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“He won’t have to share a room with any of these children, will he?”
“Of course not, Mrs. Van Dort. Your son will have a space all to himself. Only the best for such a highly valued client.”
Victor sighed as he listened to his mother and Dr. Bumby talk. He really did not want to be here. Why were his parents so insistent on getting him “therapy?” Was it really so horrible that he wanted to honor Emily’s memory? That he wanted to remember Emily at all? If only they’d been there, and seen it all with their own two eyes – then maybe they’d understand.
But they hadn’t, and they didn’t, and now he was going to spend who knew how long stuck in this horrid Houndsditch Home, being told by this doctor to forget someone who did not deserve to be forgotten. Without even anyone to talk to – he hadn’t seen anyone besides Dr. Bumby who was over the age of twelve in this place. Not that Victor was normally much for conversation with other people – he’d always been a bit of a loner. But for some reason, being surrounded by small children was making him feel a lot more alone than usual. Would it have been too much to ask for someone about his age to be here as well? Just to make him feel less – different?
“Excuse me, Dr. Bumby?”
Everyone turned in the direction of the voice. “Oh, Alice,” Dr. Bumby said. “Mr., Mrs., and Master Van Dort, this is Alice Liddell – she’s another one of my patients, and a sort of general dogsbody for the Home. Alice, these are the Van Dorts. Victor here will be staying with us for a while.”
Alice nodded, lifting her skirt a little in a vague approximation of a curtsy. “How do you do?” she asked, looking up at Victor.
Victor couldn’t reply for a moment. Not simply because of the surprise of finding out there was someone about his own age here in Houndsditch. Nor because the someone happened to be a surprisingly pretty young lady. No, what held his attention most was her eyes. He’d never seen such brilliant green eyes in all his life. Most of the population of Burtonsville had various shades of brown or blue. Rarely someone would have a soft dark hazel. These eyes – they were bright, and they were sharp. Victor almost felt like she was looking straight into his soul.
He finally found his voice. “Well, and y-you?”
“Well enough.” Alice tilted her head, studying him. “You’re a new patient then?”
Victor nodded. “Yes. I’m here because – um – it’s q-quite complicated.”
“I’ll hear about it later, I’m sure. I just needed to ask Dr. Bumby if he needed anything washed,” she said, turning to the doctor again. “The laundress has come around to do a load.”
“Not at the moment,” Dr. Bumby said dismissively. “Go help her with the children’s linens.”
“Very good, doctor.” Alice headed back to the door, then paused and looked back at Victor. “Welcome to Houndsditch, Master Van Dort,” she added before departing.
“Thank you,” Victor called after her. As he watched her go, a tiny smile pulled at his lips.
Well – if she was here – maybe this journey wouldn’t be so bad.