The Nearly Notorious Nun

by Rie Sheridan Rose

  Once we were out of earshot of the nurses’ desk, I turned to Leonora.

  “Thank you, Leonora. I couldn’t have borne it if I couldn’t see him.” I felt the desire to cry crawling up my throat once more. “How bad is it?”

  She sighed. “Besides the broken arm, nothing that won’t heal by the end of next week. Mostly bruises, a cut on his cheek where his spectacles gashed him. He and the coachman will be fine. What about the little girl? I heard she was unconscious.”

  “Her mother should be here soon. Her aunt was on her way to telegraph word when I left the convent.”

  We arrived at a private room—another benefit of family wealth—and I rushed in when I saw Alistair lying on the single bed. The iron bedstead was made up with a clean but faded quilt, and muslin sheets that made him look positively ghostly in appearance. On the wall above the bed hung a crucifix, and I crossed myself instinctively.

  A pair of bentwood chairs stood one to either side of the bed. Aside from these furnishings, the room was drab and austere. I resolved that I would bring some posies from Aunt Emily’s garden to liven things up.

  Alistair’s eyes were closed, and he was pale and lifeless. I took his uninjured hand in mine and cradled it to my chest.

  “Alistair! Oh, Alistair.”

  “He’ll be all right, dear,” Leonora said softly, sinking onto the chair on his other side. Carefully, she took his other hand. “Sit. It may be a while before he wakes up. They gave him some laudanum to ease the pain, and it’s put him to sleep for the moment, that’s all.”

  “I should check on Ella,” I murmured, dashing at the tears rolling down my cheeks.

  Leonora held out her other hand to me.

  “Sit down, Jo. He’ll be pleased you’re here when he wakes up. It shouldn’t be long.”

  That was enough to convince me, and I sat down in the opposite chair.

  I couldn’t help myself. My free hand strayed up and brushed the hair from his forehead. He looked so young and vulnerable without his glasses to shield behind.

  His eyes fluttered open at my touch.

  “Jo…?” he croaked.

  “I’m here, Alastair.”

  “We’ll definitely have to order that carriage now.”

  I laughed through my tears. Maybe Leonora was right—he was becoming more practical.

  “Yes, Alistair. I suppose, in all fairness, we should order two.”

  He favored me with a wan smile.

  “How’re the others?”

  “Roderick will be fine.”

  “And Ella?”

  I hesitated, and he struggled to sit up.

  “What’s happened to Ella?”

  “Lie down, Alistair,” Leonora ordered. “The child should be fine. She banged her head, and is still unconscious, but the doctors have made me every assurance she’ll be up in no time.”

  He subsided and lay back on the bed.

  “How did this happen?”

  “You were there, Alistair. What do you remember?” I asked.

  His story sounded the same as the one Ma had given me. It didn’t make any sense—unless there was a nefarious plot behind it. In that case, it made perfect sense. Was it somehow related to all the other nastiness that had been transpiring lately?

  I needed to get to the bottom of all this.

  “Jo…”

  “Yes, Alistair?”

  “Could you bring me my spare spectacles from my bedroom at Ma’s?”

  “Of course.”

  He blinked at me owlishly.

  “The sooner the better.”

  “I’ll go as soon as I check in on Ella.”

  He squeezed my hand.

  “I hope everything turns out for the best, Jo.”

  “You rest now,” I said, smiling down at him. “I’ll be back soon.”

  “Thank you, Jo,” he answered drowsily. “I love you.” His eyes drifted shut once more.

  I gasped.

  Leonora quirked an eyebrow. I fled the room as quickly as possible.

  Heavens! I had dreamed of the day he would say those words, but this was definitely not the time or place I had envisioned!

  “If the little fool had kept her mouth shut, I would even have married her. She does have money, after all.”

  “Which, I take it, you no longer do,” commented Amy, observing the worn cuffs and shiny fabric of her captive’s suit.

