Among the Darkness Stirs

He went over the night’s event in his head and knew that what they had already found was the beginning. The deaths listed as black death couldn’t be true. Not that many, not now. But why list the death as black death? If they were doing something disreputable, why not list the death as something no one would think twice about? A fever or natural decay, which would arouse no suspicion.

There must be a reason the cause of death was the black death. What was the reason? His head was still aching, but he was also tired. He lay back upon the bed without even undressing and was asleep almost instantly.

The next day, Henry finished his work at the office early so that he could be at the workhouse before Audrey released the class for supper. Audrey was asking the class to clean their work areas when he entered the room. When she spotted him, she dismissed the students who were waiting patiently to be let go for their meal.

“This is a pleasant surprise,” she said, coming to stand before him.

“I wanted to be here early to speak with you,” he told her.

“Frances,” she directed to her sister, who was standing next to Henry, “go on ahead to supper without me. I’ll follow you soon enough.”

Frances turned to leave. “Thank you for the drops,” she told Henry before she disappeared from the room.

“She’s a sweetheart,” he said.

“She is,” she agreed, tidying her desk. “What brings you to my classroom?”

“I wanted to see you, I—”

He was interrupted as the door swung open to reveal Dr. Beesley.

“Oh! I didn’t realize you had company,” he said, seeing Henry.

“Dr. Beesley, surely you know our board guardian Henry Ryland,” Audrey said smoothly.

The two men shook hands.

“Of course I do. I was going to escort you to supper, Ms. Wakefield, but another time,” Dr. Beesley said before departing.

“I think he is slightly infatuated with you,” Henry said, slightly irritated as the doctor disappeared.

Audrey shook her head. “No. He once told me that I was the only one in the workhouse that he could have a stimulating conversation with.”

“That and he’s old enough to be your granddad,” Henry muttered.

Audrey smiled. “Are you jealous, Henry?”

He snorted. “Of old man Beesley there?”

“Yes. The ancient mariner,” she teased him.

“Can you be serious?” he asked her.

She rolled her eyes. “Can you be?”

“The reason I came to see you today was because I had a bit of an accident last night I wanted to tell you about.”

“After you left the cottage?” she said, concerned.

“Yes.”

“What happened?” She rested her back against the desk as she faced him.

“Someone hit me in the head as I was about to hail a cab,” he told her.

“My God!” She came to him, putting her hands on his shoulders. “Are you hurt?”

“No,” he said, smiling.