A Sudden, Fearful Death

"You had better go and inform Sir Herbert, and have him call the police," he said quietly. "This is not something we can deal with ourselves. I'll stay here and make sure no one disturbs her. And you'd better take the skivvy, poor child, and have someone look after her."

"She'll tell everyone," Callandra warned. "No doubt with a great deal added. We'll have half the hospital thinking there's been a massacre. There'll be hysterics and the patients will suffer."

He hesitated a moment, weighing what she had said.

"Then you'd better take her to the matron and explain why. Then go and see Sir Herbert. I'D keep the laundry-women here."

She smiled and nodded very slightly. There was no need for further words. She turned away and went to where the skivvy was standing, pressed up against the capacious form of one of the silent laundrywomen. Her thin face was bloodless and her skinny arms were folded tightly around her body as if hugging herself to keep from shaking so violently she would fall over.

Callandra held out her hand toward her.

"Come," she said gently. "I'll take you upstairs where you can sit down and have a cup of tea before you go back to work." She did not mention Mrs. Flaherty; she knew most of the nurses and skivvies were terrified of her, and justly so.

The child stared at her, but there was nothing awe-inspiring in her mild face and untidy hair and rather comfortable figure in its stuff gown. She bore no resemblance whatever to the thin fierce person of Mrs. Flaherty.

"Come on," she said again, (his time more briskly.

Obediently the child detached herself and followed a step behind as she was accustomed.

It did not take long to find Mrs. Flaherty. All the hospital knew where she was. Word ran like a warning whenever she passed. Bottles were put away, mops were pushed harder, heads bent in attention to labor.

"Yes, your ladyship, what is it now?" she said grimly, her eyes going to the skivvy with displeasure. "Not sick, is she?"

"No, Matron, only badly frightened," Callandra answered. "I'm afraid we have discovered a corpse in the laundry chute, and this poor child was the one who found her. I'm about to go to Sir Herbert and have him fetch the police."

"Whatever for?" Mrs. Flaherty snapped. "For goodness sake, there's nothing odd about a corpse in a hospital, although for the life of me, I can't think how it got to be in the laundry chute." Her face darkened with disapproval. "I hope it is not one of the young doctors with a puerile sense of what is amusing."

"No one could find this amusing, Mrs. Flaherty." Callandra was surprised to find her voice so calm. "It was Nurse Barrymore, and she has not died naturally. I am going to report the matter to Sir Herbert and I should be obliged if you would see to this child and make sure she does not unintentionally cause hysteria by speaking of it to others. It will be known soon enough, but for the meantime it would be better if we were prepared for it."

Mrs. Flaherty looked startled. "Not naturally? What do you mean?"

But Callandra was not going to discuss it further. She smiled bleakly and left without answering, Mrs. Flaherty staring after in confusion and anger.

Sir Herbert Stanhope was in the operating theater and apparently due to remain there for some considerable time. The matter would not wait, so she simply opened the door and went in. It was not a large room; a side table with instruments laid out took much of the space and there were already several people inside. Two student doctors assisted and learned, a third more senior watched the bottles of nitrous oxide and monitored the patient's breathing. A nurse stood by to pass instruments as required. The patient lay insensible upon the table, white-faced, her upper body naked and a bloody wound in the chest half closed. Sir Herbert Stanhope stood at her side, needle in his hand, blood staining his shirtsleeves and forearms.

Everyone stared at Callandra.

"What are you doing here, madam?" Sir Herbert demanded. "You have no business to interrupt an operation! Will you please leave immediately!"

She had expected a reception of this nature and she was not perturbed.

"There is a matter which cannot wait until you are concluded, Sir Herbert," she replied.

"Get some other doctor!" he snapped, turning away from her and resuming his stitching.

"Please keep your attention upon what I am doing, gentlemen," he went on, addressing the student doctors. He obviously assumed that Callandra would accept his dismissal and leave without further ado.

"There has been a murder in the hospital, Sir Herbert," Callandra said loudly and distinctly. "Do you wish me to inform the police, or would you prefer to do that yourself?"

He froze, his hands in the air with needle poised. Still he did not look at her. The nurse sucked in her breath sharply. One of the student doctors made a choking sound and grasped the edge of the table.