Chapter Ten
Phoebe Moore Campbell’s Report on the return of Doctor Mac Campbell
I wet the cloth I held in cool water and bathed Archie’s forehead. Archie stirred and groaned and squinted up toward the mantle-clock.
“What’s the time?”
“Quarter to three. Lie still, dearest. The doctor said it would take some time for the medication to dull the pain. He has only just left.”
“No, he has just come.” Mac said, pushing the door open. “And he brings reinforcements.” He slid his long, lean frame into the room, followed by Rose, Annabelle, Elinor, Sahara and Abdalla. I started up and Archie tried to rise but failed, falling back with a thin cry. Mac darted to his side and picked through the bottles on the bedside table, his bronze visor clockwork whirring and lenses refocusing rapidly.
“Rubbish,” he growled. “Phoebs, we got Annabelle’s telegram. So, so sorry, Good thing Twisty sent the airship for us. Tod made better time than a steamer would have.
“This stuff that London horse doctor’s been dosing you with, chief -- I don’t understand it. I quietly got a look at your hospital charts and files from when they admitted you after that fainting spell that began this. Your doctor has no inkling I was there, and it’s best he continues to think he’s in charge.”
Archie clasped his cousin’s hand, unable to speak. Mac tossed all the bottles into a dustbin and opened his black bag. He loaded a syringe quickly and shot a dose of something into Archie that seemed to restore his color almost instantly. Rose raised me from the bedside and led me aside. I promptly burst into tears and Rose held me close. Abdalla and Sahara moved silently in to assist Mac. Elinor picked up the dustbin but Mac stopped her.
“Thanks, Mrs. Ferrars, but I mean to do some tests on the contents of those bottles. Let them be for now.”
Annabelle added her golden head to Roses’, both of them embracing me, but all of us looked up, startled, at Mac’s words.
“It’s a mystery to me why anybody would prescribe such trash for an illness. Something’s not right here, and I’m going to find out what it is.”
I looked at him in horror. “What do you mean?”
“I mean Archie first ‘came down with’ this thing right after that pickpocket incident,” Mac said harshly. “And how did you get hooked up with this doctor? It was when the chief collapsed at that benefit, the day we left, where the same doctor was volunteering at the punch bowl.”
“I’m being poisoned?” Archie croaked.
“Like I said, I have to test those bottles, but, yes, I’m almost certain of it.”
I sobbed harder. “Cry it out, my dear friend,” Rose said. “After that we’ll rose-water your eyes and you’ll get out of this sickroom. The Legacy wives and I are going to take over as nurses so you can get to your meetings and get on with your work. Don’t think for a moment you must abandon Archie. Come back whenever you will, but know that we all love you and him and will be here in shifts whatever comes. And Mac will be here as well, until he drops off his feet.”
Madame Phoebe rushed into the meeting room and then pulled up short. I started up from the seat at the head of the table. The others rose an instant behind me, though Edward Ferrars had to struggle and made it up last of all, just in time to catch Madame Phoebe’s arm to keep her from skidding down onto the floor. I whipped around the head chair and held it out for our leader.
“Please excuse my tardiness,” she said breathlessly.
“Ma’am, we kin hardly accuse you a’ bein’ late when we ain’t but jest set down our ownselves,” Sluefoot Sue chuckled. “We come straight from a dressin’ down by a committee a’ wives. Ah assume they done already made known t’ you their actions and their intentions.”
“I am so grateful,” Madame Phoebe said, still standing and trying not to burst into tears again.
“Baloo used to tell me my head was as dull as Shere Khan’s man-killing teeth,” Mowgli said with a dazzling smile. “I went to live with men so I could hear Gisborne marvel at my calling the Sambhur, and so I could marry a simple village girl who would be in awe me. Now I find I have given my wife cause to laugh at me for my foolishness. We fretted and sighed over our Memsahib’s cares and her husband’s sickness, when such a simple solution was possible.”
“So they sent after Doctor Mac and his Mrs. Campbell and Hey-Presto, all is arranged,” Edward Ferrars smiled. He crooked his arm and Phoebe allowed him to conduct her to her seat. I repositioned myself at the foot of the table and everyone settled back into their chairs. Fun See stood.
“I believe all is in readiness for meeting the Prometheus tomorrow. I have discreetly placed our evidence before Judge Gravenstone and he has, equally discreetly, I pray, instructed Scotland Yard to have men in attendance. Once we have the documents carried by the family in our hands, we can know their remaining value and what the effect upon the British economy this contemplated theft would have had.”
“Assuming it is in fact a theft,” Zambo put in. “We are also preparing for the possibility that it is actually a grab by this Dodge of more human souls. Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people are in the employ of the various enterprises related to this Rum Queen’s empire. Could they not begin to disappear into the thief and prostitute army?”
“That’s an essential point to remember. Also, the family must be protected at all costs,” Oliver insisted. “Whatever part they have played, innocent or guilty, we have to know anything they may know. We must also be sure whoever is involved with the theft does not escape or disappear. We have to learn what he or she knows as well. And we’ve got to protect that one from the consequences of failing the mysterious Mr. Dodge.”
“I’ll be on hand just in case the bobbies are a little slow on the draw,” Sue said, spinning the chamber on one of her colts.
“Members of the company, your preparations seem so thorough, I scarcely think I am wanted,” Madame Phoebe said faintly.
“You are very much wanted, Lady Phoebe,” Oliver Twist said gravely. “‘Tis you will distract the gawkers and press-folk from mobbing the family by going down to meet the ship as if you welcomed home one of its passengers. Miss Phoebe Moore’s appearance will clear out the fools who might otherwise be in harm’s way when the work begins.”
