Doctor Who_ Wolfsbane - Jac Rayner [39]
And then that night, the second night of the full moon, when my power was growing stronger and my control getting less, Lieutenant Sullivan found me...
The Doctor broke in. „What did you do to Harry Sullivan?‟
She looked shocked. „You know the lieutenant?‟
„Very well.‟ He kept his eyes on the road, but she knew she was the absolute focus of his attention. „What happened to Harry? I‟ve been searching for him.‟
She frowned. „I am so sorry. Did you not know that he died?‟
„He‟s definitely dead?‟ the Doctor said.
„Oh yes,‟ she answered. „I can‟t feel him any more.‟
Chapter Seven
The Condemned Ate a Hearty Meal
George Stanton raised the decanter. Harry took it and poured a small measure. After the afternoon tea of only a few hours ago and now soup, a fish course, the casseroled chicken, an unpleasant liver thing they simply called a savoury, fruit, nuts and a rather excellent stilton, he didn‟t think he could manage more than a few sips of anything. An odd menu for a house of mourning, and unusually healthy appetites for those who had suffered such a loss - let alone all the other strange events of the day. Perhaps it was another example of the aristocratic stiff upper lip, although that excuse was wearing a bit thin. In any case, Harry was grateful for the occasional formal officers‟ dinner he‟d experienced, where he had at least encountered the sort of dining etiquette that these thirties chaps accepted as a matter of course: use this knife, pass the port, excuse the ladies, so on and so forth. He refused a cigar. George lighted one, and leant back in his chair.
„I say, nice to have another man around, Sullivan,‟ said George. „Not that I have anything against the ladies, of course
- why, my own mother‟s one of the ladies - but a fellow knows where he is with another fellow. And not much decent company around here - thought it was looking up when this Doctor appeared, but he‟s a bit of an odd fish, all in all.‟
„Seems popular, though,‟ Harry said. „Saved my bacon last night; all the locals deferred to him.‟
„Yes, fellow rescued Young Katie Abbot from under a horse and then cured Hawthorn‟s bull, all in his first week in the village. Has the natives eating out of his hand, but he‟s only been here a month or two. Mother didn‟t approve at first; she couldn‟t find out his family, but he knows all the right people. One of these freaks who wants to be useful, it seems -
he does experiments.‟
„What on?‟ Harry asked, recalling the strange equipment, but George didn‟t know.
„That‟s why he came here, he said. Been all round the world, so I understand, but wanted some peace and quiet for his latest Frankenstein business. Well, you can‟t get much quieter than round here - well, you couldn‟t then. Before the sheep business. Unfortunate business, actually.‟
„Terrible,‟ Harry agreed. „You know... deepest sympathies and all that.‟
„Oh, thanks, old man,‟ said George. „Yes, it is a bit of a facer, that. Still, life goes on. She‟s buried now, after all.
Villagers insisted on it, I understand. Not even time for a proper ceremony, but probably just as well, mother hates wearing black. No, what I mean to say is, unfortunate business for the Doctor. Quiet as the grave here for centuries, don‟t you know, then he comes here for a bit of peace and - well, the sheep.‟
„Oh,‟ said Harry. „Those sheep again.‟
„Don‟t mind what Emmeline says,‟ George slurred at him, taking the port back. „Lovely girl, really. German, you know.‟
„Yes,‟ said Harry, who had noticed this already. George passed the port on to him. Harry, who hadn‟t even sipped from his glass yet, did not pour any more. George, seemingly surprised that the decanter had gone all the way round to reach him again, received the port and sloshed himself another measure. Harry thought this possibly wasn‟t how it was supposed to work, but said nothing.
„Sort of cousin of mine,‟ George continued. „Didn‟t know I had any cousins, especially German ones, but mother revealed all one day. Girl just turned up on the doorstep.
Mother