Hunting for Silence (Storm and Silence 5)

Ears turning red, I started unbuttoning Ella’s dress. ‘Turn your back!’ I grumbled.

‘I’ve seen ladies in the nude before, Miss. It’s part of my job.’

‘Well, this lady damn well isn’t! Turn your back. And as for you,’ I shot at the maid who was still standing in the doorway, ‘be so kind as to close the door, will you?’

‘Oh. Of course, Miss. I’ll be outside if you need anything.’

‘Thank you.’

I looked at the doctor, my eyes determined. Sighing, he turned around.

‘Hands over your eyes. Now!’

‘Miss Linton, I really don’t think—’

‘Hands over your eyes, or I’m fetching the big fellow with the beard and sabre!’

Instantly, the doctor put his hand over his eyes. The moment I was sure he could see nothing, I started to open Ella’s dress. It wasn’t as if I didn’t believe him when he said he was a professional. It was simply that I knew my little sister. And I knew the silly, lovable little goose would die of shame if she knew some stranger had seen her like this.

‘And I’m not going to go to all this trouble saving your life just to have you keel over dead afterwards,’ I told the unconscious Ella sternly. ‘Do you hear? You’re going to survive! Survive, dammit!’

All I got in response was silence. And not the comforting kind I was used to.

Quicker than I’d ever managed to do it with my own, I unlaced and removed her corset. After I buttoned her dress back up, I tapped the doctor on the shoulder.

‘She’s ready. You can turn around.’

Instantly, he went to work. From a corner of the room, I watched as he pulled various instruments from his bag and started to examine Ella. He listened at her chest with some strange kind of tube, lifted one eyelid to shine a candle in her eyes and did various other things that, in my opinion, had about as much medical value as wiggling your toes. But it must have told him something, because, he rose with a contented sigh and nodded.[49]

‘I don’t think the fall was caused directly by her illness or did any lasting damage. She probably just fainted from exhaustion because of a lack of sleep and that infernal corset. Those things should be outlawed!’

‘I’m with you on that. But let’s postpone the political rally till tomorrow, shall we? Right now, I want to know what is wrong with my little sister. Please.’

The doctor’s face darkened. ‘I have my suspicions. But I need to talk with the patient first. To ask her a few questions. Could you ask the maid to bring us some smelling salts?’

‘Coming, Miss!’ came a voice from outside the door, followed by receding footsteps.

How nice.

The helpful eavesdropper was back two minutes later, face flushed and a little lilac bottle clutched in her hand. Taking it, I handed to the doctor who stepped up beside Ella’s bed and bent over her.

‘Would you come here, Miss? Stand like this. I think it’s best if she sees a familiar face when she wakes up. I wouldn’t want to alarm her.’

‘Of course.’

Quickly, I took up a position at the head of the bed. The doctor uncorked the little bottle, and immediately, a strong scent pervaded her room. He waved the bottle under Ella’s nose, and she twitched, letting out a pitiful little moan.

‘What…how…’

Her eyes fluttered open—and widened, when she caught sight of the strange man leaning over her.

‘Who are you? What are you doing here? I—?’

Feebly, she tried to pull away. I grasped her shoulder, holding her in place and leant over her.

‘Shh. Everything is all right, Ella. This is Doctor Ross. I called him to have a look at you. When we came up we found you lying on the floor.’

‘On the floor…? I don’t remember…’