“I have stayed out of the public eye,” Phoebe said in a low voice, “So that there would be no gossip about my poor husband’s illness.”
“Indeed, Memsahib Campbell,” Mowgli acknowledged, inclining his head, “You shall be seen with your husband’s celebrated cousin, Doctor Mackenzie Campbell. All heads will hum with songs and poems and not a tongue will wag over your husband’s absence. Doctor Campbell has assured us from his study of your husband’s case that he can ease his suffering greatly by morning and it will be safe to leave him in our auxiliary’s care for a few hours. If that is not enough, an Indian performer and his amazing trained black leopard will be putting on a show at the docks as an additional distraction.”
“God bless you all again,” Madame Phoebe said.
“Madame, it is we who bless you,” Fun See said. “I was lost in Buddhism when I met your family and was led to Christ and bliss with my Annabelle Bliss. You have given us a cause that honors the true God.”
“Indeed,” Mowgli echoed. “For the wise merchant and I, there cannot be too much gratitude. From half-believing myself a forest god, proud and careless past bearing, I was led by you and your husband to know the true Master of forests, beasts and all that is, and my wife was delivered from Islam as well. Even Bagheera fawns at the feet of you and your husband, and weeps, in his own way. A beast knows when a man he loves suffers.”
“Mebbe tomorra we’ll wrap up th’ whole operation,” Sue said with a lopsided grin. “We could nab Mr. Dodge and crush the spider.”
“Pray God grant it be so,” Edward Ferrars murmured. All of us stood as Edward led the group in prayer. As we finished Doctor Mac Campbell stepped through the door.
“Archie’s sleeping now
. He’s comfortable, and doesn’t require my presence for an hour or so. My wife is taking her turn at the bedside. While she’s occupied I have questions that will decide whether this group continues to enjoy the foundation’s financial blessing.”
Phoebe lowered herself into her chair. “Ask your questions, then.”
“Why didn’t any of you realize Archie was being poisoned?”
“How could we know that?” I exploded.
“You’re supposed to be an assembly of the best crime-fighters in the world,” Doctor Mac snapped back. “Yet my cousin was being slowly murdered right under your noses. You had a poisoner popping in on a daily basis with a cheery ‘Good Morning’ and a measure of poison for Archie’s morning coffee. Yes, I found something in the cup at his bedside. The doctor was dosing Archie with stuff to dehydrate and purge him and all the while that stuff -- which I will analyze till I figure out what it is -- was building up to a lethal dose. It wouldn’t have been much longer, I can assure you. I’m still not sure I can reverse it when I don’t even know what it is.”
“Then blame me.” Madame Phoebe’s voice was dull and flat. “My company was busy trying to catch this Dodge, following his trail. I was here at my husband’s bedside, giving the poisoner ‘Good Morning’ back and offering him coffee to share with me and my husband.”
“Yes, well, the truth is I doubt it was the doctor dropping in the poison.” Doctor Mac softened as he put a hand on Phoebe’s shoulder. “I know you, Phoebs, Even if I don’t know these others so well. I know you do your own housekeeping in your own quarters, or at least you did, until your husband became so ill you hadn’t time. So you’ve hired an extra maid, one who isn’t doing her job. I never could wipe a mantle in Rose’s house or yours and find a particle of dust, but I found more than one particle today under Archie’s coffee cup.”
“This maid. What does she look like?” I rose to my feet very suddenly. “Have I not seen a drab little dark-haired woman about the place?” There had been a number of servants about, doing the heavier work about the penthouse suites, but I had only seen one maid go in and out of the sickroom.
“Yes, the hotel manager engaged her especially for us,” Phoebe said wearily. “Why do you ask?”
“I need to be present the next time she arrives to work,” I insisted.
“She comes tomorrow morning at eleven.” Madame Phoebe consulted her daybook. “But that is when we are to be at the docks! I did mean to dismiss her and ask for a replacement.”
“I shall remain here and see her on your behalf, Madame. There is no part I must play at the docks. Let me chastise your slovenly servant.”
Everyone looked at me in mystification. “I despise a maid who leaves a dusty bedside table.”
“Pr--Florizel,” Phoebe hastily corrected herself. “We have spoken before about--”
I pointed to the top of the mantelpiece. Phoebe joined me and the others pressed in. Written in the dust on the marble surface were the faint words:
“He will kill Trevor if I stop. Help us -- VK.”
“I thought it was her.”
“Who?” Phoebe demanded.
“I must also confess I neglected to share a detail of Trevor’s new life which may be an important connection to Dodge. There is a woman called Visha Kanya whom Trevor claims has been assigned to him as a bodyguard. She does in fact go about at his side heavily armed.” I hesitated, then briefly described Visha’s personal arsenal but balked at describing her outlandish costume and her apparent threat against my own person. “I remember now that this housemaid struck a chord of familiarity with me. I believe it is Mademoiselle Kanya.”
“She is the one poisoning my husband?” Phoebe cried. “I don’t care how many weapons she carries. I’ll--”
“She seems also to be the one begging for aid in the dust on your mantelpiece,” Mac observed. “Worth having a chat with her, Florizel. Just don’t drink any of her coffee.”
“Is it wise to allow her here at all, given what we suspect?” Fun See asked. “Why enable this outrage? Bar the doctor and the housekeeper. Surely they work in tandem, he with the purgatives and she with the poison. If Dodge has sent them, he should know that we see through his schemes and defy him to invade our private homes and dwellings. This is an unacceptable risk. Our wives will move back into the hotel and guard Mr. Campbell themselves.”
“Do not laugh, Prince Florizel,” Edward smirked when I looked skeptical. “ You do not realize that all of our spouses are in this company as wholeheartedly as we are, and are prepared accordingly to attack our enemies or defend our friends.”