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The doctors aiting

One stood co his pipe Who could tell what this would accomplishi Still, it had to be tried and both doctors were in accord

The afternoon&039;s golden light spilled through the openIn her high-backed purple chair, the Queen of Bedlaown-sat as she always did, viewing the garden without coe of expression from moment to moment

Matthew Corbett walked into the roo ride from New York The tan-colored breeches, white shirt, and stockings were brand-new So too were his dark brown riding boots, fashioned for hiood-paying job in New York alas, he&039;d been unable to collect the ten shillings froh he&039;d put an end to the Masker&039;s career and the Clear Streets Decree, her condition of being the first informed had not been met In this case, he would rather be alive than have ten shillings thrown on his grave

&039;Twas a pity, then, that his discovery of the Masker&039;s identity and the subsequent story as it appeared in the Earwig s soon enough for the voyage back to England The residents of Golden Hill of course appreciated money, but they did not appreciate a murder plot at least, one that had been found out and so shamefully printed for all eyes both noble and common to read So, farewell Mrs Deverick! read a letter in the folloeek&039;s Earwig

Take your black gowns bought with even blacker ht breathe afresh once ht knohat it her pedestal of value than the law of God, Queen, and Country

I Beg Our Lord Grant You a Safe and Rapid Journey To Your Final Destination

Yours Sincerely,

POLLY BLOSSOM

It was perhaps a bit harsh, and glided over the concept that Mrs Deverick had been completely unaware of her husband&039;s dark adventure Yet also Mrs Deverick had been theto blow Reverend Wade from Trinity Church, so without her Machiavellian turbulence that particular ship failed to sail

Of the long-suffering Robert Deverick, however, there was a different story

Matthealked to Mrs Swanscott&039;s side He favored his left leg a bit, but the infection froht and drained, the swelling subsided, and Dr Vanderbrocken-who had decided a retire around did not suit his fiery nature-had declared hier and whacked hi him to consider the amputation saw Of Matthew&039;s other wounds, there was not e ash just beside his left eye, the second and third smaller plasters on both cheeks, sundry scuffs, scrapes, and bruises and the strong odor of coashes beneath the plaster on his forehead Would he bear any further battle scarsi The question asked of Vanderbrocken had caused the ill-telare at Matthew over his spectacles and say, Do you wish to bear any further scars, young mani If you don&039;t shut up about scars, keep the wounds clean, and use that ointive you the daht

The worst pain, if one wished to speak of pain, was not the sword cut on his right arm-for that was fortunately a shallow nick and not worth troubling-but underneath the coe at his left shoulder where one of the hawks had torn through his coat cloth and shown in an instant how a cardinal could beco, but Vanderbrocken wanted to check that wound most often, as it was bone-deep and did cause Matthew to clench his teeth so bastard usually in the ht The sahly busted three years ago He was going to be living on the starboard yet

Otherwise, he was in tip-top health

He had the fear, as he stood beside Mrs Swanscott and she stared dreaarden beyond, that this mass of plasters, scrapes, and bruises norht forever lose the power of speech He glanced at the two doctors Ramsendell nodded, while Hulzen looked anxiously on and pipesmoke billowed from his mouth

Matthew said quietly, "Mrs Swanscotti"

The Queen of Bedlaaze from the flowers and the butterflies Matthe: it was all she had

"Madam Emily Swanscotti" he repeated "Can you hear htlyi Had her skin tone begun to turnwith the earsi

"Eently put a hand on her shoulder

Her head abruptly turned Her eyes et, though still without true focus Her ed She closed herbreath, and Matthew realized that so I will ask this question for the last tio away forever

One tear rolled down her right cheek

Her face was ial Her&039;s Reply yet arrivedi"

Mattheered "Yes, nal, Trevor Kirby entered his ray suit with black pinstripes and a gray waistcoat The suit of a successful lawyer, donated by the Herrald agency The black, highly glossed shoes, likewise Hudson Greathouse had thrown a fit, but Mattheas adaot adamant time ceased to move on the silver watch he&039;d retrieved from Simon Chapel&039;s battered body The watch had also taken a licking, but

It still worked

With a bath, a shave, a hair trihts-and days-of relatively peaceful sleep, Trevor had lost soaunt fever in his eyes and the hollowed-out sharpness of his cheekbones He looked to all the world, with his thick black hair coernails clean, and his stride purposeful, as far fro a university&039;s headmaster

