“Oh, I’m certain it is something, but I’ll wait for the doctor to confirm.”
“What is it you suppose?” Mary asked.
“Measles.”
Rosemary, Eliza and Sophia gasped. They’d already had measles, but a number of students hadn’t yet. If Abigail brought the disease with her then the entire school would be affected.
“It’s bad enough that the students may become ill, which isn’t your fault because you had no way of knowing,” Mrs. Wiggons said. “But you went to Lord Norbright’s home, where you had no right to go, and may have spread the disease there. It’s much harder on adults than it is children, if they haven’t had a case of it before.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Wiggons.”
“I’m certain you are, but let this be a lesson to you and stay away from property owned by others.”
“I bet the mummy brought the measles with the curse,” Abigail cried.
“There is no such thing,” Mrs. Wiggon’s chastised.
“Yes, there is. Just ask Eliza, she’s written all about it in her story from reading the journals.”
Eliza gasped. “That little sneak was reading my papers? How dare she?”
Sophia nearly snorted because not too long-ago Eliza wouldn’t have hesitated a moment before going through someone else’s belongings, or sneaking into their house and snooping around.
“I won’t argue this further,” ordered Mrs. Wiggons. “Now, you get to bed and I’ll summon the doctor.”
Sophia, Rosemary and Eliza quickly stepped back from the door before the headmistress opened it.
“I suppose you heard everything?”
Sophia bit her lip and looked at her friends.
“Well, it really doesn’t matter. I have other pressing matters. I need to summon the doctor and warn Lord Norbright.”
“We could do that for you,” Eliza offered.
“You are not going anywhere,” Mrs. Wiggons insisted. “If it is the measles, then it doesn’t need to be spread further from this school.”
“But we had the measles, remember,” Rosemary reminded her. “About a month after we first arrived. A bunch of students came down with the ailment.”
Mrs. Wiggons frowned. “You’re correct.” She sighed. “That still leaves a number of students who have not suffered the disease.”
“Do you wish us to summon the doctor.”
She shook her head. “No. I’ll send a maid, but you do have my permission to call on Lady Norbright and warn her. Be sure and knock on the door, just don’t enter as if you own the place, and ask to speak with her in private.”
“We will, Mrs. Wiggons.” Eliza called as she hurried for the door.
Sophia and Rosemary rushed after her. Though Sophia didn’t understand why they were in such a hurry, she didn’t question it. Perhaps Eliza had decided that this was the perfect opportunity to learn more about the mummy, or the injured gentleman wrapped up like a mummy.
They’d barely reached the boundary line of the estate when Miss Doyle called out.
“What are you girls doing here?”
They turned and noted their teacher walking with the woman who had been with Lady Norbright in the tea house the day before.
“We need to speak with Lady Norbright,” Eliza insisted.
“What is this about?” Miss Doyle insisted.
