Page 55 of The Ambiguous Enigma of the Hunted Lady
“No.” Leah smiled wide, which seemed to confuse the good doctor a fair amount. “It wouldn't do at all.”
“In any case.” Dr. Fowler returned to his anxious state, leaning down towards his medical bag. “I have prepared a solvent for you.”
“A solvent?” Leah blinked.
“Something to ease the pain when you first try to stand. It should be taken now.”
Leah saw him pull a tiny vial with a yellow, crystalline substance within. The cork topper was as big as her pinky nail.Oh, Doctor Fowler,Leah lamented within.You have gone and made the largest mistake.She now knew the cause for his anxiety.
“Wait for perhaps an hour. Afterwards, you should feel free to walk about the grounds. With proper supervision and guidance, of course. You cannot afford to fall.”
Leah watched him uncork the vial and pour its contents into a small spoon which was on a bedside table. She then watched him drop the vial back into his bag. He reached out to hand her the spoon.
“Dr. Fowler?” Leah asked, taking the small spoon from his hand.
“Yes, Miss Benson?” He looked at her, but she could tell he was truly looking at the spoon in her hand.
“Would you take one more look at my ankle, before I walk, that is, you see I fear falling down as you have described, and I wish to be completely sure I can trust my legs to carry me.”
“Well, I suppose.” She could see the gears clicking around behind his eyes. He turned towards the foot of the bed, moving his gaze slowly away from the spoon and towards her foot, which they both knew has fully healed.
As he bent down towards her ankle, Leah snapped into action. Her foot jumped up, striking him square in the nose. Before he could utter a cry or fall backwards, Leah's legs wrapped around his neck and forced him onto the bed. She sat fully upright over him, holding his head in place with a leg lock as blood began to stream out from his broken nose.
“Doctor Fowler.” she said in a patronizing tone. “You are a dishonest man.” Leah held the spoon of yellow substance over his face, and with her one free hand she pinched open his mouth by squeezing his cheeks.
“Please!” he grunted as best he could, although she knew that he was trapped in her iron embrace.
“Why are you trying to kill me, Doctor?” Leah put a deep inflection of sympathy in her voice, or was it sarcasm? She was in complete control of the situation; he could not breath and she held a spoonful of what she could only assume was lethal poison over his mouth.
“Please!” He gasped for air.
“What have you got for me, Doctor?” Leah taunted. She knew that nobody could hear them, for many times she had called out for help with moving about the room to no avail. It seemed the only way to reach anyone in this house was to pull the servant's bell rope, and Leah was giving it a wide berth.
“I can’t–” His face was beginning to turn purple. Leah released a bit of pressure on his neck with her knee, and he gasped deeply for air.
“Tell me everything, Francis.” Leah insisted, waving the spoon above his eyes.
“Wait! I'll tell you!” Francis whimpered; they both knew that he was beaten, and Leah had won.
“Start talking Doctor.” Leah sneered. “I'm not sure how long my ribs can keep this up.”
“His name is Nash!” Doctor Fowler cried. “I owe him gambling money, he was going to go to my wife if I didn't pay. I couldn't pay, I couldn't pay.” he was sobbing now, but it looked difficult for him the way he was sprawled on his back.
“Nash?” Leah was stunned.How in the hell does Nash have clout out here?“What did he say?”
“He put the word out, badly-beaten woman, green eyes, scar down her face, when I saw you, I knew you had to be the one he was talking about. I left a dead drop at the old fountain, I thought that would clear my debt, I'm so sorry!”
“Stop crying.” Leah pushed her knee back down for a moment, causing Doctor Fowler to choke on his tears and rein himself in. “But it wasn't enough, was it?”
“No,” Francis whined. “He found me in the street, told me I had to kill you, or he would go to my wife. I couldn't lose everything, I couldn't–” he trailed away, realizing the broken shell that held his words together.
“He never said anything about Riphook?” Leah pressed.
“Riphook? Who?” Leah knew he was telling the truth. His eyes betrayed him, ever since he came through the door. Now they showed her that he was at last, being honest.
“Nobody.” She grunted, releasing some of the pressure so that he again took deep, jagged breathes.
“Oh, forgive me,” he moaned. “I am undone. I do not deserve anything at all.”
