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'Why are you helping us?' Roley asked at length.

The Doctor didn't turn round. 'It's what I do.'

'How did you find out about me? Did you think I was doing something wrong? Is that why you came here?'

'I arrived by chance.'

'I'm not sure I believe you, Doctor.'

Still the Doctor didn't turn round. 'Sometimes, I'm not sure I believe it myself,' he said.

***

When Nurse Bulwell knocked on Lucy's door, she was surprised to hear Watson's voice instructing her to come in.

'Captain,' she said, acknowledging him.

He was sitting on the bed, Lucy's pale hand in his own. Couldn't he see what an unfit harlot the girl was? Her eyes fluttered open as Maria dumped her medical bag down on her bedside table.

Lucy waved at her, weakly. 'Hello, Nurse.' She was putting on a child's voice. 'Am I sick?'

'Nothing some rest won't cure.'

'How's Austen, then?' asked Watson, bluntly.

'I'm sure I've seen him recently, you know, but I simply can't remember,'

said Lucy, keeping her gaze firmly on Maria.

'Yes. Well.' Maria tried to retain her cool. 'You'll have to ask Dr Roley himself about that.' She turned back to Lucy. 'Now, I'm just going to take a little blood from you. You'll have to slip off a sleeve of your nightie. Would you mind waiting outside for decency's sake, Captain Watson?'

'What do you want her blood for, anyway?' he asked.

'Dr Roley is simply running a test.'

'Dr Roley is a fool,' said Watson, calmly. Lucy giggled.

Maria narrowed her eyes. 'May I remind you, Captain Watson, that you are not only residing in Dr Roley's home, but that you are being amply paid for your participation in his researches?'

Watson smiled, effacingly. 'Of course I am. What can I have been thinking of?'

Maria looked at him, trying to hide her unease. 'Are you feeling quite well?'

'I've never felt better, Nurse Bulwell, never better,' he said, grinning broadly.

'Will you be wanting blood from me, too?'

'I will.'

'Best be careful,' said Watson, confidentially, leaning in too close. 'I'm feeling so strong I dare say you'll blunt the needle on my vein.' He laughed, and Lucy looked at him admiringly.

'Outside, if you please, Captain,' said Maria, briskly. I'll be with you in a few moments.'

Watson just smiled again, before striding out, leaving the door ajar.

'Like a different person, isn't he?' said Lucy, as her blood filled the phial.

***

Sam sat out on the grass in Roley's grounds, her mind racing but not sure what it was trying to outrun. Why was she so upset? She knew the police would be well out of their depth, just as she knew that the Doctor - probably

- was doing what he was doing for a reason.

She felt exhausted, the memory of that terrible fear like a flame licking at the back of her mind.

Maybe that was it - she wanted to see something commonplace and safe triumph here, to see this freak party broken up. It wasn't as if she wanted out. The Doctor could study ail the leeches he wanted to in the TARDIS

and together they could go looking for the pair that had put this fear into her. To stop them doing it to anyone else, ever again.

She shivered, and looked around her, still not quite able to lose that feeling of being watched.

***

The Doctor and Roley walked back to the makeshift lab. Cynthia had cleared up all the broken glass. Roley had sent home the rest of the staff, the kitchen hands, so as not to risk any of them overhearing something they shouldn't. In any case, no one appeared to be hungry.

'You should let Nurse Bulwell take a look at that hand,' Roley said.

'It's all right. I'm a fast healer.'

'And a fast worker,' Roley observed, looking round at the technological complications that filled the lab. He couldn't imagine where all this had come from.

'A fast bowler, too, come to think of it,' said the Doctor. 'I wonder if the three are linked.' He checked over some equipment, getting out a slender wand like tool that buzzed softly as he waved it about. "The leech burrowed into my flesh, but only to secure itself, I suspect'

'Why