The Error of Judgement (North and South Fanfic)

Letter from Oxford

First of all, big thanks to Kayran, who was so kind to beta this part for me. Every time you are NOT annoyed by a wrong verb form or awkward expression – it is her doing.

 

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The Error of Judgement

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By Ikuko.

Part one. Letter from Oxford.

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The servant who entered his room in the morning,
received no answer to his speech; drew near the bed, and saw the
calm, beautiful face lying white and cold under the ineffaceable
seal of death. The attitude was exquisitely easy; there had been
no pain-no struggle. The action of the heart must have ceased as
he lay down.

Mr. Bell was stunned by the shock;
-Wallis, pack up a
carpet-bag for me in five minutes. Here have I been talking. Pack
it up, I say. I must go to Milton by the next train.'

The bag was packed, the cab ordered.

But just as Wallis brought the bag in, the room tilted around Mr. Bell, his legs gave way under him and he collapsed on the floor. Wallis, terrified by the state of his master, dropped the bag on the floor and run to get Dr. Forbes.

It took some time for Mr. Bell to recall who and where he was. The grief was the next thing he remembered. Poor Hale. They had just talked last night, how could it be possible that he is gone! Poor Margaret! What would become of her!

Mr. Bell tried to cry out, but no articulated words came. He saw the old face of Dr. Forbes, leaning over him, saying something he could not quite understand. The words reached him as a strange jumble through the thick cotton wool in his head.

But slowly, painfully, he began to recover. The world stopped spinning and tilting on it's axes; the words began form, though with great difficulty. He can could not feel his left hand and foot, or the left part of his face for that matter. Dr. Forbes shook his head dolefully. He knew it was coming, but hoped that his old friend and patient still had some months, if not years. But the shock of losing his oldest friend was a horrible blow to Mr. Bell. All Dr. Forbes could do now was to wait for the inevitable.

Bell was desperately attempting to speak, forcing his disobedient lips into forming the words one by one.

'Wallis... get... Dennis... will'

'What will you do, Mr. Bell?' Willis asked, puzzled.

'No... Need... To make... a will...'

'Dennis. Mr. Dennis, the attorney, he leaves next door, I believe' supplied Dr. Forbes.

Scared Wallis stared back at Dr. Forbes, unsure if it was safe to leave his master even for the moment; but at further urging from Mr. Bell he turned and ran out of the room.

Dr. Forbes patted Bells hand. There was not much he could do now. He hoped with all his heart that Dennis would be found soon. There was no telling how fast the situation would progress, and Bell was desperate. Fortunately, Wallis returned in a few minutes with the short plump man, carrying a well-worn leather bag.

The new comer looked at the scene suspiciously. He recognized Dr. Forbes and his patient, but the state of the latter was so pitiful that Mr. Dennis was not sure that his services could be possibly required.