Page 73 of Molly Boys

“Somethin’ to eat?” Jack said hopefully.

“Come in, Henry.” Ev turned to his faithful servant with a small smile.

Henry crossed the room to present a tray carrying a large bowl of broth and a cup of tea. Jack’s stomach let out a loud gurgle at the scent wafting from the bowl as Henry neared the bed.

“I’m going to sit you up but it might cause you some pain.” Ev rose and leaned over the bed, sliding his arms carefully under the boy. “You have some broken bones.”

Jack didn’t make a sound as Ev lifted him, but he could tell by the tension in the boy’s body just how badly the child hurt. The boy weighed next to nothing. He propped some more pillows behind him and settled him back into a seated position.

“Alright?”

“Yes,” Jack replied in a strained whisper.

“This is Henry,” Ev introduced the other man as he laid the tray on the edge of the bed.

“Hello, Jack,” he said so the boy could hear his voice.

“Henry is going to be in charge of you, so you mind what he tells you.” Ev reached for the tray. “It’s alright, Henry, I’ll do it.”

If Henry was surprised at Ev’s insistence that he feed the boy himself even after he’d placed the boy in Henry’s care, he didn’t show it. He simply stepped back and watched as Ev scooped up a spoonful and blew on it gently.

“Open your mouth, Jack, it’s just a little broth,” he instructed and the boy did as he was told.

The boy drank up each spoonful greedily as if he were starving, which Ev was forced to admit he probably was.

“It might be easier if we served him the broth in a cup and let him drink it,” Henry mused. “The doctor said to keep him on soup and broth for the next day. If he keeps that down, we can give him buttered bread. His stomach isn’t used to rich foods so we need to build him up to full meals or he’ll be sick.”

Ev looked up and nodded. “Follow whatever instructions the doctor gave you.”

Once the bowl was empty, Ev lifted the cup of tea to the boy’s lips and let him drink. Jack took a gulp and pulled back.

“What’s that?”

“It’s tea,” Ev replied.

“That ain’t tea,” Jack argued.

“Isn’t tea,” Ev corrected him. “We might as well start working on your vocabulary, and yes, I can assure you it most definitely is tea.”

“It don’t taste like tea.”

“Doesn’t,” he murmured absently. “This is tea with milk and sugar.” When the boy didn’t respond, his eyes narrowed thoughtfully. “Have you ever had milk or sugar?”

The boy shook his head and winced in pain.

“Do you like it?” Ev asked.

“It’s good,” he replied, followed by a yawn.

“Well, drink up before it gets cold.” Ev held the cup back to his lips. “Then you need more sleep.”

As the boy drank slowly, Henry picked up the tray and waited. Once the cup was drained, Ev placed it on the tray.

“I’ll bring him some more in a few hours after he’s rested, my lord,” Henry told Ev quietly. “The quicker we can build him up and get some meat on his bones, the quicker he will heal.”

Ev nodded. “Thank you, Henry.” Once the man had left the room, clicking the door closed behind him, Ev turned back to Jack, who was yawning again. “Sleep, boy. It will help you heal.”

“Lord Stanley?”