“I want you to take care around the men. Do not give them any reason to think you are singling out any of them for special affection or attention.”
“Of course not. Who was it?”
The older woman tied the mask to her face. “Ziggy.”
Relief mixed with surprise and settled into disconcertedness. Annabelle laughed softly. “Ziggy? How ridiculous. What did he say about me?”
Nurse Summit cleared her throat, her gaze darting away as she closed the box in front of her. “He said that he found you very attractive and that he was worried about what he might do. I told the superintendent and Doctor Prever what the man said. In typical male fashion they shrugged it off. They aren’t concerned. They said it’s inevitable that some male patients will become enamored of the nurses. We are women, after all. It’s normal for superficial attachments. The men see nurses as angels of mercy in many cases. Mother substitutes sometimes. Sweethearts at other times.”
Annabelle understood that. “I saw that at the field hospital. There was a nurse in France who thought she was in love with one of the soldiers. He went mad one day and stabbed her to death before anyone could prevent it.” She shrugged. “None of the men I knew ever confessed an attachment. Most were honorable.”
Nurse Summit scratched her chin. “That doesn’t mean none of them didn’t think about it.”
“I wouldn’t have been able to prevent that any more than I could make Pepper understand I wasn’t a German spy.”
“Of course not. I don’t mean to make light of what you experienced there. I can only imagine—and believe me I try not to imagine—how you coped with the horrors. I’ve always admired the nurses that have given to their country the way you have.”
“Thank you.”
“And you still are.” Nurse Summit smoothed down her apron. “I wouldn’t think much of Ziggy’s statement, but what he said ... it disturbed me.”
Annabelle’s anxiety heightened once more. “What exactly did he say?”
“He said that you were a paragon of virtue among all the other women he’d met. That you were a sinless, flawless example of womanhood. He said he worried that his friend Captain Hale might lead you down a sin-filled path.”
Emotions bombarded Annabelle—fear, annoyance. “As I said, ridiculous. I treat all the men the same. Ziggy is rattled. Perhaps he needs more sessions with Dr. Prever.”
“So I told Dr. Prever. He’s arranging now to talk with the man. I suggest you spend less time with Ziggy if at all possible.”
Annabelle nodded and felt a sudden urgency to go to work, to do anything to remove Ziggy’s strange statements from her mind. “Thank you for letting me know.”
“Of course. But there’s one other thing. I may be an older woman, but I’m not oblivious to male charm. I’ve seen how Dr. Antrim looks at you. While I don’t think he would attempt anything inappropriate, I don’t trust him.”
Annabelle smiled, but knew there was no reason to feel happiness. “How does he look at me?”
“With distinct interest.”
Annabelle explained about the day Antrim had stopped her in the rotunda to talk about inappropriate relationships. “You wouldn’t think he would want to start anything with me.”
“No accounting for what goes through some men’s heads. And there’s another thing. You are attracting the attention of Captain Hale, too. Damned if I’ve ever seen a nurse have so many men cottoning after her the way men do you.” Nurse Summit’s mouth twitched. “Captain Hale looks at you when he thinks no else is looking.” It concerned Annabelle, too. She didn’t know what to say, and when she didn’t speak, Nurse Summit said, “I know he blames you for his sister’s death.”
“He’s more amenable now.”
Nurse Summit walked toward Annabelle slowly. Behind the mask, the older woman’s expression was hidden. Yet Annabelle thought she saw amusement in the woman’s eyes. “My dear, you’re one of the best nurses I’ve ever seen. Do you have feelings for Cade Hale?”
Trepidation seized Annabelle. Did the woman know what had happened between her and Cade? She swallowed hard as her mouth went dry. She’d never had a reason to believe the nurse would dismiss her if she were honest. Then again, she might.
“Annabelle?”
“Like you said, he blames me for Velia’s death.”
“It’s irrational that he blames you for it.”
“Is it?” Annabelle hoped the mask confined the riotous feelings inside her.
