Nelly Greene made her way above stairs once again. Requested basin of cooler water temperatures was carefully carried along with several clean towels. Croaker noticed her burden upon her appearance in door way's framing and went to relieve her with all due haste.
"Thank you," she replied, her voice soft, her manners, so well practiced, still impeccable even at such a time.
Doctor's orders were simple and Nelly helped him remove Sterling's nightshirt, already drenched by fever's ravagings. Locks of hair that still loitered about pillow and bed sheets were brushed away, floating downward to floor beneath. Silken sleeves of robe were pushed upward before towel was taken and doused in cool liquid and placed with care about heated torso. Second quickly followed, though location moved upward to battered brow. Third remained fixed in delicate hand as Nelly bathed the captain's face and neck, as Croaker moved about the room throwing windows open to allow night's breeze to roam room's interior.
Eyes that had been closed now opened partially. Lids heavy with exhaustion remained semi propped as Sterling attempted to take note of what was now happening.
"I am ...tired," he whispered, the cool cloth hardly noticed. "So very, very tired."
"I have no doubt of such," Nelly remarked gently. "Surely no peace could be found in such a place from which you have come of late."
Heaviness of lids gained upper hand and soon eyes succumbed, only to open suddenly as if woken from a dream.
"I have made a muddle of my life. A wrong turn I have encountered some wheres past and I cannot seem to find my way back."
Nelly placed cloth once again into basin's contents, rung it out and brought it once again to captain's cheek.
"You must not concern yourself with such matters now," she said. "We have all lost our way at one point or another. You will find yours again, but for now you must heal and rest John. Do not trouble yourself over things that cannot be undone."