7th day, dawn. Surgeons

Before he could recieve an answer he saw the canvas stir at the entrance. A look of curiosity on his face turned to that of recognition. The later made, once the crop was replaced by a glimpse of a face and of uniform anouncing it's 'arrival' to be a lieutenant, a far too familiar lieutenant.

"Sir." He saluted.

He dreaded that the man might demand Bella to return to the regiment and perhaps his opportunity to have her back, would be less. Perhaps his presence would've found a better excuse for the wherabouts of the mare than if he were to speak and so he held his silence at least for now, his look just faintly downcast.

Bella Looked at the rider recognising him. Her ears twitched and she leaned to the side with her head as far as the rope permitted her, looking at the horse on which the youth was riding. She lifted her upper lip presenting the other horse with a full set of them teeth and then jerked her head up and down, making a low guttural sound.

Rob was unsure of authority. He had no wish to get in trouble himself, but saw no reason why the horse shouldn't be kept waiting for just a day or two, when there didn't seem to be any shortage of mounts. He figured there wouldn't be much of aproblem if he spoke, since no one else seemed to be.
Not to mention he was enjoying having a pupil again.

"T'horse is just followin here till this lad can put her ter better use again, and that'll be sooner rather than later, as nae doubt ye can make out."

He wondered whether some knowledge of the care the horse was currently receiving should be given, or the lack of any where else to put her told of, but that hadn't been the question, and he was loathe to get into confrontations he had no business to be in.

The surgeon seemed not to understand the point, and Waldegrave explained.

"There may be a need for all the mounts the battalion has, if it is to go into action. They are not intended to be kept as a personal pet by someone who is not ... fit to fight. How long will it be before the Private can ride?"

The lieutenant may have had a valid point but it did not make it any less something that the young Hussar did not wish to do. He looked towards the doctor, his face hidden from the lieutenant and looked near pleading at him. - Say soon, please say soon, Tomorrow. Or today, even today. - His eyes were saying.

Rob eyed the man sourly. Were they in battle currently? no. Therefore did they need Balle? no. And he was looking after them both, currently, and not giving them up just for some snotty nosed young lad in a bright uniform.
Especially not one standing outside his wagon, with just his head poked in.

He eyed the patient, begging for realease, and decided to move outside. "Ye'll forgive me if I step out ter ye, lad? I have nae wish ter be yelling t'length of t'wagon, or ter be discussing the health of a patient unless need be, certainly not where others coulda hear." There'd be fewer people to notice a conversation surrounded by moving people then in a covered wagon, which mayaswell have a sign hung about it asking for eavesdroppers.


(ooc- any one here read wheel of time? there was the quote, for you)

Waldegrave shrugged. "That was a simple question, with a simple answer, one day, two days, a week... I am not interested in the details of your patient - if he is your patient. He is not using the horse, so I shall return it to the horselines, where someone may make better use of it." He leaned forward to untie the tether.

"Sir!" The Hussar began turning sharp around to look at the lieutenant. Bella observed the man and shyed her head away from him then attempted a light nip at the hand that was closing in for where she was tied. She made a light neigh while her bottom moved more to the side so that instead of walking straight she had to sidestep a couple of times.

"I am...." He breathed in sharply.

Rob was getting angry now. There had been no suggestion that they have a real conversation, no suggestion that yelling this was anything but fine for this lad. Carefully he stood, strode the length of the wagon and stood, looking down at the lad who had one hand on the tether. He glared, over the rims of his glasses, down his nose, boring into the lads eyes.

"Ye'll be doing nae such thing, lad. T'horse is currently in use, and shall remain sae till t'patient thinks otherwise."

Inside, he berated the rules which allowed a mite like this to be in charge, one who thought a simple ankle injury could have someone laid up for a week. Especially one who was as keen to get going as willoughby.

He directed his voice behind him. "Nay, lad, Let me deal with yon rascal."