Nurse Summit nodded. “Very well.” She lowered her voice and stepped nearer. “I’m not condemning any feelings you may form for a man. I understand.” Her voice softened. “It isn’t me you have to worry about. But others won’t hesitate to turn you in if you have any sort of connection with him. Take care.”
Relief and anxiety knotted in Annabelle’s stomach all at once. “Thank you.”
“Good. Now on your way.”
Annabelle left the room quickly, feeling as if once again she was running from a monster in a bad dream.
* * *
Cade shoveled snow. And shoveled. Granted, only a couple of inches had fallen, but his work around here had increased in the last few days. He’d cleared most of the stairs and didn’t have much more to go. He worked at the snow covering a sidewalk near the front of the asylum. At least they allow us to go outside.
Here, in the cold fresh air, he enjoyed his freedom. Wearing a sock hat, leather gloves, thick wool coat and scarf, and boots, he felt almost invincible against the weather, and anything life might throw at him. Almost. Instead he was still afraid. Still afraid somewhere deep down where he refused to acknowledge. There had to be a way to stop thinking about the reason they were quarantined. Why was he in this damned place to start with? Ah, he knew the answer. She helped you.
Annabelle had brought something out within him, and he didn’t want to admit it. He didn’t want to believe she understood him as well as she did. Or that maybe she wasn’t the cold-hearted woman he’d imagined when he’d stomped into Tranquil View ready to tell her what he thought of her. You volunteered yourself. You thought you were mad seeing dead men on the battlefield. For feeling as if you wanted to die along with them.
Boredom, however, would eat him alive at this rate. Once he’d finished this job, he would go straight to Dr. Prever and tell him what he needed, and what the rest of the men needed to prevent dangerous restlessness. The patients knew why they were quarantined. Dr. Prever had insisted they be told.
As the shovel scraped across solid surface, Cade’s mind returned to Annabelle and filled with the scent of luscious, heady female arousal. Jesus, if he could have ... if he’d thought of it in time he could have tasted the sweet, hot flesh between her legs. He stopped shoveling and closed his eyes, unable to block out the images of her lips parted, her soft moans as his touch had found her wet. Her pussy, damn her pussy had been so soft and slick with need. If it had been possible, if he hadn’t a shred of honor and her a shred of sense ... well, it would have ended up with them on the bed and him deep inside her. Thrusting. Hot and hard he would have glided into her body and done everything in his power to bring her to raging orgasm again and again. The very male, very careless part of him said he could have seduced her into it. She’d wanted him. He knew it with every instinct he possessed. The other part of him knew she would have regretted it, and so would have he. By God, he lived in a lunatic asylum and here he planned to have sex with a nurse? The shame he felt had as much to do with who she was as anything. How could he even consider having sex with her?
I could have screwed any nurse. I haven’t had a woman in so long. Not any nurse. Hell no. He wouldn’t have been interested in just any woman in his bed and that angered him. He didn’t want to find Annabelle attractive, didn’t want to see her or be with her. Her laugh did strange things to him—made him feel happy when he shouldn’t. He didn’t want to feel as if a tiny part of him healed when she was near.
Cade turned his thoughts of raging carnal needs t
o less pleasant occupations. The nurses wore masks now, as well as the doctors. As it turned out, there weren’t enough masks for the patients. Cade didn’t like the idea of not seeing Annabelle’s face for the next few days or weeks. However long this disease took to run its course, it would stifle a considerable amount of romance in the world.
The men weren’t doing well. Though the asylum could have the hustle and bustle of a train station at times, he’d learned from Nurse Summit that the building had housed more people in the past. Perhaps the size of the building influenced the isolated feeling that could still seize Cade as he walked the building and grounds. Even now, the wind swirled in icy tendrils around the treetops, its voice a whispery tone. Often the wind moaned as if someone was dying. Perhaps the whole world was dying and the trees mourned the passing. Living up here, away from society ... well, the outside world could disappear and they wouldn’t know right away. The asylum could catch the disease, everyone could die, and it would be months before anyone would know.
