"A little, here in t' back," Anne gave up at last, with a weak voice. She didn't want to upset Mrs. Blacke. She listed her head a little and brought her hand up to indicate the place place where it hurt.

"It's not serious, is it doctor?" Lottie asked. Ben Ward already blamed her for meddling in his family. What would he say if she had a hand in the death of another of his children?

Tristan helped the girl sit up a little so he could inspect the back of her head. No breaking of the skin. Merely a bump. "The fainting itself? Probably not. It might be overexcitement from the events of the day. We'll focus on that in a moment. It doesn't seem like the head injury is severe. Sit up now, child, it's quite safe." He turned to Mrs. Blacke. "If she seems confused at any point in the next 24 hours, starts vomiting, or her head starts hurting badly, come and get me. It would be good to wake her up tonight, a few hours after she's gone to sleep, to make sure everything is alright, if you want to be on the safe side." He turned to the girl in the doorway. "A clean cloth, soaked in cold water might reduce the bump."

Kate nodded, took a clean towel from one of the cupboards and went outside to hold it under the pump.

Tristan turned back to Mrs. Blacke. "Has this happened before?"

Lottie shrugged. Anne was not her child; Anne did not live under her roof. She had no way to know her current state. Lottie knew the girl was surrounded by men and boys who neither knew nor cared about the affairs of women. She was probably drowning in a sea of body odour, nose picking, and fish guts.

"I don't know, sorry. Anne?"

"Only dizzy spells. I haven't fainted before," the girl said in a timid voice.

Tristan nodded. "That's a good sign. Let me check a few things, just to make sure it's nothing to worry about."

Kate returned with the wet cloth to cool her friend's head. Tristan meanwhile, had Anne moved to a chair, checked her pulse, her blood pressure, and listened to her heart and lungs. He asked her some questions about her menstrual cycle, which Anne answered almost inaudibly while her face burned like a beacon. Finally, Tristan asked Kate to take Anne to the front room so that she could sit more comfortably.

When the girls had exited the room, the doctor turned to Lottie. "Are you the girl's guardian, Mrs. Blacke?"

Lottie considered the doctor's question. Her lack of education was showing. Guard-e-an, was that like a mother? Oh how she wished she could say yes she was her daughter. With Hannah gone and Ben detained, there was no one left to speak for Anne. It was better to ask forgiveness than permission. "I am."

"I am relieved to hear it," Tristan confessed. It was a relief indeed that the timid, vulnerable looking girl was not in the care of the brutish fisherman he had seen punching a man earlier that day - a very punchable man, one had to grant, but it had still been more violence than Tristan had wanted to witness, and it had made him worried about the man's children. No wonder Alice had ended up the way she had.

"I believe the fainting today was the result of anemia and emotional distress. I'm sorry to say that I was there at the harbour today when the girl's father was arrested. She witnessed more violence and confusion than any child should be exposed to. It's important that she rests in the coming days, not just physically, but also emotionally, especially emotionally. She must avoid things that might upset her. But she should keep busy with non-taxing activities - light chores, non-taxing games, a walk, so long as she doesn't get dizzy. I will send you some pills that will help in the production of blood. That should reduce her dizzy spells.”

Lottie recoiled slightly at the doctor's recounting. His tale was exactly why this girl should her charge full time. The doctor seemed validating her feelings on this matter, which was nice.

His advice was clear and simple. Lottie would follow it. Anne was hers, if only for a little while. Any man that stood against her on this, they would feel the wrath of her anger and the hardness of her rolling pin.

"I understand, Doctor. Thank ye."

Tristan began to put his things back into his bag. "There is one more thing. There appears to be something in her lungs. Possibly water, from her dip into the harbour today. Possibly she's recovering from a cold and its nothing to worry about. But if she starts experiencing shortness of breath, coughs up blood, or develops a fever, I should like to see her again." He looked up at the weary looking Mrs. Blacke. She herself could use some rest. "Nothing to worry about for now," he added quickly.

There was a momentary flicker of confusion on her face. The medical man suggested there might be even more wrong with Anne. Poor thing. Yet, as soon as it was mentioned the observation was brushed aside. He was a medical man with years of schooling; surely he knew what he was talking about. By contrast, Lottie merely had a mother's intuition.

"I'll keep a close watch on 'er, Doctor."