The Affinity Bridge

Chapter Eleven

The visiting room was cold and impersonal; clinical, even. Veronica was convinced that it wasn't supposed to feel so unwelcoming, even for a hospital. Her parents were paying a small fortune towards the upkeep of the place, after all. The least they could do would be to provide a few cushions and a bit of colour around the place to brighten things up. No wonder the majority of the patients were so miserable and lifeless. Veronica firmly believed that people were inspired by their surroundings, and that a dull and dreary hospital would reflect badly on the mood of the patients, especially in an institute such as this, which catered for the clinically insane. She knew Amelia would agree. She resolved to make a point of talking to Dr. Mason about it at the next available opportunity.

Veronica sat with her hands on her lap, waiting for the nurses to fetch her sister. She felt uncomfortable and ever so slightly on edge, as she always did when she visited the asylum. She'd travelled to Wandsworth early that morning, taking care to ensure no one saw her leaving her apartments in Kensington and hailing a cab. She hadn't told Newbury where she was going, and consequently she hoped that he hadn't attempted to call on her with news of the case. If he had, she'd just have to tell him that she'd decided to go out for a stroll. She was meant to be taking the day to recuperate, after all.

She glanced around. One of the nurses sat on a stool by the door, looking out into the corridor. This would be her guard, she supposed, the woman posted' there for the duration of her visit to ensure that her sister didn't stray towards violent tendencies, or that Veronica didn't attempt to sneak her any proscribed articles such as cosmetics, cutlery or photographs of the family. It was ridiculous, of course. Her sister had never hurt anyone in her life, and Veronica had no intention of causing difficulties for Amelia by bringing her any gifts that would cause her emotional unrest.

Dr. Mason believed that the less contact the patients had with their families, the easier they would find it to settle in to their new environment. In fact, the last time Veronica had spoken with him, he'd admonished her for the frequency of her visits, citing all manner of recent papers on the subject and claiming that the regularity of her calls was working against the treatment programme he had instigated for her sister. To Veronica, it seemed like an archaic way to try to make someone better, isolating them from the people who loved them. Besides, she knew it was a pointless exercise, anyway, although she didn't admit that to Dr. Mason. It wouldn't do to have him think that she disagreed with his diagnosis. Only, Veronica knew that her sister was far from the lunatic that the doctor had led her parents to believe. She wasn't mad. She just happened to be able to see into the future.

Veronica looked up at the sound of footsteps from the corridor outside. The nurse who was sitting on the stool turned to look at her in acknowledgement, and then a moment later another nurse in a white uniform led Amelia into the room. Veronica's heart leapt. She stood, moving to embrace her sister.

Amelia was painfully thin, and dressed in a loose-fitting outfit comprised of a grey woollen blouse and matching skirt that Veronica thought would be better suited to a prison than a hospital. Her hair was raven-black and long, loose around her shoulders, and her pale skin and soft complexion gave the impression that she was even younger than her fragile nineteen years. She looked scared, although her face lit up as she entered the visitor's room and saw her sister coming towards her.

"Veronica! You came."

Veronica embraced her, feeling the press of her bony shoulder blades through the prickly fabric. "Of course I came!" She led Amelia to the sofa where she had been sitting and bade her to take a seat. "Are you eating enough? You're so terribly thin."

"I eat well enough, sister. The food here is passable." She forced a smile. "Anyway, what news do you bring from the outside world? Do our parents send word?"

Veronica looked uncomfortable. "No, Amelia, no word from home." She patted her gently on the back of her hand. "But I'm sure they will call soon." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "You know how Dr. Mason likes to hold them at bay."

Amelia glanced at the door. The nurse was still sitting on her stool, staring out into the corridor, as if there were something more interesting to engage her attention out there. Amelia sighed. "I don't understand it, Veronica. They must know by now that they've made a mistake. It's clear that I'm not a lunatic. I'm convinced the seizures are a medical condition. They must be able to control them with drugs or remedies of some sort. They must." She looked into Veronica's eyes. "I want so desperately to come home."

Veronica felt tears welling in her eyes, and blinked them away, forcing herself to be strong for her sibling. "I know, Amelia. I know." She looked away, unable to see the pleading in her sister's eyes. "Your illness is unique. The doctors need time to study it, to find a way to help you. I'm sure they're doing everything they can."

Amelia nodded, biting her bottom lip. She brushed her fringe away from her eyes. "Well, that's enough about me! Tell me about yourself, Veronica. What have you been up to? This hospital is so drab and boring that I need to hear stories of the real world. I like to think of you going about your business out there, all pretty and professional in your smart clothes."

Veronica smiled. "I think your expectations of my life are rather fanciful, Amelia. I work in a museum. I've spent the last week transcribing Sir Maurice's essays and researching academic papers on the druids of Bronze Age Europe. It's good work, but it's quiet. Hardly the stuff of high adventure!"

Amelia nodded, a twinkle in her eye. "You forget, sister, that I'm able to see more than you think, even from in here. I fancy your recent exploits are far more engaging than you care to let on." She smiled, dismissing the issue. "So, tell me, have you scandalized the museum terribly with your forward-thinking ideas?"

Veronica laughed. "There have been a few raised eyebrows, certainly. Although I try to abstain from truly ruffling any feathers. I'd rather hold on to my position for the time being."

"And what of suitors?" The nurse by the door looked over, obviously interested in Veronica's response. "I hear that Sir Maurice cuts a dashing figure about town."

