Back again!
CW: This chapter contains sexual themes, a suicide reference and an epileptic episode. Read with care. As always, all recognisable characters belong to Caleb Carr.
Chapter 2
Pandora was completely lost in her thoughts by the time Mr Keenan dropped her and Lucina to Central Park. It was only as he was opening the door of the cab that she realised just how much she had been daydreaming. Lucina gave her a smile and hopped down. Shaking herself, Pandora followed her sister and thanked Mr Keenan for his help.
"It's no trouble at all, Dr Mitchell." He said obligingly and pulled a folded yellow piece of paper from his breast pocket.
"Please, take my card, if you should have need of my services." Pandora took the proffered paper and tucked it inside her reticule.
"I shall, Mr Keenan. Incidentally, may we call upon your services tomorrow afternoon? I must take Lucina back to the Institute." She asked and he nodded.
"Of course."
Pandora bid Mr Keenan farewell and felt a gentle tug on her skirts. She turned to face Lucy, who pointed excited towards a pleasant looking parkland beyond the road.
"Yes, yes, let us go." Pandora said and Lucy skipped merrily beside her as they crossed the street and entered Central Park. The trees were in the middle of spring bloom and the flower beds were absolutely bursting with colour. Women in pretty walking dresses pushed perambulators and children played in the cool waters of a bumbling fountain. Lucy tugged on her sleeve.
Horses? The little girl signed and Pandora chuckled.
"Of course, little mouse. A promise is a promise." She said and they set off in search of the wider trails, where stately open-topped carriages took people on pleasant trips around the park.
"Here." Pandora said, handing Lucy a few coins.
"Go find some oats and we'll see what we can do about tempting a pony or two." Lucy squealed with delight and took off in search of a vendor. Pandora smiled and decided to take her time wandering the trails, keeping half an eye on the little girl as she ducked and weaved through the crowds. Alone with her thoughts again, she thought back on her conversation with Dr Kreizler. His reputation appeared well earned. He was clearly highly intelligent, well-versed in his practice and at ease with his young patients. She smiled as she recalled how tender he had been with the little ones, how they had gravitated to him. Lucy had obviously felt comfortable enough to agree to staying, and she was generally a good judge of character.
It doesn't hurt that he's quite handsome too. A traitorous little voice whispered in her mind.
Pandora blushed, even though she was quite alone. She had not expected that. She let herself think of Dr Kreizler's deep brown eyes. At multiple times during their talk, it had seemed like they bore straight down to her very soul. She smiled at the memory of the way his mouth quirked in a secretive smile when he was amused, almost hidden beneath that full beard. She recalled the feeling of his hand grasping hers… and the emptiness she felt when she was forced to pull away. Normally she dested when people touched her, but with him, she'd felt strangely at peace. Although he had been quite probing in his questions, she sensed his enquiries were not rooted in any malice. Indeed, she had been quite comfortable in his presence, something she had not felt in quite some time. She thought back to their conversation and sighed heavily.
"Lucy cannot be expected to change or thrive, if she does not see you doing so." Dr Kreizler had said and Pandora knew, in her heart, this was true. She needed to set an example for Lucy, to live life on happier terms and put the past and its troubles to rest. She resolved herself to do so.
A shriek caught her attention. Looking up she gasped as she saw Lucy, frozen the path of a horse, it's rider tugging desperately at the reins. The animal reared and Pandora rushed forward, only to see another woman dart forward and tackle Lucy out of the way. The pair crashed hard to the ground. As people converged to see what had happened, she watched Lucy sit up, staring around herself in confusion. Pandora ran towards them, daydreams forgotten.
"Let me through. Let me through. I am a doctor!" She shouted and people parted before her instinctively. She ignored their confused stares and ran to Lucy.
"Are you hurt, little mouse?" She asked looking over the little girl frantically. Lucy shook her head. Pandora patted her down but couldn't find any injuries. She let out a sigh of relief and looked to the woman, who was now sitting up. She was a beautiful blonde woman, dressed in a sensible walking skirt and blouse. Her straw boater had been knocked off in the skuffle and there was a nasty gash on her forehead. Pandora crouched down and peered into the woman's eyes.
"Madam, you have a head wound. Please follow my finger." She instructed, passing her finger in front of the woman's face. The woman did as bid, a small smile on her face.
