For a moment, he was transported back to the Highlands, far away from the pungent city scents and wet brick buildings that surrounded him.
Shaking his head, he leaned out the office doorway.
“Mr. Williams? Right this way.”
Chapter Six
Grace waited afull minute after Dr. Hall had left the office before she quickly donned her cape and gloves. Virgil, however, was taking his time, putting away the last bits of dry herbs that had been out for weighing to distribute to the last patient, the elderly Mrs. Champs, who had come to get a pain reliever for her daughter, who was currently pregnant.
“Hurry,” Grace said, leaning against the front window as she tried to spy the last of Dr. Hall before he turned the corner at the end of the street. “I can’t see him anymore.”
“Are you sure this is a good idea, my lady?” Virgil asked as he reached behind him, placing the small, white and blue porcelain jar on the second shelf behind him. “Dr. Hall didn’t seem too keen on the idea of you seeing, well, whatever it is he plans on doing with poor Mr. Flannery.”
Grace glanced over her shoulder. She knew it was wrong to have asked Virgil for his help, particularly because it went against his employer, but Dr. Hall was being unreasonable. If there was a chance for her to learn something, particularly about the human body and its demise, well, wasn’t that the exact reason she had come to Glasgow in the first place? Surely, she should be able to, at the very least, see what an autopsy might look like. And who knows? She might even be helpful. If Mr. Flannery had been poisoned, it was likely with some sort of herb or plant and she had spent the last year gathering and learning about—every leaf, stem, and root in the country, as well as thesigns that came along when said plants were consumed. Really, Dr. Hall was being shortsighted. She could help.
“If you’ve changed your mind, I understand.” She tied the ribbons beneath her chin tightly. “Then I shall go alone.”
“No! My lady, please,” Virgil said, hobbling toward her as he reached for his coat hanging on the wooden coat rack. “Dr. Hall would never forgive me if he learned that I knew you meant to follow him without an escort.”
“I am not so fragile as Dr. Hall believes.”
“Still, I cannot allow you to travel alone.”
She smiled at the young man, who puffed out his chest at his last statement. It was sweet of him to want to protect her, but with a damaged leg, Grace doubted he’d be able to do much. Still, she appreciated his concern.
“Very well. But we must make haste. I don’t wish to lose sight of him.”
“Fear not. I’ve been to Andersen University a dozen times.”
“Have you?”
Virgil nodded as they exited the building. He locked the door behind them before turning around to face the late afternoon crowd. Men and women hurried home from work or the markets, trying to beat the setting sun as homes around the city began to stoke the kitchen fires for supper. Grace was certainly aware of the drop in temperature now that the days were becoming shorter. Thankfully, she had her aunt’s own punch carriage that had been loaned to her and her alone for her time in Glasgow. Aunt Belle and Arabella would take the proper carriage around town while Grace was studying with Dr. Hall, and she had been loaned the smaller, three-walled punch coach, that was open in the front, separated by a bench where a driver sat. It wouldn’t be practical when proper winter settled in, but for now, it was perfect and allotted Grace a fair amount of independence.
“Er, my lady—”
“My name is Grace, Virgil. I insist you use it.”
The young man’s pale cheeks turned bright red.
“Oh no, my lady. I couldn’t.”
“Well, I’m not going to answer to my lady anymore. So, you must call me something else.”
It might be forward or unfair to insist upon, but if Grace was ever going to be seen as someone other than an earl’s daughter or Lady Belle’s niece, well, she needed to put her foot down.
“Er, perhaps I can call you Dr. Sharpe?” he offered, causing Grace’s cheeks to warm in turn.
“Well, I’m not quite a doctor yet.”
“Then, I shall call you Dr. Grace. As it’s not quite correct, but not so informal. Agreed?”
She grinned.
“Very well. Now let’s go.”
Grace climbed into the carriage and sat, as she watched Virgil climb in without much issue and with a few words to the driver, they were off, riding down the road in the same direction Dr. Hall went.
“The university isn’t too far. Really, it can be managed with a walk, but this will get us there faster.”
