Medicine and Manners #2 (10 page)

“Oh, yes. That kind of talk infuriated her father. They could argue for hours about such things.”

“Do you believe George Payne could be guilty of something that is, shall we say, sinister?”

Mrs. Fontaine frowned. “I don't know what you're getting at. George Payne is the last person in the world you would call sinister. He's a fine man. I should like to introduce you to him sometime. You'll find him every bit as agreeable as Judith.”

“I'm sure I would, Mrs. Fontaine. Forgive me for suggesting otherwise. I'm afraid I may have been influenced by those scurrilous rumors you mentioned.” She didn't want to upset Mrs. Fontaine by revealing what Judith had told her about her father.

“Understandable, I suppose, at least to some extent, but I caution you not to be taken in too easily.” She was silent for a moment, looking at Alexandra. “You look so distressed. This must be quite difficult for you.”

“It is, of course,” Alexandra said. “As I said, it's difficult for all of us.”

“But more so for you. Most of the townspeople look up to you, you know. You're one of our problem solvers. Now with Robert, excuse me, Constable Snow, gone and young Daniel dead, much falls on your shoulders.”

“It's true,” Alexandra said with a sigh. “I do wish Constable Snow would return. If ever we needed him, it's now.”

“I quite agree.” Mrs. Fontaine had a troubled look on her face, as if it were she who had taken the town's burdens on her own shoulders.

“Try not to worry, Mrs. Fontaine. Lord Dunsford has sought the help of Scotland Yard to find the constable.”

“Oh, dear!” Mrs. Fontaine said, as if the idea of Scotland Yard becoming involved alarmed her.

“So far, Lord Dunsford hasn't received a response,” Alexandra said. “Perhaps they deem it unimportant compared to all the crime they're dealing with in London. The next step would be to ask a magistrate to appoint someone to stand in for the constable until we locate him.”

“But if…Oh, I see you reaching for your bag. You don't have to leave so soon, do you?”

“I'd like to stay longer. There must be a great deal more you can tell me, but we'll have to make it a later time. I'm afraid I have too many patients to see today.” Alexandra didn't tell her that she also needed time to collect her thoughts. She needed to know if Judith had been lying to her about her father, or if it was Mrs. Fontaine who was lying. Or it could be that Mrs. Fontaine was simply confused. Confusion was not uncommon in the elderly, although Olive Fontaine had not shown signs of declining mental capacity. She seemed as fit as anyone twenty years her junior might be.

Alexandra tried to put the troublesome question to the back of her mind as she made her morning rounds. Her last patient was Charlotte Malcolm and her new son, both of whom were still in precarious health.

By the time she left the young mother and her baby, there was little time left before surgery hours would start, but she wanted to stop by Judith's cottage, as there was much to ask her. When Alexandra got to the house, however, no one answered the door. Zack wandered off and proceeded to dig a hole in the soft garden soil where Judith had just planted flowers.

Alexandra scolded him and called him to her side. He obeyed and sat at her feet. Once again Alexandra knocked and called Judith's name, but there was still no answer. She was about to leave when a woman in the next house over stepped out of her door.

“Looking for Miss Payne, are you, Dr. Gladstone? Well, you won't find 'er. Gone to Foulness, she has.”

“Zack!” Alexandra called, scolding him again, this time because he had hiked his leg against a beautiful, tall flowering plant.

“Left early this morning,” the woman said, although Alexandra was having a difficult time listening to her since Zack insisted on being so distracting. “Said she got a message from some bloke what came down from Foulness. A terrible tragedy. Yer dog is diggin', 'e is. Get away, dog!” She turned back to Alexandra. “Left me in charge of the garden. Don't know how long she'll be gone. Her father kilt himself. Poor Miss Payne. May take 'er some time to get everything settled, don't you know.”

“I suppose it's not so very long, but am I the only one who has noticed that ever since Daniel Poole died, there has been not another mysterious death in the parish?” Nancy asked nearly a week later. She was removing human tissue from a bottle of formaldehyde for Alexandra to examine under the microscope. They were both frustrated that, so far, they had found nothing to confirm their suspicion of poisoning.

