“You may think we’re shallow, but we conduct ourselves with courtesy, especially at the dinner table,” said Lisa’s mother. “If you’re so upset that you can’t be civil, you can take your food upstairs and eat in your room. I realize you’re a guest in this house, but I won’t tolerate any disrespect from you. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” said Shannon. “I didn’t mean any harm.”
She rushed out of room without another word, and the sound of her crying could be heard as she went up the stairs. Lisa’s mother removed Shannon’s plate from the table and disappeared into the kitchen.
“I feel like I’m going to throw up,” said Stephen to Josh. His face was a peculiar color. Veronica tried to comfort him, but Josh dragged him away. As soon as they were gone, Veronica flung her spoon on the table.
“Why are you so nasty?” she said.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” said Lisa.
“You’re horrible,” said Veronica. “You make me sick. You just sat there and watched, like you were enjoying yourself. You could have said something to stop it if you’d wanted to. You’re always breaking up fights between Mom and Dad.”
“So what?” said Lisa. “I hate being caught in the middle, so stop trying to make me feel guilty. Shannon embarrassed Mom for no reason, and I think she got what she deserved.”
“No, you just couldn’t stand that Molly invited her,” said Veronica. “You wanted to go on your nice little shopping trip with your nice little friends, and you didn’t want her to be there. Poor Shannon. No wonder she’s miserable. If I were her, I wouldn’t want to spend time with you either. You’re such a snob!”
“You don’t have to get all possessive of her just because you’re in love with Stephen,” said Lisa. “It’s pathetic how he follows you around like a lost puppy.”
“I am in love with him,” said Veronica. “You can tease me all you want, Lisa. I don’t care. I teased you about Josh when he first got here, but I take it back. You’re not good enough for him.”
“I have absolutely no interest in Josh,” said Lisa. “I’m not dumb enough to think he’s anywhere near as perfect as he’s pretending to be, and I’m sick of looking at his stupid face.”
Veronica gathered up her dishes.
“I’m leaving,” she said. “I hope you’re proud of kicking people when they’re down. You seem to enjoy it. You might actually need them one day, and when you do, you’d better pray they’re a lot more forgiving than you are.”
“Whatever, Veronica,” said Lisa. “You’re just an ignorant little kid. What do you know?”
“A lot more than you,” said Veronica.
She went upstairs. Lisa turned around and realized her mother had heard most of the argument. The look of disappointment on her face filled Lisa with regret.
“Mom, it wasn’t my fault,” she said. “Veronica attacked me all of a sudden, like she thought I was responsible for what Shannon did, but I didn’t do anything. I was just sitting here minding my own business. I wish they would all just go away. They’re ruining everything. How much longer will they be here?”
Lisa’s mother shrugged.
“I don’t know,” she said. “Shannon is a troubled girl. I didn’t expect her to react that way. It will be okay, though. We’ll still have fun tomorrow with Molly, even if Shannon doesn’t come. I’ll invite her again in the morning after she’s had some time to settle down. Who knows? She might change her mind.”
They finished their dinner in silence, after which Lisa retreated to the living room. She curled up in a chair and stared at the fire. It had burned low, and even though it was emitting no more than a faint glow, she could still feel its intense heat flowing toward her. She heard her father’s footsteps. He had missed dinner, of course, but he was going into the kitchen to see if he could find anything to eat.
“The leftovers are in the refrigerator,” she heard her mother say in an exhausted voice. “Andrew, I don’t want to bring this up, but we need to talk. Shannon had a tantrum for no reason whatsoever and practically shouted in my face in front of the other children. It was humiliating. I sent her to her room.”
“Nora, it’s none of your business to discipline her,” said Lisa’s father. “I’m not surprised she’s acting out, considering what’s happening to her mother. I’m sure she didn’t mean to be rude. Just let it go.”
“It was inappropriate,” said Lisa’s mother. “Lisa and Veronica don’t need to learn bad habits. If this arrangement is going to work, we need to set clear boundaries.”
