Beyond Reason (14 page)

Two evenings later, Benjamin McBain was at the Meeting Rooms to pay his sixpence into the savings bank in the presence of the minister and two of his elders. Ben saw several men he knew and as usual they fell to exchanging news. He told them it was true young Janet Scott had run away from Braeheights and was being cared for at Crillion Keep. These bits of innocent gossip usually spread like goosedown in the wind.

So it was that early on Friday afternoon Donald Baird hurried to warn Josiah that the Rosses’ carriage had turned into the long drive to Crillion Keep. Josiah groaned aloud. He thought for a moment, then he sought Maggie McLauchlan.

‘Get a large white handkerchief and tie it in a triangle around your mouth and nose. Ask Mrs Mossy to do the same and tell her to wait with Janet beside her bed. I shall answer the door myself and I shall tell Mrs Ross we have a patient with a fever, which is like to be infectious. You may enter the hall when you hear me speaking. Let Mrs Ross see you in your mask, then scurry away out of sight. She does not like illness of any kind, especially if her son is with her. I hope that will keep her from entering the house. If she insists on peering into the room, I shall warn Janet to snuggle beneath the blankets and pretend to have a fever or a spasm of violent coughing. I think she can do that without pretence,’ he added with a frown. ‘Her illness has left a rattle in her chest. Doctor Carr says it may take six months or more before she can get rid of it. Today we shall make use of it.’ His eyes twinkled and he gave Mrs McLauchlan a grin like a mischievous boy. ‘We must act as though we are at a playhouse. Will you do that for me, for Miss Janet’s sake?’

‘Aye, sir. We’ll try our best.’ She hurried out to find Mrs Mossy and to tell Donald, so that she could prepare him to tell the same story to the coachman.

‘What’s this, Josiah! Answering the door yourself? Keeping guests waiting?’

‘We have not had many guests, invited, or otherwise.’ He paused watching a flush mount Eliza’s sallow skin as she drew up her bosom in indignation. ‘No one wants to catch an infectious disease. We are at pains to prevent—’

‘Oh, I’m sorry, sir,’ Maggie McClauchlan mumbled behind a large white handkerchief. ‘I couldna get to the door any quicker. I-I must get back to the sick room. Excuse me, ma’am.’ She scurried away before Eliza could ask her any questions. Josiah bit back a smile as he watched his sister’s eyes grow round. He knew Mrs McLauchlan had opened the door of Janet’s room when they heard a deep chesty cough, slightly more prolonged than usual, he fancied. Eliza stared at him and edged backwards onto a lower step.

‘So it is true! You do have that girl staying here? You are a fool! You with your weak heart, taking that waif into your own home? The fever could kill you if it brings a cough like that!’

‘The girl is too young to die for want of warmth and food. But, Eliza,’ his eyes were mocking, ‘I’m sure you will not grieve, if the fever should carry me away. You have wished me dead many times since I inherited my great-uncle’s estate.’ Eliza became aware of the irony in his expression. Even as a young boy, he had been able to see right through her motives. He had often made her squirm with his clear-eyed honesty. Even as a sickly child, death had held no fear for him. His stoicism had found him a tender place in her own mother’s heart, something she had never achieved herself, even though she was kin by blood, rather than by marriage as he was.

Josiah watched the expressions chasing over her face. He had never seen a vestige of tenderness there. Not that he expected any for himself. He had learned there was only one love in Eliza’s life and that was for herself.

‘Is Henry with you? He must be cold waiting in the coach. You
are welcome to come in and take refreshment, but the risk must be on your own head. Mistress McLauchlan and Mistress Mossy attend our patient before their other duties.’

‘I shall not enter,’ Eliza snapped. ‘You are a fool to waste your inheritance. I have heard rumours of your generosity, even though you would keep them secret from me and my son. It is our inheritance you are wasting.’ She ignored Josiah’s raised eyebrows. ‘What reason had you to take this chit into your home? Don’t tell me she is the granddaughter of that old fool of a dominie!’

‘The dominie was nobody’s fool and he was a good friend to me. I forbid you to criticize him,’ Josiah interrupted sternly.

‘The dominie would have done better if he’d provided for his own daughter,’ Eliza sneered. ‘They tell me she’s ready for the poorhouse if death doesn’t claim her first. Be careful you don’t end up paying for two funerals as well as your own, dear brother.’

‘If I do, it will be nobody’s concern but my own.’