"Count back from a hundred by sixes please.' She continued and the woman complied. Pandora noted no significant delay in her response.
"I assure you, I am fine." The woman said in a strong american accent and looked over to Lucy.
"Is she alright?" Pandora nodded gratefully.
"Yes, all thanks to you, Miss…?"
"Howard, Sara Howard, of the New York Police Department." The young woman introduced herself and Pandora let out an impressed huff.
"A policewoman, quelle chance! I am Dr Pandora Mitchell, and this is my sister, Lucina, who you have so valiantly rescued." Pandora said and Miss Howard smiled at Lucina, who was kicking the dirt ashamedly.
I'm sorry. She signed and Pandora shook her head.
"Don't apologise to me, apologise to Miss Howard." She chided angrily and Lucina looked at Miss Howard with clear embarrassment. She motioned her apology again and Miss Howard clasped the little girl's hands.
"I'm just glad you're alright." Miss Howard told Lucy earnestly and looked to Pandora.
"Please don't be hard on her, that horse came out of nowhere." Pandora sighed heavily.
"Well, at least allow us to take you home, Miss Howard." She implored and the young woman shook her head firmly.
"Please, call me Sara. And thank you, but I was on my way to lunch with friends and I would hate to cancel."
"Well, at least let me see to your head wound, it's the least I can do." Pandora pleaded and the woman nodded. She and Lucy helped Sara to her feet and the trio made their way to a nearby cafe and away from the small crowd that had formed.
"Nothing to see here." She shouted, shooing nosy gawkers away.
As they sat down at a wrought iron table, Pandora accosted a waiter and asked him to bring a clean towel, some bandages and clear alcohol. The man did as he was bid and quickly brought the required medical equipment. Pandora gently cleaned Miss Howard's wound, picking away obvious dirt and clearing away crusted blood.
"Rudimentary, but it will suffice. You may wish to have this checked in a day or so, if it starts to look infected." She told Sara sternly and the blonde nodded obediently.
"Of course, thank you. What brings you to New York, Dr Mitchell?" She asked while Pandora continued to work on her forehead.
"Call me Pandora. What gave us away?" Sara chuckled.
"Your accent. I could tell you're not from around here." Sara continued and Pandora snorted softly.
"Ah, well, we're originally from Australia." She told her and Sara's eyes widened.
"My, my, you've certainly come a long way for a holiday." She observed and Pandora mused on whether or not to tell her the truth.
"Our journey is not all pleasure I'm afraid, we're here for Lucy. She requires the help of a particular specialist, one we've been informed only works here in New York." She said guardedly and the two women looked at Lucy, who sulked miserable in her own seat.
"Lucy, I'm in the mood for a sweet ice, do you think you could bring me one?" Sara asked kindly and Lucy nodded, standing up and walking over to a brightly-coloured stand where a man was shaving a block of ice into little cones and covering them in different syrups. A waiter arrived and deposited a willow pattern teapot and two fine-china cups.
"She seems like a sweet girl." Sara observed as she poured them some tea and Pandora nodded.
"Yes, she is." She agreed and the two women rested in comfortable silence for a moment while their beverages cooled. It was clear that Sara was not going to push the subject any further and Pandora was grateful, gently securing a small bandage to Sara's forehead.
"There. You can remove the bandage tonight. Just try to keep it clean for the next few days and it should heal without too much scarring."
"Thank you." Sara replied and leaned back in her chair, sipping contentedly at her teacup.
"So, you're a doctor, Pandora?" She asked curiously and Pandora nodded.
"Yes, I specialise in neurology. Generally, I deal with the treatment of conditions and diseases involving the brain and nervous system." Sara was visibly impressed.
"Which I believe is different from alienists, right?" She asked and Pandora nodded.
"There is the potential for overlap but there are some notable differences. My colleagues and I tend to step in when behavioural therapies fail or cannot provide the relief that patients require. But the work they do is commendable, it has truly filled a medical gap that cannot be attended to through pure chemistry alone."
"How long have you been a doctor?" Sara asked and Pandora thought back to her graduation.
"I obtained my medical licence in '94, and I published my first paper a year later, examining the potential implications of electricity on vagus nerve function." She explained and Sara nodded.
"A colleague of mine once showed me Faraday's frog experiment. It's fascinating the leaps that science is making." Sara mused and Pandora smiled excitedly.