“If you're saying Deputy Poole killed the others, it makes even less sense than blaming Constable Snow. After all, Deputy Poole is one of the victims,” Alexandra said as she took her seat in front of the microscope to examine the tissue.

“He could have died of another cause.”

“And there's the strange occurrence of the bloody apron…”

Nancy sighed. “I suppose I'm just trying to invent ways not to make the constable look guilty.”

“Finding the cause of Daniel Poole's death might help,” Alexandra said. “I only wish I could find that cause. There is something odd in the liver tissue, but I can't determine what.” Alexandra continued to study the specimen carefully and write notes on a pad next to the microscope as she worked.

After a few minutes, Nancy demanded her attention again. “Think about this: No one has seen the horseman since Daniel Poole's death.”

“Couldn't we say the same thing about Judith Payne?” Alexandra asked. “She's been gone several days as well.”

“She's been back almost two days.”

“Oh, then I must stop by and see her,” Alexandra said. She wasn't particularly surprised that Nancy knew about Judith's return. She was privy to most of the town's gossip, usually from patients who stopped by the surgery while Alexandra was making her rounds.

“Nell Stillwell told me,” Nancy said, as if to confirm Alexandra's thoughts.

“Nell's not ill, I hope.”

“Of course not. You know Nell.”

“Yes, I do indeed.” Ever since the Newton Press had stopped printing its weekly broadsheet a few years earlier, Nell had served as the main conveyer of news. It didn't seem to bother most villagers that her reports weren't always accurate.

“Poor girl's terribly upset, as one might imagine. Nell said Mrs. Fontaine has had Judith staying at her house. She believes Judith shouldn't be alone. Staying with Mrs. Fontaine and all those cats. Can you imagine?”

“I haven't seen Mrs. Fontaine since late last week,” Alexandra said, “much to my embarrassment. I try to see her at least every two days, but I'm afraid I've let myself become distracted with the specimens I've been studying. Nevertheless, even if I saw everyone in town daily, I doubt I could keep up to date on the gossip as well as you, Nancy.”

“ 'Tisn't necessarily gossip.” Nancy sounded defensive. 'Tis usually things you need to know.”

“I'm sure you're right,” Alexandra said as she slid her microscope back. The first patient was sure to arrive soon.

A frantic Charlotte Malcolm arrived with her baby, still only a few weeks old. They were brought in by an even more frantic Samuel, who carried the baby cradled in one arm while Charlotte leaned heavily on his other arm.

“He's turned bilious!” Charlotte cried in a feeble voice that was barely audible. She was still weak from her surgery, and as white as her baby was yellow. “He's dying!” she cried. “See how he's turning color. Like a dead person, he is. He's already part dead!”

“You shouldn't be out of bed,” Alexandra said. “And your baby is not dying. He's jaundiced.”

“He's what?” Samuel asked, looking every bit as frightened as his young wife.

“Plenty of babies get it,” Nancy said in an attempt to calm both of them. “Sometimes 'tis called yellow gum. Perhaps you've heard of that.”

Samuel shook his head, eyes wide with fright.

“Yellow gum! Babies die of yellow gum,” Charlotte said as Nancy led her to an examination table and put a stethoscope to her chest.

“Your baby is not going to die,” Alexandra said. “I'll give him a compound of rhubarb and potassia. He also needs sunshine. Now that the weather is warmer, you must take him outdoors wearing only his nappie so he can soak up as much sun as possible.”

“She can't do it,” Samuel said. “She's too weak to carry 'im.”

“Then you must do it for her,” Alexandra said. “Every day for at least an hour.” She turned to Charlotte. “Are you able to nurse the child?”

“Can't you see she can't do nothin'!” Samuel cried before his wife could answer. “She's dyin' same as the babe. Heart beats so fast it makes 'er faint.”

Nancy, with the stethoscope still in place, removed it and gave Alexandra a nod. “Palpitations,” she said. Before Alexandra could respond, Nancy had already turned around and reached for a compound of iron and quinine.

