Gall’s face had blanched, and Elswyth trailed off. He looked at the tray next to the sketchbook, where samples of each of the organs sat on bloody bits of cloth.
“Eden, Elswyth…” he said, shaking his head. “I’m afraid I’m out of my depth. You think these came from the dead women? That these are really their organs?”
“I doubted at first as well. After all, they could come from anywhere. Certainly there’s no shortage of corpses in London. But then I tested them, using the method you taught me to stimulate cell division and observe the chromosomes. Come see.”
Elswyth led him to the brass microscope and angled it toward the window to catch more light. He approached it anxiously, and once his eye was over the glass, Elswyth touched the sample there and injected it with a small amount of vitæ, forcing the cells to divide.
“Hold there,” Gall said, and Elswyth stopped the flow. Gall observed for a moment, adjusting the knobs, and then took a sharp breath. He stood and wiped sweat from his brow with her kerchief. “All of them are…”
Elswyth nodded. “All the human tissues in this creature come from females.”
Gall’s face was the lily-white of a drowned man. “Oh dear. I’m afraid I will need to sit down.”
Elswyth led him to the desk chair, and he collapsed into it, wiping his brow again. Elswyth, too stimulated to stop, continued speaking. “And this creature is full of vitæ—stored in some sort of rhizome, I think, but it’s almost crystalline, like sugar—somehow holding more energy than it possibly could. Perhapsthe Reaper took vitæ from the dead women and used it to power his creation.”
Gall shook his head. “Such a thing is not possible, Elswyth. Vitæ can be taken from plants but not from animals or humans. Surely, you know this. It’s foundational to floromancy.”
Elswyth flexed her left hand. She turned away from him, hiding her scar, and faced the workbench. “I no longer know what is possible, Dr. Gall. We are witnessing floromancy that is the stuff of legends—who is to say that a sufficiently advanced floromancer could not draw vitæ from humans? We hold it within us, as do all living things.”
Gall seemed as though he would have a heart attack in her bedroom.
“Wait just a moment, Miss Elderwood—why would this Reaper fellow want to spy on you? If what you are saying is true, Elswyth, then you are in grave danger. If this creature was truly sent by the Reaper, then he is watching—for what purpose, we can only assume. I would mourn to see you suffer the same fate as his other victims. You should leave the city at once.”
Elswyth almost smiled. “I appreciate that, Dr. Gall, more than you could know. But I cannot leave the city. I have work yet to do.” It was true. If the Reaper had sent this thing to spy on her, then perhaps she was closer to discovering his identity than she’d thought.
Dr. Gall studied her face for a moment. Then he dropped his hand from her arm. “Well, if I cannot convince you to return home, at least allow me to take this thing from you. It should be destroyed.”
Elswyth frowned. “I agree, of course. And yet it is an eminently important discovery, is it not? We must learn what we can fromit. This could advance our field by decades, if reverse-engineered. And there may yet be information about its maker hidden in its design.”
“It is your discovery. I will leave that decision up to you, but perhaps you will consider keeping it at the Royal Gardens. To keep such a thing in your home… What if it is dangerous, as you say?”
“That is prudent, Dr. Gall, but…” Elswyth said. She trailed off, trying to choose her words carefully.
“But you are defensive of your discovery, and would prefer to keep it close at hand,” Dr. Gall said.
Elswyth’s shoulders slumped. “With a discovery like this I could publish my research, and it would be read for hundreds of years. Everyone would remember the name Elswyth Elderwood.”
Gall smiled again, eyes crinkling. “Ah. The hubris of all scholars: to live forever through one’s work. I understand perfectly well.”
Elswyth exhaled. “Thank you, Doctor. I couldn’t bear it if I lost control over this discovery. I think it’s best if it was kept a secret until I can perform my experiments.”
Dr. Gall brought a finger to his lips. “Mum’s the word from me, Miss Elderwood. But how shall you keep it? If it is a juvenile, surely it will grow.”
“I’m afraid Mrs. Rose is right. I must terminate it. If it truly is a spy, I can’t risk it returning to its master.”
Gall blinked. “Drat. I didn’t think of that.”
“I do not wish to. But I fear I have no choice.”
“I know your views on taking life. Would you like me to…?” He nodded at the mandrake.
Elswyth shook her head. “No. If I’m going to be responsible for its death, I should at least be the one who does the deed.”
Gall frowned and examined the creature. “What a quandary it is. We entered biology because we revere life. How ironic that, in the pursuit of understanding, we must sometimes destroy the very thing we love.” He seemed glum for a moment but then righted. “Oh well. Fire or hammer? I could perhaps procure a large gun…”
Elswyth smiled despite herself. “Formaldehyde will do. At least then I can preserve the corpse.”
“Of course. If you do decide to take up my offer, the Royal Gardens can host the specimen, and I believe we can keep it from prying eyes. Can I expect you this week for assistance in the lab?”
