‘That’s a really nasty break,’ Richard cursed. ‘Before I do anything else I’m going to have to realign the bone and strap it as best I can. Then we’ll have to see what we can do about the infection, but first the wound must be thoroughly cleaned with hot water. If he had come into the hospital like this I think I would have been tempted to amputate beneath the knee but here we don’t have the facilities.’

Monsieur pointed to a small sink and cooker at the end of the room telling them that they could get the water there and Holly quickly translated for Richard.

‘I am so sorry,’ he apologised. ‘I tend to speak my native tongue without theenking about it but I will try to remember to speak in English in future.’

Holly had already hurried away to boil a kettle and Richard now asked the monsieur, ‘Would you have any sheets that I could tear up and use as bandages? I shall need as many as you can spare.’

The man nodded and mounted the stairs, returning minutes later with three snow-white, if somewhat threadbare, sheets.

Richard quickly crossed to the sink and washed his hands thoroughly while Holly began to tear the sheets into strips.

‘Do you think you’ll be able to save him?’ she asked.

Richard sighed. ‘It’s hard to tell. I’m just praying we don’t end up having to amputate his leg. I only have the equipment I was able to bring in my bag. What we really need to do is get rid of that infection, if we can’t then I fear we’re in trouble.’

The kettle began to gently sing and after bringing a bowlful of water to him she asked, ‘What do you want me to do now?’

‘Get some chloroform out of my bag and soak a rag in it then hold it under his nose. What I’m going to do is going to hurt like hell so it’s best if he’s out of it.’

‘May I go now if you have no need of me?’ Monsieur Le’Fete asked and Richard nodded.

‘Of course.’

‘Please feel free to rest on the beds when you can,’ the monsieur told them. ‘And I will make sure that you have food and drink brought to you first thing in the morning. But please, if you hear anyone other than my family upstairs remain silent, even if you have to gag our friend here. Oh, and from now on please call me Pierre.’

He left them and as the trapdoor closed behind him and Holly heard the table and chairs being dragged back into position she suddenly realised how dangerous what she had agreed to do was and a finger of fear chased up her spine. Even so, she grit her teeth and held the chloroform-soaked rag beneath the airman’s nose. Now that she was here she would do everything she could to help Richard to save him.

Chapter Forty-Four

Even though the airman was heavily sedated he winced and writhed about as Richard set his leg as best he could. He then cleaned the wound thoroughly before binding it as tightly as he was able.