The following afternoon, Cillian moved stiffly as he walked toward the barn. Yesterday, Hersk, the village apothecary, had been summoned to tend to his wounds. She applied poultices to his cuts and lacerations and given him a posset to help ease the pain. Pepys had explained to her that Cillian had fallen down in a large brush of nettles while working in the pasture.
She said nothing to him but Cillian watched her face while she worked. It was plain from her expression she did not believe Pepys. However, she did not press the issue and Pepys never left them alone for a second, so Cillian could not explain what actually happened. Hersk demanded he rest and even Pepys could not disobey her.
He spent the remainder of the day in his room in the attic resting even though chores needed to be c
