Half a Mind TO Murder (Dr. Alexandra Gladstone Mysteries Book 3) (11 page)

“
But statistics, of course, give us insight into how those laws operate,” Miss Nightingale said. Nicholas had no idea what she was talking about. Miss Nightingale, like Alexandra, however, did very much enjoy philosophical discussions, and she was a great proponent of the science of statistics. He had been introduced to Miss Nightingale by his mother, who was one of the few women who, as far as Nicholas could tell, called the out-spoken and opinionated woman friend. For now, however, it was a struggle for him to listen to what he ordinarily considered her enlightening if sometimes shocking opinions. He was much too concerned about Alexandra. Perhaps it was unreasonable to think she was in danger because of what he had learned about the recent gory murders in Newton, but he was concerned, nevertheless. He was also puzzled that she hadn’t mentioned the deaths. She always had been an enigma to him.

“
And I’m sure you agree that the mischief in that is obvious, don’t you, Mr. Forsythe?” Alexandra said.

“
What?” Nicholas felt momentarily disoriented. “Oh yes, the mischief. Obvious. Yes, of course, you’re quite correct.” All he could think of now was getting as much information from Alexandra as possible. But she would insist on attending that lecture. He’d have to think of something. Perhaps he should keep her here indefinitely, especially if there was danger in Newton-Upon-Sea.

“
Is it too much to hope that before the millennium—before the year two-thousand—that no longer will be the case?” Miss Nightingale said, addressing her question to him.

Nicholas, by this ti
me, was so bogged down with concern he could not think of even the simplest response. The best he could muster was a blank stare.

“
Mr. Forsythe, are you ill?” There was genuine concern in Alexandra’s voice.

“
Ill?” he said, slowly coming out of his fog. “Of course not, I’m…”

“
You really should have told me the physician who would be joining us was a woman, Nicholas,” Miss Nightingale said as his voice trailed off. There was a lilt in her tone, as if she might be teasing him.

“
And you certainly should have told me to expect Miss Nightingale,” Alexandra added. “I’m afraid I made rather a fool of myself in the library. But of course it would be ridiculous for me to blame that on you,” she added with a charming laugh. “I seem to be able to manage that quite on my own.”

The two women were obviously enjoying themselves. He had to be careful not to spoil it. There would be time after lunch to speak to Alexandra, and it would be best if he didn
’t betray his worry now.

“
Nonsense!” Miss Nightingale said. “It is abundantly clear you’re no fool, my dear. Please, you must tell me a little about your practice.”

“
There’s nothing extraordinary about my work, Miss Nightingale. I’m a country doctor with a practice among people I’ve known all my life. A practice, I might add, that I inherited from my father, who was quite instrumental in my training.”

“
Dr. Gladstone is being far too modest.” Nicholas was making a special effort not to appear distracted. “She’s quite well respected in her community and displays a remarkable affinity for the practice of medicine. You would admire her efficiency.”

“
You’re being too kind, Mr. Forsythe,” Alexandra said. “You know Nancy is largely responsible for my efficiency.”

“
Nancy?” Miss Nightingale glanced first at Nicholas then at Alexandra.

“
Dr. Gladstone’s nurse,” Nicholas said. “You will be pleased to know she’s quite well-trained.”

“
Excellent!” Miss Nightingale said.

“
And how is Nancy?” Nicholas spoke up quickly before Miss Nightingale could launch one of her discourses on the importance of trained nurses.

“
Quite well, thank you. She would be pleased that you asked.” There was an oddly strained quality to Alexandra’s voice that hadn’t been there before. Perhaps, Nicholas thought, she was worried about having left Nancy alone in Newton. “I am rather concerned about having left her,” Alexandra said as if she’d read his mind. “We were on the threshold of a pertussis epidemic when I left.”

“
Pertussis?” he asked, feeling disoriented again.

“
Whooping cough,” Miss Nightingale said by way of explanation before Alexandra could respond. “Another infectious disease transmitted through the air, especially in over-crowded conditions. Perhaps one of those diseases Monsieur Pasteur would like to study with an eye toward inoculation.”

“
Interesting thought,” Alexandra said. “Monsieur Pasteur has done some remarkable work with inoculations, but I suspect a whooping cough vaccine will be a long time coming. Pity you weren’t able to meet him when you were in France.”

“
Indeed. I would have welcomed the opportunity. I find the theory behind inoculation interesting, but I would like to debate the value of it, compared to public education regarding sanitation with Monsieur Pasteur.”

“
Will Nancy be able to handle it?” Nicholas asked, for no particular reason other than to appear interested. “The epidemic, I mean.” He had realized too late that his question seemed to be out of context. Both women were looking at him with slightly bewildered expressions.

“
For a while I believe,” Alexandra said, finally. “I shan’t leave her for long, of course, and fortunately, she does have help.”

“
You’ve hired another nurse?” Nicholas was still only pretending interest.

“
A woman we’ve met who seems quite capable as a result of having cared for her younger siblings. You may know her, Mr. Forsythe,” Alexandra said. “She’s employed at the local pub and before that she worked at the apothecary. Her name is Polly Cobbe.”

“
Cobbe? I’m afraid the name doesn’t sound familiar.” Nicholas was wishing profoundly that they could have dessert and the luncheon would end.

Miss Nightingale spoke again.
“Polly Cobbe, you say? If it’s the Polly Cobbe I know, her capability stems from considerably more than having cared for siblings. Is she by chance a rather pleasant looking blonde woman, plump of figure?”

“
Precisely.” Alexandra’s tone reflected heightened interest.

“
An excellent cook, by chance?”

“
Indeed, you do know her.”

“
I met her when I was last in Paris.” Miss Nightingale waved away a servant’s offer of dessert as she spoke. “I met with a group of nurses while I was there, and she was among them.”