"The patient, sir, is a private, and you, sir, have no authority over the officers of the battalion. So neither of you has any right to retain this horse. If Private Willoughby requires one, for any reason, before he returns to his own regiment, then he can ask to be allocated a mount, which may or may not be allowed. At present, all mounts should be available to officers who are called upon to fight, not lie in wagons." Waldegrave twitched the halter free, pushing Bella's nose away as she tried to nip at him and then at Acorn. He reined back, away from the moving wagon.

Rob gave a quick glance at Willoughbys ankle, still bandaged. "Right, lad. ye can ride."

He jumped out of the wagon and stood right next to the other horse, holding firmly onto the mans leg, but tamping down on the impulse to break his leg. "There ain't nae rank in a Drs tent, sir, and none in his wagon, neither. As far as I'm concerned, a patient is my first responsibility, me only responsibility apart from t'one I hold ter God. As I currently understand it, yon Willoughby has been riding up and down t'lines at yer behest, doing as he is bid, and doing it well. He was injured outside his own control, a situation which worsened when attacked further by t'French."

He moderated his tone, checking his strengthening accent and stopping himself from pointing out that the horse wasn't lying in a wagon, but currently walking behind it. Or should be. "are ye trying ter tell me that officers, what spend all their days on horses, are finding themselves short, sir? I think ye will find that this lad has as much right to carry out his duty as any other man, and ye would be obstructing it, else."

He was hoping that Bellas increasing agitation wouldn't serve to push the man away. It was tempting to go and calm her, as much as he'd ever been able to, but he had no wish to rankle the lad any further.

Bella took a few steps after the lieutenant and then planted her hooves into the dirt and stood firm in place. She jerked her head back and took two steps in the opposite direction to the one she was to go. She might have not known what was going on and the surgeon startled her, but she knew him as the one that gave her hay and that seemed to calm the mare just in the slightest.

Willoughby looked distraught, but at the surgeons words about him able to ride, he looked ready to walk and take a swing onto her back right then. Respectfuly he remained mostly where he was, and only peered out through the flap to see what went on outside.

"You must make up your mind, Mr Sinclair. Either he is not fit for duty and rides in the wagon, or he is fit, and has merely been malingering, to avoid the dangers of the fight. Now, release me this instant."

Rob eyed the man coldly, "Perhaps it has excaped yer notice, sir, but I'm no in t'habit of asking men ter be talked about in t'middle of a line of people. Still less am I in t'habit of asking my patients ter be checked up on, a process which requires some care, unless I ken I have all t'tricks I need at hand." he looked around himself pointedly. "They are in me wagon, which do be where I was, till I came out ter talk to ye. Ter talk with me, a man must needs be in t'wagon."

He moved calmly round to bellas side, talking to her in a smooth, low tone, "So, ye do be seeing, it weren't anything ter do with him where he come, it do be due ter me own rules. Rules which, I think ye will find, serve throughout the forces. if ye will be so kind as ter unhand t'horse? Willoughby, would, I am sure, like to get on with his job."
Said horse was much less likely to bite rob than the odious mounted man glaring down at him, but was showing signs of the energy she had saved by not being ridden.

Willoughby was listening attentively, while his horse looked less prone to want to do just that. Though she stood most at peace and was not trying to have a chunk out of Sinclair, she looked restless and not a little bit irritated. She took a step back, which for a horse was a thing that they least liked doing and then a step to the front and slight to the side, which was not occupied by the rider.

She twitched her ears in the direction of the two men while her other listened more attentively to the sounds of the army near by. She flicked her tail, though there were no flies in need of swatting away, and flicked it again to the other side for good measure, then tilted her head again to look at the surgeon. She studied him a moment then glanced to the young man, officer on his horse. She had her head slightly sideways and as sometimes horses did, was snapping her lips twice at the other steed.

"I am taking the horse. Which is not your patient. Go back to Private Willoughby, Mr Sinclair, and calm him down. And stop agitating the mare." Waldegrave pulled Bella out of the line, and kept a firm grip on her halter, holding it as close to the bridle as possible. Acorn moved, nudging her round, and in turn, nudging Sinclair out of the way. "Good day to you, sir. I would get back on your wagon before it leaves you behind."