  “I slipped the ring out of her bag and pawned it—but when she got so upset about not having it to show the set at the engagement party…”

  Amy shook her head. “She really loved you, Patrick. She always has. She would have given back the ring if you had only asked. Now, I will have to break her heart.”

  -- Garrett Goldthwaite

  Analytical Amy and the Case of the Covetous Cad

  Chapter 20

  I returned to the boarding house with Phaeton to fetch Alistair’s spare eyeglasses and some toiletries. It seemed much more logical to take the automaton home instead of hailing a cab. There was no way he could ride in one, and there was no reason for him to stand by, since he was so unwelcome at the hospital. When we arrived home, I was glad of my decision.

  My mind was a thousand miles away as I hurried toward the basement steps. I felt another flash of déjà vu as I bumped into a hard surface that shouldn’t be there, staggering backward.

  A hand reached out to steady me.

  “Are ya alright, girl?”

  I looked up to find the shabby red-haired fellow who had been haunting the streets everywhere I went for the past few days.

  “Miss Josephine Mann, is it?”

  “Do I know you?”

  “Not yet, but yer about to.”

  “Thank you for the assistance, sir, but I am in an extreme hurry at the moment.” I moved to step around him.

  He countered. “I really need t’ talk t’ ya, lass.”

  “Not at the moment,” I replied firmly. “Now get out of my way.”

  “’Twill only take a moment o’ yer time.”

  “Do you wish for me to call a constable?” My anger was beginning to rise.

  Phaeton stepped up behind me, looming at my back.

  “Is this man disturbing you, Mistress Jo? Would you like me to send him on his way?”

  Phaeton can look extremely intimidating when he wishes to.

  “No…no—don’t do nothin’ like that. No need for the law, neither. I’ll be on me way…fer now.” The stranger stepped aside and took off down the street at a near run.

  I watched him go with a frown, but I really didn’t have time to spare him much thought. I retrieved the key from my reticule, unlocked the door, and hurried into the laboratory.

  By the time I had gathered Alistair’s things into a bag and returned to the street, the man was long gone. I hadn’t let him get as far as his name, and wondered how he had known mine; but there was far too much happening currently to give the encounter more than a minute’s worry. Still, it had made me nervous.

  It suddenly struck me that I was carrying the copy of Nettie’s marriage certificate in my bag, and I couldn’t risk anything happening to it. I turned to Phaeton, who had followed me into the laboratory.

  “Phaeton, take this paper.” I handed him the precious document. “Do not give it to anyone but me or Master Alistair.”

  “Yes, Mistress Jo,” he replied, nodding his great head gravely.

  I felt much better about it now.

  I took a cab back to the hospital; I supposed we would be taking a lot of cabs for the near future. I wondered idly how long it took to construct a carriage after it was ordered but set aside the question for other considerations long before we arrived at St. Luke’s.

  I debated telling Alistair about the odd encounter with the redheaded man, but I didn’t want to disturb him unnecessarily. Although his declaration earlier had rather disturbed me…

  It wasn’t that it was unwanted—quite the opposite. I had been hoping for him to make such an avowal almost s
ince the day we met. But coming as it did when he was drugged practically out of his senses…well, it hadn’t quite lived up to my expectations.

  In fact, the more I considered things, the more I wasn’t sure I really wanted to face him at the moment. By the time I arrived at the hospital, I was definite. I handed off his bag to Leonora and went down the hall to Ella’s ward.

  It was easier to find Ella’s bed than it had been to get into Alistair’s room. I’m sure he would have paid for a private room for her as well, but he had been a bit under the weather when he was brought in. I would speak to Leonora about remedying the situation. No child should be subjected to this…although, I admit, it was really quite like the dormitory of the orphanage.

  Two rows of identical cots stretched a hundred feet down the ward. Each was covered with a thin, scratchy blanket. Most of the beds held mounded figures, and the air reeked of illness and the strong scent of liniment. Coughs and moans wove a symphony of misery. A few of the beds were masked with portable privacy screens, but for the majority of the patients, open wounds and wasted faces were all the scenery available.