Dread crept upon him as he felt a certain presence near him. He glanced around. No one. Surprise hit him. He’d expected to see someone lurking. Cold chills rolled up his spine. Footsteps alerted him, and when he looked up, Ziggy walked down the front steps.
Ever since the incident in the basement, Ziggy hadn’t been the same. Coldness had entered his eyes and stayed, as if an entity had invaded Ziggy’s body and had stolen the real man. Cade kept an eye on him more than any other. Pepper had remained aloof after MacRay had died and Jonah had been moved to a private room where he stayed chained to the bed a good portion of the time. The man cried out at night, screaming for someone to let him go. Twice, Cade had almost fulfilled the man’s wish, but he knew he might be moved away from the men to his own private hell if he interfered. All he could do right now was stay close to those who might need him.
“What are you doing?” Ziggy asked.
“What does it look like?”
“Looks boring.”
“It is. But hard work is good for the soul. Maybe you should try it.”
Ziggy grunted.
“Dr. Prever said we should have some sort of work, and I jumped right in. But I think we need more,” Cade finally said after several minutes.
“And?”
“Baseball.” The idea hit Cade like a brick in the head. “We need baseball. Come on.”
Ziggy followed Cade to Prever’s office.
“What can I do for you gentlemen?” Dr. Prever asked as he pushed his chair back from his desk.
“We need baseball,” Ziggy said before Cade could.
Prever’s face was flat of expression. “Baseball.”
Cade took off his hat. “What Ziggy means is that we need a game of baseball to give the men something else to do.”
“They have recreation games in the game room.” Prever didn’t look impressed with Cade’s idea.
“True.” Cade slipped off his gloves and stuffed them in his coat pocket. “But it isn’t physical enough. There ought to be something physical for the men who are capable.”
Prever pondered, then smiled. “I think you’re right, Captain Hale. Some of the men are probably bored.”
“Bored as hell.” Ziggy crossed his arms, some of the light back in his expression. “You going to help us?”
Prever could have retaliated against the soldier’s insolence, but he nodded and smiled. “Baseball would be well and good, but I guarantee you there isn’t a baseball or a baseball glove anywhere in the asylum.” He leaned forward in his chair. “But ... there is a soccer ball somewhere. I think it’s hiding in the basement if I remember correctly. I suggest you look down there.”
Ziggy shook his head. “No way. I’m not going anywhere near that basement ever again.”
“Why?” Prever’s brows dipped.
Ziggy’s gaze darted around the room, as if he expected a sudden need for escape. “Just don’t like it.”
“I’ll search for it.” He glanced at Ziggy. “ Tell the men we’re playing soccer today.”
“What if they don’t know the rules?”
“Doesn’t matter. We’ll work it out. Everyone who is interested meet after noon meal today.”
Ziggy grinned, then saluted. “Yes, sir.” And the man was off.
“You are a good man,” Prever said.
Cade didn’t believe in that idea so much. “You give me permission to set up the field behind the auditorium?”
“Of course. I’ll clear it with the superintendent.” Cade started to leave. “Wait,” Prever said.
Cade turned and the doctor continued. “You were about to tell me something about the basement? About Ziggy?”
“No. He’s fine.” Cade almost stopped as he left the administration offices. Why had he volunteered to return to the basement? His breath tightened as he recalled what had happened there with Ziggy. Buck up man. Whatever exists in the basement couldn’t be worse than war.
Doubt lingered. Horrors of war could be defined, whereas the fear and evil he’d felt in this building couldn’t be touched. This asylum, especially the basement, was oily with darkness. It bled into the stone structure, and leaked into the walls and floors until the slime of hatred and death covered the building like armor.
“Captain Hale.” The female voice halted him before he reached the rotunda. He swung around. With the damned mask on her face the woman wasn’t immediately familiar “It’s Nurse Summit, Captain Hale.”
