Amelia requested the driver to wait, then took her aunt’s arm to walk toward the door. “We shall allow a half hour for our endeavor. If at any point you feel truly uncomfortable, you should leave. Return to the coach.”
Aunt Margaret stared at her in dismay, eyes round and mouth agape. “Where will you be?”
“With any luck, having a closer look at the facility and its patients.” She glanced at the sky. “The day is quite warm. Perhaps some of them will be outside to enjoy it, and I will have the opportunity to speak with them.” Was it too much to hope that she find Louisa?
“You are going to be asked to leave well before I am.” Her aunt lifted her chin and straightened her back.
“And if that happens, I will be the one in the coach waiting for you. Agreed?” Covering that particular scenario prior to entering seemed wise, but they couldn’t cover them all. Who knew what might happen once they were inside and separated?
But as Amelia had told her aunt, the worst that could happen was they’d be asked impolitely to leave. Or so Amelia told herself.
She dearly hoped she was right, or her aunt might never forgive her.
With luck, the porter she and Henry had spoken with on the previous visit would not be working today. Not bothering to ring the bell, which probably still didn’t work, she tried the door, only to find it locked once again, then knocked as loudly as possible.
“I can’tbelievethey lock the patients inside,” Aunt Margaret murmured under her breath. “Hospitals don’t lock their doors. Why would this place? What was Louisathinkingto come here?”
“I don’t know. As we agreed before, she must’ve been quite desperate for change, for anything that could give her hope.” In Amelia’s eyes, there had to be an easier way. Then again, she wasn’t in Louisa’s position and couldn’t truly understand how she’d been feeling.
“Is it wrong of me to hope we don’t find anything untoward?” Aunt Margaret held her gaze for a long moment, concern in the depths of her eyes.
Before Amelia could answer the latch clicked and the door swung open, revealing a young woman wearing a white knee-length jacket over a gray gown.
“Yes?” She glanced between them, not bothering to be particularly friendly or welcoming.
“We would like to speak with Dr. Thorne,” Amelia advised with a polite smile.
“You’ll need an appointment.” The woman started to close the door.
Amelia followed Henry’s example and placed her foot on the door jamb, aware it wouldn’t be nearly as effective as his boot. “It is rather urgent.”
“Y-Yes, you see, I am desperate for help,” Aunt Margaret added, followed by a sniff as if she might cry.
Amelia hid her surprise, holding back the urge to applaud her aunt’s astonishing performance.
“I must speak with the doctor today, b-before it’s too late.” Her aunt dabbed her nose with a handkerchief.
The nurse considered the two of them for a moment. “I will see if Dr. Thorne is available, but I can’t make any promises. She is quite busy and important, you know.”
“We only need a few minutes of her time. I simply must know if there’s hope for me.” Her aunt sniffed again, her distress quite convincing.
Amelia patted her aunt’s shoulder in a show of support, then added her own plea. “It truly would be wonderful if we could speak with her, however briefly.”
She’d asked her aunt to wear one of her nicer gowns and a bit of jewelry, just in case money was a motivation to admit some before others.
“Yes, please, just a few minutes,” Aunt Margaret added, fingering the ruby necklace she wore as if anxious.
The nurse’s gaze dropped to the necklace, but showed no other reaction to it. “Allow me to see if she has the time.”
Unlike the last visit, this woman showed them to the small waiting room without argument, bidding them to wait until shereturned. Amelia watched as she strode toward the right side of the building and disappeared down a corridor.
“Remember to learn all you can about Dr. Thorne. Any details could prove helpful,” she advised, trying to hide her own nerves. Revealing them would only make her aunt more nervous.
Her companion smiled wanly. “Right. I will do my best.”
“Tell them I went in search of a water closet, a necessity after our journey here.” Amelia stepped toward the door and peered out, pleased no one was nearby. “I’ll see you soon.”
“Do be careful, Amelia. I don’t care for this place.”
