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Chapter Eighteen
When the carriage drew to a stop, Viv turned her mind from the troubling questions about Lark’s history and connections. Haxton admitted her to the house and confirmed that Neville Pridmore had come and gone. Her ladyship was resting. Haxton’s sober countenance gave Viv little hope that the doctor’s visit had produced good news. She went directly to Lady Melforth’s bedroom.
Her ladyship sat propped up against her pillows with a stack of papers in her lap. Sarah occupied Viv’s usual chair beside her ladyship’s bed, and oddly, she, too, had papers in her lap.
“Now, Sarah—” Lady Melforth broke off. “Ah, Viv, what did you discover? Does the Green Park chapter need any changes?”
“Perhaps a word or two about Buckingham House, but that’s all.”
“Excellent. If you will add those details and give your pages to Sarah, we’ll send everything to Dodsley this afternoon.” Lady Melforth sank deeper against the pillows and waved a hand in Sarah’s direction. “Go, Sarah, you know what to do.”
Sarah rose and collected the papers from her ladyship’s lap and passed Viv with a low murmur but without a glance. Sarah’s manner, furtive and almost ashamed, puzzled Viv. For months they had worked together keeping her ladyship’s spirits up. Sarah’s realm had been Lady Melforth’s clothes and hair, and Viv’s had been her writing and correspondence. Sarah had never looked at the book as far as Viv knew.
Viv remained where she stood. “Ma’am, may I ask how Dr. Pridmore’s visit went? Did he have anything to prescribe for your comfort?”
Lady Melforth turned her head fitfully against the pillows. “The man was quite useless. And conceited. He made me play silly finger games. I had to make my fingers look like his, hardly scientific.”
It didn’t sound scientific, but Viv wondered what Newberry would have to say about the doctor’s approach. “So, the doctor had nothing to recommend?”
“Carriage rides. As if shaking my bones would steady my nerves. I told him a donkey cart might give me a good shaking, if that’s what I need.”
“Did Dr. Newberry say anything?”
“He left me to my fate. Watched that fellow as if the man were a genius.”
“Oh dear.” Viv’s shoulders sagged. She had hoped the new doctor would suggest a way forward. She had no doubt that Lady Melforth’s complaints were in proportion to her dashed hopes at the doctor’s unhelpfulness. “How disappointing!” Viv moved a few steps closer to the bed.
“How useless!”
“But you were able to work after he left?” Viv tried to suggest a ray of hope.
“With Sarah’s help. Now, Viv, you be sure to get your Green Park pages to Sarah today. She has all my instructions for Dodsley.”
“Should I not go?” Viv worked to keep the surprise out of her voice. It made no sense to send Sarah to Dodsley. In the last couple of days her ladyship and Viv had worked together steadily to put the finishing touches on the manuscript. Viv had read key passages aloud and detected no dissatisfaction with her share of the work.
“No.” Her ladyship’s voice was sharp. “It’s all settled. Just do those pages.”
“Of course. Is there anything I may bring you?”
“Nothing. I’m going to rest now.” Lady Melforth closed her eyes.
Viv shut the door as softly as she could. Her throat ached with a sudden sorrow. Somehow, she had lost her best friend. She found Jenny waiting for her in the hall. “Dr. Newberry is in the downstairs drawing room, miss.”
“Oh Jenny, thank you. Could you send tea?”
Jenny nodded, and Viv’s spirits lifted. She trusted Newberry to give her a better picture of the situation and some idea of how to help her ladyship.
In the green drawing room, Newberry stood by the mantel. He turned to her at once.
“Where were you this morning? We could have used your help.”
Viv halted, taken aback by his brusque manner. “She sent me off on an errand. She did not want me present for her meeting with your colleague.”
“Hmmph,” he said, his expression still cold.
She sat, expecting him to do the same, but he remained standing by the mantel.
Jenny appeared with a tea tray and set it on a low table in front of Viv. When Jenny left, Viv nerved herself to ask about the meeting with the specialist. “The meeting did not go well, I take it.”
