Parris Mitchell of Kings Row by Henry Bellamann & Katherine Bellamann

Author:Henry Bellamann & Katherine Bellamann [Bellamann, Henry & Bellamann, Katherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction
Google: j-ItAQAAIAAJ
Amazon: B09LDF2R4N
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 1948-11-14T14:00:00+00:00

* * *

Nell Carruthers entered Mrs. Fulmer Green’s house out of breath. She made it a practice never to be late at a bridge appointment. It was almost a religion with her.

“Hazel, my dear, you’ll have to forgive me if I’m a little late. Are Maud and Caroline here? They are? Well, this is the first time I’ve been late—the very first time—and goodness knows I have a reason. The most dreadful thing has happened—”

“What’s the excitement about?” Caroline Thill called from the living room. “Don’t you dare tell Hazel until Maud and I can hear! Do come on in.”

Maud Laneer, thin, well groomed, and poised, sat at the bridge table, waiting. Caroline Thill, plump and brown as a robin, stood ruffling a pack of cards impatiently.

“Hello, girls. Sorry to be late. Have you heard the news?”

“Sit down, Nell. I’ve no doubt it will still be news when you are ready to tell it.” Hazel Green was never hurried in manner.

“Have you heard about poor little Fanny Porter?”

Nell was pleased at the effect she produced.

“Don’t tell me anything else has happened to that poor woman,” Hazel said anxiously.

“She took bichloride tablets last night! John says there’s simply nothing to be done. She’s going to die in a few hours—or days—he says.”

“Does anyone know why she took them? Surely it was by mistake.”

“Mistake, my eye!” Nell said sharply. “She committed suicide. She’s still alive but it’s just a question of hours.”

“The poor thing,” Hazel commiserated. “I don’t know that she can be much blamed. She was such an active person—and useful. It must have been desperately hard for her to resign herself to being a shut-in.”

“Just between you and me, it could have been prevented,” Nell said confidentially.

For the first time Maud leaned forward and spoke softly. “I don’t understand what you mean, Nell.”

Mrs. Carruthers, not quite sure of her audience, said cautiously, “I wouldn’t want this to go any further, but Fanny Porter has been a patient of Dr. Mitchell, you know, and—”

“No, Nell, I didn’t know. She is Dr. Waring’s patient. She told me so, herself.” Mrs. Green’s voice was unruffled but Nell colored a little.

“Yes, I know, Hazel, but Dr. Mitchell was called in some time ago. From the time he began working on the case, Fanny got worse and worse. Instead of quieting her, he got her worked up to such a state of excitement that she just—just took poison.”

Having delivered herself of this bit of malicious gossip, Nell sank back in her chair with a smug smile of satisfaction.

There was an awkward pause. Hazel’s steady gaze was on Nell. “That is an absurd statement. I’m sure you wouldn’t consciously repeat that kind of thing if you stopped to think. If it were true and it isn’t—it would be particularly unbecoming for the wife of a physician to breathe a criticism of her husband’s colleague.”

Nell had the grace to flush at the rebuke. Caroline looked uncomfortable. Maud’s expression conveyed nothing.

“I suppose I’m a fool to repeat it—but I know it’s a fact.

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