"Yes! The potential application of electricity in medicine is game-changing. Between this and constant advances in bio-chemisty, I am convinced that we are on the verge of curing a whole host of neurological ailments."
"Wouldn't that put you out of a job?" Sara teased and Pandora shook her head.
"No more than other doctors." She joked and the two women clinked their teacups lightly.
"So, Sara, you said you work with the police department. In what capacity?" Pandora was extremely curious about the young woman, who appeared to be around her age.
"Well, I work primarily as Commissioner Roosevelt's assistant, however, I also take part in operations by the department for organised crime, serial murder and fraud." She explained and Pandora was intrigued.
"Fascinating, I imagined you've seen quite a lot then?" She surmised and Sara nodded.
"Indeed, at times more than I care to remember. But it needs to be done. And sometimes a woman's intuition is more effective than a man's brawn." Pandora grinned.
"I agree entirely. How did the role come about?" The blonde woman hummed thoughtfully.
"Most people think I was given the position because my father and Commissioner Roosevelt were friends at university. However, I like to think that it was my own intelligence that secured me the job." She answered candidly and Pandora chuckled.
"People said the same thing about me when I became a doctor. They imagined that my medical licence must have been granted as a favour to my father or grandfather. " Sara gave Pandora a knowing look.
"Because it simply couldn't be possible that we woman can become professionals on our own terms." She quipped and Pandora laughed.
"No, indeed. And yet, having studied human anatomy quite thoroughly, I am still unconvinced of any reason that a woman cannot perform the same jobs as men, especially in fields of the mind." Pandora espoused and Sara thumped her fist on the table in a rather masculine fashion.
"Here, here." She said firmly and they both laughed.
"Well, as it happens, I'm officially striking out on my own, creating my own inspecting agency, run by and for the women of this city. A place where they can be taken just as seriously as men." Sara stated and Pandora took a sip of her tea.
"A wonderful idea." She encouraged and Sara seemed to relax slightly.
"Do you think so?" She asked and Pandora nodded.
"There a times when women find it a great deal more comfortable discussing their problems with another woman. I have often experienced such things in my practice and assume that it must be similar in wider society. Some subjects can be quite delicate and an agency designed to provide women with that choice and understanding can only be a good thing, in my opinion." Sara positively glowed at her words and finished her tea.
"I believe so too. Oh, it is nice to speak of such things with another woman. At times, I feel quite alone in my beliefs." Sara admitted and Pandora inhaled deeply.
"I do too. Between trying to find the right specialist for Lucy and taking on our family's affairs, I find myself increasingly isolated from other women." Pandora confessed and the two smiled at one another.
"I was wondering-" Pandora began but stopped as they both turned to a breathless Lucy, who held out a cone of raspberry flavoured ice to Sara.
"Why thank you Lucy." Sara said graciously, taking the striped cone and using a spoon to take a few generous bites. She licked her lips.
"Delicious." She announced and Lucy grinned, digging into her own cone with relish.
Will she be alright? She signed at Pandora, who nodded.
"Yes, Miss Howard here will make a full recovery. You don't appear to have a concussion, so I believe it your wound is just a graze."
"Tthank you, Pandora." Sara said gratefully.
"It is I who must be thanking you. I don't know what I would have done if something happened to Lucy." Pandora said, grasping Lucy's hand tightly.
"I'm just glad it's all worked out for the best." Sara said as she stood and dusted off her hands.
"Unfortunately, as much as I have loved meeting you, I must be off. It's almost midday and I'm running late for lunch." Pandora stood as well.
"Of course."
Thank you. Lucy motioned to Sara as she left.
"You're welcome." Sara said and Pandora cocked her head curiously.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Pandora." Sara said and Pandora nodded in agreement.
"If it's not too presumptious, I was wondering if I may call on you later this week?" Pandora asked hopefully and the other woman paused, considering her.
"It's just, well, once Lucy is seeing her specialist, I will be quite alone in the city, and without a guide. I was rather hoping to have a local show me the sites." Sara smiled widely.
"I would be happy to." She said and reached into a pocket of her skirt. She handed a card to Pandora, who looked at the finely engraved address.
"Why, you're not far from us. We're staying at the Paragon." Pandora said and Sara's eyes widened.
"An… interesting choice." She murmured and Pandora grinned wickedly.
