Veiled Words
Rebecca sat, head in hand after her patient had departed. The patient's situation was palpably desperate, to be sure. She nevertheless found herself conflicted. Not for the first time did she crave the company of a fellow doctor which whom she could discuss her cases, especially when she questioned her own judgement. However, she had never before been so conflicted since beginning her own practice. She sighed. There was one person in particular who she was sure would have listened and helped her through her struggle. Eventually, she decided that there was no reason she could not ask.
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Dear Doctor Ogden
I hope that you do not see this as an imposition. I have always valued your guidance, and I am afraid that I must once more impose on you for advice.
I have a patient who has just fled a violent marriage. However, she has now found herself to be in a situation that many women before her have faced. The situation is unfortunately troublesome given her husband and her estrangement, and she has approached me for a resolution. I trust that you understand to what I am referring.
My questions are two-fold. Firstly, how would I go about performing such a procedure? Secondly, I have always admired your moral fortitude and ethical stance on the many issues that we discussed. I would therefore like to ask, what would you do if faced with such a situation?
I eagerly anticipate your response with gratitude.
Rebecca Desmond
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Oh dear… Julia bit her lip as she scanned once more through her former student's plea for advice. Despite the cloaked description of the patient's condition, Julia could easily grasp the true nature of the situation. Not that this made anything any easier.
Can I truly advise Doctor Desmond to commit an illegal act? Especially one that might conflict with her moral and religious conscience?
She jumped as William closed the door to their suite. She quickly stuffed the letter back in its envelope. Knowing her husband would disapprove, she decided she would need to formulate a reply in private.
It was not until the following evening when she sat alone in the morgue that she had a chance to return to the letter. She had been considering her response all day, and now had time to put pen to paper.
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Dr Doctor Desmond (how it still thrills me to use your title)
I was glad to receive your letter, although I must say, I wish it were under better circumstances.
Please do not feel you are imposing. I will always be a friend and a mentor to you, whenever you should need one, so my door is always open to you, metaphorically speaking.
Regarding the potential procedure that you mentioned, I have included a textbook and two issues of 'The American Journal of Obstetrics and Diseases of Women and Children'. You should find all the information regarding carrying out the procedure in those. Please do not hurry to return them to me. It is not as if I have any use for them at the morgue!
I do not know what I would do in such a situation as I do not know the patient as you do. Ultimately, I would advise you to consider which decision is best for your patient's physical and mental well-being, and also whether it aligns with your conscience. Please be assured that I trust your judgement, knowledge and compassion; these are the qualities that make you a brilliant doctor
Please do write again if you need further counsel.
Now, on to happier matters… How is Nate? Is his business faring well? How is your practice? I imagine that you must find it much different now that you are working with the living. I must confess that knowing that you are practising medicine, just as I, too, was trained to do, makes me wonder if there is something different that I could be doing.
I believe that another trip to visit you is in order. Your wedding was beautiful, although I do wish we had had more chance for discourse. A solo visit would allow us uninterrupted time together, and I would be most interested to see your medical practice. However, the trip will have to take place in the next few months, before matters become rather busy here. I am delighted to say that I am with child. William is excited, of course, and I must say that I am slowly becoming accustomed to the idea of becoming a mother.
All my best wishes to you and Mr Desmond.
Julia Ogden
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In a parcel, along with the sealed letter, equally ambiguous should it fall into the wrong hands, she wrapped a textbook and two journal issues. All three detailed the procedures Doctor Desmond required. However, there were enough other chapters and articles that anyone would find it hard-pressed to create a convincing case that she was directing Doctor Desmond to procedures of abortion.
The parcel was wrapped and just moments before William entered the morgue to accompany her home. She shut it in a drawer and distracted him with a kiss on his cheek. Thankfully, he did not mention it; she did not have to lie.
She feared William would be especially strident against abortions, given her condition. Julia, however, had no such compunctions, easily able to separate her own happy pregnancy from the desperate situation of Rebecca's patient.
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"Well," Nate prompted when Rebecca finally finished reading the letter and leafing through the material. "Did Doctor Ogden tell you to do it?"
"She did not. She advised me to do what is best for my patient, and to follow my conscience."
"And? What do you conscience tell you?"
Despite her trembling fingers fluttering over the medical literature, Rebecca's mind of resolute. "I know what I must do."
She wrote her reply two weeks later.
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Dear Doctor Ogden
Many thanks indeed for the information and guidance.
I will not divulge any particular details, but I would like to assure you that I took your advice on board. I do believe that my decision was the best course of action for my patient. It was also a decision that I feel was morally right for all involved.
I would be honoured to show you my practice. It is nothing grand, yet I am happy in my work and gladdened to feel like I am doing some good. My patient-base has steadily grown as I gain that trust of the residents of this area. However, please do not think that I have shunned my work in the morgue. I am forever grateful for everything that you taught me, and I witnessed first-hand the importance of the work that you do.
In answer to your other questions, Nate is well. Much like my work, he is steadily becoming busier, and he is becoming a much-loved resident of our town.
Finally, my warmest congratulations to you and Detective Murdoch on your impending parenthood. Your child will be very lucky indeed, to be raised by both of you.
Please reply with a list of possible dates for your visit and I will be very happy to accommodate you.
Yours
Rebecca Desmond
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A/N: Many thanks for reading! The letters seemed longer in my original Word doc - I used a fancy handwriting font that was quite large to give an Edwardian vibe. :)
Please forgive any historical inaccuracies. I did try to search for Victorian/Edwardian literature outlining the process of abortion, but unfortunately did not come up with anything. However, I would assume that the procedures were detailed somewhere, if only for use when pregnancy endangered the woman's life.
Unfortunately, I could not add Rebecca as a character when I created this story. I emailed this website some weeks ago to add Rebecca and Miss Hart to the list of characters, but they have yet to be added.