the ballroom as a clinic and a barracks in which to house the veterans.”
As they entered the house, she explained how they had moved the majority of the men from individual bedchambers to the ballroom in order to streamline their care and allow them the camaraderie they were used to experiencing in the military.
“Since you will now be living here and tending to the men fulltime, our local doctor has left their care and all medical decisions in your hands,” Dalinda revealed. “There is one case, a Mr. Pimmel, whose leg will probably need to be amputated.”
Dr. Robinson frowned. “And the local physician decided to allow me the privilege of making that decision and informing the patient of it?”
“Yes,” she admitted. “Mr. Pimmel is reluctant to lose the limb. The doctor was wishy-washy in making a determination. He said with your war experience that you would be better suited to arrive at a diagnosis for Pimmel.”
“I see I have my work cut out for me,” he said grimly.
“Mr. Marsh is our butler,” she said, indicating the servant who hovered nearby. “He will see that your things are placed in your rooms. We dine at seven each evening and hope you and Miss Robinson will join us.”
“We would be happy to, Your Grace,” Miss Robinson said.
Dalinda led them to the ballroom. Over the last few days, she had spent time with each of the men who had been brought to Sheffield Park. All were soldiers formerly under Rhys’ command with the exception of Mr. Garfield. He had transferred to the unit after Rhys had sold his commission and returned to England. General Shepherd had written to Rhys and said that Garfield was a special case and that he hoped being around men he was familiar with might help him to recover his equilibrium.
She doubted it. Both Garfield and Mr. Hayward suffered from battlefield fatigue. Rhys said that it went by various names with soldiers. Used up. Worn out. Dogged. He called Mr. Hayward hipped, which meant he was unable to focus and that the soldier often felt useless, tearing up and moping. Mr. Garfield was what Rhys termed blue-deviled. He, too, lacked the ability to concentrate that Mr. Hayward demonstrated, but Garfield’s case went further. He had a haunted look in his eyes, which could turn wild at times. Being around the former private had made Dalinda very uncomfortable.
Though she had the boys come with her when Rhys first introduced her to each individual, she had asked Morrison, who was now in charge and in the ballroom a majority of the day, to keep an eye out for Arthur and Harry whenever they came around. She had also told her sons that she preferred Mr. Morrison being there when they came to visit and that they should always have Mr. Selleck with them, as well. Neither had questioned her request, for which Dalinda was grateful. Mr. Selleck brought the boys by each morning after breakfast to tell the men hello and they stayed for half an hour or so before they left for their lessons.
They arrived and she motioned Morrison over, introducing him to the trio. In return, he pointed out each former soldier by name and told Dr. Robinson why they had come to be at Sheffield Park.
“Two new arrivals also showed up today, Your Grace.”
He indicated a man sitting in the corner, talking to another man she was unfamiliar with.
“The one with the missing arm is Davis,” Morrison revealed. “He was left-handed to begin with so he’s having to learn everything over with his right hand. Next to him is Brown.”
Dalinda didn’t observe anything physically wrong with Brown and asked, “What is his story?”
“He’s blind now, Your Grace. Had a head injury and forgot who he was for a few weeks. Brown asked that the cloth around his eyes be removed. He said he felt too boxed in with it about his head.”
“Amnesia,” Dr. Robinson said. “It can happen. He is fortunate to have regained his memory. Many soldiers never do.”
Morrison assessed the physician with a new eye. “You were on the front, Dr. Robinson?”
“I was.”
The two men spoke of places they had been stationed before returning to Brown’s case.
“He has stitches and some deep bruising,” Morrison said. “Other than that, it’s the blindness that has him feeling so helpless.”
“My mother was blind,” Miss Robinson said. “From birth. I especially would like to work with Mr. Brown,” she said softly.
Rhys joined them and explained how he planned to hire