Hide in Time

by Anna Faversham

  She did exactly that and settled down for a sleep in the empty coach. At Canterbury, she caught the Torwell Bridge coach, which she had to share with a large man and two women smothered in cloaks and blankets. All three moaned about the strange, cold feel of the coach. All that Laura could think was, tough, it was winter after all, and she surprised herself by saying out loud that she had as much right to travel on the coach as they did. Except, of course, she hadn’t paid her fare.

  ~

  It was past midday by the time she reached “Foxhills”. She peered through the morning room windows but could see no one at all. She tried the door; it wasn’t locked so she simply opened the door, walked in, silently closed it, went into the hall and up the stairs to Alexandra’s room.

  She listened at the door. She could hear voices. Men’s voices. How could she slip inside? If the door opened and no one came in, it would certainly cause alarm. She’d have to wait. She peered through the keyhole. She could see Catherine, and Adam was in there too. But it was another man’s voice she could hear. She listened intently. It was Parson Emmanuel Raffles and he was praying. He was asking God to heal Alexandra. And here she was with penicillin or some such antibiotic. This would be some tale to send around the world on the internet. She pictured herself writing it, sending it off through the ether, and people being sceptical just as she had been with the Alexander Fleming one. Alexandra Foxley saved by Alexander Fleming before he’d been born. No – she’d better not send that round the ether. They’d be trying to do those tests on her again and probably succeed this time in declaring her insane. Hurry up someone and let me in. Laura returned to peering through the keyhole only this time she also thumped on the door. Only Adam glanced at the door with a puzzled look on his face. Through the keyhole Laura could see his sorrowful brown eyes looking towards her. She was a cat’s whisker away from weeping but she had a job to do and do it she would.

  There was a commotion in the hall downstairs. The doctor had arrived. The door was flung open by the parson. “Ah, the answer to my prayer – Doctor Hargreaves is downstairs – come on up, sir.”

  As Laura scurried through the doorway, parson Raffles shivered and made the sign of the cross on his ample chest, not that Laura noticed, she was interested only in what Adam was saying.

  “Hargreaves is no answer to anyone’s prayers, Raffles. Don’t desist from praying.”

  Oh how she loved the way he spoke; his choice of words; his clear, powerful voice, so gentle when…

  “Gentlemen,” said the ageing doctor as he entered the room with an air of self-importance, “Please leave the room whilst I examine my patient.” He looked across to Catherine and indicated she should stay then placed his large, black leather bag on the ottoman at the bottom of the bed.

  Laura crept to the side of the bed that had once been hers. Catherine was seated on the other side and holding Alexandra’s hand. From time to time she patted Alexandra’s forehead with a damp cloth. “You’d make such a good nurse, Catherine,” Laura said aloud. Alexandra opened her eyes. Could she hear? But her eyes did not see and they slowly closed again.

  As the doctor approached, Laura moved aside and went to the writing slope by the window. Now would be a good time to write the note. She checked that all attention was on the patient before slipping out of her backpack and placing it on her lap as she sat down. She retrieved the penicillin tablets. Blast! They were in a blister pack. There’d been no time… Painstakingly she released each one and tipped it into the blue glass dish near the writing slope; they seemed to make such a loud ‘ting’. Belatedly she checked it for dust. “Well done, Millie,” she said, then clamped her hand over her mouth. She must stop doing that. She looked across to Xandra and lifted the lid of the writing slope carefully. Her hand found a piece of stiff card which she pulled out. She checked the instructions on the packet – ‘One to be taken four times a day. Finish the course.’ Dipping the quill in the ink, she wrote, ‘Take one pill four times a day until all have been used.’ Then signed it ‘Doctor…’ Drat! She could not remember the doctor’s name. Har… Best not to get it wrong, an illegible squiggle would suffice.

  The doctor finished his examination, asked Cathy to replace the bedcovers and moved towards the window. “Fever. It’s a bad one too. Chills and shaking. I do have the very best medicine in my bag, as it happens. I’ll leave this tincture here, Miss Leigh-Fox.” He placed a small, brown bottle by the side of the writing slope. “I’ll write some instructions, if you’ll allow.”

  “Of course,” said Catherine still watching Alexandra.

  Laura felt her blood drain to her feet. Do something. Stop him seeing the tablets and the note. She blew on him. Any minute now and he would sit on her. She seized a fan, which immediately became invisible, and flapped it frantically at his face. He put his finger on the bottle top, looked across to Catherine and said, “It’s mighty cold in here. There’s a draught by this window. You should close these curtains and keep the room warm.” He turned, his finger still on top of the bottle, and shivered. “It’s simply a case of one dose, four times a day. You can remember that, I am sure, Miss Leigh-Fox.”

  Catherine looked up at him as she mopped Alexandra’s brow once more. “I’ve been giving her a lemon and cinnamon drink, doctor. Should I continue with that?”

  “You may and, with my medicine, the parson’s fervent prayers, and your care, Miss Mulberry may soon be well.”

  Laura followed the doctor as he swept out of the room and listened from the top of the banisters to his conversation with Adam and Raffles. “I have to say my medicine will be required to perform a miracle. I should have been called earlier. Her recovery is doubtful.”

