That night Rosalynn slept terrible. She was thinking about the talk with Doctor and couldn't figure out what was the deal behind his unwillingness to show her his face. Or, at least, to eat together. She knew that he wanted to be as sterile as possible but that was almost an obsession. How could he spent his life like that? Always eating alone, never trusting anyone, not even touching...
All these thoughts were rankling Rosalynn. She didn't even noticed when she fell asleep as her thoughts converted into dreams.
In her dream, she was standing alone in the forest. The entire surrounding was covered with thick mist which is why after a while she noticed a silhouette in the distance. She had a feeling that it was the person whom she saw the previous day in the morning outside the inn in Chesterfield. She couldn't tell whether the shadow had good or bad intentions, it was just approaching her slowly, step by step. As the person was close enough, she could spot the white skin, a pair of grey eyes and long brown wavy hair. It was her mother dressed the way she was buried, all black. She was standing ten meters away from Rosalynn and was looking directly in her eyes. Rosalynn wanted to ask her what is it, what does she want from her but soon realised she couldn't say a word. So the two women were looking at each other until her mother raised her hand and was pointing something behind Rosalynn. The girl was about to turn her head back but then she woke up. She was covered with sweat, heavily breathing. It was so odd to her. She was aware that it wasn't a nightmare, just a weird dream.
She looked at the window and noticed it was already morning. Quickly she finished off her vegetable stew from yesterday and dressed up in her daily dress. When she left her room to get the clean and dry robe from the outside, she heard two voices in front of the house. Rosalynn went on the porch and saw Jack conversing with Doctor. The two were talking about something they have just found on the wooden porch floor.
"I must admit, I have never seen such bizarre thing in my life." Doctor said surprised.
"It's Mary's doing. Only this girl is capable of such... invitations." When Jack lifted the item, Rosalynn saw a flat rock with engraved latter X wrapped in sage and thyme.
"Invitation?" Rosalynn asked and the two men looked at her.
"Yes. It seems like she is inviting you for a talk. Otherwise, she would have left a dead frog or another dead animal with runes on it." Despite their confusion, Jack didn't seem to be surprised. Just like he was quite used to things like that.
"Is this girl a sort of a witch?" Doctor asked uncertain.
"Better go and ask her yourself. She lives in the last cottage at the end of that road." He pointed the direction." And for now I have to go. Father Samuel is expecting me. See you around."
When he left them, Rosalynn and Doctor looked at each other, then at the 'invitation' and at the road.
"We should be treating the sick. Better this talk be worth our time." Doctor sighed and they both set off in silence.
...
They stopped in front of a small run-down cottage with a herbal garden around the house. Despite herbs and flowers, there was a one grave which seemed odd in that place. The walls and floors were wooden and the entire porch was covered with engraved small runes. Doctor quite confidently knocked on the door. Mary opened them quickly and when she saw him, her face became less happy.
"Well, I've expected the girl..." Rosalynn poked up from behind Doctor's back and Mary brightened up. "Oh, so you make it! Please, come in. Don't mind the mess. I'm working on an ointment." They entered the cottage where was a complete mess indeed.
The entire house was a one medium-sized room with a messy bed on the right, an even more messed small kitchen on the left and a completely devastated table under the wall in front of them. In the cauldron placed on the fireplace next to the kitchen area there was a boiling liquid. Mary quickly stirred the mixture and started talking.
"To be honest, maybe it is even better that the two of you are here. I have an offer for you." She looked at them seriously. Rosalynn sat on the bed but Doctor was still standing near the door.
"What kind of offer you have?" Doctor asked cautiously.
"You see, I am a person who doesn't get along with the church or priests." She started circling across the room. "And that plague is a true blessing although others see it as a curse. Well, their loss." She finally sat down on a chair near the table.
"Would you mind getting to the point?" Doctor hurried her and Mary sighed.
"Ugh, I wanted to make it more official and serious but fine." She gave him an angry look. "So, what if I tell you that this old prick Cryer will kiss the dust any time soon?" There was a dangerous blaze in her eyes.
"What do you mean?" Rosalynn spoke unexpectedly.
"Taking current situation, he might unfortunately die of plague." She stood up slowly. "For this reason I need some witnesses of his death. Since you two are Plague Doctors, it makes perfect sense-" She hardly finished the sentence when Doctor interrupted.
"I must disappoint you as we do not provide this kind of services in our professional code." He stood up as well and was ready to leave. "Any other death than of plague is beyond our duties."
"I see... But what if he would actually die of plague? Would you then confirm his death?" Rosalynn didn't like the way Mary's eyes shined. Doctor sighed tired of her questions.
"In case anyone, including Reverend Cryer, dies of plague, they are committed dead of plague. That is all."
"I see. Perfect then. See you around, my friends." Mary was more enthusiastic than before. When they left her cottage, she waved them a goodbye and disappeared inside her house.
After that talk, both Doctor and Rosalynn were walking in silence towards the nearest cottage marked with a cross. It must have been the latest case as the man outside just have finished marking the door.
"Why black cross?" Doctor asked him politely. Rosalynn was kind of absent-minded as she was still recalling their conversation with Mary and her vile words about priest's fate.
"We don't have chalk or white paint so we use charcoal. There is a mine nearby." The man looked quite young but there was a tiredness in his eyes. "Please, come in. My wife and son are sick." He moved out of their way and they entered the house...
...
When they were leaving the house, they noticed Jack in the distance as he was carrying some sheets in the rectory's direction. He even waved them back. They visited three more houses and came back home in silence. None of them wanted to start the conversation, although it was Doctor who spoke first while preparing their meal.
"I know I am not the best companion one could imagine and I am also aware of the fact that at times I am stubborn and strict and old-fashioned and-" He was about to give a long speech but Rosalynn interrupted.
"You don't have to explain yourself." She said calmly without even looking at him. "I got used to your switching moods and the weird behaviours of yours."
"Did you?" He looked at her surprised.
"Yeah." She looked back at him. "You have your flaws just like everyone does. Besides, everyday you risk your life by treating the sick so that might be the main reason why you act so... unusual at times." She scratched her neck and looked away.
"Thank you... For accepting me the way I am." She could tell he was smiling at the moment by the timidness in his voice.
"Oh... No problem."
"Why are your cheeks so red, Rosalynn? Are you sick?" Doctor came closer and Rosalynn made a step back.
"Uhm, n-no, I don't think so. You must be mistaken-" She tried to explain but he didn't listen.
"You must rest in bed to kill the pestilence with the heat. Come." Doctor grabbed her hand and tried to drag her into her room but Rosalynn was resisting.
"I-I assure you, I'm fine. It's just... Doctor?- He already lifted her up and took into her room where he put her on her bed.
"This evening let me cook for you. I will bring the food here so stay in bed." And he left her without waiting for response.
After he left, Rosalynn was sitting on her bed confused and even more red than before. She realised that it was the very first time Doctor has touched her directly with his hands, not a cane like always. She sighed and decided to not argue with him and stayed in bed as he told her to.