“It’s working fine,” he said.
“No, it’s not,” she said.
Lisa listened in amazement. Her mother was actually confronting her father for the first time in months. She held her breath and waited for him to reply.
“We’ve got enough going on right now without adding this on top of it,” he said after a long pause. “I’m sorry Shannon hurt your feelings, but there’s nothing I can do about it, unless you want me to complain to Arthur.”
“Andrew, this isn’t about me,” said Lisa’s mother. “The girls were screaming at each other during dinner. That hasn’t happened since they were little. I’m not blaming you, but you’re their father, and you don’t seem to know what’s going on in their lives. How do you expect them to develop a healthy perception of themselves if you don’t value them?”
“I do value them,” he said. “You’re way over the line.”
“So are you,” she said. “You’re a wonderful man, but you’re so eager to help Sabrina that you’re letting it get in the way of more important things. You’re wasting your time. She’s not getting better. It’s not your fault. That’s just the way it is. Tell her it’s over, call an ambulance, send her to the hospital, and wash your hands of this whole business before it’s too late. Please.”
“You’re wrong, Nora,” he said. “I know what I’m doing. You’ll see.”
Lisa heard him walk into the room where she was sitting. She remained huddled in the chair. He either didn’t notice her in the darkness, or he was so preoccupied that he didn’t bother to acknowledge her. He went to the door, opened it, and left. Lisa saw him holding a business card in his hand.
Chapter 9
Lisa’s father called Graham and arranged to meet him at the park by the river. It was an inconspicuous place with wide grassy fields that stretched for several miles along the near bank. A wide concrete barrier provided a defense against the flooding that happened like clockwork each year. Lamps stood along the barrier at regular intervals, illuminating the area with yellow light.
When Lisa’s father arrived, the location was deserted because the weather was so cold. He left his car outside the pavilion at the far end of the park and walked until he arrived at the designated meeting place, a cluster of oak trees with Spanish moss hanging on their branches. He sat down on a bench to wait. Graham was nowhere to be seen, but it wasn’t long before Lisa’s father heard the sound of footsteps.
He turned. Graham emerged from the trees. He was wearing an enormous coat over his suit with the collar turned up around his neck. His head was bare. The glow of the lamps reflected off his scalp through his sparse hair. He stuck his hands in his pockets and directed his attention toward the opposite shore of the river, even though nothing was visible in the distance except an orange mist fed by the cloudy billows drifting out of the towers of the oil refinery.
“So, Andrew,” he said. “What’s this about?”
Lisa’s father hesitated. He wanted to prove Nora wrong, but now that Graham was standing in front of him, he realized he was taking an enormous risk, and he found he couldn’t speak.
“I hope you enjoyed the wine I sent to your lab,” said Graham, shuffling a step nearer. “It’s the only vintage I've ever cared for. As strange as it sounds, it has a lot of sentimental value for me. I purchased a case of it with a dear friend of mine many years ago, but there are only nine bottles left now. I bring them out on special occasions. You
should feel honored that I spent two of them on you.”
“Graham, I’m not coming to work for you,” said Lisa’s father. “If you agreed to meet with me because you thought I had changed my mind, then I’m truly sorry. There are extenuating circumstances that you know nothing about.”
“Then enlighten me,” said Graham.
Lisa’s father didn’t like the greedy look in Graham’s eyes.
“What I’m about to tell you is highly confidential,” he said.
“Of course,” said Graham. He sat down beside Lisa’s father, slightly too close for comfort. “I understand. Discretion is my specialty.”
“All right,” said Lisa’s father. “I have a patient who’s taking the drug you’re working on. She’s only received one dose, but she’s continuing to decline. It’s not looking good. At this point, I don’t know if she’s going to make it.”
Graham’s eyes widened with horror.
“You’re experimenting on a living human being?” he said.
“I’m not experimenting on her,” said Lisa’s father. “I’m trying to save her life.”
