Page 163 of The Sisters of Sea View
“I might have prevented mine. Acted differently. Defended myself. You had no choice. If either of us is at fault, it is certainly not you.”
“I ... want to believe you. However—”
“And I want to believeyouwhen you say my injuries do not bother you.” He shook his head. “But I don’t.”
Someone knocked on the partially open door.
Annoyed at the interruption, the major frowned and called, “Yes?”
Taggart opened it and announced, “Mr. Cleeves, sir.”
Viola stilled. Itwashim. No. Why had the major not heeded her earlier warning?
Abner Cleeves stepped in, all smiles. “I know you are not expecting me. I only wanted to drop off the surgery estimate you requested.” He handed a folded piece of paper to the major.
Viola stood there, paralyzed again by all the fear and powerlessness she’d always experienced in this man’s presence.
Noticing her, Mr. Cleeves said, “Ah. Miss Summers. Major Hutton and I recently discussed your case. How ... fortuitous that you two are acquainted.”
The major had talked about her withthisman? She was stunned. Sickened.
Taking advantage of her silence once more, Cleeves said, “Another of my triumphs. As I explained, her early procedures were not successful because her incessant crying strained and tore the sutures. But as you can see, she looks rather well now. Her appearance has exceeded even my high expectations.”
The man smiled at her, and Viola felt as though she were frozen within a block of ice, her angry cries trapped within, unable to strike back, or even to move.
“Well, that’s all for the present. I will see you soon.” Cleeves bowed and took his leave.
Only when the man had left the house did Viola find her voice.
“Major, tell me you are not planning to let that man operate on you.”
“‘That man’ is a renowned surgeon. A pioneer of new surgical methods, according to Mr. Bird.”
“How does he know?”
“His colleague, Dr. Davis, introduced him. Apparently he spoke at a meeting of their medical society about advances in epidermic transplant. Everyone was very impressed.”
She paused, taking it all in. Oh yes, Abner Cleeves had always been quite the showman—good at making himself sound qualified and his planned procedures all but guaranteed. But his skills did not back up his boasts.
Before she could begin a rebuttal, the major continued, “And he himself told me about many of his cases. A laudable success rate. You heard him just now. He admitted your initial procedures did not have the desired results because of crying, which I will not succumb to. You cannot blame him for that.”
“Of course I cried! They gave me nothing for the pain save watered wine. Anyone would have cried.”
“I won’t. Besides, he assures me the pain will be manageable and the recovery brief.”
She shook her head. “He has you fooled, just as he fooled my parents.”
“You were young. And your memory is clouded by years and pain. Your recollection of details is not reliable.”
Viola gestured out the window. “Then go and ask my mother. She was there and is certainly reliable.”
“A mother cannot abide her child’s cries. I doubt she can give an objective account either. In fact, I understand your mother became hysterical, so Mr. Cleeves refused to continue overseeing your case.”
“Rubbish. Naturally my mother was upset. His attempts had left me worse off than before. My parents refused to let him try again. We had to wait because of the war, but when it was over, they took me to France to have his hack job repaired.”
“I am sorry you had to go through all of that. But there is no point in arguing about your specific surgery, as what I require is quite different. He explained his process, and his experience withother wounded soldiers. He even offered letters of recommendation.”
“Works of fiction, I do not doubt.”
