Chapter 76 - THE INVISIBLE MAN

A moment later

The Bates Cottage

Thomas closed his eyes to shut out Dr Clarkson. When he opened them, Dr Clarkson had shifted his attention to Bates. "I hope you'll allow me to advise you about Mr Barrow's condition while he's in your care."

"We're counting on it, Doctor," replied Bates.

Dr Clarkson returned his attention to Thomas, which made Thomas uneasy, and he averted his eyes. "Mr Barrow, if you have no objection, I would like to consult about your case with a friend of mine, a psychiatrist at the West Riding Asylum in Wakefield. Would you allow me to ask you some questions?"

"What can it hurt, Pooh?" whispered Bates.

"I'm tired."

"It won't take long, and I'll be right here, little brother."

Thomas faced the doctor and nodded.

"Tell me, Mr Barrow, why are you carrying a pillowcase?"

Silence.

"The pillowcase, Mr Barrow?"

Thomas looked at the pillowcase in his hands. "My bag! My things!"

"Pooh, you never had a bag. You've been carrying that pillowcase since you left the Abbey."

"My things! The boat!"

"The boat? What boat is that, Mr Barrow?"

Silence.

"He told Minnie that he was going to Chicago," Bates calmly informed the doctor. "When I caught up to him at the river, he mentioned a boat."

"Mr Barrow, were you waiting for a boat?"

"Yes."

"A boat to take you from the River Swale to Chicago?"

"Yes ... no ... I don't ..."

"That's all right, Mr Barrow, I understand. Tell me, when did your symptoms begin? When I gave you the results of your test?"

Silence.

"When I told you that you won't be able to father a child?"

Thomas felt his legs tremble. Bates grasped his shoulders. "I'm sorry, Pooh. I didn't know."

"Catch him, John!" called Anna. Bates caught Thomas around the waist as his legs gave way and eased him into a chair.

Now Bates, Anna and the doctor were speaking all at once. Their words fell to the floor and split apart until the broken bits were ankle deep. Thomas reached out and tried to catch a phrase here or there, but he captured only useless words: when, there and if. Suddenly the room was silent. Bates took hold of Thomas' arms and lowered them gently to his lap. He peered at Thomas' face and spoke, but the words floated softly to the floor unrecognized.

Bates stood next to the chair so that Thomas could lean against him. As he resumed his conversation with the doctor, he pressed Thomas' head to his side. Thomas was soothed by the warmth of Bates' hand over his ear. He watched as Dr Clarkson ignored him and spoke to Bates and Anna and Bates again. Thomas realized that the doctor could no longer see him. With Bates' hand over his ear, he was invisible. Nevertheless, he was relieved when the interview was over, and Dunne and Dr Clarkson drove off.

Bates retrieved a bottle of milk from the second-hand ice box. He had purchased the battered thing a few months earlier when he confidently declared, "As long as there's a man to deliver ice, we can do without electricity." Bates poured a glass of milk and took a sip. He held out the glass to Thomas just as a loud clatter made Thomas jump. Thomas turned to see that Anna had dropped an empty pan on the floor. He knew that it was difficult for her to bend during her final month of pregnancy. He picked up the pan and returned to his seat. He greedily drank the milk that Bates handed him even though it had an odd taste. Perhaps the ice box was not as cold as it should be.

Anna looked at the clock and pushed Bates out the door. She cheered Thomas with her agreeable smile as she wiped his hands and face clean. Thomas knew that he should be ashamed to be so helpless. He had no illness, no injury. But he could manage no emotion other than relief that Anna was to be his nursemaid. Had he ever been a butler? Had he ever been in charge? It did not seem possible.

Anna pulled back the covers from the sofa and helped Thomas remove his shoes and coat. He was exhausted, but he knew that sleep would not come. It never did. He watched as Anna hurried to the bedroom and returned with a jar of Vaseline. She smoothed a thin layer over his chapped lips. She sees everything!

A wave of dizziness passed through Thomas, and he was overtaken by a sense of falling. He gripped the cushions. "Help!" Anna sat on the edge of the sofa and reassured him. He could not grasp her words, but her motherly tone cradled him. His eyelids shut and refused to open. He felt Anna squeeze his hand. He called her, "Strawberries," before he rolled onto his side and covered his ear with his hand.