"Oh, I did my research. Well-behaved women and all that." Pandora remarked teasingly and Sara laughed.
"Indeed. Well, you may call by any time in the evenings or weekends. I'm usually at the office or doing repairs at my new bureau during the week." And with that, Sara walked off, disappearing quickly into the crowd. Pandora looked down at Lucy, whose lips were ringed in red syrup.
"Well, little mouse, what an interesting day we have had." She mused and the little girl nodded, staring after Miss Howard.
—
Laszlo and John has made their way from the Institute to a little bistrot around the corner. They sat and conversed for a time.
"Come now old chap, it is perfectly natural to meet with beautiful women." John said cajolingly and Laszlo sighed.
"For the hundredth time John, I have neither the time nor the inclination for such things." He rebuked sternly, but his friend simply grinned.
"It didn't look like that when I walked in on you and the lovely Miss Mitchell holding hands in the courtyard this morning." John teased and Laszlo rolled his eyes.
"John, Dr Mitchell a colleague, she is the sister of one of my patients. Not only would it be highly inappropriate, I would not do her the discourtesy of presuming anything."
"Even though you wish to." John surmised and Laszlo choked on the wine he had just sipped. John chuckled, slapping Laszlo back.
"It's fine Laszlo, any man with eyes can see she's beautiful. And as a doctor, she should be more than a match for you intellectually." Laszlo scowled, taking another sip.
"Have we forgotten what happened to the last woman I involved myself with, John?" He asked cuttingly and the man's grin faded from his lips.
"Laszlo…" He started but the alienist ignored him.
"Dr Mitchell is young, intelligent and has better things to do with her time than consort with an old cripple such as myself." He continued and stared at John pointedly.
"Laszlo, you are too hard on yourself." John replied earnestly.
"Any woman would be lucky to have you, if she can put up with your mood changes for long enough that is." He quipped and the two fell silent for a time. Desperate to salvage the conversation, Laszlo let his thoughts spill out.
"I notice that you have not made a move on marrying Miss Howard." He pointed out and John sighed, running a hand over his face.
Heavens, if a man as typically sauve as John Moore couldn't muster up the courage to win the heart of a woman, what chance did Laszlo stand?
"I will, I'm just waiting for the right time." He mused pensively and Laszlo nodded knowingly.
"I'm also uncertain as to whether she'd take me seriously if I asked her to marry me." John said pleadingly and now it was Laszlo's turn to slap him on the back.
"Even though you wish to." He teased and John threw back his head with laughter. Shaking a finger at Laszlo he took a sip of his lemonade. The bell above the door rang and they turned to see a flushed Sara Howard enter the bistrot, her skirts muddied and a white bandage around her forehead.
"Sara!"
"Miss Howard!"
They both stood in alarm. She waved them away with a smile.
"I'm quite alright, just had a little adventure in the park on the way here. My apologies for the tardiness." She said brusquely and went to sit down.
"What happened?" John asked worried, his eyes fixed to the bandage at her brow.
"Nothing of consequence, John. Thankfully no one was seriously hurt and there was a doctor around to patch me up. She's new to town and comes all the way from Australia, what are the chances?" She mused and Laszlo looked at John in bemusement.
"Sara, was this woman by any chance a Dr Pandora Mitchell?" John asked cautiously and Sara nodded.
"You know of her?" She asked and John shook his head.
"No, but our dear alienist here does. Why, just this morning I found them in wandering hand in hand at the Institute." John teased and Laszlo scowled. Before he could rebuke his friend Sara smiled.
"Oh well, Pandora really is something special. An independent woman travelling the world and studying what she pleases. And that sister of hers, what a cherub!" Sara gushed and Laszlo nodded.
"It is my understanding Dr Mitchell is a neurologist, I will have to see if she has published any treatises." He said and Sara nodded.
"She has. Something about electricity and the vagus nerve I believe." She said and Laszlo made a mental note to search for it.
"Ah, that would make sense. I myself spent some time studying the interplay between alienism and neurochemistry. I am certain that there are a myriad of ways that the two fields could be joined." Laszlo said and John chuckled.
"Perhaps in more ways than one." He muttered and Sara slapped his arm lightly.
"John, that is quite rude." She chided and frowned at him. John gulped, but didn't quite lose the twinkle in his eyes.
