We Are The Cure : The Plague Doctor's Tale.

Chapter 38

On their way to the cemetery they were wondering how could that happened that they missed that fact.

"Do you know what are the symptoms of poisoning by hemlock?" Giovanni asked Rosalynn who desperately tried to keep up with Giovanni's and Doctor's pace.

"Let me think... First, the victim feels burning inside their mouth, then they start to drool, vomit, and after a while they are paralysed and die." She had to take a little break so she stopped. Seeing her being tired, the men also stopped and looked at her. 

"Not a pleasant death." Said Giovanni and Rosalynn nodded.

"Do you possess sufficient knowledge of post mortem symptoms of hemlock poisoning?" Asked Doctor and Rosalynn didn't seem to be sure how to answer that question.

"I'm not quite sure. After death all the muscles are slack. Also I don't know whether somebody cleaned their faces, there should be a white tint in the corner of their lips and on their chins. And finally, but I would rather not do this, we can open up the stomach but there is high possibility that hemlock has already been digested." Because of their masks she couldn't see their facial expressions but by the silence she could tell they weren't happy. 

"I tell you what..." Giovanni said suddenly. "If the first person found the evidence of poisoning, we can also find it. After all, we have a herbalist." He looked directly at Rosalynn, Doctor nodded, and they continued their way at the cemetery. 

When they reached the Catchstone tomb, they examined all the three bodies once more but this time they were looking for different symptoms. 

"I can see the white tint!" Giovanni was the first one. "Right here, in the corner of the mouth! Just as you said, Rosalynn." 

"I also see the white tincture. There is more on the chin. How come did not I notice these earlier." Doctor seemed surprised and confused. 

"And on mine there is also some." She said taking few steps back from the body of the child. "So now we know we didn't check the mouth area."

"There was no need for doing so." Said Doctor. "We were asked to give our expertise on the plague symptoms which are proven to be present. The victims could have died of plague as all three of them had symptoms of the very last stage of it..."

"Perhaps that's why we didn't take any other possibility of their death into consideration." Rosalynn concluded and all of them nodded.  

"So, what actually killed them? Plague or hemlock?" Giovanni seemed lost. 

"Hmmm... Reasoning from hemlock's presence, it is possible they died of poisoning first." Doctor wasn't happy to say that.

"I think so. It usually takes about 20 minutes for hemlock to kill an adult. It's a pretty efficient poisoning plant, although the death is painful and unpleasant." She agreed with him. She was really sorry for Lady Catchstone's relatives. 

"So now we have to go to the constable office to testify, don't we?"Guessed Giovanni and they headed there. 

...

At the office, there were already Natalie and Janette Catchstone arguing fiercely. The constable tried to separate the ladies but it was nearly impossible. Only with Giovanni's help he was able to sat down both ladies on the chair.

"So?" Janette Catchstone seemed to be waiting for them. "What is your final testimony, Doctor?"

"I beg your Pardon, Lady Catchstone, but as far as I remember, you did not wish me to testify before so I see no reason why would you desire my testimony right now." Doctor said with a cold harsh voice and Lady Janette opened her mouth surprised.

"How dare you, you bold-" 

"Perhaps I would like to hear your final testimony." The constable jumped in the conversation and Janette shut her mouth but not for long. 

"Of course. After second post mortem examination and a consultation with a herbalist, we came to a conclusion that the victims were indeed poisoned with hemlock." The constable and Natalie seemed disappointed, in opposition to Janette who smiled with triumph. 

"See? I've told you they were poisoned! Now you can arrest Margaret, I gave you the proof you wanted." Lady Catchstone stood up and reached the door. "Don't worry Natalie, I can hire you for the time being." She said that with a mischievous smile and left the office.

"Didn't I ask you to help Lady Margaret, not to proof her guilty of the thing she wouldn't ever do?" The maid was so furious her face turned red. 

"It's not our fault that there are the symptoms of poisoning." Giovanni was the one who decided to speak for the all three of them.

"How come you found new evidence now?" The old lady wasn't convinced.

"Allow me to emphasise one, highly crucial fact." Doctor came closer to Natalie who made few steps back. "We are plague doctors and it is quite fair we specialize in plague related cases, mainly with the one who are still breathing. Given that, it is apparent we did not search for any other than plague symptoms on the bodies of the victims, especially as discrete as white tincture in the wake of the victims lips." Natalie opened her eyes wide and they didn't know whether she was so surprised or terrified. 

Doctor stepped back and constable asked him to come at the desk and write down his new testimony. Meanwhile Natalie sat on the chair and covered her mouth. It was the time she understood something horrible happened at the mansion and she didn't know how. 

...

When they were leaving the office, a hooded person wearing a dark long cloak came inside and greeted the constable asking for new information in the Catchstone case. Both Doctor and Rosalynn found the person's voice familiar but they were absolutely sure of their suspicion when the person took the cloak off and they saw the tumbling ginger curls. 

"Is that who I assume it is?" Asked Doctor with lowered voice and Rosalynn nodded confidently. 

"We didn't expect to meet you here, Mary." The girl turned around and looked at them with her blue  cheerful eyes. 

"I though you would never recognise me." She laughed and hugged Rosalynn. "How are you guys? Jack told me you are in Ipswich and I knew I would find you here." She took a step back and looked at Doctor and Giovanni. "Oh and now there are two doctors!"

"We already met." Said Doctor. " Here next to me is Giovanni-"

"Ah, I've heard of him! Jack said he looks quite different from us. Can I see you without a mask on?" She was so enthusiastic it was nearly unusual of her. 

"Maybe let's go somewhere else and leave the constable alone." Suggested Rosalynn and they went outside. Fortunately for them, there was a bench nearby the office and the ladies sat down next to each other while the men were standing in front of them. 

"Now then, tell us why were you asking the constable about the case?" Suddenly Doctor asked Mary who wanted to say something, perhaps to encourage Giovanni to reveal his face. For a second she was surprised to hear that question but then her enthusiasm gradually faded into graveness.

"Oh, it's because I was curious if you also found the hemlock on the bodies."