Part 8 (1/2)

*Euphemia?' Bertram's voice.

*Miss St John?' Merrit.

*Oh really, Bertram, the girl is merely asleep. Let's get into the hotel. I am cold,' said Beatrice Wilton.

Slowly my surroundings came into focus. The street was full of noise and bustle. Tall buildings surrounded me and the air tasted of soot. We were in London. I was desperately cold and no longer had feeling in my extremities. My head pounded and I struggled to full wakefulness.

*I think I need to lie down,' I said through s.h.i.+vering lips.

*Of course,' said Bertram, hurrying round to help me from the carriage.

*Really, you need to escort me in!' said Miss Wilton peevishly. *Not your servant.'

*Merrit has to station the car,' said Bertram in a low voice.

*This isn't suitable!' said Miss Wilton.

We began to mount some shallow steps. It took enormous effort and I had to concentrate on each pace forward. Without Mr Bertram's support I am sure I would have fallen.

*I shall tell the desk clerk she is a distant relative acting as your companion.'

*Bertram, you cannot do such a thing!'

*Beatrice, it was your journalistic zeal that dragged poor Euphemia from her sickbed.'

*The girl is malingering. She is enjoying every moment of this.'

I leant heavily on Mr Bertram's arm and did not enter the debate. In the end he escorted me to my chamber. I was not put in the servants' quarters, but the desk clerk had judged to a nicety my situation and Miss Wilton's disapproval. I was in one of the smaller rooms reserved for poor relatives of rich patrons. Compared to even my rooms at White Orchards it was pure luxury. Mr Bertram informed me he had left orders for my supper to be delivered to my room and I was not to think of anything but getting well until tomorrow. *And if you feel worse at any point promise me you'll ring for the hotel doctor,' he said. *I'll ask Bea to check in on you before she retires.' He shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot. *It wouldn't be proper for me to ... She is most concerned for your welfare.'

*Thank you,' I said, wis.h.i.+ng he would leave so I could rest by the glowing fire.

*She is one of those ladies who does not find travel easy.'

*I see.'

*She didn't mean anything by ... I'm sure when you know her better ...'

*I'd very much like to lie down, sir.'

*Of course. Of course. If there is anything you should need the reception clerk has orders to supply you with ... well, anything. Please don't worry about the bill. I feel it was wrong of me to bring you when you are still so unwell. I didn't understand Dr Simpson fully. Beatrice a.s.sured me she had talked to him a you both being females a and it was understood you were well enough to travel.'

It was clear nothing less than drastic action would move him and so I made my way across to the bed and began to untie the laces on my boots. Mr Bertram fled.

A good supper, a fine night's sleep and I was prepared to face them at breakfast in the morning. I had expected to eat in my room, but the clerk rang up to tell me I was expected downstairs. My head was clearing and I was looking forward to seeing Bea Wilton's face when she learned she was to sit at a table with me.

When I arrived she was midway through a lecture to Bertram. She did the only thing a lady could do under the circ.u.mstances of finding herself sitting alongside her potential fiance's housekeeper and ignored me.

*Moral therapy began as far back as the 1790s,' she continued. *It's quite fascinating and based around a lot of the Quaker thoughts. You know of them, of course?'

*Of course,' said Bertram, focusing intently on his boiled egg. He had yet to cap it and was showing all the nervousness of a man who was unsure if he would shortly be attempting to consume a running yolk in front of a lady he hoped to impress. In his shoes I would have ordered my eggs scrambled and did so to a pa.s.sing waiter. He nodded, but also sniffed slightly displaying to a nicety his understanding of my station at this table. Bea broke off to beam at him.

*It's all about exercise and doing very routine and ordinary things. The hope is that those afflicted will be able to find a way in society in time.'

Bertram sliced off the top of one oval with such force he knocked the top onto the cloth. *Good gad! You mean they let them out?'

Bea gave a trilling little laugh. *Oh not the ones from the best families. They do tend to be the worst, don't they? I wonder why?'

I refrained from enlightening her.

*No, Bertram, the ordinary people, so they can be useful. Some of these inst.i.tutions even have things for sale.'

*That anyone wants?' asked Bertram n.o.bly trying to both ignore the mess he had made and signal the waiter.

Beatrice shrugged. *I have no idea. What I do know is that for a long time visitors have been absolutely forbidden in these places. But everything is changing. Have you read any of the works by Dr Freud? Such strange ideas, but quite compelling.'

Bertram blanched. *Beatrice, those are not suitable books for a woman!'

*I quite agree,' said Beatrice calmly nibbling on a slice of toast. *But they are quite all right if I read them as a journalist. I don't know if he is an alienist exactly. He seems to suggest that we are all insane rather than specifically study the insane. Or maybe I have that wrong.'

*Alienism?' I ventured.

*The formal study of the criminally insane,' said Beatrice with a cold smile. She signalled to the waiter, who responded at once and Bertram's mess was taken away. There was an awkward pause.

*Does that mean all criminals are considered insane?' said Bertram at last.

Beatrice laughed again. *Of course, darling, one would have to be insane to act criminally. Subjects of the empire should be proud to obey its laws.'

*That depends if they have enough to eat,' I muttered under my breath. Beatrice flashed me a look and I hid my face behind my coffee cup, but not before I saw the look of shock ripple across Bertram's face.

*Don't you agree, Bertie?' asked Beatrice.

*I had never considered it that way,' he said. He dabbed nervously at his mouth, waiting to see if I would step in, but I did not. *So this asylum we are visiting today, does it have anything to do with Freud or alienists?'

*I daresay there might be an alienist there, but my interest is in what we cla.s.sify within society as insane. I mean, one listens to doctors, but really it's us who decides who go into these inst.i.tutions, isn't it? I'm sure you know what I mean, Bertram. Every now and then someone or something about someone crops up, even in the very best families, and it's so much easier to give them a nice home away from all the gossip that would otherwise go on. It's protecting them, really.'

My coffee cup clattered in my saucer. Beatrice turned to me and nodded slightly. Bertram on the other hand looked completely blank.

*Surely there must have been cases in a family as old as yours?'

*My family isn't very old,' said Bertram.

*But it's so very influential. Especially right now with those rotten Germans threatening to invade at any minute.'

Bertram coughed and straightened his shoulders. *I don't believe there has been any formal announcement of invasion.'