| |
Vic found Gregory in the parlor, standing in the corner, with arms crossed as he watched the children build a castle from wooden blocks.
Vic stood next to him. “I used to have blocks like that.”
“You still do.” He then spoke in a loud voice. “And if anyone misbehaves, you’ll get your blocks back.”
The children glanced up with worried eyes, then returned to their very fine building efforts. She finally realized she was missing a child. “Where’s Maddy?” she whispered.
“She’s feeling a bit conflicted. If she stays here tonight, she fears her mother will never forgive her, but she desperately wants time with her father. So, she and David are evaluating their options.”
“I wish Claire could be happy.”
Gregory sighed heavily. “After Madeline died, I can’t help but feel that I should have taken a firmer hand with Claire. In truth, I was not comfortable with Madeline’s decisions for the girl, but I didn’t believe it was my place to intervene.”
Vic sighed heavily. “It’s not your fault, Gregory. There’s just something wrong with Claire. I am very worried about her. I fear if she escalates further, Xavier will have no choice but to put her into an asylum. He knows a nice one with a very good doctor.”
“The one who cured Ben?”
“Yes.”
“Would not curing the insane be better earlier than later? Ben was in there for a very short time.”
Vic objected. “Ben was not insane. He was mesmerized. The hideous woman that Xavier was once expected to marry turned out to be a powerful mesmerist.”
“I never believed in mesmerism until I saw Xavier under its thrall.” After a long pause, Gregory spoke. “Do you think mesmerism could be used to make Claire nicer?”
Vic stared at him in shock. “All the female mesmerists I’ve known are horrible people, but the doctor who cured Ben might know if mesmerism could be used for good.” She would have hugged Gregory, but with so many children in the room, she just gripped his arm. “I will talk to David at once, and if he agrees, I will ask Xavier to write the doctor a note and ask if such a feat is possible.”
***
Vic found David and Maddy sitting on the floor of his room. Maddy yelled “Auntie Vic!” causing David to turn around.
Vic knelt next to Maddy. “Cook is making you hot chocolate,” she whispered. Maddy squealed and ran downstairs.
Vic reached over and gripped his hand. “I know this has to be hard on you.”
His eyes watered at once, and his breathing sounded raspy.
“I still love Claire, and I know you do as well,” Vic whispered.
David nodded and covered his face. “I don’t know what to do,” he admitted.
“What if she were sick? What would you do then?”
“I would take her to the very best doctor I could find,” he replied. “But neither of us believe she has a curable disease.”
“I think there’s a chance,” Vic whispered.
“What are you saying?”
“You know Xavier and I have run into a couple of mesmerists.”
His face contorted in confusion by her statement, but he remained quiet.
“Without question, they can cause great harm. But what if there was a nice mesmerist who could calm a person and make her happy again? Would you be willing to try it?”
David’s eyes widened. “Is that possible?”
“I don’t know for certain. But the doctor that cured Ben does seem to know a lot about mesmerism. I haven’t asked Xavier to ask him yet, because this has to be your decision. However, it would mean you would have to commit Claire to the asylum he works at and only he decides if she can be released. It’s not in London either. But on the positive side, it’s nothing like Bedlam. The doctor seems to be a very kind man. And the patients are never harmed.”
“And he might be able to help her?” David asked.
“The doctor was able to undo the damage done to Ben by taking him back to an earlier time. So, I’m hoping he can take Claire back to a happier time, before she became so angry.”
David sighed heavily. “I have contacted a great many doctors, trying to find anyone who might be able to help, but they insisted the only solution for true madness is leaving them in an asylum. And if you don’t remember the doctor’s name, how will I find him?”
Vic gripped his hand. “Xavier knows his name.”
“Is Xavier available?”
“He wasn’t here the last time I looked for him. Let me see if he has returned.”
***
Vic located Xavier eating dinner alone at the table. She sat beside him and stole a piece of meat off his plate.
“Do you wish to lose a finger?” he asked.
“No, but I have an idea about Claire. I’ve already discussed it with David, and he’s willing to go meet the doctor who cured Ben, if you will give Casey instructions upon how to get there.”
Xavier shook his head. “What exactly is your plan.”
She explained the possibility that the doctor knew mesmerism and that he could mesmerize Claire into being happy again.
“Was Claire ever happy?”
“Yes. In fact, she was always happy as a child. She only became cranky when she reached puberty. And even then, she remained nice more than half the time. Then Aunt Maddy died. We thought we were poor and an uncle would take Claire away, unless I took a job at a bank. Then you came and saved not just the day, but made my life perfection...well, all but Claire. Looking back, I realize that since we first moved in with Aunt Maddy, Claire started to change.”
Xavier reached over and ruffled her hair.
“Your hand had better be clean,” she warned.
“The only miscreant eating with his fingers was you,” Xavier said before resuming his meal.
“So, what do you think about my plan?”
“This will require David, you, and myself to leave London for minimally two days. While I do see a potential value in doing this, the timing could not be worse. I’m to retrieve Stone tomorrow. You should be having a meeting with the building inspector, and David has teeth to fill.”
“Have Jacko pick up Stone and place him in the library. Then have Pete create a sign saying all inquiries should go to the house across the street and have him post it on the door. I’ll ask Luke to do the walk through with the builder on the creation of a second office first, and if the building inspector seems reasonable, then let him know I just bought a printing business and ask him if he would like to do that one as well. What else was on your list?”
“David. He’s a dentist, you know.”
“He closed his office for two weeks. Clare has him too upset.”
“Then my only objection is... Never mind. Stone will no doubt sit at my desk in the library. I’ll ask Gregory to find two uncomfortable chairs for clients to sit in.”
“Xavier, we won’t be there. Allow Stone to do what he wants. If he asks someone to leave and they refuse, he can always call in Casey and have the client tossed out. Or he can bellow at them to leave. I don’t believe he requires painful chairs to get rid of people.”
Xavier chuckled. “All right then. Tomorrow, we will awaken and begin the long and painful five-hour journey to the asylum.”