"Amelia, really." Veronica blushed. "Sir Maurice and I have a strictly professional acquaintance. He's a handsome man, I admit, but I-"

"-protest too much, clearly." Amelia cut in, chuckling. "Come now sister, I'm only playing with you." She scratched at her arms where the woollen shirt was evidently irritating her skin.

Veronica was suddenly serious. She put her hand to Amelia's cool cheek. "Have you had any more episodes this week, Amelia?"

Amelia shrugged. "A few." She looked away, noncommittal. "And…"

"And they were just as unpleasant and unwelcome as they usually are." She looked up at Veronica again, searching her face. "I do wish they could find a way to make them stop. The things I see…" She trailed off, clearly distraught.

Veronica hugged her close, her voice soothing. "I know Amelia. We're doing all we can, I promise."

She felt Amelia go limp in her arms.

"Amelia?" She held her by the shoulders. "Amelia?"

Suddenly, Amelia's thin body began twitching jerkily, her muscles going into spasms as Veronica tried to hold her still. Her eyes rolled back in their sockets, her mouth foaming as she shook wildly on the sofa.

"Amelia!" She glanced at the nurse, who had only just realised what was happening.

"Help in here!" The woman came away from the door, running to Veronica's side. She took hold of Amelia and eased her to the floor. She continued to twitch violently. "We need to restrain her so that she doesn't hurt herself."

Veronica dropped to her knees, clamping her hands over Amelia's legs. Her face was etched with concern. "What now?"

The nurse didn't look up from where she was struggling to hold Amelia's arms by her sides. "Now we wait for the doctor."

Amelia started to babble something incoherent in the midst of her tortured seizure. Veronica tried to make sense of the garbled words, tears now streaming freely down her cheeks. There was something about fire, screaming and trains. Other than that it was impossible to tell what Amelia was saying, as her body, wracked with nervous energy, fought against their grip in random, violent spasms.

Veronica heard footsteps. She didn't look up. A moment later two more nurses were by Amelia's side, one of them cradling her head whilst the other took over from Veronica, pinning her sister's legs to the floor. Veronica heard a familiar voice from behind her.

"Miss Hobbes. Please step away." She clambered to her feet, looking round to see Dr. Mason standing by the edge of the sofa. He looked serious. "I think it is time for you to leave now, Miss Hobbes. Your sister is in safe hands." Veronica glanced back at her sister's writhing body, held down by a small army of nurses. She looked torn.

"Really, it's for the best. We can see her through this unfortunate episode, and then afterwards she'll be in need of rest." For once, Veronica thought, the swarthy-looking man in the brown suit had a kindly expression on his face. She believed he really did want to help her sister. "You can call again in a week's time. I'm sure she'll be up and about again by then. If the weather is tolerable you could even take her for a walk around the airing court." He smiled. "But now it is time to go. I'll walk you to the exit.

Veronica relented, glancing back at her sister one last time as Dr. Mason led her towards the door. Just as she was about to cross the threshold, however, she heard Amelia scream her name.

"Veronica!"

She looked back, startled. Amelia was trying to force herself up into a sitting position, facing her sister as the nurses struggled ineffectually to hold her down. Her eyes were still rolled back in their sockets, showing nothing but a disturbing sheen of milky-white, but Amelia seemed to be looking straight at her, as if she could actually see where Veronica was standing in the doorway.

Shocked, she whispered her response. "Amelia?"

The reply was a tortured rasp, as if dragged from somewhere within the depths of the girl's nightmare. "It's all in their heads, don't you see, Veronica? You must see!" She collapsed back into her spasms and, shaking his head, Dr. Mason took Veronica by the arm, leading her away from the terrible scene of her sister's distress and on towards the secure exit of the hospital.

Outside, Veronica looked up at the asylum and used her handkerchief to wipe away the tears that were still stinging her eyes. The clock tower showed that it was fast approaching two in the afternoon, and she knew she'd be wise to head back to her rooms in case Newbury decided to call. She hated what was happening to her sister, back inside that terrible red brick building, locked inside a ward with no reasonable company, no decent clothes, no respect. She hated the fact that she couldn't do anything about it, either; that her parents had forbidden her from even discussing the issue with them, after she had railed so hard against their decision to place Amelia in the hands of these strangers in the first instance. Consequently, she hadn't had any contact with them for over two months, and neither had they been to visit her sister since her incarceration in September. She knew that, soon, she was going to have to write to them and insist that they pay a visit to the asylum to see their daughter. Amelia had enough to endure; it was unfair for her to have to suffer feelings of embarrassment, guilt and rejection too.

Veronica regained her composure and made her way along the gravel path towards the exit to the railed compound and the street beyond. She passed the airing court on her left; a large, paved courtyard used to exercise the patients when the weather was clement enough for them to venture outside. She smiled. Next week, she would return to Wandsworth and take Amelia for a walk around this little yard, admiring the flowers and the birds like they had when Amelia was a young girl and Veronica would take her for morning walks along the country lanes by their parents' house. In the meantime, she would throw herself into the case with Newbury and spend some time deliberating on the meaning of Amelia's outburst. She could hear the words echoing around in her mind as she walked. "It's all in their heads, don't you see…"

She had no idea what it meant, and whether it was simply the ramblings of a disturbed, frightened mind, or something far more pertinent to her immediate future.

Only time, she supposed, would tell.