River

Gregor

I waited until dawn, but after Wolk kept me updated all night, I just couldn’t make myself wait any longer. David’s condition is deteriorating rapidly, and he needs help. My touch yesterday only stalled the infection. It’s a good thing, since it progressed so rapidly overnight that if David hadn’t had the little delay, he would be close to death right now. As it is, his condition is becoming very serious. I have to try again.

Me showing up at the boarding house at dawn won’t help with the Mason situation, but David dying wouldn’t help either. Furthermore David is probably not lucid enough to notice what I am doing and report me. Ben is another matter.

“You’ll have to play it by ear, darling.”

Yes. We’ll see what develops. But I have to see what I can do to help David. First things first.

At least I know that David and Ben aren’t currently spying on my house, since they are busy in the boarding house dealing with a dangerous infection. Mason is still asleep in the grove, comfortably wrapped in Ben’s blankets. So I can leave Rosalind alone for a while, as much as I hate losing any time with her today, of all days. I know Moses and Nadine will be arriving soon.

She’s still asleep, so I leave a note for her, telling her that I have left early to go to the dock and wishing her a pleasant day. I am careful to print clearly, and use simple words. Her education was essentially non-existent, never having attended school growing up. She is not illiterate, but the simple lessons that her father gave her before his death provided her only a rudimentary grasp of reading.

When I come into Ben’s room, he is so shocked to see me that he looks like his eyes are going to bug straight out of his head. I have no plausible excuse to be here. I’ve certainly never visited the crew boarding house before.

I guess I’ll try to be honest. Ish. I frequently find myself telling something that is technically true to cover my real purpose.

“Hey, Ben. I couldn’t sleep, and I thought I’d come down and check on David. He seemed like he was feeling a little unwell yesterday.” See? That is all true.

Ben is too flustered by David’s condition to spend much time wondering what I am actually doing. “Er, right, he isn’t well. He’s worse now.”

Clearly. He looks terrible. “Have you done anything for him?”

“Er, I was about to get a wet cloth for his face.”

“Good, that should help. I’ll wait here.” I don’t even wait for him to leave the room before crossing over and putting my hand on David’s sweaty forehead. That’s a normal way to check a temperature and Ben is unalarmed to see the gesture. He leaves to go find a wet cloth. I keep my hand on David’s scarily hot head, and with my other hand take hold of one of his. My experiences with Rosalind and Dalila at least taught me that multiple points of contact seem to help.

“It is helping to reduce his pain, but this will not be easy. The infection has entered his bloodstream and is becoming systemic.”

He doesn’t compare the situation to Marguerite Ellis, but I know we are both thinking it. My touch didn’t help her at all, she was too far advanced in her illness. I am encouraged that Wolk says my touch is helping somewhat, but I don’t know if it will be enough.

“Ben is coming back.”

I stand up and take my hands off him. I don’t want Ben to feel unsettled by my strange actions today. This day will be strange enough. So I take the wet cloth from him, and put it on David’s forehead myself, leaving my hand pressed to the cloth. There, two birds with one stone. The wet cloth does not interfere with the energy flowing from my hand, Wolk tells me. I have learned that apparently it doesn’t make much difference if I touch bare skin or clothed. The contact works either way.

Ben stands and stares. He looks absolutely haggard, having had an extremely difficult couple of days. “What do you think is wrong with him?” he croaks.

I look at him, keeping my hand on David’s forehead over the damp cloth. I try to decide whether to level with Ben.

“The main drawback to bringing Ben into your confidence would be his possible inability to conceal that from Mason.”

“How is he at poker?” I ask Wolk silently.

“Quite good,” he answers after a brief pause.

I decide that will have to be good enough.

He is waiting for my answer, his forehead knotted with anxiety. David is looking worse every moment, even with my hand on him.

“I think he has blood poisoning from his knife wounds,” I tell him.

His mouth drops open, his eyes dart from side to side. They never told me about any knife wounds. He is completely unnerved, trying suddenly to figure out how much I know.

“Somebody told me about the conversation they overheard two nights ago at the tavern between you and Mason,” I tell him, not wanting to leave him in suspense. Maybe he’ll feel better knowing that I am aware of everything, so I go on, watching his wild expression go through a range of emotions. “I know what’s going on. I know that he told you to spy on me. I know what he has threatened you with.”

His face crumples, his hand comes up to his mouth, and he gulps in an emotional breath of air. He is suddenly thoroughly overwhelmed with his chaotic emotions, unable to control his breathing, trying to choke back a heavy sob. I avert my eyes, trying to give him a bit of privacy, and focus on using the cloth to mop David’s sweaty face for a few moments to allow Ben to compose himself. I make sure to keep at least one hand on David, as unobtrusively as possible. I might be up front with Ben about the Mason situation, but there are some secrets I can never tell.

In a couple of minutes he is able to speak, and his first comment endears him to me even further. “I’m sorry,” he says, brokenly. “I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t think of a way to do it without Mason finding out.”

I nod. “I appreciate that. Please understand that I don’t blame you or David for this at all. The entire problem is caused by Mason. He’s just continuing his life of crime, that’s why I put up the reward money.”

“What … what are you going to do?” he whispers.

“I’m going to be watchful. It is important that Mason has no idea that I know anything at all. I want him to think I am oblivious to his scheme. I want him to think I have no idea that he is even in town. Can you keep this a secret?”

He nods, shakily.

“In the meantime, David is too ill to work today, obviously. Either for me or for Mason.”

“I was thinking of trying to find a doctor for him.”

“That’s a good idea,” I tell him, although I am hoping that what I am doing will be enough to heal David. “My friend Doctor Samuel Duncan returned to town yesterday.” I know this is news he has been longing to hear, for more than one reason, but of course Ben has no idea that I know about that too. “I had dinner with him last night. He said that he has so much work to do after having been out of town for a few days, that this morning he planned to be up at dawn to get to it. He might already be in his office.”

His face is filled with even more emotion.

“Do you know where his office is?” I ask him, knowing full well that he does.

He nods, apparently too overwrought to speak. “Why don’t you go see if you can fetch him. I’ll stay here with David. We have a couple of hours before we are scheduled to start work, hopefully by then David will be feeling a little better.”

He starts to bolt out the door.

“Ben!”

He jerks to a stop and looks back at me. I grin, waving my hand over his form. He is barefoot, and still wearing his nightclothes. He sputters out an unlikely laugh, a welcome moment of levity in an otherwise grim situation.

When he is dressed and gone, I make sure the door is closed behind him, then I turn my attention entirely to David. He is still restless and feverish. I don’t think he really knows that I am here. Since he is not fully aware of what is happening, I feel bold enough to lay my hands directly on the wounds, hoping that the proximity will help. I couldn’t do this if anyone was watching, including him - it would be seen as far too personal, to be laying hands on his groin area.

After several minutes, Wolk says, “The blood infection is diminishing, but very slowly.”

“Well, at least it isn’t getting worse any more. Tell me when anybody is coming so that I can stop looking like I’m molesting him.”

Wolk smiles at me. He appreciates how peculiar this whole situation is.