Nature or Nurture: the raising of a monster

Chapter 10

But deep in the night, they find out why Sir Malcolm pays so well. They are all fast asleep, when a strong knocking on their door drags them out of their sleep. Vincent is not so rueful about being wakened, he has slept fitfully, dreaming of riding through the heath, on a coal black horse. The spindly low shrubs covering the hills around him are no longer in bloom, leaving a colourless, desolate landscape behind. This time, there is a house, but it doesn't do much to enliven the treeless, drab coloured hill it stands on. It is a huge, castle-like building of weathered sandstone, built to withstand a ruthless climate and in its prime probably neighbors who were just as ruthless. Now, the shutters are in disrepair, the gate askew. A small kitchen garden is set upon by nasty strangling weeds that cover the rest of the garden. One window is open, the drapes fluttering in the chill breeze. A steady rain pours down on him, he can feel it even in his dream. A shape appears, framed by the window. It is the girl of his tryst in the heath, hair down, a flimsy nightgown too cold for the season barely covering her. She is crying madly. He feels as if he is just a spectator, not only in his dream, but in the real memory as well. Then he awakens, remembering everything vividly.

When Victor opens the door, Sir Malcolm's manservant is standing there, in a rush to get him over. He tells him his skills as a doctor are needed this time. The doctor decides they will all go, he asks Adison to bring her general cures with her and some Chinese stuff. Vincent has already dressed and has chosen a gun and a short blade for their defense. He introduces himself to the manservant, Sembene, figuring the dangerous looking man is more than just a pawn in this game his master is playing. The man has a solid handshake, and rather expecting, even fearing, another flash from someone of this company, this guy is quite the opposite: his touch feels grounded, annulling magic so to speak. Quite a relief, and a good man to have at your back, Vincent is sure. When everyone is ready, they enter the carriage waiting out front, and drive off.

They arrive in the same basement but in another room than where the corpse was, just in time to see Sir Malcolm ready to take a horse whip to a teenage boy, shouting at him in a frenzy:' Where is your master!' again and again. They see the cowboy step in to stop the blow before it lands. The boy has clearly been severely beaten already, but shows no sign of weakening or breaking under the abuse. He looks rather wild in both his physical appearance and the expression in his eyes. One might say he is totally mad, or even possessed. Examining him as well as a raving madman can be physically examined, Victor tells Sir Malcolm: 'If his madness comes from the same affliction of the blood that the dead body had, he might improve if he receives a blood transfusion. If that works, it may be useful for other victims, like your daughter.' The cowboy rightfully objects to using a child as guinea pig, but even Adison can see that the situation is not normal. Though it is hard on the child, the harm done to him before they caught him is probably irreversible, so anything they can do for him would be a mercy.

Meanwhile, Vincent remembers his conversation with Bruce, and what Bruce has told him about Chinese magic. He draws Adison apart and quickly summarises their conversation a few days ago. She guesses that a Chinese herbal remedy may offer the boy some relief, giving the doctor and herself some time to think of something else, maybe consult her Chinese teachers. She still has the sketch of the body to show them, and as they apparently know something profound is happening here they might have some answers or at least more information. She quickly inventories what she has with her, finding one concoction that may be useful. She calls Victor over to dicuss it:' I have a remedy to strengthen Chi in those who are sickened with parasites and infections. Maybe it will also weaken a possessing entity for awhile, to buy us time to find a better cure.' Victor agrees this may be their best shot, and proposes it to Sir Malcolm. Surprised at the girl putting herself forward, the gentleman realises she is not the doctor's assistant but his colleague, with expertise in her own field of knowledge. He is still a bit doubtful, being a member of a male dominated society can after all deform one's judgement quite profoundly, and having been used to strong and well educated women but not to truly expert ones, he needs a bit more convincing. 'Adison treats all our living patients, Sir Malcolm, her talent for healing is almost renowned.' says the doctor, with an almost unnoticable look towards Vincent. Vanessa immediately notices, and she wonders, has this soft looking, pale skinned actor man with the disconcerting eyes something to do with the doctor's little secret? Did Miss Adison heal him with her talents? He doesn't look sick, but of course that would only prove her powers. She means to find out.