  Adam and Raffles exchanged glances. Though Laura could not see clearly what they were conveying, she guessed it might be their disapproval of the wily doctor. The moment the doctor left, Adam bounded up the stairs and Raffles followed in his usual dignified and stately fashion. He knew his limits.

  Laura now sat in a corner on the other side of the room from the window, and clutched her backpack. Her eyes did not leave Adam.

  “What did the doctor say?” asked Catherine.

  Raffles came through the door, pretended not to realize that the question had been asked of Adam, and responded, “Something about medicine and miracles.”

  “He’s left the medicine over there.” She let out a despairing sigh. “Four times a day. He said he’d leave instructions.”

  “Catherine,” said Adam, “You have been so helpful to us all but you need some rest now. It’s the middle of the afternoon, nigh on three o’clock. Take a nap, little one. Raffles says he’ll stay with me for a while and we shall administer her first dose of medicine.”

  Laura watched as Catherine stood, stretched herself, thanked them and left. Raffles took her place and Adam brought the bottle of medicine to the bedside. Drat! She should have removed the bottle.

  “Hmm, no spoon.” Adam pulled the bell cord. When Millie arrived, he asked her to bring a spoon and then to make herself ready for watching over Alexandra in an hour’s time. Adam turned to Raffles. “So kind of you to stay with me. These days we are so short of women in this household.”

  “I’ll send Martha to help. Yes, that’s something I can do. She’s not fully trained, but she’s a little bundle of energy and sagacity.”

  “Martha? Wise? I shall take your word for it and I should be most grateful if you would allow her to stay for a while.”

  “Quite a hindrance to your plans, this.” Raffles lowered his eyes.

  “Yes, I had hopes.”

  Hopes! What hopes? Hopes about himself and Xandra? A pang of jealousy shot through her and it was all she could do to stay in her seat. No! No jealous feelings. She would not allow them; after all, this is what she had planned.

  Adam continued. “Jack’s destructive ways are being reined in and,” he looked across at Alexandra.

  “I know, I know. Miss Mulberry would make you a fine wife and a capable mistress of
“Foxhills”. I’d rather lose her to you than anyone else, Adam.”

  “I cannot ever forget Laura.”

  Laura caught and held her breath.

  “For as long as I live, my memories of love will be of her. Every time I ride, the very wind sings her name.” There was a silence, it seemed respectful, before Adam said, “She had so much spirit and joy in her heart; full of ideas but always thwarted by the fact she was a woman. I’d hoped to set her free to…” he trailed off.

  Laura felt tears spilling down her face. Compelled, she eased herself out of the chair, went towards Adam and whispered in his ear, “I shall love you forever. I wish you joy but most of all, I wish for you ceaseless love here, here in your time. Time separates us, and time will heal us.” A tear dropped on the back of Adam’s hand and became visible.

  Adam looked down and touched his hand to his lips. “Sometimes, Raffles, I even feel her presence. I wish she could have known the truth before she died.”

  “I do,” purred Laura, “And I love you all the more.”

  Adam put a hand to his ear. “There is life after death, isn’t there, Raffles?”

  “Indeed. Not here, of course. Not in the ordinary way of things. Though we must call to mind that nothing is impossible with God. One day we shall have great fun in finding out.” Raffles chuckled. “I shall be trim no matter how much I eat, and you’ll have the fastest wings in the heavens. You’ll be transformed and receive dispensation to become an avenging angel. You will defend the defenceless.” Raffles checked his friend’s demeanour – he was smiling. “It’s important to get in some practice down …” Raffles stopped abruptly as Millie brought the spoon.

  Adam hesitated. “What were the instructions, Raffles? Can you recall?”

  “Can’t say I do.” Raffles, seated by the bed, turned with some difficulty and looked over his shoulder, “Ah, here we are,” he said as he picked up Laura’s scrawled note, “Take one pill four times a day until all have been used.”

  Adam went to the medicine bottle and theatrically held it up to give Raffles his cue.

  “The man’s mad. Shouldn’t be allowed,” Raffles said with dramatic exasperation.

  “Oh he only has to reassure the family while time heals,” Adam reflected, then repeated, “Time heals.” He looked across to Alexandra. “I shall pray that it works its wonders for us both.” He looked around. “Are there any pills about, or did he mean ‘one spoonful’?”

  “One spoonful until all have been used! Not even that old quack could mangle the language so badly.”

  If they didn’t hurry up and find the tablets, she’d have to help them. Why hadn’t she thought to remove the medicine?

  They found the pills, propped Alexandra up inexpertly with much embarrassment and, with a glass of water, assisted her to swallow a pill. Adam noted the time. Then they both sat on the other side of the room as Alexandra dozed off again. “Should we be mopping her brow?” Adam asked.

  Laura knew Adam found doing nothing difficult and perhaps he just wanted to be close to her.

  “She’s sleeping. Better to leave her unless she looks distressed, I think. I’ll make sure Martha gets here before tonight, she’ll know.”

  “As soon as she is well again…”

  “And she will be,” interrupted Raffles.

