A BOTTLE OF BLOOD

Jepson Sieverance sent for Dr Carriscant at 9 the next morning. It was raining hard and as Carriscant dashed from the carriage to the front door he saw that it was Sieverance himself who was holding it open.

“It’s the most wonderful news,” Sieverance kept repeating as he strode beside him down the corridor towards the bedroom. “And I’m sure she’s right. Woman has an instinct about these things.”

For some reason Carriscant found his use of the general noun offensive. “We’ll confirm it soon enough,” Carriscant said, managing a thin smile. Delphine was right: the man’s preening elation was offensive, rebarbative.

She was in her room, waiting, wearing a plaid robe over her nightgown, sitting in an armchair. She looked calm, he thought, very serene. They greeted each other with their usual cordiality, and then Sieverance obligingly excused himself.

“No Nurse Aslinger?” Carriscant said.

“I was obliged to let her go.”

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead fleetingly. He could hear Sieverance pacing the corridor outside, already a parodical expectant father, he thought. He lowered his voice.

“Everything is organised for the twentieth,” he said. “Axel is prepared. I’ll have everything ready.”

“I know what to do.”

He opened his bag and removed a brown medicine bottle which he gave to her. “Here. You’ll need this to make it convincing.”

“What is it?”

“Blood.” He touched her arm, and her face. She kissed his fingertips as they brushed her mouth.

“You can’t bring anything with you, you know. You’ll have to tell me what other clothes, powders, rouge, things you need, essentials…”

“All right. A complete fresh start,” she said, smiling,

“Good. I like that.”

“I’ll make sure they’re on the boat.” He paused, the reality of what he was asking her to do sinking in. “Won’t you miss anything?”

“My books, I suppose. I can always buy more books.”

“Axel says he’ll get us to Singapore in six or seven days. We can pick up any boat going west to Suez. Then, once we’re in the Mediterranean…”

“We can get off anywhere we want.” Her eyes went distant, as if she were focusing again on those magical cities that had been the context for their fantasies of escape. “What about money?” she said, suddenly practical again.

“I’ve got plenty. Look, let me take care of the details. You’ll have enough to go through.”

“I’ll be safe, won’t I? I mean, nothing could go wrong, could it?”

“Nothing. And remember we’re committing no crime. We’re doing nothing wrong.”

“Nothing legally wrong.” She looked solemn, then. “What about you and your…I never ask you about her. I feel I don’t—”

“It’s easy for me,” he said, bravely. “The whole thing’s been a sham for years. A big mistake. I don’t think there’ll be too much surprise on her part.” The words came so easily, he thought. “I’d better go and tell him the good news.”

Sieverance was waiting in the living room.

“Congratulations,” Carriscant said, feeling oddly formal. “Your wife is expecting a child. She’s almost five months pregnant.”

Sieverance was overcome, but at least he did not weep, Carriscant thought. He managed to leave the house without having to drink the baby’s health: