Among the Darkness Stirs

A hint of impatience entered his voice. “Ms. Wakefield, I understand your hesitance, but let me be clear. She might be fine now. She might hunt the shadow man now. But there may come a time when she acts out violently and turns on you and your sister.”

“No!” Audrey whispered.

“I’m afraid so.” He gave her a sympathetic look. “I’ve studied patients your mother’s age, and as the patient ages, the so-called visions, fancies, don’t get better. They get worse.”

Audrey exhaled sharply. “Let me think on it.”

“Please do.”

Audrey stood outside the doctor’s office and realized she was near Henry’s firm. She had visited the confectionary shop and purchased some peppermint candies for Marguerite to cheer her up. She decided she would visit Henry to see what his thoughts were on the doctor’s visit.

Chapter Seventeen

“I saw Dr. Engle today,” she told Henry as they sat across from each other at the tea shop. “He—it wasn’t good.”

Henry looked up in concern. “What did he say?”

“That she’s seeing things. That her mind is manifesting this shadow man so she can defend her family and control an uncontrollable world.” Audrey shook her head.

Henry eyed her. “You don’t believe it?”

Audrey took a deep breath. “I don’t know what to believe. The doctor wants her to enter the asylum for a month, maybe less, to watch her. Study her.”

“You don’t want that?”

“I’m wary of asylums. I know he’ll look after her as you recommended him. But…” She trailed off, unable to continue.

“But?” Henry prompted when she didn’t finish her thought.

She met his gaze. “What if she is seeing someone out there, Henry? What if there is someone walking around at night? What if all this is easily explainable? She calls it a shadow man because he’s a man in the shadows. It sounds odd in that way, but maybe it’s not. Maybe he’s at work on the grounds.”

Part of Audrey wanted to believe that more than anything. She so worried about her mother.

He shook his head. “I don’t know anyone that works that late at night unless someone has died.”

Suddenly, that night in the orchard flashed into her mind, seeing her mother crouched on the ground like an animal. “I don’t understand how a woman can be so normal my whole life and then change so drastically in such a short time. It seems—”

“Why not let Dr. Engle look after her for two weeks and then see how things are? If it is doing no good, you bring her home. No harm done.” The way Henry said it made it sound very reasonable.

Audrey hesitated and relented after a moment. “Yes.”

“Do you need help with Frances? During the week with your work? I’m sure my mother would help. She adores children,” he offered.

“No. She accompanies me in class and at meals. She’s actually quite comforting to me. She’s a sweet girl.” Audrey couldn’t imagine her mother and sister both being away again.

“I’m glad she brings you comfort,” he said.

“She does. After everything she’s been through with my father’s death and now this,” Audrey shook her head. “I want to make sure she’s all right.”

“That’s understandable,” he agreed.

She looked at the time and then looked back at Henry. “I should get back. I want to pay a visit to Marguerite. She’s been feeling low since her friend died.”

“Yes. I heard. Alistair Hillby. Most unfortunate.”

“You knew him?”

“We played cards and chess every once in a while. He was a good sort of chap,” Henry told her.