“Surgeries?” Grace said, unable to keep the excitement out of her tone as they walked across the street to reach the building. “What sort of surgeries?”
“Well, there was this one, particularly gruesome one he was telling me about, involving a bread toaster that—”
“Virgil?” A man’s voice sounded from their left as they reached the sidewalk. They both turned to see recognition flood the doctor’s face. His nostrils flared. “Sharpe.”
“Oh, bloody hell,” Virgil said beneath his breath before taking a step in front of Grace, as if to protect her from Dr. Hall’s visible wrath. “Now, see here, she was trying to come here alone.”
“I should fire you,” Dr. Hall said, his voice deep and furious as he came to stand before them as passersby hurried by, giving them curious stares. “The both of you.”
“No, sir, you can’t.”
Grace moved around Virgil with her chin up.
“Do not be angry with him; it was my idea. And as I technically do not work for you, Dr. Hall, I think I should be allowed—”
“Do you have any idea where you are?” he snapped, causing her to shut her mouth. “How dangerous it is to go wandering about a city you’ve no business being in? A city you’ve never even been in before.”
“I’m not going to get to know it cooped up in drawing rooms and offices, studying maps. Besides,” she said, lifting her chin to her left. “Virgil was kind enough to escort me.”
“Virgil can barely…” But Dr. Hall’s mouth snapped shut, seemingly unwilling to disparage his employee.
His nostrils flared as he glared at the both of them, and though Grace was well aware that she was in trouble, she couldn’t help but respect the doctor for keeping his temper in check in regards to Virgil, who, Grace noted, had the expression of a newborn fawn. It would break his heart if Dr. Hall was cruel to him, but that didn’t seem like something the good doctor could do, for in the next instance, he exhaled, cursing as he did.
Grace glanced away, hoping to appear chastised.
“Virgil, you may go.”
“I’m sorry, Dr. Hall.”
He didn’t speak as the youth dipped his head at Grace and hurried down the street. Grace watched as he disappeared in the crowd before turning back to the doctor.
“That was kind of you. Not to point out his disability.”
Dr. Hall did not appear pleased.
“Virgil is still on the mend as far as I’m concerned. There’s no reason why he can’t gain back the full use of his leg eventually.” He frowned at her. “But I won’t have his progress ruined because of a need to protect a bull-headed fool who thinks that just because she knows all the right people, she can do whatever she wishes.”
That was not the correct thing to say to Grace, as what little affection she had for the doctor disappeared.
“You think this is a joy for me?” she said boldly, taking a step toward him as her patience evaporated. “That I like being called ridiculous by every person I’ve ever known? That I somehow find pleasure in the constant sneers and snickers that go on in front of my face as well as behind my back? The idea of making a fool of myself and my family, you think that I’m not constantly aware and worried by that?” She lifted her hand and poked her index finger directly into his chest, annoyed that she would take note of the solid mass beneath his shirt and coat. “You, Dr. Hall, have no idea the pains it has taken me to come this close, to be this close to a dream realized, but I will not be half taught. I’ve come too far and am too clever for it. Now, I demand that you treat me like any other male student who would follow you and stop trying to protect me from my own choices.”
The glare of the doctor’s cool gray-blue eyes made Grace’s mind somewhat dizzy, but she kept her eyes on him, unwavering. He moved forward a fraction, his mouth open as if to say some biting remark back to her, but instead, his gaze drifted down her face and she felt herself become warm.
“Very well.” His voice came out a harsh whisper as she was suddenly seized around the wrist by a large hand and pulled toward the building.
He opened the front door, releasing his grip on her as he met the chief constable in the foyer. The old man eyed Grace with rejection.
“Absolutely not—”
“Constable, I understand your opposition, believe me, but Miss Sharpe is my student and is required to attend me while under my tutelage.”
The constable stepped forward, his voice dropping as he spoke, though Grace strained to hear him.
“The body is in an… advanced state of decomposing. The lady does not possess the stomach for such a scene.”
“She will have to,” Dr. Hall said, glancing back at her. “Because if she does not, I will no longer be required to instruct her.”
Grace’s eyes widened at his statement. He meant to be rid of her and there would be no ground for her to stand on if she fainted or became sick upon seeing the autopsy. With a calm firmness that she never summoned before, Grace made her face stoic, her back and shoulders rigid as if she were heading into battle.
