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.”“I think as Mary-Rose grows older,” Fiona said quietly, “she should have not one but several teachers.I know that many people in the Social world think that the education of women is unimportant, but my father, who was a very intelligent man, insisted that my sister, Rosemary, and I should have an extensive education equal to that of any son he might have had!”“That sounds very advanced, Miss Windham,” Lady Morag replied and Fiona suspected it was not particularly a compliment.They were joined by the gentlemen and, as the Duke took a seat next to Lady Morag, she said,“Miss Windham tells me, Aiden, that she expects to stay here indefinitely.I find that rather surprising.”“The length of Miss Windham’s stay is something I intend to discuss with her on another occasion,” the Duke answered.Because in a way it was a snub, Fiona saw the flush that came into Lady Morag’s cheeks and the manner in which she pressed her lips together.‘I must be careful,’ she thought, ‘I don’t want to antagonise anyone, least of all a woman!’She suddenly felt alone and rather helpless.There was something grim and menacing about the size of The Castle and the way it seemed in her own words, ‘like another world’.It was quite a relief to see the unmistakable admiration in the Earl’s eyes and to know that, because he sat as near to her as possible, he was eager to continue the conversation they had had at dinner.“I hope it will be possible one day for you to bring Mary-Rose to see my house,” he said.“I think she would be interested in my mother’s aviary, which holds a great number of rare birds.”“I am sure Mary-Rose would be fascinated to see it,” Fiona said enthusiastically.“The Duke was telling me before dinner how Rollo took to her.It certainly surprises me.I had always thought him a dangerous dog to be avoided.In fact I understand he bit one of the stable boys yesterday and he now has a bad hand.”“If it is inflamed,” Fiona said, “then I can do something about it.”“What do you mean by that?” the Earl enquired.“I have quite a knowledge of herbs which I learnt from my sister and because I have found them so useful in my own life, I have brought with me to The Castle quite a number which I have picked and dried.”“That is most interesting,” the Earl remarked.He turned to the Duke, who was talking to Lady Morag, and said,“Did you hear that, Aiden? Miss Windham has a knowledge of herbs and she says that for the wounds your ferocious animal inflicted yesterday on that wretched boy, she has something to heal them.”The Duke did not look particularly interested.“I have sent for the local physician,” he said.“Unfortunately he is away, but they expect him home the day after tomorrow.”Fiona gave a little cry.“You should not leave a dog bite for as long as that without treatment! It can be dangerous!”“I believe the boy is being looked after,” the Duke countered.“I assure you, unless there is somebody here who knows what he is doing, it would be easy for the boy to become seriously ill!” Fiona insisted.The Duke looked at her with what she knew was an expression of dislike and impatience.Then he rose from his chair and pulled at the bell that hung beside the chimney piece.Still standing, he waited until the door opened and a servant stood awaiting his instructions,“Fetch Mr.McKeith!” he ordered.The servant went from the room and the Duke seated himself again.“I have a horror of quackery of any sort,” he announced, not looking at Fiona as he spoke.“I agree with you,” she said coolly.“At the same time herbs have proved efficacious all through history and the art of using them is still known to country folk not only in England but all over the world.”Lady Morag laughed.“Of course, uneducated peasants in every country would know no better than to believe that the tongue of a toad or the hair of a cat would heal them when they have no proper sort of medicine.But then faith will move mountains!”The Duke laughed.“I am sure you are right there, Morag.”The door opened and Mr.McKeith came in.He had changed into evening dress and Fiona wondered if he ate alone, having obviously not been invited to dine with the Duke.“You wanted me, Your Grace?”“Yes, McKeith.I wish to know how the boy Rollo bit yesterday is faring.”“I regret to tell you, Your Grace, that his hand is swollen and he is running a slight fever.”There was a silence as Mr.McKeith finished speaking and Fiona glanced at the Duke expectantly.“Miss Windham imagines that she can help the boy with some herbs.I suppose they can do no harm until the physician can get here.”Mr.McKeith smiled.“Mary-Rose informed me, Your Grace, that because of the efficacy of Miss Windham’s herbs she was sometimes spoken of locally as a White Witch!”Lady Morag gave a scream.“A witch!” she exclaimed.“That is certainly something we don’t like to speak about here!”“I am certain that any witchcraft Miss Windham practises,” the Earl said, “will be very harmless, unless it concerns the heart.”It was obviously a compliment and Fiona smiled as she asserted,“I promise, Your Grace, if you will let me treat the boy, my herbs will certainly not harm him, but will take away his fever and prevent his hand from getting worse.”“Very well,” the Duke agreed in an uncompromising voice.“Mr.McKeith will carry out your instructions.”“Thank you.”Fiona rose and walked quickly towards Mr.McKeith.“Fortunately,” she said as they turned to leave the room, “I have brought quite a considerable amount of herbs with me.”“If you will fetch them,” Mr.McKeith said, “I will take them to the boy and get someone to apply them.”“I will do that myself.”Mr.McKeith looked surprised.“I am sure that is unnecessary.”“If I see him, I shall be able to judge better what is best for him.”“He is sleeping above the stables,” Mr.McKeith said, looking at Fiona’s elegant gown.“I will put a shawl over my shoulders, if you think he will be shocked at my not being completely covered.”She was smiling as she spoke because on their journey North they had discussed the puritanical attitude of the Scots about so many things and Mr.McKeith had told her how many of the older people were horrified at the thought of men and women going about ‘half-naked’.“I will wait for you in the hall,” Mr.McKeith said, as if he capitulated in regard to her determination to attend the boy herself.Fiona ran to her room.She had treated dog bites before and Rosemary had taught her that Hercules Wound-Wort, which the people in the village near The Manor called All Heal, was excellent for the bites of mad dogs and verminous beasts.Rollo was not mad, but, if his teeth had drawn blood, the wounds might easily turn septic and it sounded, since the boy had a fever, as if that had already happened.She had packed in her luggage a case that contained many packets of herbs and some lotions and elixirs that Rosemary had taught her to distil all through the year as the required herbs became available.Opening a case, Fiona found a packet of All Heal, which she wanted the boy to take and also one of borage, which would remove the fever.She decided that Alkenet, which was a common herb in Kent, would be best to apply to the wounds.She always kept a pot of it made into a cream so that she could use it on Mary-Rose if ever she fell and bruised herself
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