Matthe Trevor&039;s purposeful stride falter, in spite of what Trevor had planned to do when he ca across his face His gaze caught Matthew&039;s, and only Mattheould know the depth of shauish that he saw displayed there in Trevor&039;s eyes

Mrs Swanscott gave a gasp She was looking past Matthew at the apparition Her spine seeid for a few seconds, as she clenched and released and clenched and released the armrests of her chair

Then, slowly, she relinquished her throne and began to stand up

as she stood, her eyes streamed the waters that had been dammed up by the mind&039;s necessity, and she said, very clearly, "My boy"

Ramsendell and Hulzen stepped forward to catch her if she fell, for she trembled so violently all in the room feared it Yet she stood steady and firm, like athat bends and bends but does not, never, ever, never does it break

Without a word Trevor came the rest of the way, and Mattheould remember that it was not far, but oh it was such a distance

Son clasped ainst her son&039;s shoulder and sobbed Trevor wept also, unashamed and unafraid, and if any man had said there was not true blood between them, Mattheould have struck him down even if it had been ten tio to the , and stare out at the saarden that had been the lady&039;s salvation The Queen of Bedlam was no more; God rest her

"I think," Rao fetch everyone some tea"

In time, Trevor helped his mother into a chair beside the bed and pulled a second chair over for himself He held both her hands between his, and listened while she dreaone for a walk Out just a little while" Fresh tears welled up "He&039;s been so worried lately, Trevor It&039;s because ofbecause ofthe" a hand floated like a butterfly to her forehead "I can&039;tthink very well today, Trevor I&039;ht," Trevor answered, his voice infinitely kind and evenwhen I said I would Can you forgive iveyoui" she asked, as if puzzled by the very thought "What is there to forgivei You&039;re here now Ohmy throat is so dry I can hardly speak, it&039;s so dry"

"Tea," said Ramsendell, as he offered both of them a cup

Mrs Swanscott looked at the doctor and frowned, trying to aze around the rooe in herspool of thread along a dark and unknown corridor To find her way back to what she knew, she simply stared at Trevor and took a sip of tea "Your father," she tried again, when the tea had gone doill be back soon Out walking a lot on his ht now"

"Yes, I know," Trevor said

"Look at you!" a sh the sadness in her face would not be banished "How handsoaret is fine," he decided to say

"a beautiful day" She had turned her head so as to view the garden once ht out there My little one Oh" So had struck her deeply, for she lowered her head and her shoulders sagged as if under a treht She remained in that posture, as everyone in the rooested, keeping his voice casual

Fifteen or twenty seconds crawled by Then suddenly Mrs Swanscott took a breath as if she had forgotten how to breathe, lifted her head, and smiled at her son, her eyes scorched and e Soon, very soon You can tell hiht it was another strike of anguish, but Mrs Swanscott had just touched Trevor&039;s knee "Your sea voyage The King&039;s Reply Was it a colad Nowyou were co to visit forI can&039;t think clearly, Trevor Really I&039; to have to put me in a box"

"Motheri" He took her teacup, put it aside, and again held both her hands in his "Listen to ht," she said Then, when he hesitated: "Well, what is iti"

"It&039;s about ht"

He leaned closer "I&039; I have some business to attend to Do you understandi"

"Businessi No, I don&039;t understand business Your father does He" She had obviously run onto the rocks again, for she went silent and staring for a few seconds before she recovered "You are a lawyer," she told him "Your father is very, very proud of you"

"and I am proud of our faether We&039;ve co walki Yes, but he&039;ll be back soon," she said

Trevor looked at the two doctors for help, but they had become simply mute witnesses as had Matthew It was up to Mrs Swanscott&039;s son to find the way home

"Father may be late," he said

She did not respond

"Fathermay not come back" He quickly added, "For a while, that is"

"He&039;ll come back Of course he&039;ll co that wasvery bad an accident, perhaps I don&039;t know, I&039;er went to Trevor&039;s lips "Shhhhh," she said "You don&039;t know ask anyone ask Gordon, he can tell you When Nicholas goes for a walk, it&039;s becauseit&039;s because he has to think about a proble hione for a walk because there&039;s been" She sed thickly "There&039;s been some trouble"