  Ella would not stay in this breeding ground for disease a minute more than she had to.

  For now, I simply looked for Bridget’s familiar black habit and hurried to her side. Her head was down in prayer while she held Ella’s hand as I had held Alistair’s.

  “How is she?” I asked softly, pulling up a stool beside her.

  “She is still unconscious.” Bridget’s eyes were red and damp. “Nettie’s on her way, but it will take her a while to get here. I’ve been praying…”

  “Of course you have,” I said, reaching over and hugging her tightly. “I’m sure He’s listening.”

  Her smile wavered, but it was there. It gladdened my heart to see it. And it gladdened my heart even more to see Ella shift in her bed, raising her free hand to her head.

  “It hurts…” she whimpered.

  “Praise God,” murmured Bridget. “I know it hurts, darling, but it will be better soon.”

  “What happened?”

  “The carriage overturned,” I told Ella.

  “Oh! I remember. There was a loud bang, and I looked out the window. There was a man lashing his horses—and I saw him flick the whip at our team. Then we started to go really fast, and the carriage started to turn over…Hortensia!” She bolted upright then clutched her head and moaned. “It hurts!” She started to cry, and Bridget gathered her to her bosom.

  “Shh, darling. Your mother will be here soon.”

  “Mama’s coming?” Ella breathed.

  “Yes. She telegraphed me she would be here the moment she could arrange it.”

  “Will I be able to go home with her?” Hope tremored her voice and shone in her wan face.

  Bridget’s face grew troubled.

  “You know that isn’t a good idea, sweetheart.”

  Ella’s eyes filled with tears again and her lip trembled.

  “Don’t cry, Ella. We’ll see what we can do. Perhaps, soon, you’ll be able to go visit her, at least.”

  There was a commotion in the hallway, and then a slender red-haired woman ran down the aisle between the beds.

  “Where is she?” she cried. “Where is my daughter?”

  “Mama!” Ella leaned forward, her arms stretched out toward the approaching figure. “Mama!”

  I stood up, vacating my stool for the newcomer. I wouldn’t have recognized Nettie in this elegantly dressed woman. The shy, bookish girl I remembered was an immaculate lady in a walking suit of the latest stylish cut. Her upswept coiffure had seen the hands of a skilled maid I was almost positive.

  “It’s good to see you, Nettie,” I told her sincerely.

  “Josephine Mann, is that you?”

  “Yes. Didn’t Bridget tell you I was helping her?”

  “With what?”

  I frowned. What was going on? Didn’t she know about the blackmail? Surely, Nettie had asked Bridget why she’d wanted that information about Matthias. If she didn’t know the complete truth, what excuse had Bridget given her?

  “It isn’t important at the moment. Ella is the important thing. Have you…have you mentioned her to your affianced?”

  “Yes. Of course, I have. William knows everything. I-I haven’t told his family, but he and I agreed to wait for that until after the wedding.”

  “That makes a certain sense, I suppose.”

  “He will be in as soon as he sees to the carriage. Was anyone else hurt?”

  I nodded. “My employer, Alistair Conn, and the coachman. Both are expected to make a full recovery. I believe they’ll be discharged in the morning.”

  “That’s good news.” Nettie gathered Ella to her. “I’m so glad to see you, dearest.”

  “Mama…Hortensia is lost,” Ella told her, her eyes welling once more with tears. “I was supposed to look after her, but she’s lost!” She burst into wracking sobs.

  Nettie looked up at me, confusion marring her forehead.

  “Hortensia is a doll. My employer’s mother asked Ella to look after her.”

  “Your employer’s mother?”

  “No, the doll…oh, never mind. I’ll go and check at the admittance desk and see if anyone has brought her to the hospital.”

  Ella nodded gingerly, her eyes shining.

  “Would you, Miss Jo? If they found her, surely they would know to bring her to me.”

  I didn’t know about that. Men could be awfully dense about what was important. Still, it was worth a look.

  “I’ll be right back, Ella.”

