Spider Light(14)
It was just on one o’clock. She would have some lunch, and while she ate she would read the letters and newspaper cuttings about Thomasina and Latchkill, making notes as she went along. I want to know about you, she said to Thomasina’s ghost. And I want to know about that patch of extreme fear in this cottage. I don’t know if you were anything to do with that–whether you suffered the fear or whether you caused it–but you’re a starting point. A link.
She went into the kitchen, still thinking about Thomasina, rather than about what might be invisibly in wait for her, and stopped dead in the doorway.
Raffles was composedly seated on the table, and between his paws were the remains of Godfrey Toy’s smoked salmon.
The clawing fear leapt out of the room all over again, and it was several moments before Antonia could think or reason.
Let’s take this calmly. There’s a cat on the table, and it’s eating the salmon. Nothing so very sinister about that. Dr Toy said Raffles was a well-mannered burglar, and any cat will trade its virtue and barter its soul for fish. But how did he get in?
The likeliest explanation was that Antonia must have left a door or window open, and Raffles, in the manner of his kind, had come to investigate. He was, as Godfrey Toy had said, being perfectly polite about it.
Keeping a firm hold of this probability, she checked the back door which was locked, and then systematically went round the rest of the cottage, determined not to give way to panic.
Every window was closed. Nowhere was the smallest chink through which even the most accomplished feline thief could have got in. But there must be a chink somewhere.
Although how had he opened the fridge door, removed the salmon from the foil wrapping and then closed the fridge door behind him?
CHAPTER SIX
Forrester Benevolent Trust
Friday 17th September
In attendance: Miss Thomasina Forrester, Matron Freda Prout, Reverend Skandry, Dr Daniel Glass.
Nurse Bryony Sullivan taking notes of proceedings.
Matron Prout proposed the closure of Reaper Wing, on the grounds that it was costly to maintain, and a large proportion of the nurses did not like dealing with the inhabitants. There was a certain biblical superstition.
Dr Glass strongly opposed this. Said the inhabitants of Reaper Wing had, in the main, been cast off by squeamish or snobbish families, and must not be cast off by people dedicated to helping the sick. Added that there was nothing in the least biblical about Reaper Wing patients, and offered to talk to the nurses in question.
Reverend Skandry was of the opinion that we should be charitable to those less fortunate than ourselves. When Dr Glass said that this remark did not further the meeting’s purpose, Rev Skandry said he would pray for the poor souls in Reaper Wing.
Matron Prout then proposed that funds be diverted from the Forrester Benevolent Trust to help with treatment of Reaper Wing patients, who often had to be sedated. By way of support for this proposal, she passed round bills, pointing out that items such as sulphate of quinine (frequently given as an infusion in carbonate of ammonia), were becoming very costly.
Miss Forrester asked if any of the patients in Reaper Wing could be regarded as men or women of quality, which is a particular requirement of money from the Trust being paid out. Matron Prout said, they were people of quality, and appealed to Dr Glass to confirm this.
Dr Glass said he could not confirm it because he had never noticed and he did not care anyway. He expressed himself as being opposed to using the Trust in the way Matron was requesting. If Reaper Wing–in fact if any patients at all–were so severely disturbed that regular sedation was needed, the cost of treating them should be borne by public monies such as the Poor Law funds, and not have to come from charitable bequests with obscure terms of reference, set up by well-meaning but misguided philanthropists thirty years earlier.
Reverend Skandry suggested that Dr Glass should apologize to Miss Forrester for appearing to cast a slur on her father, to which Dr Glass replied that in a properly run world all sick people would be given the same treatment irrespective of financial or social standing, and he would like it recorded that he will treat all patients in Latchkill regardless of whether he is paid for his services or not. (So recorded.)
Reverend Skandry seconded the proposal that the Forrester Benevolent Trust be drawn on for ministering to Reaper Wing.
Dr Glass put a counter-proposal that if Trust funds were to be used for basic medicines, they might as well also be used to provide better food for all patients.
Objection made by Matron Prout, who said if the Trust permitted this, the next step would be that the patients would expect all manner of luxuries, even down to wine with their dinner, and chicken and game for their supper. Dr Glass said he did not see why patients should not be given chicken and game–stewed venison very nourishing. Pointed out that partridge presently in season, and poachers as likely to supply Latchkill with birds as anywhere else. Said that for himself he had no objection to eating misappropriated partridge and did not suppose Latchkill’s patients would mind either, and that a particularly good way to cook it was au choux. Added that if it was Matron’s intention to administer prison diet to the patients, then Dora Scullion might as well bring on the bread-and-skilly now and have done.
Original proposal carried. Dr Glass’s counter-proposal not seconded.
Today had been the first time Byrony had taken the notes for a Benevolent Trust meeting and it had been quite an experience. The Reverend Arthur Skandry had spent most of his time staring at Bryony’s ankles, and Thomasina Forrester had spent her time staring at her bosom. Neither of these things were entirely a surprise, although Bryony would have preferred not to have Thomasina eyeing her in quite that manner.