“Take the compound Nancy is getting for you three times a day,” Alexandra said. “You must eat more beef and mutton. Eat it every day. I'll have Nell Stillwell deliver it to you, and we'll find a wet nurse for the baby.”

“Wet nurse?” Samuel said. “Beef and mutton? How am I to pay for all of it?”

“You will find a way if you want your wife and child to live,” Alexandra said. She was used to helping patients work out means of payment. The wet nurse, she knew, would take payment in the form of vegetables from the garden, and Nell, at the butcher's, as disagreeable as she could be at times, would provide the meat with a deep cut into her profits, for a limited time at least.

As soon as surgery hours were over, Alexandra left her house for a walk to town with Zack at her side. She wanted to see Nell and Horace at the butcher shop to tell them about Charlotte's need.

“Since you're going, we could use a half-pound of bacon,” Nancy told her as she was leaving. Before she was more than a few steps along the lane that led to the road to the village, she heard Rob calling to her and turned to see him, along with Artie, running toward her.

“Walking to the village, are ye?” Rob asked.

“Yes,” she answered, enjoying the warmth of the spring day, “I have an errand in town.”

“Ain't good for ye to be goin' alone,” Artie said.

“Why would you say that?” Alexandra asked. “You know that I go all over the parish alone. Except for Zack, of course.”

“We best go along to protect ye,” Artie said.

“If you wish.” Alexandra smiled to herself at the thought of Artie, who was no more than four feet tall and weighed perhaps five stone, protecting her from anything.

“The little bugger…excuse me, what I mean is the boy is right, ye best not be goin' by yerself,” Rob said. “Even if ye's used to doin' it in the past, things is different now, what with all them people dyin' and all them people tryin' to get at ye when ye was carvin' up that bloke. And then there's that scary chap on the horse.”

Alexandra cringed at yet another description of her work, but she managed a smile nevertheless. “Very well, come along, I shall enjoy the company.”

When they reached the village, the streets were quiet, since the day was winding down and most people had gone home. At the butcher shop, she could see through the front window that Nell was inside behind the counter. By this time of day, Horace would be in the back, tending to the pigs and chickens they kept to butcher and sell to the public, along with the beef, mutton, fish, and oysters they relied on local farmers and fishermen to supply. The Stillwells didn't like the idea of dogs coming into the store, lest they try to gobble down the meat that was on display, so Alexandra instructed the boys to keep Zack outside, a distance from the door, so he wouldn't be tempted by the smell of a fresh raw meal.

“Well, if it ain't herself,” Nell said when she saw Alexandra. She was busy sawing a beef carcass as she spoke. “Don't see you in here all that often, now, do we? What with Nancy doin' the shoppin' all the time.” Nell had to turn her head slightly sideways, because she had only one good eye. The other one looked eggshell white and just as brittle—a result of failing to follow Alexandra's instructions to care for an infection a few years ago.

“You're right, of course, but Nancy did send me to purchase a half-pound of bacon,” Alexandra said, looking at the display of meat. None of it looked appetizing. She was not at all squeamish about the flesh and blood of a human body, but uncooked meat made her queasy.

“Bacon, of course. I'll carve it for you now,” Nell said, and disappeared into the back. She returned quickly with a slab white with fat and cut it into thick slices. She slapped it on the counter and pulled off a length of paper to wrap it. “Is there anything else?” she asked.

“As a matter of fact, there is,” Alexandra said. “There's something I want to discuss with you. It's about Charlotte Malcolm.”

“Might have known,” Nell said. “Needs meat to build up 'er blood, I'd guess.”

“You're right. She's quite weak.”

“And just as weak in the purse, I'm sure. So you wants me to give it to 'er at a discount.”

“As a matter of fact—”

“How are me and the husband supposed to live if we gives our meat away?”

“I understand your concern, but I'm not asking you to give it away.”

“Just cut into me profits,” Nell said, a scowl arranging itself across her face.