"Shall we eat?" Laszlo asked and Sara nodded.
"Yes, I am famished." She said and they settled about ordering their meal. It was a pleasant, if short-lived affair. It was not often that the three had time to meet, but Laszlo enjoyed it when they did. They laughed, exchanged stories and made promises to meet again soon.
"Oh, I will be sure to send word when I see Dr Mitchell." Sara said as they walked out of the bistrot. Laszlo pulled up short.
"She has asked me to be her guide to New York and I intend for us to be friends."
"Ah, that is good. I got the impression she was in need of one." He mused and Sara looked at him curiously.
"A friend." He clarified and she smiled softly.
"As, perhaps, do you." She whispered and leaned in to place a cordial kiss to his cheek.
"Good day Laszlo." She said and he smiled.
"Good day, Sara."
As Miss Howard walked off, he and John paused together for a moment, enjoying the afternoon sunshine.
"Shall we walk a moment Laszlo?" John asked and Laszlo nodded his assent. They strode off in the direction of the park. John remained blessedly silent for a time and Laszlo took a moment to enjoy the day.
"Laszlo…" He sighed and looked to his friend, whose face was a picture of misery.
"Do you think she'll say yes?" John asked and Laszlo shrugged.
"I think, Miss Howard will look to not just your words, but your actions John. If she deems them worthy, I imagine that she will come to the same conclusion that I have." He said and John looked at him quizzically.
"And what is that?" He asked and Laszlo smiled at his friend.
"That you are a good man." John smiled self-deprecatingly.
"Now, I must get back to the Insitute. This has been lovely, John, truly lovely. Let's do it again soon." Laszlo said and walked off, leaving John staring after him.
—
Pandora closed Lucy's door quietly and stepped into the salon. She drew her nightgown around herself and poured a large glass of wine from a crystal decanter on the sideboard. Sipping it, she walked into the bathroom and closed the door. She walked to the beautiful, claw-footed tub in the centre of the room and turned the taps, filling the tub with delectably hot water. She found some lavender soap in the cupboard beneath the wash basin and disrobed, casting her clothes to the side. Naked, she walked to the bath, wine in hand and lowered herself into the water. She hissed as the warmth soothed her aching muscles. Leaning back she savoured the sensation of the water lapping her body, as gentle as a lovers hands. For a moment, she imagined a particular set of hands on her body. She took a large gulp of her wine and set the glass down on the floor beside the tub.
"Dora, Dora, Dora, you're in trouble." She murmured quietly, leaning her head back to rest on the rim of the tub. What was she going to do about this infatuation with Dr Kreizler? Was she so starved of companionship that the polite touch of a fellow doctor was enough to leave her in shambles, begging for more? She scowled into the darkness. Unconsciously, her hand dipped beneath the waters, swirling at her navel. Dare she?
"It has been a while." She mumbled to herself, letting her hand fall lower and lower, until it reached the apex of her thighs. She hissed as her fingers brushed the bundle of nerves there. Her mind wandered, latching onto a handsome, bearded face and piercing dark eyes. Her breath quickened, heat flared through her body in waves and her core tightened. She quickened her pace, her back arching as the water sloshed about her. Her whole body hung in suspension, saturated with pleasure. Her other hand came her her breast, squeezing the nipple gently.
"Laszlo!" His face was all she could see and, in a moment, she shattered, her body coming apart under fingers. For a moment she was weightless, her mind blank. Then she crashed back to reality.
"Christ." She breathed, trying to steady herself. She felt good, for a split second, then guilt came crashing on her like a wave. She covered her face with her hands.
"Dora, you are in so much trouble."
—
Laszlo smiled as he finished Dr Mitchell's paper. After making a few enquiries, he had found it in a journal of of antipodean science at the New York Public Library. This morning, it had arrived, along with his regular New York Times. He had spent the morning indulging in his curiosity and came away with the conclusion that, if tragedy had not struck Dr Mitchell, she would have been well on the way to being an expert in the field of neurology. Oh, it was not perfect, and he would press her on some her points, but it was a fine piece and she had great potential. He looked up as he heard a knock at the door. Matron Gratton appeared and he beckoned her into his office.
"Matron Gratton, I trust everything is alright with the children?" He asked and she nodded.
"Oh yes, it's just that Dr Mitchell is here, with the youngin'" She said and Laszlo stood up quickly.
