His voice is tired, as though he’s barely scraping along onadrenaline. Perspiration, dried blood, and coffee. For the first time since I’veknown Kelly, he does not smell nice.
“I don’t want to offer you false hope, but Tom Craddock isalive. For now anyway.”
I sit up and reach for the doctor—clutching at his arm—andsilently beg him to continue.
“He was dead. For nearly three minutes, I triedeverything I knew to bring him back, and then I pounded on his chest with myfist. Repeatedly, not even expecting it to work. But Tom inhaled after thefourth blow and kept right on breathing. I didn’t think he would last throughthe next hour, but he did. Doubted he’d survive the night. He did that, too.”
Visit him? I sign.
I can feel Kelly nodding his head. “Later this afternoon. We’llhave to watch for infection, and see how he progresses. I’ve never had apatient survive this kind of trauma.”
Lambson’s killer?
“In jail. He went mad once they locked his cell, confessedeverything before the lawyer arrived. David Phillip Thornhill, if that’s hisactual name, is a con man with a long list of aliases. When he visitedStonehenge, Maude Lambson recognized him from a job he did a few years ago andwanted payment for her silence.”
David Phillip Thornhill. It matches the initials on theengraved cufflinks from the vision—DTP.
Maybe Kelly’s learned more details about the killer’s motive. Whymurder? Why not leave town?
The doctor’s hands make a scrubbing noise as he rubs them overhis face. “I asked Thornhill that very thing but he said he couldn’t leave.”
Because?
“Because he loves his wife. Thornhill wanted to be the man shethought he was, to make his new identity real. Claims he heard a voice in hishead, urging him to do away with Lambson in order to protect his family. Thefellow must be insane.”
After hearing my stomach rumble, Kelly decides that I needsustenance. He insists upon a cup of tea with sugar when I decline food and goesto find the old nurse. Poor lady. She’ll have to walk all this way with her badback just to deliver my tea.
Leaning on my pillow, I consider Kelly’s inaccurate assessmentof Thornhill. The killer is not insane but selfish, weak and impressionable. Hewas used by the heir of Archimendax due to those very characteristics. But whyinfluence David Thornhill to murder Maude Lambson?
Her ghost has finally moved on to the spirit world with theassistance of Sir Death. I saw her departure in my rather troubled sleep.
Not yet, Sir Death, Maude begged. That Visionaryshould pay. I’ve been so patient.
You have, Death agreed. What price do you ask?
She leaned against the Reaper and smiled. All I deserve.
Death’s blue gaze turned shrewd—perhaps He wasn’t as taken withher as I thought. Oh, Maude. I’m afraid that’s not my judgment to make.You’ll get what you deserve on the other side.
No, Death. You owe me.
If Maude imagined treasure or wealth untold, she was disappointed.The ghost pounded on Sir Death’s chest, but He only smiled, pulling out Hispocket watch. It’s time to move on, Maude. Your eternal reward awaits.
He encircled her with his billowing cloak, and that was thelast I saw of Freckles.
I touch the scratch on my throat and wish her well in theafterlife. Something tells me she’s going to need all the positive thoughts shecan acquire.
The blanket makes me feel closed in, so I push it off my body.I wonder where my clothes might be. Should I feel my way around the room and searchthem out? Are they here? Halting footsteps and sweet-smelling tea arrive as Imove my legs to the side of the bed. The nurse enters my room and I gratefullyaccept the cup she puts into my hands. Kelly was right when he insisted on thetea. It’s hot and strong and restorative. I may even feel human again soon.
The doctor comes in next and returns to the chair at mybedside. “I had to get these for you. Thornhill carried them in his suitpocket.”
Patting the area on the mattress where he placed the object, Ilocate my glasses. Thank you, Noah, I sign.
“I shouldn’t have left you alone at Griffin House, Hester. Willyou ever forgive me?”
No blame.
“I was foolish. I told Scarlett I suspected one of the fellowsin his club of committing murder, and he said that I could look over themembership records. I thought it would only take a few minutes to scan throughthe names, but I lost track of time.”
While I listen to Kelly’s explanation, something doesn’t makesense. Not about him leaving me to go with Scarlett but about Thornhill. He wasconfused when we met at the ball, as though he didn’t quite know me at first.But that doesn’t sound right. If he had made the recent attempts on mylife—the wagon accident and the attack near the ravine—surely Thornhill would haverecognized my face immediately. I share these impressions with Kelly.
“It could be that the man was just stringing you along. Hiswife was standing right there, after all. Obviously, he would go to greatlengths to keep her in the dark.”
I shake my head. Didn’t know me.
“I’ll consider it,” Kelly replies. “Right now, I want you to beclear on Tom’s situation.”
I reach out and hug him as he’s babbling on about survivalpercentages. This quiets the doctor and for a moment, we just hold each other.Until he pushes me away, back to business once again.
“Miss Collins is coming within the hour, bringing you cleanclothing and the like. Before she arrives, I’ll have the nurses get a pitcherof hot water and some soap. That way, you can wash and make yourself presentable.Wouldn’t want Craddock waking up to a grimy mess, would we?”
17
Dum spiro, spero.
While I breathe, I hope—Cicero
Newlywashed and wearing a clean gown, I follow Cordelia to the men’s ward on thesouth side of the hospital. It’s the treatment hub for those patients likely todie. Nurses move between the beds. Changing sheets and dressings, removingbedpans, administering medication. I detect the haunting scent oflaudanum—something I never wanted to smell again in this life. Some of the sickmurmur in pain, while others are deathly silent.
Tom? Can you hear me?
His mind