Three days with that damned Hussar and the horse was behaving like him. A horse which would not obey other riders had no place in the regiment. But it would no doubt remember its duty once it was back in its proper place. The impudence of the surgeon, and his patient!

Rob was angry now, not to mention disappointed. Impudence! high brow behaviour! cheek!
He wondered whether he should follow the lad or return to the wagon. if he tried to follow the horse, he'd be at a disadvantage of height, uniform and heat. however if he returned, without a horse, and followed looking for it later, she may have been relocated. But then again, he might be happier about the ankle, later.

Sighing, one look at the sky, and another at the disappearing uniform he turned to willoughby. "Shall we follow him?" He rationalised there was no point in getting the lad into trouble through some hot headed reaction.

"..sir.." Take anything from a horseman but not his horse. Even the loss of his sabre, the fact he was not armed had not hurt as much as seeing Bella be taken away by the lieutenant. He was barely able to keep himself quiet, barely struggled not to hop of the wagon, cost it what will.

But now he looked upset, angry and frustrated all at the same time and sad. "..sir, could you please .." He began and he kept his gaze cast downwards. "Say my ankle's allright, and permit me to report to lord Edrington... so that I may return riding..in hopes I have my horse, Bella, back."

Bella looked displeased to follow and had been stopping every so often and pulling at the hold as if trying to unsaddle the rider. She was showing her own character, which had been had even before she recieved the hussar as her rider and which might've been the reason why it was he who recieved her.

Rob sighed, and returned to the wagon lip regretfully. "if that'd be t'way ye wish ter take, lad, then that's what we'll do. D'ye wish ter accompany me, or what?"

Always there was a set proceedure, and always it seemed to waste more time than was needed, just to get the same result. But he guessed it was there for a reason, and when there was someone else at stake he'd follow it gladly, as he'd been told.

gently he clambered back in and clapped the lad on t'shoulder, keeping his hand there for a moment. "She's a strong lass, lad, ye'll see her just the same as ye always did, not changed a bit. She's smart, too, so'll ken there's naught ter forgive."
he stepped back. "So then. What am I ter do?" there wasn't a thought in his mind about his second patient, and nothing was done from his bunk to draw attention to him, which ws good for all concerned, indeed.

"I wish to return.. to serve sir. The officer thought that I was pretending on an injury,.. and else if he had not.. see, he has taken her just the same." It was the horse of a regiment, and he had known her for mere three days, but it was his second horse now he had 'lost' in such a short time and for a man who had joined the army under false pretences solely to be able to ride, it was a hard blow to loose the very creature.

"..I know she is strong and I do not fear for her being. She's a lusitano.. a portuguese horse, sir. Used in the past and some in the presentfor riders to fight bulls from horse back. So you may be sure she is not a lass that would come and be afraid or broken." But it was her temperament which was a particular kind, and her intelligence and just her being, that had the youth regret ever having injury on his ankle.

There was no thought of respect for the lieutenant even if he had done nothing but his job, his duty.No thought but a good fair amount of dislike, even hate for taking the mare from him.

"Please see to my ankle, mark it as well.. even if it's not fully. Sir. Just mark it as such. And let me find lord Edrington." Which was now to be on foot. His voice lacked all the energy and light that it had carried earlier, and so did his face and eyes which looked just sad.

Rob frowned but nodded. "I said ye were able ter ride, didn't I lad? I'll nae be going back on me word...but ye'll have ter come and see me a couple mroe times afore I strike ye off t'list completely."

He could see this could turn into a slow decline if he didn't do something about getting the horse back, but wasn't sure if that was the only reason he was trying. he had no idea where Edrington would be found, and had a sinking feeling that this great man would be busy enough to dismiss them with a 'sort if out yourself'. But he knew little about anyone, and was happy just to trot along behind, if needed.

