Beldren lost count of the days. A slave brought them water now and then, but no food. Though he told Mabel that Patrick might die, he couldn't get medical aid for him past the bloodletting. He knew from the medical journals he'd been force-fed that many physicians swore by the method, only it didn't seem to help. Patrick's face oozed puss and maggots. Initially he replied when spoken to but, after what was surely a couple of days, he stopped responding.

The sisters came and ...