Bruce Alexander - [Sir John Fielding 01] by Alexander Bruce

Author:Alexander, Bruce [Alexander, Bruce]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Berkley
Published: 1995-11-02T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

In which an offer is made

and an unexpected meeting

takes place

The next morning began with a visit by Mr. Donnelly to his patient. When I responded to his knock and opened the door for him, Mrs. Gredge being otherwise engaged, I was surprised to find looming beside him the large figure of Benjamin Bailey.

“Mr. Bailey, sir,” said I to him, “are you well?”

“Well and fit,” said he with a show of confidence, “and ready for duty.”

“He’s nothing of the kind,” put in Mr. Donnelly, “but he insisted on coming along.”

“I will but a word with Sir John. Let him decide.”

And so the two tramped into the kitchen, while at the same time Mrs. Gredge flew in, warning Mr. Bailey not to muddy her clean floor, though it had not rained for days. Mr. Donnelly, whom she rightly took to be a gentleman, received no such caution. She made her usual offer of tea, bread, and butter, which both declined, then ran off to apprise Sir John of their arrival.

“What of Lady Fielding?” Mr. Donnelly asked of me.

“She has slept, sir, quite continually since your visit yester morning.”

“That’s to be desired, of course, yet I would not dose her too strong. And her pain?”

“You had best talk to Sir John or Mrs. Gredge of that.”

“Of course,” said he. “It’s never wise to speculate idly.”

Then came Sir John into the kitchen. “Ah, Mr. Donnelly, thank you for your visit. And I understand you have a companion?”

“It’s me, it is, Benjamin Bailey,” said he, making a loud, healthy sound with his voice

“Yes, ‘the night watchman,’ as Mrs. Gredge informed me.”

“She has her ways, don’t she?” said Mr. Bailey.

“How is he, Mr. Donnelly?”

“Not as well as he claims to be, but his recovery proceeds impressively. The woimd is knitting nicely, no sign of fever.”

“I’m ready. Sir John!” declared Mr. Bailey.

“He’s not, in my opinion,” said Mr. Donnelly. “Yet I am not here to argue that but rather to see Lady Fielding. You give me permission?”

“Nay, my blessing, sir. She has had her best day and night in months. I am grateful to you for that. I’m sure she would say more, were she not at this moment asleep. Mrs. Gredge is with her. She has attended her faithfully. Go see them now, by all means.”

“I shall,” said he, and with a quick bow to Sir John, he went up the stairs to the bedroom.

With the departure of the surgeon, Sir John turned in the direction of Mr. Bailey. “So now, Captain Bailey, you claim to be fit, but your doctor says otherwise. How do we account for this discrepancy?”

“He ain’t me, Sir John. He don’t know how I feel.”

“There is a certain sense to that, I allow, but in truth, it does seem a bit early, does it not? Two days?”

“Well … I can only say, sir, that one more day in the constant care of Mrs. Plunkett, and I may take a turn for the worse. The woman exhausts me, if you get my meaning, sir.

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