Page 47 of Highland Jewel
Your Most Obedient Servant
CHAPTER17
When Fiona’s grim-faced housekeeper came to Infirmary Street, bringing a letter from Niall, Maisie took her into the drawing room and sat her down. It was the only news she’d had from him in three weeks. He wrote that he was in London, but he offered nothing more than that. Nothing about Fiona. Nothing about why he was there. Only that he was well.
The note had been sent to his sister’s house but addressed to Maisie, and the housekeeper brought it to her immediately. She guessed Niall was trying to hide his connection with her.
“Have you heard anything from Mrs. Johnston or the girls?” Maisie asked, folding the missive and taking her hands.
The woman shook her head, and a tear fell onto her cheek. As Maisie consoled her, she imagined that Niall had warned them to be extremely cautious about anyone learning their whereabouts. She prayed they’d reached their destination safely.
The days after ground on slowly with no more wordfrom Niall. Maisie’s one consolation was her new relationship with Archibald. A week after she revealed the truth about her activities, he came back to her with information.
“She’s not being kept in Edinburgh. And her name has not been listed with prisoners who have been transferred out of the city either. Whatever their plan is for her, they’re keeping it entirely secret.”
Maisie decided that perhaps this was why Niall had gone to London.
By listening in on Archibald’s meetings, Maisie was able to stay abreast of news of the protests that were growing larger and more frequent in Edinburgh and Glasgow, but the wait was killing her. Her worry about Niall and Fiona was tearing her apart piece by piece.
The only way she could manage her life was by staying busy. She exchanged letters with Ella, the brewer active in the Society, and shared Fiona’s news. For now, their Wednesday night gatherings were suspended, though their campaigning at open meetings continued. Their friend kept her abreast of the news. And regardless of the danger, more women were joining the organization weekly.
Maisie also began helping her sister. As a female physician, Isabella at times preferred to have someone with her in the consulting room. Then there was the work at the beginning and end of the day, washing equipment. Her sister’s requirements regarding the cleanliness of her surgical instruments were far more severe than what the medical students were being taught. Once that task was completed, she spent time transcribing Isabella’s notes. If her sister found this change in Maisie sudden, she made no mention of it and only expressed her gratitude for the help.
Morrigan, on the other hand, noticed everything. The dramatically improved relationship with Archibald.Maisie’s willingness to be of assistance to her sister. The fact that she almost never left the house.
“Are you wanted for murder?” Morrigan asked one day, stopping her in the upstairs hallway. “Am I the last one to know?”
“Not murder,” Maisie replied, trying to sound flippant. “But something close to it.”
“Too bad. I think I’d like you more if youwerea murderer.”
And that was the extent of any conversation between them as they went back to ignoring each other.
On the calendar, winter rolled into the spring, but there was little change in the grey, grim weather. Finally, one day in the last week in March, Maisie came out of Isabella’s consulting room and was told by a manservant that Lieutenant Campbell had called only a few moments ago.
Maisie fought down the flash of annoyance racing through her. She snatched the card off the tray. “Why didn’t you call for me? What did he say?”
“I asked the gentleman if he’d care to wait until you were available. He said he had no time, but that he will call again when he returns.”
“Returns?”
“I believe he said, when he returns to Edinburgh, miss.”
He was leaving Edinburgh again? When he returns?Maisie didn’t know whose cloak she grabbed. She ran from the house with no hat or gloves, still wearing slippers.
The damp wind cut through her and the flagstone walks were slippery. Her feet seemed to find every puddle of icy slush, but she barely noticed. She walked and ran and walked again. He was nowhere in sight, but she turned up High Street, praying that he would be stopping at his rooms before going again.
He’d come back only to leave.
It felt like an eternity since she’d been out of the house. The city seemed busier. People on the street were louder and angrier. Once, after passing St. Giles’ Cathedral, she saw a transport wagon coming down from the castle, and she shrank back against a shop door. Niall’s warnings came back to her, but she wasn’t about to turn around. She had to see him.
Passing along the short wynd leading to Milne’s Court, she stopped at the door of Niall’s building. She knocked, but there was no answer. The cold chill of misery settled into her belly. What if, instead of going to his own rooms, he’d gone to Fiona’s? What if Infirmary Street were the last stop? What if he’d already left Edinburgh?
Maisie had left her house without her reticule. She had no money to get to Fiona’s house. She needed to talk to him, to find out what he knew, to make sure he was well.
“Please be here,” she whispered. “Please.”
“Maisie, what are you doing here?”
