“I thought you modern doctors frowned at herbal folk medicine,” James said with a quirk of his lips.
Dr. Nowlton acknowledged his statement. “But not all do,” he continued. “There is much we can learn from the traditional remedies. What I am interested in learning is why they work. From that information, we may formulate more powerful and better medicines,” he told James. He looked at Cecilia. “I would suggest you continue to drink that tisane at least once per day so long as you have any vestige of a cough. You might also consider adding honey for its medicinal properties—after the beverage has cooled a bit. If the liquid is too hot when you add the honey, you lose the medicinal benefits from the honey. But let’s look at you now. Sir James, would you be so kind as to call Lady Branstoke’s maid?”
“She is not here. She has traveled ahead. I’ll get Mrs. Dunstan, our housekeeper,” James told him.
“Splendid,” Dr. Nowlton said as James left the room to send someone to search out the housekeeper.
“Dr. Nowlton, our plan is to travel to Stamford to see if we can determine why the Earl of Soothcoor has been arrested for the murder of a man who was a patient at the Camden House Sanatorium,” Cecilia said.
“Saw the news of that in the paper this morning. Unbelievable!”
“Today?” Cecilia exclaimed. “We hadn’t thought it had made it into the news sources yet.”
“I regret then to tell you, it has.”
“It is unbelievable to us who know the earl. Do you know anything about this Camden House Sanatorium where the murder occurred?” she asked.
“I have never visited that facility. I do know its owner and director, Dr. Worcham, has an excellent reputation. It is not a facility for those who might be considered criminally mad orsuffer dementia. From an article I read about the sanatorium a year or so ago, Dr. Worcham believes more people can be cured with peace and kindness than with harsh purges and other treatments practiced by some doctors.”
“That is reassuring to know,” Cecilia said as James slipped back into the room.
“Most of his patients suffer from migraines and nervous anxiety,” Dr. Nowlton explained. “Not suffering severe mental issues, nonetheless requiring care for a time.”
“I wonder why he accepted Mr. Montgomery as a patient?” Cecilia mused.
“And why he should be a party to his false death?” James commented archly.
“Yes,” his wife agreed.
“Excuse me, I don’t understand,” interjected Dr. Nowton, looking from James to his wife and back.
“Oh, forgive us, Dr. Nowlton. Ah, here is Mrs. Dunstan now. After your examination of my wife, we can discuss the situation at Camden House and the illness that brought Mr. Montgomery to that facility.”
“You do have me curious,” the doctor said.
“I shall wait for you in the library. A word of warning,” James said, looking down at Cecilia, “do not let my lovely wife try to talk you into approving this journey without an examination. I am trusting you to deliver an honest medical opinion.”
“Humph! As if I would,” protested Cecilia.
James raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her.
“Well, maybe a little,” she amended with a grin.
“Precisely.” He kissed the crown of her head.
James heldout a glass of ale for Dr. Nowlton when he joined him in the library twenty minutes later.
“I want to thank you again for coming on such short notice,” he said.
Dr. Nowlton shrugged as he accepted the glass. “My family is away at the moment, and I’m not due at Mrs. Southerland’s until this afternoon.”
“Soothcoor pulled you into tending his charity house?” James asked.
“No, my sister did. There is a woman near her time who could have a breach birth. I promised my sister I would stay in town until after the birth of the baby. Afterward, I’ll be going to the Cotswolds where my brother has a property. The area is without a surgeon or physician. I may settle there. I think it might prove to be a good place for me to pursue my further studies.”
“Further studies?”
“Yes. As you noted, surgeons and physicians have not been interested in country medicines. I am interested. Especially in the work of the apothecaries. There is a well-known apothecary in the area that I wish to interview and see if we might work together.”
