Lady of a Thousand Sorrows by Lee W. Mason

Author:Lee W. Mason [Mason, Lee W.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4405-4417-0
Publisher: F+W Media
Published: 1977-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

22

1978 — NEW JERSEY

“Here’s your dinner,” Annie said, “and be done with it. I’ll pick it up later.” She put the try in front of me and then stood over it, hovering in the position of the servant. Creamed chicken on toast, carrots, something dark in a plastic glass, Jell-O: a good clinical dinner. “Are you completely satisfied?” she said. “I wouldn’t want to give you anything that would give you displeasure. If you have any complaints let me know and I will convey them back to the kitchen.”

“Get out of here.”

“Oh, I certainly will, miss,” Annie said. “I will follow your orders to the letter and I will certainly hasten to get out of here but do tell me first if everything is most satisfactory. I would not for the world want to cause you displeasure. Would you like me to take a bite of your dinner, first? Just in case it is poisoned. It is customary to have a food taster, a role which I will happily fill for you if you would desire.”

“Shut up, Annie.”

“Oh no,” she said. “I wouldn’t want the slightest doubt to cross your mind. I know how likely you feel it to be that your food is being poisoned. Here,” she said, setting the tray down on the bed, taking a fork from her pocket, putting it into the creamed chicken and taking a large mouthful, chewing it slowly and then swallowing it. “I hope that’s satisfactory.”

“I’m not amused.”

“I’m sorry, your majesty,” she said, “I’m just trying to please.”

“I didn’t think you’d poison my food. I’d imagine that you’d have more direct and immediate methods.”

“And what would they be?”

“Why should I tell you? If you don’t know already I don’t think I have to render assistance.”

“You’re a very disturbed person,” Annie said, “but I don’t think it’s necessary to talk about this anymore. I hope the proof has been satisfactory. Or do you think I’ll vomit it up in the kitchen?”

“Go away.”

“I intend to.”

“Leave the door open if you want to impress me. Don’t keep me locked up in my room.”

“I’m doing it on doctor’s orders. As far as I’m concerned you can run through this house naked and call the police. But Dr. Richards says and I agree that while you’re in this state it would be best for all if you were kept in your room. For your own sake.”

“Does he think me suicidal?”

She looked at me wisely. “I have no intention of sharing medical information. I am a nurse and certain information passed from the doctor to me is accordingly confidential.”

“He thinks me suicidal then.”

“Have a good dinner,” she said. “By the way, we did have a telephone call you should know about. Jane called an hour ago.”

“She did? Why didn’t you put me on?”

“Because she didn’t wish to speak to you.”

“That’s impossible.”

“That’s what she said. She only has a message to pass on which is that she’s en route from London and will be in New York in the morning and will try to get down here tomorrow or the next day.

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