He hesitated on the threshold, hating to leave the young woman with the body of her grandmother, yet there was nothing for it. “If you need anything, anything at all, send word for me.”
“Aye, sir.” Tears welled in her eyes, thick and shimmery. “God bless ye, sir.”
He dipped his head, then escaped outside. Shoring his back against the wall, he opened Mrs. Bap’s missive.
Doctor,
If ye’re reading this, it means I’m gone to glory, and don’t ye fret about it one little bit. Ye did all ye could to comfort me in my last days, and for that I am thankful. Keep yer eyes on God, my son, for surely He keeps His watchful eye upon you. And most importantly, never grow weary in yer well doing, for in due season shall ye reap, if ye faint not.
Until the day we meet again, Margaret Bap
And there it was. The answer he’d been seeking these past two sleepless nights. Though his heart was heavy over the passing of the dear old woman, his step was lighter as he pushed away from the wall and tucked the note into his pocket. As per Mrs. Bap’s request, he would not grow weary in well doing. In this, he would not fail her. Or God.
He upped his pace, setting his face towards the office. He’d gather what information he’d documented on all of Peckwood’s doings.
Then go straight to the constable.
Skitter bugs. No, scatter bugs. Whatever they were, they burned. They bit. They burrowed and nipped and made a big fat rat’s nest in his head. He was sure of it. Colin scratched behind his ear like a hound with a flea. Go away. Go. Away!
For one blessed moment, the tingling in his skull abated and he could breathe. Freely. Deeply. Unchained and unbound. Maybe he could actually smile when the kind lady came back into his room instead of growling at her.
Egads!
He bolted upright in bed. They were everywhere now. Crawling up his legs. Tunneling into the webbing between his toes. Scuttling. Buttling. A devilish torment. He roared and raked his nails along his calves.
Then froze.
The voices were back.
A woman’s. A man’s. What language this time? More often than not, though he tried, he could not understand. Not a word. But then sometimes…this time, perhaps?
He leaped from his bed. Bad idea. Everything swirled like leaves caught in an eddy of wind. Breathing hard, he teetered on one foot then the other until the walls quit spinning. More careful this time, he padded out from his room and stopped at the top of the stairs.
“You’ll not be taking him from this house.”The words marched up the steps, bristly and sharp as a cornered stoat. “Not under my watch.”
“Good lady, I assure you this request is to be expected.” A hedgehog this time, chuffing with angry puffs of air. “Though I owe you no explanation, surely you will understand Mr. Balfour requires a follow-up visit to my office after such a major surgery.”
“Mr. Lambert’s been attending him daily, and neither him nor my mistress has given me any leave to comply with your request.” The stoat again. He was sure of it.
The hedgehog huffed. “Produce your mistress at once, and I should be happy to clear it with Miss Balfour herself.”
“She is not at home.”
“When do you expect her?”
Snag it all! The biter bugs were back. Colin twisted to reach his shoulder blade and gave the creepy-crawlies a good swat, then he stumbled down a few stairs, having missed a portion of the stoat and hedgehog’s conversation.
“…cannot say how long it will take for her to retrieve Mr. Lambert.”
“Do you mean to tell me your mistress has gone to my office to request medical help?”
Colin grabbed the balustrade lest the hedgehog come tearing up the stairway and try to trip him up. They were sneaky devils. Always zigzagging about, scurrying in front of you when you least expected.
“Yes,” said the stoat. “But—”
“Stand aside, woman! Every minute we spend debating means one more minute of possible damage to Mr. Balfour’s mind. Do you wish to be responsible for that risk?”
The hedgehog appeared at the bottom of the stairs. Colin gripped the railing tighter. My! He was a big one. All round in the belly and pink of face.
