The Man Who Cried Death!

Ch 6. A new patient

"Ah, the smell of coins never gets old, ay Lucinda?" he joked

"It smells like rotting meat and watermelon"

"Eh, you'll get used to it while traveling with me, anyway, do you want anything while we're here? I can get you-" "Excuse me, sir"

Wolfey whirled around to see a woman wearing a purple cloak and a gold medallion, with something like a letter in her hands

"Are you doctor Wolfgang Callaghan?" asked the woman

"Maybe, why?" he said, gesturing for Lucinda to stand behind him "If it's about that man I threatened to stab he tried to punch me first, so it is technically self-defense"

"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that," said the woman, holding the letter out to him "I was tasked to give you this from the count"

Wolfey hesitantly took the letter and opened it:

Hello doctor Callaghan

My name is count Dominic Bancroft, you might have heard of me. I was informed of your arrival by the guards at the front gates. The reason I have sent you this letter is that my wife- countess Sonia Bancroft- has fallen terribly, terribly ill. So I ask for you to come to the Bancroft estate to diagnose, and hopefully treat, whatever ailment she has succumbed to. You may also bring that little girl if she will provide any assistance to you

Thank you, count Bancroft

"So. . . am I expected immediately are can I come in my own time?" he asked

"The count would like you at his manor as soon as you have the time, he doesn't want you to feel pressured," said the woman as she began to walk off "But make sure you at least come by before the end of the week"

Lucinda came out from behind Wolfgang's cloak "Who was that?"

"An envoy from count Dominic who is the head of this city. I, or should I say we, are expected at the Bancroft manor to diagnose the count's wife, the countess Sonia"

"Oh, that's not good"

"It's not, but I can bring you with me! They think you're my assistant, hopefully, they don't ask for any identification to prove that

"Of course, if you want to go. I don't want you to feel pressured"

"No! I-I want to go, this would be the first time I'll be meeting a noble"

"You'll be fine, dear," Wolfey said, putting his hand on Lucinda's head "Let's go back to the inn so I can get my supplies, we can go to the manor after that, and when we're done then we could go shopping if I get paid"

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Lucinda smiled and took Wolfey's hand as they walked back to the inn and gathered his bags full of bandages and books and different medical utensils. 

"Why do you have so much stuff?" asked Lucinda, swaying her feet as she sat on the bed

"You never know what you'll need when dealing with a patient, she might have Pneumonia, Tuberculosis, and the worst case, Agriozootose"

"The thing that killed momma. . .?"

"Erm, yes, the thing that killed momma"

There was a brief moment of silence before Wolfey offered his hand to Lucinda "Come now, we should go before it gets dark"