"Well, lad." he pulled out a sheet of paper, the same ones that had been laboured over that morning. "Yer officially cleared fer duty...here'd a coat and Pellisse ye'll be wanting. And put yer boot on that ankle of yourn, too, but lace them both more loose. Will look less swollen, then."

He eyed the head in front of him. "d'ye need me ter come too? Ter hand over bits of paper or anything?"

He looked more grateful than the surgeon could ever have imagined. Even if this had been late in coming and Bella had already been taken just the permission and the thought aided the boy into a small smile.

"Could you sir, give me something.. just a little bit, so that I do not have myself limp the slightest." For it was pain that made people limp and if he did not feel it, then he could do quite well in presenting himself as a man able. He knew there might still be things he would hear from the lord about the rabbit hunt, but he did not care of it, if it only meant he was back in the proper saddle.

"Thank you sir." He spoke again and so he began to sit and pull his first boot on. The second he knew would ache, but he would bear it, and so did, tightening it proper enough as he was told. He dressed his dolman and buttoned it up. It took a while, though his fingers were quick in their work. The pelisse was still a bit moist, but he did have only to sling it over his shoulder and bind it by a white thick thread and as he did, he looked satisfied with it.

" I will not halt you in coming, but you are probably more needed here, with the patients if any come. It is to you sir, to decide. I'm a mere trooper after all."

He smiled faintly at that and steadied himself to stand.

rob turned away fro the smile, embarrassed. It was just what he'd been doing, taking care of a patient, all his life. no need to be getting emotional about it.
he took the opurtunity to pull out some bottles. "I can give ye plenty for t'pain, lad." he considered them breifly, pouring a little into a cup. "Drink up. this won't be hurting yer head at all, ye'll be able ter think as well as ever."
He gave a sudden grin as he took back the cup. "Mayhap ye'll be needing ter think better, but that won't be my fault, now."

He swept a criticaly eye up and down, squiting at the ankles, safe in their boots. "Aye, ye'll do. Spick and span, ye are." he fingered his own sleeves, rolled up again, and decided against coming. "Ye be right, lad. I should stay here and wake yon gentleman. He's been out fer a while now." he glanced at his own coat, "and there be no way I could add to t'splendour of your uniform by taggin along, to be sure. Speak plainly, and tell him ye're fit fer duty, now."

he walked to the lip of the wagon, ready to offer a handshake and a hand down, if either were wanted.

He took what he was offered, and smiled his thanks to the Surgeon. He hoped it wasn't too late, though he had no doubt that Waldegrave would understand it all in his own twisted way. But it wasn't for him to cry about spilled milk. What was done, was done and he would make full sure it would be undone. Or hope to attempt to.

He felt some of the pain but from a day ago it was as night and day. It might have been healthier that he stayed, but it would not do too much harm if he was to go either.

"Thank you for all sir, and I shall be returning to show you my ankle, and certainly shapp be taking good care of it now... Better, sir." He shook his hand with the doctor and then offered him a salute of respect.

It would be harder now to find his way towards lord Edrington, and have someone who knew where he'd gone. But first things first. He would ask, and then worry. "Best not to have your wagon run on you sir." He spoke warmly.

Rob shook the hand offered warmly and smiled at the salute. "ye worry yer head about getting young Bella back, lad, and let me worry about my patients."

And woe betide willoughby if he never came back. Rob would personally chase him all over the camp to check on his ankle again. After all, there was still a bandage on it.

Finally he returned, blinking in the dimmer interior and making his way back towards the bunk. Now to rouse the man and get him to sit through a medical, which judging from certain unsavoury comments he'd already had directed at him, wouldn't be pleasant for either of them. A man had a duty, though, and had to pass the time wondering about Bella somehow.

(ooc- and now I'm off. sorry. be back tonight or tomorrow. don't hurt that ankle any more than you have to, and good luck!)

(OOC - Willoughby went here: Reporting ter duty.
Thank you, and I certainly shant!.. or atleast try not to! Good luck in tending that hungover sir!)