You Must Remember This

Chapter Five: A Marital Misunderstanding

"Husband?" Penelope repeated breathlessly, smiling widely now. So she was married to the tall man! "Oh, yes," she sighed. She liked that much better than being his sister.

"Quite a doting one he is. Seems to spend more time in this chair than anyone. Ain't never caught him anywhere else. Wish me own would follow suit. Last time I had a cold, he was down the tavern, toasting me good health, he claimed." She laughed.

"I confess, I don't remember much about myself or... or anyone. But I felt I knew him very well." She couldn't put her finger on it at the time, but seeing him had set her all aflutter, as if she should be nervous, yet there was also a sort of warmth there as well. "I mean, everyone is so familiar, but him..."

"Well, o' course they are. They're your in-laws. Ever so much nicer than me own, let me tell you." She tutted. "Poor dearie. Doctor Dorset did fear you might have a bit o' trouble rememberin' and the like. Said you got that knock right on your hippo... Oh, some fancy word. I can't remember. But I have seen it m'self, in one battle or another. Most seem to remember, bit by bit, and are right as rain, after a time."

She swallowed hard. "And what of those that don't?"

Mrs. Harris sighed. "Well, let's not dwell on that. You're just fortunate to have so many willin' to help you through no matter what." She pulled the covers away and scooped her from the bed.

"Goodness!" Penelope gripped her neck in a panic. "Surely, I'm too heavy for—"

"Now, don't you worry about that. I was a battle nurse, me. I've carried about men twice your size. You're just a little slip of thing to me. Now, let's get you a proper bath."

She hadn't looked at herself much, but she didn't feel like a little slip of a thing. But Mrs. Harris was awfully strong. Her husband looked strong as well. She'd noted his arms. His sleeves had only been rolled to the elbows, but even above that, he seemed barely contained. She hadn't wanted to dwell on them when she'd thought him her brother, but now it was quite a different matter.

Still, she put it from her head as Mrs. Harris assisted her in bathing. It did feel a bit strange and part of her wanted to send the woman from the room and insist she could see to herself, but she wasn't so certain that was true.

Besides, it was rather nice, the warm water, the fire, even the fussing. She wasn't sure why, but she felt that, even if she barely remembered her life before, this sort of care was something rare for her. It was nice to be clucked over and called "luv" and "dearie" and "duck."

By the time she was seated by the fire, Mrs. Harris gently combing through her hair to help it dry, she felt so very safe and warm. Even the... in-laws, she supposed, they all seemed to care so very much. She couldn't wait to know them all more precisely so she could thank them properly for looking after her.

"There we are." Mrs. Harris said when she'd settled her back in bed, freshly washed and dressed and brushed. "How do we feel now, luv?"

"I feel marvelous," she said, sighing, though that might be the lemonade with laudanum she'd been slowly sipping. Mrs. Harris said it had its uses, but not to have too much. It would give her awful nightmares. It did make her head feel a bit less achy. It made the rest of her feel sort of... floaty, every movement like a little swim.

She still felt a bit weak and she'd had to hold onto the woman's arm to make use of the chamber pot, but considering she'd been unable to sit up on her own an hour before, she felt strong indeed.

"I wouldn't go dancin' a jig just yet," Mrs. Harris warned. "But a bit more rest and some food... and who knows?"

Penelope was certainly not looking forward to any more rest, but she was quite eager to eat something — or at least her belly was. It had been loudly complaining since she'd woke. Mrs. Harris wanted her to wait a bit on that, but promised she might have some breakfast if the water and lemonade she'd sipped so far could be kept from reappearing.