“This is incredible,” said Graham. “I’m shocked. I can scarcely believe my ears. You? Of all the people in the world, you’re the last person I would have expected to do something like this. You’re committing a horrible crime, and if I don’t report you, I’ll feel personally responsible. The rules are there for a reason, and the penalties are severe. There’s no way an ethics committee would approve of what you’re doing.”
“Graham, my patient doesn’t have any other options,” said Lisa’s father. “I know you’re under no obligation to help me, but she’s my friend, and she has a family. If there’s anyone in the world who deserves a second chance, it’s her.”
“I hate to be the one to tell you this, but life’s not fair,” said Graham.
“Well, I’m trying to make it fairer,” said Lisa’s father. “Please just hear me out. You must have conducted some preliminary research, or you wouldn’t be sure the drug actually works. If you’re aware of anything that might be helpful from a clinical standpoint, I would be grateful. I won’t blame you if it doesn’t work out.”
“So you’re basically asking me to tell you everything I know with nothing in return?” said Graham. “My boss would have a serious problem with that. What if you stole our data and got all the credit? No, it’s too much of a liability.”
“I’m not trying to make a name for myself,” said Lisa’s father. “I’m just trying to help her. Even if I wanted to publish a case report about her, I couldn’t without ruining my credibility. There’s absolutely no danger. You have my word.”
“I believe you, but I’m not allowed to reveal any information,” said Graham. “I have a better idea, Andrew. Maybe we can both benefit from this situation. My boss might consent to an arrangement in which we share information. How does that sound? I could tell you what I know, and you could tell me what you know.”
“But I don’t know anything,” said Lisa’s father.
“That’s okay,” said Graham, nudging him. “Just between the two of us, we’ve already gotten some exciting results from animal studies. We’ve achieved remission in over forty percent of our treatment group, and we’re currently trying to identify the therapeutic dose and the common side effects. The whole thing is fascinating. I can probably get you a copy of the data if my boss doesn’t object.”
Lisa’s father thought it was strange that Graham had changed his tune so suddenly, and he was surprised by his offer. He studied Graham’s face for signs of deception, but Graham’s direct gaze convinced him he was telling the truth.
“That would be wonderful, but I don’t have anything to give you in return,” he said.
“Just keep me updated on Sabrina’s progress,” said Graham. “That will be more than sufficient for the moment.”
“How did you know her name?” said Lisa’s father.
“Call it a lucky guess,” said Graham. “I happened to be visiting with Molly at your house the other day when Sabrina collapsed. It was tragic. I’m glad she has friends like you, and I’m more than happy to offer my knowledge. Of course, the more information you give me, the more I can help you. Protocols or notes or results would be deeply appreciated, but I’ll let you know what specific information my boss wants as soon as I find out.”
Something in his voice made Lisa’s father uncomfortable, but Graham claimed to have information he wanted, and he didn’t know how else to get it. Sabrina’s life was not the only thing depending on the drug anymore. Lisa’s father felt like his reputation was on the line. He reluctantly shook Graham’s outstretched hand, and after the deal was struck, Graham sauntered off and disappeared among the trees.
∞∞∞
The wedding invitations arrived the next day for everyone in the house except Agnes. Lisa’s mother brought the envelope to the sickroom herself, hoping to distract Sabrina from her unpleasant existence, but Richard opened it and noticed immediately that the ceremony was being held at Hamilton Estate.
He was so shocked that he couldn’t articulate his feelings until it was too late. Sabrina decided she wanted her children to go and refused to change her mind. The effects of the drug hadn’t abated, and she was suffering, despite Agnes’ devoted care. Still, she insisted it would be a tragedy if her children missed out on the fun because of her. Lisa’s mother agreed to keep an eye on them so Arthur wouldn’t have to go, and the decision was made.
