A Death Along the River Fleet Read Online Free PDF

a thin man with glasses, with the haughty manner of a gentleman who was completing his medical studies at Cambridge. He was residing in Dr. Sheridan’s home while he assisted him with his patients, before he would be accepted as a physician in his own right. He and Lucy had met a few months prior when Dr. Larimer had conducted an autopsy of a murder victim. Mr. Sheridan had been quite annoyed when the physician had seemed to hold Lucy’s opinion in good stead.
    â€œI was informed that some riffraff had been brought here,” he said. His scornful gaze encompassed both Lucy and the woman huddled in the bed. He looked at the physician. “You are charitable indeed, sir.”
    â€œLucy found this woman in a delicate state,” Dr. Larimer replied. “I cannot in good conscience go against our sacred oath.” His tone was mild, but Lucy could hear the slight chastising. Mr. Sheridan simply shrugged, clearly less mindful of the admonitions of the ancient Greeks.
    As the two men were talking, the woman pushed back the blanket that had been covering her face and gazed up at Mr. Sheridan, a fearful expression on her face.
    He glanced at her, and then his gaze deepened. From her vantage point, Lucy saw something flicker in his expression, the faintest sign of recognition.
    â€œDo you know her?” Lucy asked Mr. Sheridan, startled.
    â€œOf course not—” he began to say, before he stopped and stared at the woman. He took a step closer, and then a step back. “By Jupiter! No, it cannot be!”
    Dr. Larimer looked at his assistant in surprise. “Good God, man. Do you know this woman? Who is she?”
    James Sheridan, looking more human than Lucy had ever seen him, was still staring at the woman. His gaze, at first shocked, had turned to fury and something worse. Disgust.
    â€œI thought for a moment that—” He broke off, gulping. “No, I do not know this woman. A trick of the light. If you’ll pardon me.” With that, he turned and walked quickly out of the room.
    Lucy and Dr. Larimer stared after him and then at each other. The woman still stayed huddled, the blankets again drawn up to her chin.
    â€œMiss?” the physician asked, his voice gentle. “Did you know that man?”
    The woman shook her head and then rolled back in the bed. “No, I think not. Please, I beg you. Leave me to my slumbers. I find that I am too weary for further discourse.”
    For a moment, Dr. Larimer seemed at a loss. “Well, well.” He gestured for Lucy to follow him out of the room. In the hallway, he put his hand to his head.
    â€œI am deeply troubled by all of this, Lucy,” he said, his voice low. “Who is this woman?”
    â€œSir,” Lucy whispered, “she sounded like a lady, did she not?”
    â€œThough her trappings are not fine, the grace of her bearing and her voice suggest to me a lady of quality.” He frowned. “I cannot cast her out now, not at least until we can confirm this to be true.”
    Lucy nodded. Had she spoken with the voice of a pauper, the woman would likely be getting the heave-ho after a long nap and a spot of bread to eat. Her cultured voice had given her a second chance that would have been denied to a woman of a clearly lesser station.
    â€œWhat happened to her? How long has her memory been lost?” He sighed. “What a predicament, Lucy. I do not quite know what to do with her. There have been cases where a memory remains lost for years, while other times it all comes back in just a day or two. Truth be told, I do not even know how to treat her. We can only hope that her memory returns to her quickly.”
    A thought nagged at Lucy. “Could she be a player, sir? Perhaps she is performing for us.” She had, several times in her life, met others who pretended to be something they were not. Outwardly kind and gentle people, but scoundrels all.
    The physician shook his head. “I do not