A Certain Threat (The Merriman Chronicles Book 1) by Roger Burnage Page A
Authors: Roger Burnage
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suffering.
The next to enter was his friend Robert, w ith a big smile on his face. “How is the wounded hero? Your father has been telling me of how you came to be hurt. A fine action I hear. I must go back to town now but there is someone else who wishes to see you.”
He opened the door to reveal the docto r’s daughter Helen. She moved towards Merriman, saying “I am pleased to see you looking so well Sir, I hope, no, I’m certain that you will be yourself in a day or two.”
“ Thank you Ma’am for your concern. I shall be about as soon as I can.”
“ Now,” said the doctor, “That’s enough for now. Mrs. Merriman Ma’am, I look to you to ensure that your son has complete rest and does not agitate his arm at all. I’ll call again in three day’s time but if you need me earlier pray do not hesitate to call for me.”
As he was left alone, Merriman was annoyed to realize that he felt as weak as a kitten but his good sense brought him to the realization that it would pass and hopefully he could look forward to using his arm and hand properly again.
As promised, the doctor ret urned, inspected Merriman’s arm and pronounced himself satisfied with its progress. “As you see James, The cut is healing nicely and I’ll be able to remove the stitches in another few days.”
“ Doctor, I’m surprised at the neatness of your stitches. I’ve seen many a wound sewn up by our navy surgeons but none of them was as good as this.”
“ Oh, didn’t you know. It was Helen who did it, not me. She is far more skilful with a needle than I am.”
Merriman was about to make some kind of remark about the unsui tability of such a thing for a young lady to do but he thought better of it.
“ The next thing I want you to do James, is to hold this small tightly bound ball of rags and try to squeeze it. You will find it difficult at first, but if you persevere you will find it easier each day. Keep the arm in the sling for a few days longer and practise with it as much as you can. It will strengthen the muscles of your arm and hand.”
It was difficult and Merriman often swore in frustration, but as the days passed he f ound that his grip was becoming stronger as the doctor had told him it would.
Chapter 9: Merriman reports to the Admiralty
Eventually, one morning at breakfast, one of the servants whispered in his ear that Owen had returned late the previous night and wanted to speak with him.
Owen looked tired and his clothes were dirty and torn but he had an air of satisfaction about him when Merriman met him. On seeing Merriman his face split into a broad smile, “I’ve done it Sir, I’ve done it, I’ve found out a lot.” Then his face fell, “But I ‘ad to kill a man Sir, in cold blood it were and I regret that, even though ‘e needed killing.”
“ Right then, wait there until I bring my Father in. Then you can tell us everything.”
When they were settled, Merriman indicated t o Owen that he should begin his tale.
“ Well Sir, I did as you suggested and pretended I’d run, I took to sleepin’ under ‘edges and stayin’ in the shadows in some of the taverns used by the fisherfolk and farm people. Most of ‘em looked at me suspicious like, but nobody spoke to me until one night a man approached me and bought me a drink. He was a Welshman, no doubt of that. He said ‘e could see I was a seafaring man and started asking questions, like who was I and what ships I’d served on. and such, ‘e seemed satisfied and told me to go back the next night as ‘e might find work for me, but ‘e wouldn’t say what.”
Owen went on to relate all that had happened.
“An interesting story, these smugglers are well organised I must say,” Captain Merriman said with some asperity, “They seem to have no fear of discovery.”
“ No Sir, and that’s not all,” continued Owen. “The same thing ‘appened for two nights more. I helped with more
The next to enter was his friend Robert, w ith a big smile on his face. “How is the wounded hero? Your father has been telling me of how you came to be hurt. A fine action I hear. I must go back to town now but there is someone else who wishes to see you.”
He opened the door to reveal the docto r’s daughter Helen. She moved towards Merriman, saying “I am pleased to see you looking so well Sir, I hope, no, I’m certain that you will be yourself in a day or two.”
“ Thank you Ma’am for your concern. I shall be about as soon as I can.”
“ Now,” said the doctor, “That’s enough for now. Mrs. Merriman Ma’am, I look to you to ensure that your son has complete rest and does not agitate his arm at all. I’ll call again in three day’s time but if you need me earlier pray do not hesitate to call for me.”
As he was left alone, Merriman was annoyed to realize that he felt as weak as a kitten but his good sense brought him to the realization that it would pass and hopefully he could look forward to using his arm and hand properly again.
As promised, the doctor ret urned, inspected Merriman’s arm and pronounced himself satisfied with its progress. “As you see James, The cut is healing nicely and I’ll be able to remove the stitches in another few days.”
“ Doctor, I’m surprised at the neatness of your stitches. I’ve seen many a wound sewn up by our navy surgeons but none of them was as good as this.”
“ Oh, didn’t you know. It was Helen who did it, not me. She is far more skilful with a needle than I am.”
Merriman was about to make some kind of remark about the unsui tability of such a thing for a young lady to do but he thought better of it.
“ The next thing I want you to do James, is to hold this small tightly bound ball of rags and try to squeeze it. You will find it difficult at first, but if you persevere you will find it easier each day. Keep the arm in the sling for a few days longer and practise with it as much as you can. It will strengthen the muscles of your arm and hand.”
It was difficult and Merriman often swore in frustration, but as the days passed he f ound that his grip was becoming stronger as the doctor had told him it would.
Chapter 9: Merriman reports to the Admiralty
Eventually, one morning at breakfast, one of the servants whispered in his ear that Owen had returned late the previous night and wanted to speak with him.
Owen looked tired and his clothes were dirty and torn but he had an air of satisfaction about him when Merriman met him. On seeing Merriman his face split into a broad smile, “I’ve done it Sir, I’ve done it, I’ve found out a lot.” Then his face fell, “But I ‘ad to kill a man Sir, in cold blood it were and I regret that, even though ‘e needed killing.”
“ Right then, wait there until I bring my Father in. Then you can tell us everything.”
When they were settled, Merriman indicated t o Owen that he should begin his tale.
“ Well Sir, I did as you suggested and pretended I’d run, I took to sleepin’ under ‘edges and stayin’ in the shadows in some of the taverns used by the fisherfolk and farm people. Most of ‘em looked at me suspicious like, but nobody spoke to me until one night a man approached me and bought me a drink. He was a Welshman, no doubt of that. He said ‘e could see I was a seafaring man and started asking questions, like who was I and what ships I’d served on. and such, ‘e seemed satisfied and told me to go back the next night as ‘e might find work for me, but ‘e wouldn’t say what.”
Owen went on to relate all that had happened.
“An interesting story, these smugglers are well organised I must say,” Captain Merriman said with some asperity, “They seem to have no fear of discovery.”
“ No Sir, and that’s not all,” continued Owen. “The same thing ‘appened for two nights more. I helped with more
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