  “…I’m going to attend to the lack of servants in this household. Catherine is doing a sterling job but needs to be backed with some authority. I dread that Alexandra will feel uncomfortable when she knows that she has had two ill-prepared men attempting to nurse her.”

  “I think there is something more important you should do.”

  Adam looked at Raffles and raised an eyebrow, “But how can I tell her – a newcomer to the family. It would be disloyal.” Adam stood up, dug his hands deep in his pockets, then paced the room. “You’re right, of course, Raffles. I am becoming fond of Alexandra. She is so like Laura. Everyone is mentioning it. It is as if I’m being given another chance. Yet there are aspects of her conduct which are very different.”

  “Just fond? Or more?”

  “More, and growing.”

  “Then be sure not to allow the same misunderstandings to arise.”

  “I cannot be disloyal. Yet somehow…” Adam returned to his seat. “I must tell her.” He looked at Raffles and shook his head slowly. “From her altering behaviour, I deduce she already has her suspicions.”

  Laura was urging him with fists clenched. You must say something, Adam, you must. She remembered how she had found out. Found out that she had just left the most wonderful man in the world. Found out too late. She’d learnt the truth when the ship foundered and she’d tried to help a young mother and her baby. She had recognized her as the girl from the other side of town; the girl Adam had been leaving money for. The young mother, seeing her hesitation, cried out, “Please Miss, please help me and little Adam.”

  She remembered her shocked response. “What are you doing here? Why…?”

  Desperation arose in the girl. “Jack Leigh-Fox got me like this and his brother’s paid for me to start a new life. In America I can say I’m a widow. Now it’s all going wrong. Help us, Miss,” she pleaded.

  Laura had tried. While the ship stuck fast in the treacherous sands in the gale-stricken Channel, Laura fashioned a makeshift craft from a table and a couple of barrels for the three of them. But the girl, terrified by the pounding waves and watching others jumping overboard to what, in the darkness, seemed like the safety of something more solid, would not wait. The crew saved some and rowed them away from the cries of those sinking. Laura knew it was best to wait for the tide to float her away. She would take her chances, her life had been shattered; she had distrusted the man who loved her, the finest man who had ever lived; it wouldn’t matter if she didn’t survive. She had lived that nightmare over and over again and helping Adam now was the only way she could put her disastrous mistake right.

  It was time to go. Last time she had had great difficulty in returning to her other world. But, for whatever reason, her mind had remained clearer this time and all she had to do was find the seventy-seven steps. And, as she said the words, something in her rebelled and a sense of panic grew – there was some sort of trouble awaiting her. What was it now? ‘Instructions to return.’ The phrase came into her mind and she searched in the backpack. They were more detailed than last time so, reassured, she decided to stay until Millie came to take up the nursing duties and make sure these two good men passed on their instructions correctly. Laura looked carefully at Alexandra, the girl who might have become a treasured friend. She whispered, “I wish you every happiness, Alexandra. Love him for me, please.”

  Hide in Time ~ Anna Faversham

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  1815

  “One of his ancestors,” said Catherine as she sat opposite Alexandra in the sitting room one cold afternoon in March, “was a High Admiral of All Seas and Waters and much else besides. And,” she said with pride, “he was responsible for paving the streets of London with gold.”

  “When did you say this was?” asked Alexandra as she adjusted the cover around her knees.

  “Fifteen hundred and something,” said Catherine a little sheepishly. “I’ve forgotten. I've also forgotten exactly how they are related. But," and here she picked up a little feigned haughtiness, "he was a very famous explorer and brought back some rock with veins of gold. It was assessed as genuine. It wasn’t his fault that when he sailed again and brought back over one thousand tons of the golden veined rock, it turned out to be ‘fools’ gold’.”

  Alexandra laughed heartily. “Oh Catherine, how terribly unfortunate.”

  “So they used it to pave the streets of London.”

  “What a colourful background.” Alexandra’s quip was lost on Catherine so she continued, “He sounds so interesting, Catherine. Does your father approve?”

  “Oh yes! Papa is very encouraging. He says he has a surname ‘of some dignity’.” Catherine held her head
high and batted her eyelashes. “James’s father is a Baronet, and he is the eldest son, and they live in Surrey, and their house is very grand and James will have an income of seven thousand pounds and…”

  “And if you marry him…” interjected Alexandra.

  “Oh, to marry him. Wouldn’t that be wonderful!”

  “Do you love him, Catherine?”

  “I think so. I have only met him a few times but now that you are almost fully recovered, and Easter has just passed, and the sunny days will soon be here, would you chaperone me in his barouche– it will be such a good way for us all to see the countryside.”

  “Your enthusiasm exhausts me, Catherine,” Alexandra said with a smile, “and what, pray, is a barouche?”

  “Oh Alexandra! Surely you’ve seen a barouche?” Catherine stared wide-eyed at Alexandra who, for a fleeting moment, looked embarrassed. “It must be one of the things you’ve forgotten, though how you could forget the most fashionable and luxurious carriage ever built, I really cannot imagine,” she said hurriedly in a muddled attempt to distract from her friend’s obvious discomfort.