‘Of course it will, you stupid man. It will be my concern if you squander your money on every waif in the parish. I am your only relative. It is my due to inherit when you are gone. I must consider my son.’

‘Surely his father will provide for his own son?’ Josiah asked mildly. He liked the Right Honourable Edward Ross, but he had long suspected he was not as wealthy as Eliza had anticipated, or perhaps he had learned to keep a firm hand on his purse strings. ‘But this is not the place to stand and talk,’ Josiah said briskly. ‘Unless you and Henry wish to enter and risk taking home the coughing disease then I must bid you good day.’

‘And good day to you, you stubborn, foolish shadow of a man,’ Eliza spat venomously. ‘If I hear the girl has recovered I shall return to make you see sense and get her away, her and her stupid mother.’

Josiah shut the door with a sigh of relief.

Janet was worried that she was causing strife between Mr Saunders and his sister and as soon as she heard the coach drive away, she climbed out of bed. She must get her strength back so that she was able to work. She did not realize how ill she had been, nor the effects her illness had had. Her feet touched the floor,
but when she tried to stand, her legs buckled beneath her. Both Maggie McLauchlan and Josiah heard the tumble and hurried across the wide hall. Tears sprang to Janet’s eyes.

‘I am a burden to you all,’ she whispered hoarsely. ‘I do not want to cause strife between you and your sister, sir.’ She looked up at Josiah, her blue eyes pleading and wide with anxiety.

‘You are not the cause of any trouble, my dear. There has never been anything else but strife between my sister and myself. We are very different by nature. Now I will let Mistress McLauchlan help you back into bed. If you are feeling better tomorrow, you can sit for a little while in a chair before the fire and each day you may do a little more, but you must understand you have been near to death and we must build up your strength gradually.’

‘But I am a burden to everyone. Perhaps my mother…? Could I send word to her? Maybe she will care for me?’

Maggie’s heart ached at the sight of Janet’s anxious young face.

‘We shall not worry your mother for a while, Janet,’ Josiah said. ‘She has not been well herself and Mr Cole has no spare room. Here we have plenty of rooms and there is a way in which you can repay me if you will agree to stay. First we must let Mistress McLauchlan tuck you back into bed and we shall devise a plan to increase your movements each day.’ His housekeeper looked up at him with relief and a warm smile creased her kindly face.

‘Janet was aye an independent wee soul, even as a bairn,’ she said to him later when they were away from the sickroom. ‘I don’t know how you will keep her here when she grows stronger, but I don’t know where she will find work until the Hiring Fairs at the end of May.’

‘I have a plan,’ Josiah said reassuringly. ‘We must convince her that I have long wanted to restore order to the library and catalogue the books in there. It is partly true, ever since I first came to Crillion Keep, even before the death of Great-Uncle William. I think Janet may enjoy helping in return for a roof over her head and plenty of good food. What do you think, Mistress McLauchlan?’

‘Oh, sir, that would be a splendid idea – if you mean it? Janet loves books. It grieved her terribly when they had to leave her grandfather’s books behind the night they ran away from the
schoolhouse and that horrible dominie. She clings to the wee book she brought with her as though it is a lifeline, yet she does not even possess a bible of her own.’

‘Good. Dominie McWhan had great plans to tutor her so that she could teach the younger children and the girls in his school. He did not anticipate such a short stay on God’s earth. Maybe we can help,’ Josiah said with satisfaction.

‘Ye’re a good man, sir,’ Maggie answered with feeling. ‘But she is an intelligent lassie, as well as fiercely independent. She would soon suspect if she thought you had only made up work for her,’ Maggie warned.

‘Leave it with me. As soon as she is strong enough to climb the stairs to the smallest bedroom on the first floor, we shall use this room as a day room again. I shall explain that I want to rearrange many of the books from the library. If Janet wishes to help you in her spare time and perhaps learn to cook, then I have no objections. You know I have never believed in formality.’

‘Thank you, sir.’ Maggie beamed at him. ‘I think Janet may be a good wee housewife already. Mistress Foster was a genteel woman before she married Wull Foster and I believe she taught her own daughter and Janet how to cook and wash and clean, especially when she had no energy to do the work herself. The Reverend Drummond spoke highly of her but he knew her before she married.’

‘Then we must allow Janet to find her place with us a Crillion Keep. A useful helper but not a slave to anyone, ever again.’

