surprising rapport of their
conversation lay a trap—that of treating Quentin more like a colleague or sympathetic
friend than a patient .
"Breakfast should be ready soon," she said, starting for the house. "Let us go in.”
He raised his head to sniff the air. "I thought I smelled cooking." His stomach rumbled
audibly .
"I see that you have a healthy appetite," she said dryly. "Mrs. Daugherty arrives early
five days a week to cook breakfast, so we shall have something substantial this
morning.”
Together they went in the back door of the house, passing the patients' rooms. Johanna
sent Quentin ahead to the kitchen and looked in on Harper. He sat by the window,
staring at the drawn curtains. No change .
If she could succeed in helping Quentin, there might be hope for Harper as well .
Secret of the Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 03
Page 88 of 455
The others, with the exception of May, were already gathered about the large oak table
in the center of the kitchen. Laid out on the cheerful gingham tablecloth were plates of
sliced bread, a crock of fresh butter, a pitcher of milk, and a wedge of cheese .
Irene, at the head of the table, was dressed in a gown Johanna hadn't seen before,
smelling of crisp, new fabric and cut along much more fashionable lines than most of
the actresses's years-old wardrobe. The dress was somewhat vulgar and far more
suitable for an evening at the theater than a country breakfast, but Johanna was most
interested in its origin. Irene had no income to afford such a gown, nor had she any
source for purchasing it .
Unless she had gone into Silverado Springs. Johanna had felt safe in assuming that
Irene wouldn't do so, after the first time when she'd crept out to town one night only to
be mocked and reviled as a woman both soiled and mad. She had too much pride to
risk humiliation again .
Still, it would be wise to speak to her about the dress after breakfast. Irene was not
above stealing .
Lewis Andersen, scrupulously honest, wore his habitual unrelieved black and was
engaged in carefully refolding his napkin. Oscar eagerly watched Mrs. Daugherty as she
put slices of bacon in the frying pan on the great cast-iron stove .
"Good morning, Mrs. Daugherty," Johanna said .
"Mornin', Doc Jo," the older woman said. "Take a seat. I've got bacon today, and fresh
milk and butter." She glanced past Johanna to Quentin, never slackening in her
preparations. "You must be the new feller. Feelin' better now, I take it?”
Secret of the Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 03
Page 89 of 455
Quentin stepped around the table, caught Mrs. Daugherty's broad, chapped hand in his,
and kissed it. "Quentin Forster, at your service. And I shall certainly be your most willing
slave if that bacon tastes as fine as it smells.”
She beamed. "Well, I'll be. A real gen'l'man. Haven't heard your like in some time." She
lifted a brow at Johanna. "Can't believe this feller was ever sick.”
"I had the best of care," he said, following her glance .
"You can't do better than having Doc Jo to tend you," Mrs. Daugherty said with a
vigorous nod. "She wouldn't hear of leavin' your side, not even when she was near fallin'
down exhausted. That's the kind of lady she is. She saved my daughter and grandchild.
Never will forget.”
Johanna longed for a useful task to keep herself occupied, but Mrs. Daugherty had
matters well in hand. She'd learned on Mrs. Daugherty's first day at the Haven that the
woman found her more of a nuisance than a help in the kitchen. "You keep them hands
fer healin'," she'd said. "They ain't no good for cookery.”
"Would you sit down, Quentin?" Johanna asked, indicating the chair next to Lewis .
"But I've saved a chair for you, right here," Irene said, ignoring Johanna .
Quentin flashed Johanna an apologetic grin and seated himself next to Irene. She
latched on to him immediately, beginning her usual monologue about the theater, how
desperate the New
conversation lay a trap—that of treating Quentin more like a colleague or sympathetic
friend than a patient .
"Breakfast should be ready soon," she said, starting for the house. "Let us go in.”
He raised his head to sniff the air. "I thought I smelled cooking." His stomach rumbled
audibly .
"I see that you have a healthy appetite," she said dryly. "Mrs. Daugherty arrives early
five days a week to cook breakfast, so we shall have something substantial this
morning.”
Together they went in the back door of the house, passing the patients' rooms. Johanna
sent Quentin ahead to the kitchen and looked in on Harper. He sat by the window,
staring at the drawn curtains. No change .
If she could succeed in helping Quentin, there might be hope for Harper as well .
Secret of the Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 03
Page 88 of 455
The others, with the exception of May, were already gathered about the large oak table
in the center of the kitchen. Laid out on the cheerful gingham tablecloth were plates of
sliced bread, a crock of fresh butter, a pitcher of milk, and a wedge of cheese .
Irene, at the head of the table, was dressed in a gown Johanna hadn't seen before,
smelling of crisp, new fabric and cut along much more fashionable lines than most of
the actresses's years-old wardrobe. The dress was somewhat vulgar and far more
suitable for an evening at the theater than a country breakfast, but Johanna was most
interested in its origin. Irene had no income to afford such a gown, nor had she any
source for purchasing it .
Unless she had gone into Silverado Springs. Johanna had felt safe in assuming that
Irene wouldn't do so, after the first time when she'd crept out to town one night only to
be mocked and reviled as a woman both soiled and mad. She had too much pride to
risk humiliation again .
Still, it would be wise to speak to her about the dress after breakfast. Irene was not
above stealing .
Lewis Andersen, scrupulously honest, wore his habitual unrelieved black and was
engaged in carefully refolding his napkin. Oscar eagerly watched Mrs. Daugherty as she
put slices of bacon in the frying pan on the great cast-iron stove .
"Good morning, Mrs. Daugherty," Johanna said .
"Mornin', Doc Jo," the older woman said. "Take a seat. I've got bacon today, and fresh
milk and butter." She glanced past Johanna to Quentin, never slackening in her
preparations. "You must be the new feller. Feelin' better now, I take it?”
Secret of the Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 03
Page 89 of 455
Quentin stepped around the table, caught Mrs. Daugherty's broad, chapped hand in his,
and kissed it. "Quentin Forster, at your service. And I shall certainly be your most willing
slave if that bacon tastes as fine as it smells.”
She beamed. "Well, I'll be. A real gen'l'man. Haven't heard your like in some time." She
lifted a brow at Johanna. "Can't believe this feller was ever sick.”
"I had the best of care," he said, following her glance .
"You can't do better than having Doc Jo to tend you," Mrs. Daugherty said with a
vigorous nod. "She wouldn't hear of leavin' your side, not even when she was near fallin'
down exhausted. That's the kind of lady she is. She saved my daughter and grandchild.
Never will forget.”
Johanna longed for a useful task to keep herself occupied, but Mrs. Daugherty had
matters well in hand. She'd learned on Mrs. Daugherty's first day at the Haven that the
woman found her more of a nuisance than a help in the kitchen. "You keep them hands
fer healin'," she'd said. "They ain't no good for cookery.”
"Would you sit down, Quentin?" Johanna asked, indicating the chair next to Lewis .
"But I've saved a chair for you, right here," Irene said, ignoring Johanna .
Quentin flashed Johanna an apologetic grin and seated himself next to Irene. She
latched on to him immediately, beginning her usual monologue about the theater, how
desperate the New
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