"Ah, already?" He enquired, glancing at his fob-watch and noting the time with alarm. She nodded.
"I've asked them to wait outside." She said and he chuckled.
"And how well did that go?" He murmured to himself and followed her out to the courtyard. He spotted Lucina almost immediately, dressed today in a bright red dress with white ribbons. She was happily playing hand games with Ruby Straus, the two clearly thick as thieves. He smiled and looked around for Dr Mitchell but he couldn't see her anywhere.
"Oh, she was just here." Matron Gratton said in surprise and Laszlo continued to survey the courtyard. She was not without and so he surmised that he would locate her within.
"I will find her Matron Gratton." He assured the worried woman and she inclined her head slightly before going to settle a scrabble that had broken out between two young boys over a wooden train set. He waved to Lucina, who waved back merrily. She tossed her head in the direction of the Institute and he winked, leaving her to her game with Ruby. Lazslo made his way back inside and, guided by some instinct. He climbed the stairs and walked along an uppr corridor, nodding and stopping to speak with several children as he went. Eventually, he saw an door slightly ajar to his left and peered within. He instantly saw Dr Mitchell and, to his surprise, young Anthony, a young lad from the projects of Brooklyn. Today, she was dressed in a form-fitting blue dress, edged in fine Lyonois lace. Her hair was styled in a half-up style, a few loose strands trailing over her shoulders. It softened her, and he determined that he preferred it more than the strict bun she had worn the day before. Curious he watched them for a moment. They were seated on the school desks inside, facing one another and deep in conversation.
"And, do your parents visit you often?" Dr Mitchell asked and the boy shook his head, his small face taunt with sadness.
"Oh, well, I think that is their loss." She said, tenderly tucking a stray strand of brown hair behind his ear.
"You seem to be a lovely boy." Anthony beamed at her, his gap-toothed smile infectious.
"Are you here visiting someone?" He asked curiously and Dr Mitchell shook her head.
"No, I'm bringing someone here." Anthony frowned.
"Will you come back to see them?" He asked and Dr Mitchell smiled.
"Of course. Lucina is my sister, I love her very much."
"Would you come and visit me too?" He asked, his voice barely above a whisper, and she nodded.
"I promise, for as long as she is here, I will come and see you too." Anthony hugged her. Lazslo watched her freeze, then relax into his embrace. He decided to intervene.
"Ah, Anthony, there you are." He said, walking into the room and watching the two spring apart and turn to him.
"Dr Kreizler, I was just-" Dr Mitchell stood quickly but he waved her off.
"It's perfectly fine, Dr Mitchell." He said and rested his hand on Anthony shoulder.
"Are you alright, Anthony?" He asked and the boy nodded.
"Yes, I was upset but Dora helped me feel better." He said, looking up at Laszlo.
"Am I in trouble?" He asked and Laszlo shook his head.
"Not at all, Anthony. You may go." He said and the boy jumped up and went to the door. He stopped and looked back at Dr Mitchell.
"Thank you." He said and she raised her hand in farewell. Her smile dropped away when she looked back to him.
"Dr Kreizler, I must apologise again…" He waved her away.
"Dr Mitchell, it is quite alright. It seems young Anthony has taken a shine to you. A rare thing, as I often cannot get him to tell me anything." He remarked drily and she huffed in surprise.
"Why is he here?" She asked, her voice laced with sadness. Laszlo leaned against a desk.
"His parents informed me that he is prone to fits of uncontrollable mania, then long periods of melancholy, broaching on the extreme." Dr Mitchell folded her arms across her chest, her brow furrowed in thought.
"Since he has been here, I have witness several of these episodes, which arrive and depart without much in the way of warning." He continued and Dr Mitchell clicked her tongue.
"I have observed just one case of a similar description. In my own reading, I came across the French term "folie circulaire.' However, that case involved a woman of some forty-years and who had a completely different history to that young boy. The extremes of her melancholy were such that she attempted to take her life on multiple occasions, while her mania drove her to such heights that both her works and her antics were the constant talk of Sydney society." Dr Mitchell explained, her voice soft with memory.
"And what was your solution?" He asked and she sighed.
"My professor, a rather unimaginative man but well-respected by the Sydney-town medical field, diagnosed her with hysteria. He recommended she be institutionalised." She said sadly and Laszlo's heart sank.
