What did Grandfather do while Matilda was recuperating?

After
carrying Matilda to the mansion on Bush Hill that has been turned into a hospital, Grandfather
rides to Matilda's house to let Lucille know that Mattie is in the hospital. He says, however,
that Lucille was not home when he arrived, and the house was "locked up tight as you
like." He then sends Lucille a letter at the Ludingtons at Gwynedd, where he assumes she
has gone.

Grandfather informs Matilda that five days have passed since she
was hit with her illness. She has spent all that time recuperating from yellow fever.

Grandfather exhibits his physical strength and resourcefulness in being able to carry
Matilda to Bush Hill to get help. It is lucky for her that his earlier illness was not yellow
fever, or they both might have died. However, a concern that remains is what has become of
Lucille. Grandfather makes assumptions about where she is, but he does not really
know.

Grandfather is not too happy at the current therapy of bloodletting and
purges as the preferred methods of fighting yellow fever. Mattie listens to him talk about
keeping knives away from people and worries that Dr. Kerr let too much of her mother's blood.
Mattie hopes she will not die as a result and that they can find her. But, as Grandfather
says,

Its quite a topsy turvy time were in, my
sweet.