  I peeked in on Alistair, glad to see that he was asleep at the moment. Leonora caught my eye and came around the end of the bed.

  “How is Ella?” she whispered.

  “She woke up, and her mother’s with her now. Her biggest worry at the moment is what has become of Hortensia.” I sighed. “I don’t suppose they brought her to the hospital?”

  Leonora shook her head with a little smile.

  “I doubt the doll was much of a priority when they had so many injuries.”

  “I suppose I should ask at the desk.”

  “I wouldn’t bother, dear. If she flew free of the accident, she likely smashed to pieces on the pavement—or, if not, was snatched up for some other little girl.”

  “Do you have any idea what they might have done with the wreckage? She might still be inside.”

  “I’m afraid not.” She pursed her lips in thought. “You know, I bought Hortensia for Lavinia at Toy Bazaar in Baltimore, but I hear one of the Schwartz brothers who partnered in that store has opened his own toy emporium here in the city. I believe he calls it Schwartz Brothers—Importers. They might have a doll similar enough that Ella wouldn’t notice. Here.” She reached into her reticule and pulled out several large bills. “Take this and see if you can replace her. The store should still be open, if you hurry. I’ll go down to the ward and distract Ella.”

  I pushed the money back toward her.

  “I would rather you used this to get her out of that terrible place and into a private room.”

  Leonora squeezed my hands.

  “Don’t worry, darling, I’ve plenty more. Keep anything left over for yourself.”

  I felt my face flush. “I couldn’t do that.”

  “I insist. Now, hurry along, before the store closes. We mustn’t let Ella sleep alone.” She winked at me.

  Despite everything Alistair said about her, Leonora Conn was a sweet, lovely woman; and I would be forever grateful to her for her friendship.

  I hurried from the hospital and hailed a cab. Fortunately, the driver knew exactly where to find the toy store. When we arrived, I climbed down and turned to him.

  “Could you wait for me, please? I need to return to the hospital once my business here is completed.”

  The man frowned. “I could lose quite a bit of custom, ma’am, and my living depends on fares.”

  I handed him the smallest of Leonora’s bills.

 
“Will that convince you?”

  He drew back, startled by the sight of it.

  “Yes, ma’am. I’ll be waiting.”

  “Good. And that’s miss—not ma’am.”

  He nodded, and I practically ran up the steps.

  The store would be closing in fifteen minutes. I glanced around for the nearest employee and I spotted a snooty-looking young woman in black skirt and starched white blouse standing behind a glass counter. I dashed over to her.

  “Excuse me,” I gasped, out-of-breath. “Can you help me, please?”

  “What do you want?” she asked, tone matching her expression perfectly.

  “It’s an emergency,” I tried to explain. “A little girl…carriage accident… I need to replace a doll.”

  “Dolls are on the third floor,” she replied, pointing toward a flight of stairs. “Good luck.”

  I didn’t have the breath to express my opinion of her as I wished. Particularly if I was about to run up two more flights of stairs. Gathering my skirts, I did just that.

  By the time I arrived at the head of the final flight, my legs were trembling; and I almost fell when I hit the top of the steps. A young man was closing the fronts of several large display cabinets, and when he saw me, his eyes widened.

  He hurried across the floor to take my arm.

  “Are you alright, miss?”

  “Need doll,” I gasped, unable to form a complete sentence. My gaze flew around the room, searching for and discarding possibilities. “There!” I cried, pointing to a top shelf. “There!”

  He guided me to a stool at the sales counter and went to pull down the doll I had indicated.

  “This is one of our top models,” he said doubtfully. “She’s a trifle expensive…” He handed me the doll.

  It was Hortensia—same hair, same smile, same eyes.

  “I’ll take it.”

  “This doll comes with a wardrobe,” he murmured, biting his lip. “I can’t sell her alone.”

  I began pulling bills from my reticule.

  “Whatever it takes. I need to get back to the hospital. How much of this will it cost?”

  He shook his head with a sigh and plucked two bills from the pile.