I wished Ethan well in his recovery and thanked his mother for speaking with me. What I had learned about the surgery he received was fascinating. What might that mean for others badly injured?
“I would like to help them,” I told Mr. Brimley as we left.
“The rent is most important now. Mr. Brodie already took care of that for the month. But next month…”
It wasn’t the first time Brodie had intervened on behalf of some family in the East End.
“I’ll see that you have the money for next month when you return to see to Ethan, and for your care of him as well.”
We walked the short distance to the main thoroughfare where we were eventually able to find a driver.
“It’s but a drop in abucket, miss, for them that live in these places,” he said as we returned to his shop.
“A very largebucket,” I replied, it being obvious with so much poverty in the East End. “And yet you stay, when you might be able to set up your shop in another part of London and make a decent living.”
“And you might refuse to take inquiry cases for those such as the good doctor who only wanted to help those like Ethan.”
“What is to be done?” I then asked. But I knew— changes. There were changes taking place, as I had told Sir James. However, it was painfully slow, and seemed almost impossible at times.
“I’ll take fresh bandages and a box of food to Ethan and his mother, and the girls. And I suspect that you will find the murderer who killed the good doctor.”
I thought a great deal about what I had learned in my visit with Ethan and his mother.
It was apparent from what she told us that Brodie might very well not be aware of the man she had seen— a man dressed in a long coat with a scarf, his hat worn low that didn’t quite conceal heavy bandages about his face. Another injury that the doctor had helped the man with?
After seeing Mr. Brimley back to his shop, I then had the driver take me to the office on the Strand.
It was very nearly evening, fog wrapping around lamp posts as the rain set in when I arrived. There was a light in the window of the office at the second-floor landing.
“Mr. Brodie returned some time ago,” Mr. Cavendish greeted me.
Rupert appeared, promptly sat at my feet, and nudged my hand. I had been somewhat remiss recently in bringing him some of Mrs. Ryan’s sponge cakes or scones.
“There was a bloke ’round earlier, tall, like any working man in this part of London. But there was somethin’ about ’im, the way he carried himself. Didn’t seem right,” he continued. “And he seemed most interested in the office, kept lookin’ this way. The hound set up quite a ruckus.
“I mentioned it to Mr. Brodie. Thought he should know, with you bein’ here by yerself from time to time.”
What might that mean, I thought. Merely one of the people on the street? Someone looking for work or possibly a handout? Or, perhaps someone Brodie had spoken with, one of his “sources?”
I thanked him and headed for the stairs.
Brodie looked up from the desk as I entered the office. There was that frown, and I fully expected a comment about being out “alone” again, which I had not. At least not the entire afternoon.
I removed my neck scarf and coat.
“Miss Lenore called round to let ye know that Lily arrived safely back at Sussex Square after yer visit to the museum.” He set the pen down rather sharply and I sensed the question that came next.
“Several hours ago.”
After calling on Ethan and his mother, I was not of a mind to hear his usual objections about taking myself off alone. It was one of those things that needed a conversation between us.
I had been “taking myself off,” as he put it for some time in my travels, however I supposed that Brodie had a point— a point my sister had also made a few weeks earlier when I hadcasually mentioned that he seemed somewhat adamant about my “independent nature” as he put it.
“He’s only concerned for your welfare,”Linnie had explained.“Quite understandable under the circumstances, there is now the two of you.”
The circumstances being our inquiry cases that had admittedly been somewhat dangerous from time to time, and the recent change in our relationship that I was adjusting to.
“I would think that you might appreciate that, someone who cares deeply for you,”she had continued. “I never had that, at least not before. You must learn to compromise.”