‘We have another problem if Janet is staying here when she is up and about. I have almost finished knitting her a large shawl to cover her nightclothes. It will do while she stays here in the small dining room, but she had nothing but her nightdress with her. She must have left her clothes behind at Braeheights in her hurry to escape.’

‘Ah, now that is a matter I had not considered, and it will soon become urgent.’

‘Peggy or I would have given her a dress and underclothes, but she is much smaller than either of us, and she’s so slender since the fever.’

‘And you have both done more than I could have asked of you already, Mrs McClauchlan. I know Peggy is good with her needle and sometimes takes in sewing. Please tell her I will pay her if she will make whatever Janet requires in the way of underclothes. Do we have any suitable material here in the house, cotton or flannel perhaps?’

‘I think we could find material from the linen cupboard, sir, and Peggy would be pleased to sew when they are for Janet.’

‘Nevertheless I shall pay her for her work. You have both done more than could be expected of you.’

‘We love the lassie. We’re thankful our prayers have been answered.’

‘You’re true Christians, Maggie McLauchlan.’ He smiled and Maggie thought how much younger he looked when he lost the furrows in his brow and his lean face relaxed. ‘As to the dresses, if you will write down Janet’s measurements I shall ask Donald to take them down to Mr Cole’s. I will write him a letter asking him to make three suitable dresses and deliver them to me himself as soon as he has them ready. I would like to see him anyway and hear how he is coping with Mrs Scott and his wife. I shall ask him to dine with us if he can be spared. He was a very troubled man when last we spoke together.’

Each day, Janet’s muscles strengthened as she persevered with the exercises which Josiah planned for her. She wondered how he knew about such things when he asked Peggy to massage her legs each day with some kind of oil. He seemed to read her thoughts.

‘You may wonder how I can advise,’ he said with a smile. ‘When I was a boy I was very ill and the fever left me with a heart defect, so my father and my stepmother thought it wise to keep me in bed. They did not realize they were making me a worse invalid. My muscles wasted away, as yours are doing now. Fortunately, our old family doctor became ill himself and his nephew took his place. He was young and I shall bless him for ever. Not only did he recommend I should begin to take exercise every day, but that I should increase my activities. My parents were fearful and disapproved of his advice but we became good friends. If I had been kept immobile much longer I should probably never have walked
again. He taught me to make the most of each day,’ he grinned boyishly, ‘rather than let life pass me by thinking I was postponing death by staying in bed.’

‘I understand,’ Janet said. ‘I am dismayed to find my own legs are so weak. They look like twigs which might snap at any time. I was so strong before I – before I ran away.’ She shuddered, remembering that awful night. ‘Where is he now, your friend the doctor?’ she asked, not wanting to dwell on her own ordeal.

He was silent, his brow creased and Janet hastily apologized for asking questions.

‘M-my grandfather often told me I never stopped asking questions. I am sorry.’

‘Don’t be sorry for taking an interest in other people, Janet,’ Josiah said gently. ‘I rarely talk about my friends, but Doctor John was an exceptional man. He had once told me he would like to go to Edinburgh to work amongst the poor. He wanted to treat those who could not afford a doctor, and those whose ignorance of hygiene often caused their illnesses. There are many who cannot afford nourishing food, or keep their houses free from damp and cold, children die before they know what life is about. Have you heard of cholera? He believed it was a disease of the stomach and bowels caused by drinking foul water. He had many dreams, but not many people listened.’

‘But you did,’ Janet remarked softly.

‘Yes, I used to wish I had the physical strength to become a doctor like him so that I could help people too.’ Janet waited quietly. He began to speak again, slowly, his voice low, as though he was thinking his thoughts aloud. ‘When my great-uncle told me he intended making me his heir, he said he hoped I would put my inheritance to good use for the sake of my own health and for the needs of others. It occurred to me that Doctor John was one person I could help to achieve his dreams. I gave him money to set up a clinic in one of the poorest areas of Edinburgh and for a few years I paid him enough for his food and clothes. Gradually the clinic has become known. He did not confine his knowledge to helping only the poor. Word spread and now he has a few wealthy patrons who appreciate his skill and the sons of two of them now
share his dreams and assist in the clinic. It will take many men like Doctor John, and many generations, before the world can be a better place to live.’ He sighed, ‘Now, Miss Janet, that is enough of my life. When you are strong enough, I am hoping you will help me to sort out my library. Your grandfather always said you had a great love of books as a child, and a thirst for knowledge. Did you know he hoped to make you a teacher like himself one day?’