Page 49 of The Laudanum Ladies' Society

‘We won’t stay long,’ Mr Rosewood said. He stood with his hands on his cane, and it was clear he was not about to leave. Knowing that Archibald was in no state to descend stairs, Gwen showed them upstairs and admitted them to the sitting room; the first time Conrad had ever crossed into their private quarters.

She paused outside the bedroom but hesitated with her hand on the doorknob before knocking, just as the sitting-room door opened and Jenny slipped out. She gave Gwen an awkward smile.

‘I’m sorry, we’re intruding. I tried to dissuade Uncle Conrad, but he was insistent.’

‘It doesn’t matter.’

Gwen regarded her. Jenny looked tired and had darkish-purple smudges beneath her eyes.

‘My dear, are you unwell?’ Gwen asked.

Jenny shook her head, looking dejected. ‘No, just a little melancholy. I had a disagreement with my friend, the one I mentioned before.’

‘The one you hoped to start a life with. Oh, my dear, I am sorry.’ Gwen squeezed her hand. ‘We’ll talk about this as soon as we can. If you would like to, of course. You don’t need to confide in me, but if you wish to, I’ll happily listen.’

Jenny squeezed back. ‘Yes, I think so. But you’re right, not now. And you– how are you bearing up?’

Tears prickled at Gwen’s eyes; Jenny’s sympathy was almost more than she could bear. ‘It hasn’t been easy, but I’m sure now that Archibald is beginning to recover, we will regain our previous understanding with each other.’

She tapped on the bedroom door. Archibald answered.

‘What is it? I heard voices. Are we not alone?’

She opened the door and put her head into the room. Even though it was a bright day, the windows were closed and the curtains drawn to keep the sunlight from damaging Archibald’s sensitive vision.

‘Mr Rosewood is here. He has come to see how you’re convalescing.’

‘And you let him come up. Why? Isn’t it enough that he knows my state?’

Gwen glanced behind her. Jenny averted her eyes and quickly went into the sitting room. She must have heard his tone, however, and fury and shame coursed through Gwen that his rudeness had been overheard, and that she was accepting it so mildly.

‘He only wants to see you for a few minutes. You will have to come and see him, unless you would like him to come and see you in here, of course,’ she said, knowing full well that Archibald would not tolerate anybody entering their bedroom.

‘In that case, you had better help me to dress,’ he grumbled.

Ten minutes later, with his eyes still bandaged, Archibald allowed Gwen to lead him into the sitting room and to a chair by the fire where he could remain in the shadows.

Conrad stared at him with pity. ‘My friend, why did you not tell me of your ailing sight before it came to this?’

Gwen stepped forward. ‘We kept it from you because if my husband can’t see, he can’t work. Before too long he would have been unable to see well enough to make the products, and we know you don’t approve of women making medicines. We didn’t want to concern you with possibilities.’

‘Yes, but…’ Conrad looked frustrated for the first time that Gwen could remember. ‘But if you had come to me for help, I would have helped. I could have loaned you the money to pay for your treatment. I could have paid for it myself, blast it!’ He scowled. ‘We’ve been friends for years.’

‘But he is also your employee,’ Gwen pointed out. ‘You pay him a wage for his work. He isn’t a charity case.’

Archibald raised his chin, looking as dignified as a man with his face bound in bandages could manage. ‘I can speak for myself, Mrs Walters. I do not need your intervention.’

The coldness in his voice struck Gwen deeply.

Her husband stepped toward her and gripped her wrist. ‘My wife does speak correctly, even if it is out of turn. I had no idea whether you would deem me too helpless for work. You’re my friend, Conrad, but you’re a ruthless businessman, first and foremost. Otherwise, how would you have built up your businesses?’

‘Archibald, I hope I’ve always played fair with you,’ Conrad said. ‘I helped you out in the first place by giving you a job. I even paid for this building, knowing you would need a home for your wife and child. Do you imagine I would not have helped if I had known?’

‘Nevertheless, the deed is done,’ Archibald snapped. ‘I have regained my sight for a matter of three or four years and after that, who knows what will happen? I will most likely be in my dotage and ready for my grave.’

Gwen looked over his head, catching a look of surprise in Jenny’s expression. Archibald had been growing more careless and vicious with his tongue to Gwen, but this rudeness to his employer and his melancholic prediction was a new development.

Conrad rallied, giving a forced smile and speaking in a jovial tone.