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Authors: Susan Krinard
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passively, adrift in his own world .
"Send in my next patient, Johanna," he said. "It's Dieter Roth, isn't it? He's a difficult
one, but we're coming along." He patted her arm. "We're coming along.”
Dieter Roth was one of their former patients at the asylum, who had been helped
enormously by Papa's techniques and gone home before their move to California. But
Papa often lost track of time, confusing the past with the present .
"We've a new patient, Papa," she said, fetching a glass of water from the pitcher on the
washstand. "He's a dipsomaniac, by all appearances. I haven't treated one like him
before.”
"There is no reason why inebriety can't be treated as well as any other form of insanity,"
he said with sudden clarity. "The influences that drive a man to drink are not as simple
as some would have us think. I have never believed it is merely a weakness of
character.”
"Nor do I," Johanna said, her heart lightening. "I haven't taken on a new patient in some
time, however. I'm not sure how much he can pay, or if we can afford another charity
case.”
Secret of the Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 03
Page 57 of 455
"We are doctors. We can't turn away those who need our help." The old fire lit his eyes.
"And our methods work, Johanna.”
"Your methods, Papa," she said, holding the glass to his lips .
"They all laughed at me in Vienna," he said. "But I've proven them wrong—" He choked,
and Johanna rubbed his back until he was breathing normally again. His face was very
pale .
"I just heard quite an interesting lecture in San Francisco," Johanna said quickly. "The
speaker presented some rather controversial theories, not unlike your own. Would you
like to hear them?”
But her father wasn't listening. He'd drifted away, lost in some memory that, for him,
might be taking place at this very moment .
"Papa?" He didn't respond. She rose and replaced the glass on the washstand, blinking
dry eyes .
He couldn't advise her. The decisions were all hers now. She knelt by the bed and
rested her head on his lap. He touched her hair, tenderly, as if she were a child again .
"Don't cry, Johanna," he murmured. "Your mother will get well. You'll see.”
"Yes, Papa." His hand stroked her head and went still. He had fallen asleep again, as
he so often did .
"You're right, Papa," she whispered. "We can't turn away those who need our help. But
things
are not as they once were." She paused to listen to his steady breathing. Yes,
he was asleep, and wouldn't be disturbed by her worry. "We are coming near the end of
our funds, Papa. I've sold all the land we can spare; I can't sell the orchard or the last
Secret of the Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 03
Page 58 of 455
acre of grapevines; they make this place what it is. I don't want the world too close—and
it isn't what Uncle Rutger would have wished." She sighed. "I must have Mrs.
Daugherty's help with the washing and cooking, and she must be paid a fair wage.”
Her father shifted and gave a soft snore .
"We must have medicine, and clothing, the necessities of life—" She smiled wryly to
herself. "I can do well enough without luxuries. You know I don't much care for fripperies
in any case. I remember when it used to worry you, that I never sought such things. But
I would be happy, Papa, if I can continue to carry on in your footsteps.”
She raised her head and gazed at his placid face. "Ach, Papa. I'll complain no longer. I
will find a way to continue, you can rest assured of that.”
"I hope you'll allow me to help, Dr. Schell.”
For just an instant she thought Papa had spoken. But no, the voice was wrong—the
timbre a little deeper, the tone lighter, the accent English rather than German .
She spun about to face the door. Quentin Forster stood there, leaning against the
doorframe with arms folded and one ankle crossing the other. Except for the faint circles
under his eyes, he showed no evidence of his recent
"Send in my next patient, Johanna," he said. "It's Dieter Roth, isn't it? He's a difficult
one, but we're coming along." He patted her arm. "We're coming along.”
Dieter Roth was one of their former patients at the asylum, who had been helped
enormously by Papa's techniques and gone home before their move to California. But
Papa often lost track of time, confusing the past with the present .
"We've a new patient, Papa," she said, fetching a glass of water from the pitcher on the
washstand. "He's a dipsomaniac, by all appearances. I haven't treated one like him
before.”
"There is no reason why inebriety can't be treated as well as any other form of insanity,"
he said with sudden clarity. "The influences that drive a man to drink are not as simple
as some would have us think. I have never believed it is merely a weakness of
character.”
"Nor do I," Johanna said, her heart lightening. "I haven't taken on a new patient in some
time, however. I'm not sure how much he can pay, or if we can afford another charity
case.”
Secret of the Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 03
Page 57 of 455
"We are doctors. We can't turn away those who need our help." The old fire lit his eyes.
"And our methods work, Johanna.”
"Your methods, Papa," she said, holding the glass to his lips .
"They all laughed at me in Vienna," he said. "But I've proven them wrong—" He choked,
and Johanna rubbed his back until he was breathing normally again. His face was very
pale .
"I just heard quite an interesting lecture in San Francisco," Johanna said quickly. "The
speaker presented some rather controversial theories, not unlike your own. Would you
like to hear them?”
But her father wasn't listening. He'd drifted away, lost in some memory that, for him,
might be taking place at this very moment .
"Papa?" He didn't respond. She rose and replaced the glass on the washstand, blinking
dry eyes .
He couldn't advise her. The decisions were all hers now. She knelt by the bed and
rested her head on his lap. He touched her hair, tenderly, as if she were a child again .
"Don't cry, Johanna," he murmured. "Your mother will get well. You'll see.”
"Yes, Papa." His hand stroked her head and went still. He had fallen asleep again, as
he so often did .
"You're right, Papa," she whispered. "We can't turn away those who need our help. But
things
are not as they once were." She paused to listen to his steady breathing. Yes,
he was asleep, and wouldn't be disturbed by her worry. "We are coming near the end of
our funds, Papa. I've sold all the land we can spare; I can't sell the orchard or the last
Secret of the Wolf – 19th Century Werewolf 03
Page 58 of 455
acre of grapevines; they make this place what it is. I don't want the world too close—and
it isn't what Uncle Rutger would have wished." She sighed. "I must have Mrs.
Daugherty's help with the washing and cooking, and she must be paid a fair wage.”
Her father shifted and gave a soft snore .
"We must have medicine, and clothing, the necessities of life—" She smiled wryly to
herself. "I can do well enough without luxuries. You know I don't much care for fripperies
in any case. I remember when it used to worry you, that I never sought such things. But
I would be happy, Papa, if I can continue to carry on in your footsteps.”
She raised her head and gazed at his placid face. "Ach, Papa. I'll complain no longer. I
will find a way to continue, you can rest assured of that.”
"I hope you'll allow me to help, Dr. Schell.”
For just an instant she thought Papa had spoken. But no, the voice was wrong—the
timbre a little deeper, the tone lighter, the accent English rather than German .
She spun about to face the door. Quentin Forster stood there, leaning against the
doorframe with arms folded and one ankle crossing the other. Except for the faint circles
under his eyes, he showed no evidence of his recent
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