The Princess and the Pauper (Arabella) novel Chapter 1897

Serena had a sinking feeling in her gut, "My leg, it's not going to heal properly, is it? Right at the knee? I need to see."

"Don't look." Martin's voice was laced with compassion, "There's nothing to see right now, it's all bandaged up."

Tears streamed down Serena's cheeks as she fumbled with the blanket, her clumsy hands struggling to do what once was second nature – hitching up her pant leg.

She was frantic and furious.

"Let me help." Martin eventually said, slowly and reluctantly rolling up her pant legs to her knees.

Both knees were wrapped in white bandages, obscuring any detail, but Serena could feel the stiffness in her legs, especially the left one encased in plaster. What in the world had happened?

"My leg." Serena lifted her tearful eyes to Martin, "Is it injured?"

She remembered the moment she knelt in broken glass, repeatedly bowing her head in plea to Louisa.

Tiny shards of glass had embedded themselves deep into her knees.

The damage was done.

But what about her left leg? Why the plaster?

Martin's eyes reddened, "You just can't walk for now."

"What do you mean I can't walk?"

"The glass in your knee was deep, it reached the bone." Martin spoke with difficulty, "When you were crawling on the ground, the glass dug even deeper into your flesh. They've removed it through surgery, but you'll need a wheelchair for now."

Serena felt like she'd been struck by lightning.