“Perhaps I can help,” Alexandra said. “If I provide the difference between your regular price and the discount you give Charlotte and Samuel, I should think that would put your mind at ease.”

Nell was silent, looking at Alexandra for several seconds. Her scowl crept deeper into the wrinkles on her face.

“In essence, I would be providing your customary profit for you,” Alexandra said when the pause seemed to have gone on too long.

“Ye got no business doin' that.”

Alexandra looked at Nell and frowned. “I don't understand your objection. All I'll be doing is making up the difference so you can still make your customary profit.”

“Ye got no business doin' that,” Nell said again. “I happens to know ye gives yer services for no charge plenty of times.”

Alexandra felt annoyed. She didn't like discussing the financial arrangements she made with her patients. “I suppose that's true, occasionally at least, but I can't afford to do it for everyone.”

“Ye thinks I don't know that?” Nell sounded cross. “Don't ye see, what I'm tryin' to tell ye is ye does yer part in this village. Don't want nobody sayin' I doesn't do me own part. If I let ye do that, word would get out, mind you. I know it would. People would say we ain't charitable, me and the mister. I knows they would say such. I knows how this town gossips.”

“I assure you I would keep it confidential,” Alexandra told her.

Nell's laugh was derisive. “Ha! You might not say a word, but people will find out. They has their ways, and I knows all about 'em. I'll give the two youngsters their meat at a discount. Don't want nobody callin' me a pinchpenny. Don't want nobody sayin' I can't afford it, either!”

“Thank you, Nell. You're quite generous. I'm sure everyone knows that,” Alexandra said, feeling a mixture of self-satisfaction and guilt. She had known Nell would relent, and she'd known exactly how to bring her to it.

“If they doesn't know it, they's fools. Ye've no idea how much I gives away.” Nell took a breath, as if she was afraid she'd said too much. “Now, don't go spreadin' that fact around Newton-upon-Sea. Won't do to have everybody expectin' a handout.”

“Certainly not,” Alexandra said.

“Never know what to expect in this parish.” Nell wiped her hands on her apron, leaving a greasy streak as a result of cutting off the side of bacon. The grease mingled with the blood from the beef carcass. “Everybody's gone crazy.”

“I wasn't aware of that, Nell.”

Nell gave her a suspicious look. “There was a mob running through town recently. Don't know what that was all about.”

Alexandra was sure Nell did know, since she seemed to know everything, but she wouldn't take the bait.

“Even you has heard of the ghost knight people sees, not to mention them men dyin',” Nell said. “Three deaths. No coincidence if ye asks me. The Freemasons got all them secret chambers in that temple where they does them ritals as they calls 'em.”

“You mean rituals.”

“Whatever they calls 'em, they's up to no good. Otherwise nothin' would be a secret. Heard they even worships a secret god. Not the Christian God, mind ye.”

Alexandra started to speak, but Nell interrupted her. “I knows a bit about what goes on in this town, and I say somebody killed all three for that treasure.”

“Treasure?”

“ 'Tis hard to believe you don't know. Been the talk around here since I was a tyke. The money in the temple, of course. Buried under the floor, they say.”

“Oh, that,” Alexandra said. “Yes, I've heard that story. I suppose every child in Newton-upon-Sea has heard it. It's rather like Father Christmas. Or I suppose a better example would be that it's more like that legend of a ghostly woman who rises up from the sea to snatch children who misbehave.”

“Ye got it wrong, Dr. Gladstone. 'Tis no legend. 'Tis a true story. Treasure is there, but nobody will ever find it. Them old Templar Knights put a curse on it, and them Freemasons is bound by the curse.”

“Perhaps I remember hearing that.”

“But ye don't believe it, does ye? I can tell ye don't by that look on yer face. Just as well ye don't believe, though. Look where it got the three blokes what did believe it.” She shoved the wrapped bacon toward Alexandra. “Tell Nancy I give her the best I have.”

“I'll do that, Nell. Thank you. Not just for the best of your bacon, but for what you're doing for the Malcolms. And don't worry. I don't think it will take long to get Charlotte back to normal.”