The preparations for the wedding were finished over the next few weeks, but a storm moved in on the morning of the ceremony, and a fog covered the town in a gray mist. Molly arrived at Lisa’s house that afternoon in a flurry of excitement with her dress draped over her arm. There hadn’t been time to make alterations, and it resembled a nightgown more than anything else. Lisa opened the door for Molly and found herself enveloped in an enthusiastic hug.
“Oh, Lisa,” said Molly. “I’m getting married. Can you believe it? Graham and I spent the morning sitting together on the porch watching the sun come up. Of course, we couldn’t really see anything because of the clouds. It was cold, but with his arms around me, I didn’t even care. I can’t wait to put on my dress.”
Lisa’s mother decided to get Molly out of the house without further delay so Sabrina wouldn’t be disturbed by the chaos. She arranged to take Molly and Lisa to Hamilton Estate earlier than they had originally planned, leaving Lisa’s father in charge of the other children, despite his reluctance to take responsibility for them.
They were about to drive away when Richard dashed out of the house and scrambled into the back of the car, nudging Molly’s dress out of the way with a careful elbow. He was barely presentable in a faded blue suit, and he was clutching a parcel under his arm, wrapped in newspaper. It was about the same size as one of Lisa’s textbooks. She assumed it was a gift for Molly and Graham.
“Richard, I didn’t know you were coming,” said Lisa’s mother.
“There was never any doubt,” said Richard. “I hope you don’t mind, Nora. I realized there wouldn’t be enough room for me in Andrew’s car with all the children, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. I wouldn’t miss this wedding for the world.”
Lisa suspected Richard was more interested in snooping around Hamilton Estate than seeing Molly and Graham get married, but her mother looked so happy to see him that she didn’t protest.
“I’d love to have you come along with us,” said Lisa’s mother, some of the apprehension vanishing from her face. “I’ve never been to Hamilton Estate before, and from what you’ve said, it’s not for the faint of heart. Graham’s friend is expecting us. Shall we go?”
They left the house, drove away from the beach, and crossed the bridge. Immediately, the atmosphere of the town changed. They were no longer in a pretty coastal suburb. The buildings lining the cracked streets were large and faded and old, and a tangled web of train tracks traversed the ground. The air stank like oil.
Lisa tried
to pay attention to Molly’s happy chatter, but she couldn’t help feeling like she was being transported into a nightmare. Richard’s mysterious presence added to the eerie atmosphere. She hoped Hamilton Estate wouldn’t be the terrifying monstrosity she had created in her imagination.
She was glad when they left the industrial section of the town. The car turned down a narrow road lined with oak trees, and a house became visible in the distance through a tunnel of branches. Lisa saw at a glance that it wasn’t an ordinary house. It was a glorious mansion with an ornate balcony and tall white pillars enclosing a spacious porch. The front door was flanked by two French windows with black wooden shutters, and the roof was decorated with two chimneys and three garret windows.
In the fog, the whole place looked surreal, but what disturbed Lisa more than anything else was the peculiar tension in the air. She felt like someone was watching her, and the more she tried to ignore the feeling, the stronger it became.
A tall wrought-iron fence with spikes along the top surrounded the house. As Lisa’s mother drove up to the gate, a man hurried down the gravel driveway toward them. He was tall, with dark hair and a sagging face. He unlocked the gate and stood back, gesturing at them to proceed until they arrived in front of the house.
“I’m delighted to finally meet all of you,” he said, as they climbed out of the car. He spoke in a monotone, and his expression was morose as if he had suffered countless wrongs. “My name is Owen. I’m the caretaker of Hamilton Estate, and I’ve been Graham’s friend for many years.” He took Molly’s hand. “You must be the lady I’ve heard so much about. It’s a privilege to invite you into this beautiful historical building to begin your happily ever after.”
Lisa looked around. Beyond the entrance where they were standing, she saw a lavish room filled with expensive furniture and decorated with sculptures, some of which were rather grotesque. A chandelier hung from the ceiling.
The Patient from Silvertree: Book One in the Silvertree Series Page 11
