Page 64 of The Journal of a Thousand Years
He tried to sit up, but couldn’t, and slumped against me again. A shiver wracked him. “Cold in here.”
“Someone fetch an ambulance from the Royal London Hospital,” I said.
Willie shook her head. “That’s a bad idea.”
The sergeant agreed. “It’ll be faster if you take him in your vehicle.”
“I meant taking him to the Royal London is a bad idea. Stanley could be there. We have to take Gabe somewhere else.”
“It’s the closest hospital,” Alex said.
Willie had a stubborn look about her. I’d witnessed it before. She wouldn’t be moved from her stance. I never thought I’d be so happy to see her return to her demanding, fiery, somewhat irritating self. I wanted to hug her.
She would have voiced further opposition if Gabe hadn’t tried standing, only to find he was too weak. He collapsed back onto the bed.
Alex and one of the constables helped him up, propping him between them. “He needs immediate medical attention, Willie,” Alex said. “The Royal London is closest.”
Willie bit her lip, no longer so sure of herself.
I put an arm around her waist. “We’ll take him to the Royal London and have him assessed. If he requires a transfusion, we’ll all stay and keep guard. If not, we’ll take him home to rest and have his usual doctor check him there.”
She wiped her nose on her sleeve. “His usual doctor went to America with Matt and India, but his colleague will come. All right, we’ll go to the Royal London first. But I ain’t letting Gabe out of my sight.”
Alex and the constable half-carried, half-assisted Gabe out of the room, meeting Cyclops on the landing. Cyclops embraced him. “Are you all right?”
“Fine,” Gabe said, his voice sounding stronger.
“We’re taking him to the hospital.” Alex then told the constable they needed to carry him down the stairs.
Gabe scowled at him. “I can manage.”
Alex exchanged a smile of relief with his father.
Cyclops pressed a hand to Gabe’s shoulder but didn’t speak. He watched Alex and the constable take Gabe downstairs, then cleared his throat and entered the room. He strode up to Alcott, his fists closed. I thought he’d punch Alcott, but he didn’t. Hedrew in a deep breath, uncurled his fists and stretched his fingers.
“You’re lucky,” he told Alcott.
Alcott kept a wary gaze on Cyclops’s hands. “Why?”
“Because Gabe’s father isn’t here. I swore to abide by a code of conduct; he didn’t.”
Alcott swallowed again.
“Where’s Stanley Greville?” Cyclops asked.
“I don’t know.”
“We reckon he might be in the research laboratories at the hospital,” Willie said. “Send some men to search it. We’ll protect Gabe.”
She left, but I waited while Cyclops instructed the sergeant to send men to the hospital and take Alcott to Scotland Yard for questioning. Once they were gone, I asked him about Thurlow.
Cyclops removed his hat and rubbed a hand over his head. “He’s still at large, as are the Hobson women. Be careful, Sylvia. He might still target you.”
“Since I’m going to stay with Gabe for now, I’ll have the two best guards with me in Willie and Alex.”
He gave me a flat smile. “Get some rest. It’s been a long day for you.”
I joined Gabe in the back seat of the motorcar and directed him to lean against me. I placed my arms around him and kissed the top of his head. I shouldn’t have. I should have resisted my deep-seated urge to hold him if I was going to leave.
