studied her from head to toe. Standing behind him was a plump matron in a stiff, full-length apron. It crisscrossed her chest, and she wore a white handkerchief hat like a nurse, only it lacked the red cross.
“Turn around,” the doctor instructed.
Janette looked at her father to find him nodding. Turning her back on the doctor unnerved her. She felt her heart beating faster while she attempted to keep her motions controlled.
Dr. Nerval clasped a cane with both gloved hands. It was a wooden one with a glass knob topper.
“Dr. Nerval has graciously called upon us to assist us in overcoming last night’s unfortunate incident.”
The doctor was an old man with deep folds around his mouth. All of his hair was white, and his thick sideburns too. He was perfectly groomed, every hair in place. His clothing was just as pristine, but what bothered her was the way the matron stood so still. She looked straight ahead, never turning her head to whoever was speaking. Obviously, the doctor shared her father’s views on people knowing who their betters were.
“Take my cane, please, Miss Janette.”
He grasped it around the wooden neck and extended it toward her. Apprehension tingled down her nape, but there was nothing overly strange in the request. Janette wrapped her hands around the glass knob and felt the current run through her.
Crystal. Deep Earth Crystal.
The rhythmic hum began playing in the back of her senses, and she looked down at the knob topping the cane. The doctor took it back, his grasp surprisingly strong for how aged he appeared.
“You were correct to summon me, Mr. Aston. Your daughter requires purging immediately.”
Janette spun around to look at her father. “I am quite well, Father.”
Dr. Nerval stood and tapped his cane against the floor. “She is not. My dear girl, you have no idea what manner of sinister infection has latched its teeth into you.”
“It was only a single dance. I couldn’t very well refuse Mrs. Brimmer, Father. It would have shamed you.” Tension pulled the muscles along her neck tight. She wasn’t even sure what she was fighting to avoid, only that she wanted nothing more to do with the cold-eyed doctor. His spectacles did nothing to shield her from it.
Her father looked undecided, but the doctor stepped between them.
“You must listen to me, Mr. Aston. This sort of thing can easily grow into something unstoppable without treatment. Considering your wife’s unfortunate history, you cannot afford to hesitate. Send her tomorrow morning for treatment.”
The matron opened the parlor door for the doctor, and he strode out. He turned to look at her before leaving. Janette felt the chill race down her back once more. This time there was a look of satisfaction in his eyes that horrified her.
“Tomorrow morning, the clinic. Do not go soft.”
“I shall not disappoint you, Doctor.”
Janette felt the walls of the parlor closing in. What had once been a favorite place now felt as cold as a prison cell. The butler closed the door behind the doctor, and her father remained facing it, giving her nothing to look at but his back.
“Father, you cannot mean to send me to that clinic. I hear they do the most brutal things there.”
He turned on her, determination etched into his expression.
“Nonsense you no doubt heard over a tea service. Dr. Nerval is a highly esteemed member of the scientific community. His clinic will provide you the treatment necessary to keep you from tumbling into the insanity your mother’s blood has tainted you with.”
“What taint? Has it something to do with why I’ve never heard anything about my maternal grandparents?” She spoke smoothly and slowly, the forbidden topic suddenly very permissible.
“You shall not speak of them, not ever. A fact you know very well. You see? I have always feared this day would come. Why do you think I have strived to remind you so often of the dangers of the Illuminists? Yet here you stand, defying my clear
“Turn around,” the doctor instructed.
Janette looked at her father to find him nodding. Turning her back on the doctor unnerved her. She felt her heart beating faster while she attempted to keep her motions controlled.
Dr. Nerval clasped a cane with both gloved hands. It was a wooden one with a glass knob topper.
“Dr. Nerval has graciously called upon us to assist us in overcoming last night’s unfortunate incident.”
The doctor was an old man with deep folds around his mouth. All of his hair was white, and his thick sideburns too. He was perfectly groomed, every hair in place. His clothing was just as pristine, but what bothered her was the way the matron stood so still. She looked straight ahead, never turning her head to whoever was speaking. Obviously, the doctor shared her father’s views on people knowing who their betters were.
“Take my cane, please, Miss Janette.”
He grasped it around the wooden neck and extended it toward her. Apprehension tingled down her nape, but there was nothing overly strange in the request. Janette wrapped her hands around the glass knob and felt the current run through her.
Crystal. Deep Earth Crystal.
The rhythmic hum began playing in the back of her senses, and she looked down at the knob topping the cane. The doctor took it back, his grasp surprisingly strong for how aged he appeared.
“You were correct to summon me, Mr. Aston. Your daughter requires purging immediately.”
Janette spun around to look at her father. “I am quite well, Father.”
Dr. Nerval stood and tapped his cane against the floor. “She is not. My dear girl, you have no idea what manner of sinister infection has latched its teeth into you.”
“It was only a single dance. I couldn’t very well refuse Mrs. Brimmer, Father. It would have shamed you.” Tension pulled the muscles along her neck tight. She wasn’t even sure what she was fighting to avoid, only that she wanted nothing more to do with the cold-eyed doctor. His spectacles did nothing to shield her from it.
Her father looked undecided, but the doctor stepped between them.
“You must listen to me, Mr. Aston. This sort of thing can easily grow into something unstoppable without treatment. Considering your wife’s unfortunate history, you cannot afford to hesitate. Send her tomorrow morning for treatment.”
The matron opened the parlor door for the doctor, and he strode out. He turned to look at her before leaving. Janette felt the chill race down her back once more. This time there was a look of satisfaction in his eyes that horrified her.
“Tomorrow morning, the clinic. Do not go soft.”
“I shall not disappoint you, Doctor.”
Janette felt the walls of the parlor closing in. What had once been a favorite place now felt as cold as a prison cell. The butler closed the door behind the doctor, and her father remained facing it, giving her nothing to look at but his back.
“Father, you cannot mean to send me to that clinic. I hear they do the most brutal things there.”
He turned on her, determination etched into his expression.
“Nonsense you no doubt heard over a tea service. Dr. Nerval is a highly esteemed member of the scientific community. His clinic will provide you the treatment necessary to keep you from tumbling into the insanity your mother’s blood has tainted you with.”
“What taint? Has it something to do with why I’ve never heard anything about my maternal grandparents?” She spoke smoothly and slowly, the forbidden topic suddenly very permissible.
“You shall not speak of them, not ever. A fact you know very well. You see? I have always feared this day would come. Why do you think I have strived to remind you so often of the dangers of the Illuminists? Yet here you stand, defying my clear
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