“So I guessed. Masks are taking a lot to get used to.”
“They’re completely necessary. I wouldn’t mind if you tell the men that. They seem to think this influenza is a trifling thing.”
“To some of them it is. They’ve seen worse.”
“They think they have.”
He didn’t have time to participate in a debate, but he went forward. “The disease will find who it wants when it wants.”
“You make it sound like a murderer on the hunt.”
“Just an organism looking for a host.”
She placed her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side a little. “Do you have medical training?”
He shrugged. “Just what I needed to know in the field.”
She crossed her arms. “We need to talk about a serious matter.”
“All right. What is it?”
“Are you in lust with Nurse Dorrenti?”
Surprise punched him, but he’d long ago learned to mask any expression if he wished. He could deny his own mother existed if he had to. “What makes you believe that?”
“She is a pretty woman. Young and kind. Most men would be attracted to her.”
“There are a few pretty, young, and kind nurses here.”
Nurse Summit laughed softly. “Very true.”
He tensed. “Why are you asking me this?”
“Because you’re honorable, but you are still a man. If you care you’ll keep her reputation intact. I won’t see her humiliated or hurt.”
Cade said the first thing that came to mind. “I don’t even like her.” A half-truth.
“All the more reason for me to be concerned. Perhaps you want to get revenge on her because of your sister.”
The thought made his stomach flip. “I might be a son-of-a-bitch, but I’d never intentionally ruin her pristine reputation.”
“Just as I thought.”
“Did she say anything to you that makes you believe otherwise?”
“No. She’s sure you don’t like her either. And I’m sure she doesn’t like you. After all, you stalked in here that first day with murder on your face.”
Had he? Had the look on his face made Annabelle believe he’d harm her? “I scared her.”
“I’d say so. But that’s what you wanted.”
“No ... I.” He swallowed hard. “I wanted to make her pay somehow. Someone had to pay.”
“I know what happened to Velia, Captain Hale. I don’t think anyone is going to pay.”
Damn her for speaking the truth, for saying
what he didn’t want to admit. Before he could speak, she continued.
“Was it worth it? Scaring her?” she asked.
He lifted his gaze to the woman’s. “No.”
She sighed. “Good. I need to ask you a favor. Despite the fact you don’t like her and she doesn’t like you, there’s a problem. You may refuse of course, but I believe it’s important that you help.”
Did he want to agree? “Why?”
“Because I believe Nurse Dorrenti could be in danger.”
Chapter 11
Nurse Summit’s bald statement sent a streak of alarm through Cade. “How? Why?”
“Ziggy confessed to me that he has extreme feelings for her. Odd feelings of a strange and almost passionate nature.”
Cade swallowed hard. He couldn’t fault the man exactly. Didn’t his own feelings reflect a more violent and heavy need then he’d ever experienced for a woman? “Not surprising. She is a beautiful woman.”
“He said he cares for her ... lusts after her. I told Dr. Prever and I told Nurse Dorrenti.”
“Why are you telling me?”
She hesitated, her gaze trained on the floor in front of her. She looked up, placing a steady gaze on him. She heaved another weary sigh, the sound barely muffled by the mask. She glanced around. ”I don’t know where to start.”
Cade ached inside somewhere deep. “I’m afraid to ask.”
Once more she glanced around. “You told me this asylum is evil.”
“And you told me you don’t believe in things like that.”
“I lied.”
He blinked. “I’m surprised you’re admitting that.”
“Me, too. I read people well, and after you came to me asking questions about the asylum in 1908 and the bad feelings in this place ... well ... I know you pay attention to everything around you.”
“I know this place is haunted. I’ve always known things before I should. I can feel people’s emotions sometimes.”
“I’ve heard of such people. And if I didn’t think I might have a little of such talent within myself, I might think you were a lunatic.”
Shadows Rise Page 13