment would do that. With a little time, maybe Bridget would overcome some of her difficulties.