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“He does not care. The price is the price, he says,” Rebecca replied. “We barely have enough for grain and lodgings here.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll get it,” Tim said sharply.
“How?” Rebecca snapped at him. “We don’t have enough—”
“I said I will do it and I will do it.”
The tone of his voice…gave me a bad feeling.
“If that’s everything, Doctor…” He held out his hand to give me three pence. Since this was the last child in the building, I had dealt with enough fathers today to know I could not reject his payment. Wealthy or not, a man’s pride was a man’s pride.
“Thank you. I’ll return in two days,” I said, accepting the payment and offering a small nod to them before moving to the door. The moment I stepped out a drop of water fell from the roof of the house onto my head. I ignored it, squeezing past the kids on the stairs as I made my way down. It was not the only thing I had to ignore: the stench, the crying, the…exhaustion of every adult within.
“Gout, greed, and gluttony. Only they can afford to suffer from it, for everyone else is suffering from hunger.” My uncle’s words returned to my mind as I made my way to meet this Andy. But when I got there, neither he nor his overpriced fruits were anywhere to be seen.
I sought two other vendors, but they had only grain, potatoes, and port for the day. It was utterly baffling to me. How was it possible that an enclave like this, filled with hundreds of people, was left unable to get basic foods…and yet no more than a short walk away, as I crossed what seemed to be an invisible line dividing the west and east sides of London, I was able to see every fruit under the sun in the market square. Even the scent in the air had changed over here.
“What tickles your fancy, Dr. Darrington?” The fruit seller lifted a whole rack of peaches onto the table. “These beauties just arrived today.”
I paused, eyeing them all, sure the cost would greatly affect me later; however, the thought of those children stuck in my mind, and the determination on the face of that girl’s father…I knew the look of a man who was ready to do what should not be done. I could prevent it.
“If I were to purchase all you had on sale here today, when could it be delivered?” I asked him as I brought out the last of my money to give him.
“All of it?” he gasped, a wide grin spreading across his tan face, his hands already outstretched. “I…I could have my boys deliver them by tonight. Where to, sir?”
“There are apartments on Langley Cross. I will write the address…”
“Langley Cross?” the man repeated, his smile now fading. “On the east side?”
“Would that be a problem?” I asked.
“I can’t have my boys deliver over there.”
“Why?”
“It is not the safest.”
“I managed to walk from that very place just now unscathed. I’m sure your boys—”
“Forgive me, Doctor, you didn’t have goods with you. A load like this, those savages would rob my boys five minutes into walking into that hellhole. We cannot risk it.” He was already handing my coin pouch back to me, his nose turned up so high you’d think he was the lord of fruits.
“I—”
“Pack them up, my footmen will deliver it.”
I turned back to see none other than Henry, his clothes slightly disheveled and a clear smug grin upon his lips. He leaned over and grabbed an apple from the stand.
“Trying to be a hero all on your own again, my friend?”
“Why is it that you are always appearing when I wish for your presence the least?”
“The same could be said about you,” he replied, taking a bite of the apple before nodding to the man and his fruits. “My men will be here within the hour to retrieve the order. Do package them nicely, even savages wouldn’t want mushed peaches.”
“You do not have to do this, Henry, it’s fine. I’ll—”
“Carry them on your back across the city yourself?” He gave me a look, shaking his head. “You’ve already given them all your coin. At the very least keep your health.”
I ignored him, walking away from the stand, when I realized…I would barely have the funds to pay for my lodging at the inn tonight. So either I returned to my grandfather or…Henry. Both thoughts left me rather frustrated with myself.
“Have you realized you will need more of my assistance yet?” Henry chuckled, still eating his apple as he came up beside me once more.
“You are not exhausted from your other affairs?” I questioned, nodding to the rogue stain at the neck of his blouse.
“Let us focus on why you have decided to buy a month’s worth of fruit at the expense of yourself.” He changed the subject, adjusted his shirt, using his coat to better cover the stain. “You cannot keep doing this.”
