Chapter 40 Gilbert Mustn't Know

Prince Edward Island

"Gilbert suspects something," Anne said to Leslie the next day as the two met for tea.

"He questioned me yesterday about Rilla's wardrobe. He insisted that I make her some new dresses. I didn't have the heart to tell him that we don't have the extra funds for fabric and notions right now. Thank goodness that he didn't ask me about the pie that Susan made last week. I could tell right away that she skimped on the sugar. I don't have any more corners left to cut, Leslie."

"Which is your way of asking me for the money before your husband finds out that you lent it to us," said Leslie.

"Now, Leslie – actually, yes. When do you think that Owen will be able to pay me?" said Anne.

"Hopefully very soon," said Leslie. "Owen got hired by the Guardian to go undercover and write an expose for them. To be honest, the assignment unnerves me, but Owen said that it will be good publicity for his new book."

"Oh, really?" said Anne. "Do tell?"

Leslie said, "Have you heard of a reporter named Nellie Bly?"

Anne said, "Vaguely. To be honest, I haven't been able to keep up with everything in the news."

Leslie explained. Elizabeth Cochrane assumed the pen name of Nellie Bly when she grabbed her first reporting gig at her hometown newspaper. Bly's editor there assigned her to reporting on performing arts, despite her protests for something meatier. Bored with her assignments, Bly moved to New York City in 1887. After four months of job searching, Bly entered Joseph Pulitzer's offices at the New York World.

Pulitzer agreed to hire Bly – on one condition. She must get herself admitted as a patient at New York City's psychiatric hospital on Blackwell's Island and report on conditions there.

Bly checked herself into a temporary boarding house for women. She stayed up all night to look sleep deprived. Then, she loudly voiced accusations against the other boarders. Somebody called the police. After a doctor's examination, a judge ordered Bly taken to Blackwell's Island.

Bly endured ten days committed at the hospital. Bly witnessed firsthand the gruesome conditions there. After The World secured Bly's discharge, she documented these conditions in an expose for the paper.

Bly's story drove reforms in the treatment of mental health. It also cemented Bly's fame as a writer and reporter. The ordeal proved how one big investigative scoop made careers and fortunes.

"Yes, but Owen is already famous," said Anne, getting nervous.

Leslie said, "Fame doesn't pay the bills, Anne. As you well know."

"Well, go on with it," said Anne. "What does Nellie Bly have to do with Owen's new assignment?"

Leslie exhaled. "Anne, the Guardian hired Owen to go undercover at the psychiatric hospital in Charlottetown. Nellie Bly style."

"Leslie, no!" said Anne. "The superintendent in Charlottetown is Dr. Broadmoor. He's a good friend of Gilbert's. They went to medical school together. Dr. Broadmoor's wife has consumption. His daughter needs special treatments for her eyes. He's also raising eight nephews. His sister's boys. She died. Her widower ran off to seek his fortune in Vancouver."

Leslie said, "Please, not a word to Dr. Blythe."

Anne said, "Oh, I wouldn't dream of telling Gilbert! Gilbert can never find out about this. Owen can't do this, Leslie!"

Leslie said, "See, Owen told me that I shouldn't tell you. Now, Anne, a few minutes ago you were up in arms about getting your money. I told you about Owen's plan for getting your money. You're still not happy!"

Anne said, "Don't make this about me. This could ruin Dr. Broadmoor. I beg you, don't let Owen do this! Dr. Broadmoor is a good man."

"But, Anne," said Leslie. "Don't you want the abuses at the hospital to come to light? Once Owen publicizes conditions, the government can step in and implement reforms. That's what happened in New York."

Anne said, "What abuses? Leslie, you're the first person who ever mentioned abuses at the hospital to me."

Leslie said, "Oh, I heard plenty of rumors about abuses at that hospital when I was a girl. Why do you think that I kept Dick – er, George Moore – out of that place after his head injury?"

Anne said, "Leslie, you kept Dick – er, George – out of that place because you were too poor to afford the fee there. A bunch of small-town gossip from your childhood does not equate to proof of today's abuse. Owen is setting up Dr. Broadmoor to be a fall guy."

Leslie said, "Why would an undercover investigation ruin Dr. Broadmoor? Unless there's something going on at the hospital that he doesn't want the public to find out about."

Anne said, "Oh, don't act like I'm stupid, Leslie. I know how newspapers work. Even if Owen doesn't find anything . . . deplorable . . . at the hospital, the Guardian will twist things around to make conditions look bad there. Or they will pick up on little things that were honest mistakes and make those little things look like big cover ups. Newspapers don't pay reporters to go undercover and report that things are happy and sunny."

Leslie said, "I don't appreciate your insinuation that Owen will make up stuff just to get a big story for the paper."

Anne said, "I don't care what you appreciate or don't appreciate, Leslie! Besides, even if Owen was . . . moral enough . . . to report that everything is fine at the hospital, his editor will still twist everything around when the paper goes to print."

Leslie stood up, "See, Owen warned me that you would react this way."

Anne said, "Leslie, wait! Can't Owen go undercover at Hopetown? Report on the abuses there? They have plenty of abuses. Believe me, I saw them firsthand!"

Leslie said, "Don't be absurd, Anne. Owen can't go undercover as an orphan. Besides, Hopetown isn't even on the island. Nobody in Charlottetown cares about what goes on at Hopetown."

Anne said, "Well, I'm sure that the island has at least one horrific mill. Owen could go undercover there."

Leslie said, "Anne, do you want Gilbert to find out about the money that you lent us? Cause that's exactly what's going to happen unless you give us this chance to pay you back."

Anne said, "Oh, Leslie. Owen can't do this. You must find a way to stop him."