"Her executor had her committed. She hanged herself in her room, only two weeks later."
"Ah." He exhaled sharply and she nodded. Her face was blank, but her eyes were downcast, showing her misery.
"Many women, throughout history, have been labelled hysterical when all they needed was sympathy and proper medical attention." She muttered, her tone harsh.
"Yes, sadly, it is often the way of things." He agreed and she stared at him, her arms still folded tightly across her chest.
"But just because something has always been, doesn't mean it should always be." He continued and one side of her mouth lifted in a sad half-smile.
"So, Dr Mitchell, what would you recommend now?" He asked and chuckled at her confused expression.
"For the woman. If she was your patient today, what would your recommendation be?" He crossed his left arm across his waist, unconsciously holding his bad arm. Dr Mitchell's eyes drifted as she considered the question.
"Well, I certainly would not institutionalise her." She started, pensive. He nodded, waiting for more.
"I believe that there has been some success in Germany… with lithium treatment. It appears to balance out one's moods, bringing the patient to sufficient stability so that they may commence discussion therapy to recognsie and prevent maladaptive patterns of behaviour - something you would be better suited to providing, I imagine." She said pointedly, to which he laughed.
"Perhaps, although, from what I saw with young Anthony there, you may be more suited to alienism than you think." She gasped in fake horror.
"Why, Dr Kreizler, how dare you! I am a woman of chemistry and nerves and I do not involve myself in the mysteries of the mind." Laszlo could not resist, he laughed out loud and she joined him. When they settled down he sat down beside her on a nearby desk. She glanced at him, her blue eyes wide and glittering. He could get lost in those eyes, like small oceans, ready to swallow him whole. He didn't know how long he stared, but eventually he returned to himself and cleared his throat. She shook her head, her cheeks slightly rouged.
"Dr Mitchell, you deal in the brain and its signals. Our brains are the centre of who we are, they control our every impulse and they form our identities. Whether you wish to admit it or not, there is an element of alienism that will always interact with your work. Why, you alluded to it in your paper…"
"You read my paper?" She asked, clearly surprised.
"Yes, I found it intriguing." He admitted and she smirked, looking up at him from under her lashes.
"Oh, do you find me intriguing, Dr Kreizler?" He coughed, stunned by her boldness, and looked away.
"My apologies, Dr Kreizler." She murmured and he shook his head.
"Not at all, Dr Mitchell. I do find you… quite singular." He admitted, thankful perhaps for the first time in his life that his beard hid most of his cheeks. They felt positively on fire. He risked a glance at her and found her staring at her feet, her hands twisting in knots. Instinctively, he reached out his left hand and gently clasped her fingers. They stilled and she looked up at him.
"My Mama always used to say my mouth runs away from me like a startled colt. I often just say whatever I feel without sufficient consideration for the consequences." She said sheepishly and he shrugged.
"Some would call that honesty?" He remarked and she chuckled awkwardly. Suddenly, she stiffened and rocked unsteadily on her feet.
"Dr Mitchell!" He called in alarm.
"Catch me." She whispered before her eyes rolled back into her head and she dropped. He reacted on instinct, managing to stop her head from slamming to the ground, but not enough to save either of them entirely. He landed hard, his bad arm caught awkwardly beneath her shoulders. He watched, helplessly, as her body convulsed in large spasms. Cautiously, he turned her on her side, loosening the buttons of her collar and drawing hair away from her face. He watched as her body fitted, her limbs flailing wildly. He didn't attempt to stop her or hold her in place, merely kept her turned on her side and prevented further harm. After about a minute, her movements subsided and her breathing began to return to normal. He watched as her limbs stilled and consciousness returned to her eyes. She looked around and then to him. Her mouth fell open in abject horror.
"Oh no, I'm so sor-"
"There is no need to apologise, Dr Mitchell, you have done nothing wrong." He assured her with more calm than his racing heart belied.
"Please, take your time. While I don't believe you struck your head, you did just have a grand mal seizure, so you may feel dizzy for a while." He cautioned and her head flopped back onto the floor defeatedly. As she collected herself, he allowed himself a moment to check over her for other injuries. He could see nothing, save her wounded pride.
"You're epileptic?" He said after a moment and she nodded, her face twisted in annoyance.
"I assume you take potassium bromide?" He enquired and she shrugged half-heartedly.