“
A trained nurse?” Alexandra appeared surprised.

“
Yes, she is from the working class, you know, and she’d been brought to France with a family who employed her as a servant. Then, when the family returned to England, she stayed in Paris and attended nursing school. Terribly bright girl. Became quite fluent in French. The language as well as the cuisine. I know, because she prepared a meal for a group of us.”

“
I’m sure you’re relieved that Nancy has the competent help of an experienced nurse,” Nicholas said. He was trying desperately to think of a way to end the conversation, in the hopes that Miss Nightingale would leave and he could ask Alexandra about the Newton murders.

“
Miss Cobbe was not actually employed as a nurse when I met her, so I can’t speak for her competence,” Miss Nightingale said.

Alexandra gave her a puzzled look.
“But didn’t you just say she—”

Miss Nightingale raised a cautionary finger as she int
errupted her. “I said she was with a group of nurses, and I said she was trained as a nurse. When I met her she was on holiday from her job and was visiting with some of her former schoolmates who were nurses. The same nurses I happened to meet with. Miss Cobbe, however, had taken another direction. She had become a laboratory assistant to Monsieur Pasteur.”

Alexandra set down a glass she was about to raise to her lips.
“Really? Rather odd choice for her, I should think.”

“
Yes, I suppose it is odd,” Miss Nightingale said, “but it shouldn’t be. Women of all classes are denied the right to satisfy passion or intellect or moral activity. Perhaps we are partly to blame ourselves for this. But,” she added with a wave of her hand, “to say more on this subject would be to enter into the whole history of society and the present state of civilization.”

Nicholas felt momentarily relieved that she didn
’t seem inclined to begin that discussion at the moment. Yet, to his dismay, Alexandra seemed determined to carry on in a previous direction, as they all removed to the drawing room for coffee.

“
I also find it odd that Polly never mentioned she was a laboratory assistant to Monsieur Pasteur,” Alexandra said.

“
Perhaps it is odd,” Miss Nightingale agreed, “although I do seem to recall she wasn’t inclined to be enormously talkative. Not about herself, at least. A trait which I admire, I might add. But then, perhaps being an assistant involved nothing more than cleaning the laboratory. Perhaps there was nothing about her position to warrant mentioning.”

“
Mmm,” said Alexandra, considering it. “She did work as an assistant at our local apothecary, but one would think—”

“
Now that I think of it, we did have a bit of a discussion regarding Monsieur Pasteur’s work,” Miss Nightingale interrupted. “Miss Cobbe was quite interested in his research. Fascinated, perhaps would be a better word, although I can’t say she led me to believe she understood a great deal.”

“
I wouldn’t expect she would,” Alexandra said.

“
Of course not, and mind you neither do I have a deep understanding of the science and mechanics of disease. It is my contention that mankind should use statistical analysis to determine what sort of living conditions must be avoided in order to encourage a healthy society rather than concentrating on ridding the world of the organisms of disease. As I mentioned, that is what I should like to discuss with Pasteur.”

“
I must say, I don’t agree with you entirely,” Alexandra said.

“
Few people do,” Miss Nightingale said with a little laugh.

Nicholas was about to attempt to take advantage of the interlude created by that small laugh to say something which he hoped would bring the luncheon to a close, but he was preempted by Miss Nightingale.

“Nicholas, dear, you’ve been uncharacteristically quiet. Perhaps I’ve dominated the conversation too long. But I do find Dr. Gladstone most interesting.” She extended a hand to him. “Please help an old woman to her feet, dear boy. I shall be going so as to allow Dr. Gladstone time to get to the lecture.”

“
You mustn’t be in such a hurry. You know I’m always glad to have you dominate any conversation.” In the same moment that he lied so easily, Nicholas stood and gave her his hand to help her out of the chair.

Miss Nightingale laughed again.
“You are really quite charming, Nicholas, even when you’re not being entirely truthful. Please do give your mother my love.” She turned to Alexandra. “It has indeed been a pleasure to converse with you. I am always happy to find one of my own kind who has been allowed to develop her mind.” She offered her hand to Alexandra.

As soon as Miss Nightingale was gone, Alexandra turned to him and spoke.
“That was a delightful luncheon, Mr. Forsythe. Miss Nightingale is truly an interesting person, I must say. And with such an analytical mind.”

“
She is indeed,” Nicholas said, “but let’s not talk about Miss Nightingale or her analytical mind now. There’s something I must discuss with you.”

“
There’s nothing I’d like better than to talk with you, Mr. Forsythe, but you must forgive me. I haven’t much time before I must leave for the lecture, and I really must see if I’ve received a reply to a message I sent by one of your servants.” Alexandra seemed restless and kept glancing toward the back of the house where the servants would be.

“
I hope you didn’t send young Dan,” Nicholas said with a chuckle.

“
Why yes, Broomsfield suggested I use him. I hope there’s nothing amiss.”

“
Oh no, nothing amiss,” Nicholas said. “It’s just that Danny has a tendency to dawdle. I hope you weren’t expecting a quick return. He’ll return eventually, but who knows when. He’s quite easily distracted and a bit slow, I’m afraid.”

A troubled frown creased her brow.
“Certainly I’d hoped to hear before I left for the lecture this afternoon. I haven’t long to stay in London, and I was seeking an appointment with someone at the request of Constable Snow.”

“
Ah yes, Constable Snow,” Nicholas said. He had met the constable on two other occasions when he’d visited in Newton-Upon-Sea. “Does his inquiry by chance have something to do with the rash of rather brutal murders that have recently taken place in your charming village?”

Alexandra appeared stunned for a moment.
“I had no idea news from such an out of the way place as Newton-Upon-Sea would travel so quickly.”