Dane

Chapter 18

"This is Dr. Hoffman, could I speak to Nick Andrews, please?" Julia glanced at the Grandfather clock beside the drawing room doors, and the then checked her own watch, while she waited for her call to be answered. "Nick? It's Julia, I'm afraid I have some bad news. Oh nothing that serious, but our plans for the special patient, will have to be postponed for a few days. All I can say, is there were a few complications and the patient is in no condition to be transferred just yet. I'll tell you more, when I get there."

She replaced the receiver, just as Dane came down the stairs. She sniffed, and turning away from him, headed towards the dining room, without acknowledging him.

"Julia, this is ridiculous," he said, following after her. "Julia, will you stop and listen to me?" he said grabbing her arm, and turning her to face him.

She looked down at the hand that held her, and then stared up at him, anger still blazing in her eyes. "Let go of me," she said, between clenched teeth. "We have nothing to talk about."

He released her, and fidgeted with his hands. "Look, I'm sorry about Barnabas, ok? I was in the wrong. I shouldn't have stopped you from going to see him, and I shouldn't have said what I did. Now can we please try and be reasonable about this?"

Julia raised an eyebrow, "Reasonable?" she almost laughed. "Willie told me last night about your visit to the Old House, and why. I don't appreciate being told who I can have as friends or patients. I am a doctor, Dane, and I treat people when I have to. Barnabas is my friend as well as my patient. If I hadn't gotten to him in time, he could have died Dane. Do you understand that?"

"Is he that seriously ill? Why doesn't his family know?"

"He doesn't want his family to know, and as his doctor and friend, I have to adhere to his wishes. Fortunately, he's illness is no longer as serious as it was. Though last night will delay us, in finding a solution."

"Is that what all the research has been about, down at the Old House, and at Wyndcliffe. I couldn't help overhearing your conversation as I came down."

"Why do you want to know?" she asked folding her arms, and tilting her head. "Why are you so curious about Barnabas?"

"I was only expressing concern over his illness, Julia, nothing more than that. He seemed very ill last night when I followed you there."

"I see," said Julia, her tone indicating that she didn't quite believe him. "Well, thank you for you're...concern. And I'll thank you not to mention any of this to his family."

"Julia, " he called as she turned to resume her way to the dining room. "I truly am sorry about Barnabas. Can you forgive me?" he looked at her solemnly.

"I have a busy day ahead, please excuse me," she replied, ducking into the dining room, before she could give in to his puppy-dog charms.

/

"Willie?" she called as she entered the Old House. "Willie, are you here?"

The sound of racing footsteps came from the hall above, which quickly led down to the drawing room. "Julia, is anythin wrong?" gasped Willie, a worried look on his face.

She smiled, and shook her head. "Nothing's wrong, unless there has been any change since I left?"

"No, there's be no change," said Willie, resting one hand on his hip, the other fidgeting with the buttons of his shirt.

"That's good, Willie. I came to collect some blood samples. I have some tests that I want to run, at Wyndcliffe, to try and find out what happened last night. If there is any change, you'll reach me there. Otherwise I'll be back before dark. Tell Barnabas, that I will see him then."

"Sure Julia, anythin' ya say. Do ya want me to get those samples for ya?"

"No thank you Willie, I know which ones I need. How are you feeling from the transfusion? Any weakness?"

"I'm fine Julia, I did just what ya told me."

Ten minutes later, when she returned with the things she needed, he walked her to the door. "Julia?" he asked hesitantly, she paused hand on the doorknob. "Yes, what is it?"

"He is gonna be alright isn't he? I, I, I mean, you will be able to cure him, won't you? After last night?"

"I don't know, Willie. Not until I've had chance to examine what went wrong." She smiled an assurance she didn't feel. "I'll be back as soon as I can, Willie. Stay with him, until he wakes up. And don't let Dane in here, for whatever reason. Do you understand?"

"Sure, Julia."

She left then, as she headed towards her car, she heard Willie bolt the door.

/

"Don't you believe in coffee breaks?" asked Nick from behind Julia. She straightened up, and then winced as her back protested.

"See?" he asked, handing her a steaming cup of coffee.

She smiled and took the beverage, gratefully. "Hmm, perfect," she said, closing her eyes and inhaling the aroma.

Nick bent over the microscope Julia had been using. He give a soft whistle, and looked at her enquiringly. "Our special patient, perhaps?" he asked.

"Really Nick, you don't expect me to answer that, do you?" she asked with a smile.

"Any idea what's causing this reaction?"

"I have a theory, but nothing concrete."

Nick bent over the microscope again. "Interesting blood chemistry. Abnormal cell structure is like nothing I've ever seen before. It would be interesting to see this patient, see what other surprises they hold."

"I don't think you'll have any success, Nick. There are some things, even you can't know."

Nick shrugged. "Oh well, I tried," he said with a sigh. "Do you have time to see Daniels, before you leave? I've been monitoring him, since the med. reduction, and I think he's improved enough for release."

"How long since the reduction?"

"Six weeks."

Julia raised an eyebrow. "And he's continued to show improvement?"

"He's a different person from the one that was admitted a year ago. You'll be surprised, at how much he's benefited."

"Alright, once I've finished here, I'll stop by your office."

"Thanks, Julia," he said with a grin, before ducking out of the lab to continue his rounds.

/

It was full dark before Julia returned to Collinsport. She parked her car outside the gate, and walked the distance to the Old House.

The night was clear with a quarter moon, and a sprinkle of stars.

In the distance the sound of dogs howled, and she felt both relief and despair at the mournful sound. It had been so long since they had howled that she had almost come to believe that she might not ever hear them again. Relief, because she knew that Barnabas had recovered enough from his severe reaction from the night before, to at least be up and a round.

She quickened her pace, eager to see him, and discover what his last moments had been, and to tell him, what she had discovered during her time at Wyndcliffe.