"It hardly matters. I cannot be cured, not yet anyway." She muttered and he carefully extracted his arm from beneath her. She glanced at his arm and he panicked, wondering whether she could feel the difference between his limbs. However, she said nothing.
"Perhaps, but your condition certainly explains your very real anxieties for Lucina's future." He said and she rolled her eyes.
"I often wonder what would happen if I seize while riding, or swimming, or walking simply in front of a moving carriage to cross a street. One moment here, the next... gone. I could forgive myself if it was just her youth. She is smart, far smarter than I ever was, but without a voice, without someone to keep her safe from the doctors, lawyers and institutions…" She trailed off, unable to finish.
"Dr Mitchell, I will do whatever I can for Lucina." He promised and she stared at him, her eyes uncertain.
"You swear it?" She asked and he nodded.
"I swear it." He repeated and she closed her eyes wearily.
"Thank you. I believe I am ready to sit up." She said and he assisted her to an upright position.
"Please, don't say anything to Lucina." She pleaded and he frowned.
"She does not know?" He queried and she shook her head.
"I have managed to hide it from her. I didn't wish to add another problem to her life." She replied and he sighed heavily.
"I do not make a habit of lying to my patients." Laszlo said sternly and she groaned softly.
"If she does not know about it, then she cannot ask. Ergo, you will not need to lie." She said and he quirked an eyebrow at her. She sighed.
"Please, Dr Kreizler. At least hold off until you are of an opinion that she can handle such a thing." He nodded reluctantly. He felt her hand squeeze his right arm, his bad arm, gently and looked at her sharply, but her face was a picture of relief.
"Thank you." She said earnestly and Laszlo felt his heart crack just a little wider.
Oh dear, Laszlo. You are in trouble.
A loud bang made them look up. Lucina was standing in the doorway, her eyes wide. She motioned frantically to her sister.
"It's alright, little mouse. I went for a walk but wasn't watching where I was going. I tripped and fell. Thankfully, Dr Kreizler came to my aid. " The lie rolled easily off her tongue and Laszlo was almost impressed. Lucina glanced between them, her eyes deceptively serious for such a young child. Finally, she shrugged.
"Will you help me stand, Dr Kreizler?" Dr Mitchell asked and he nodded.
"Of course." He clambered to his feet and used his good arm to bare most of her weight. She smiled at Lucina and took a step towards her. She wobbled and Laszlo caught her arm gently. Lucina smirked at her sister.
"Oh hush, I simply I rolled my ankle." The red-haired woman snapped and Lucina giggled.
"Are your things packed away in your room?" Dr Mitchell asked and Lucina nodded. She motioned and Laszlo caught the name "Ruby" and "help."
"How very generous of Ruby." He murmured and Lucina nodded.
"Very well, Dr Mitchell. I believe it is time for your farewells." He said and Lucina's eyes suddenly watered.
"It is not forever, little mouse." Dr Mitchell consoled and her sister nodded bravely.
"Come here." She said and wrapped her sister in a warm, one-armed hug. Throughout, Laszlo noted that Dr Mitchell still placed a lot of weight on his good arm.
"Sundays are visiting days, you may come and see her then." He advised and Dr Mitchell thanked him quietly.
"Did you hear that, little mouse? I'll see you in a week." She said while straightening her sisters collar determinedly and Lucina stepped away, drawing a hand across her teary face.
"You be good for Dr Kreizler, alright?" Dr Mitchell warned and, with Lucina's non-verbal agreement, the trio walked slowly to the entrance hall. Upon reaching the courtyard, Dr Mitchell untangled herself from Laszlo and he was once again left strangely bereft of her. He unconsciously flexed his fingers.
"Farewell, Dr Kreizler. Look after my sister." Dr Mitchell ordered and he touched a hand to his chest.
"I will guard her with my life." He said seriously and she nodded, before turning away and limping to the gate. As she passed through and out of sight, he looked down at Lucina, who was staring up at him with a small smirk.
"What?" He asked and she shook her head. She moved away to where Ruby was sitting quietly and the two clasped hands. They looked at him conspiratorily and laughed. He chuckled bemusedly.
"What exactly have I gotten myself into?" He muttered before turning on his heel and walking back into the Institute.
Woohoo! It's so nice to be back. This story just wants to get out there. I'll try and post semi-regularly.
