Free The Willard by LeAnne Burnett Morse Page B
Authors: LeAnne Burnett Morse
one hundred years ago? Or were they setting themselves up to be equally disappointed by the reality?
C HAPTER 14
OLIVIA FORDHAM
1913
Dr. Mabry Mitchell was a frequent guest of the Willard and happened to be in residence when Olivia had her seizure. Chase sent for him at once and by the time he arrived at the suite Olivia was sitting on the floor against the wall of the dining room. She looked dazed, but was breathing normally. Chase and the doctor helped get her to her feet and tried to usher her to her bedroom, but she wouldn’t hear of it. The doctor settled for seating her in the first parlor and insisted on a cursory exam. Chase gave them privacy and waited in the hallway for the doctor to finish.
You can see it too?
Chase mulled over what Olivia had said to him. He noticed she had not seemed at all surprised to see a different world outside her window than the one she was used to seeing. She did seem surprised that
he
could see it. In all the years since his own traveling experience he had never known anyone to react that way. Most were uncertain of what they were seeing at first, believing it to be a dream. Once he talked with them some accepted it more readily than others, but all of them, without exception, had required extensive explanations. Olivia had not. She had simply looked upon her present reality without any discernable concern. Chase didn’t know what to make of it, but before he could dwell too long on it the suite door opened and Dr. Mitchell came out.
“How is she?” Chase asked.
“She’s weak, but completely coherent. She has some muscle stiffness and a slight bump on the head from the fall, but overall she seems fine. I couldn’t get much medical history from her. She tried to pass it off like she’d had a case of the vapors.”
“Trust me, Dr. Mitchell. Olivia Fordham has
never
had a case of the vapors. She probably just didn’t want to be a bother. What should we do?”
“I’d like to check in on her this evening. I’ve given her a sleeping draught for later, but I doubt if she’ll use it. She seems quite headstrong. Do you know if she’s had episodes like this before?”
“I’m not certain. I’ve always known Mrs. Fordham to be in excellent health. Is there anything I can do for her to make her more comfortable?”
“Have some mint tea and a light dinner sent up. Her stomach may be a bit upset, but it will be good for her to have something to eat if she can. As I said, I’ll come back to check on her when I return to the hotel for the evening. I’ll be at the National for a performance this evening, but please do send for me if she should have any problems in the interim.”
“Very good. Thank you, Dr. Mitchell. Good evening.”
“Good evening to you, Mr. Chase.”
Chase knocked gently instead of ringing the bell and as he knocked he used his passkey to open the door while calling out her name. He didn’t want her to have to come to the door if she wasn’t up to it. She heard him and asked him to come to the parlor where she was standing at the window and looking distressed. Chase was immediately concerned.
“Olivia, are you alright? Shall I get Dr. Mitchell?”
“Edward, tell me what you see outside this window.”
“Olivia, let me explain.”
“Explain? Please, Edward, tell me what you see.”
Chase crossed to the window where she was holding back the drape. He looked down. “I see a variety of cars fromthe early twentieth century, several horses and many pedestrians that look like they are from—”
“From the Edwardian era,” Olivia finished his sentence.
“Yes. What I don’t understand, Olivia, is your reaction to what you see.”
“That’s because I’m usually the only one who can see it. I’m trying to figure out how you see it too and, to be honest, I’m scared of what this means.”
She walked to one of the sofas and sat down. He sat in a chair next to her.
“Scared of what?” he asked. Chase had seen others express fear when
C HAPTER 14
OLIVIA FORDHAM
1913
Dr. Mabry Mitchell was a frequent guest of the Willard and happened to be in residence when Olivia had her seizure. Chase sent for him at once and by the time he arrived at the suite Olivia was sitting on the floor against the wall of the dining room. She looked dazed, but was breathing normally. Chase and the doctor helped get her to her feet and tried to usher her to her bedroom, but she wouldn’t hear of it. The doctor settled for seating her in the first parlor and insisted on a cursory exam. Chase gave them privacy and waited in the hallway for the doctor to finish.
You can see it too?
Chase mulled over what Olivia had said to him. He noticed she had not seemed at all surprised to see a different world outside her window than the one she was used to seeing. She did seem surprised that
he
could see it. In all the years since his own traveling experience he had never known anyone to react that way. Most were uncertain of what they were seeing at first, believing it to be a dream. Once he talked with them some accepted it more readily than others, but all of them, without exception, had required extensive explanations. Olivia had not. She had simply looked upon her present reality without any discernable concern. Chase didn’t know what to make of it, but before he could dwell too long on it the suite door opened and Dr. Mitchell came out.
“How is she?” Chase asked.
“She’s weak, but completely coherent. She has some muscle stiffness and a slight bump on the head from the fall, but overall she seems fine. I couldn’t get much medical history from her. She tried to pass it off like she’d had a case of the vapors.”
“Trust me, Dr. Mitchell. Olivia Fordham has
never
had a case of the vapors. She probably just didn’t want to be a bother. What should we do?”
“I’d like to check in on her this evening. I’ve given her a sleeping draught for later, but I doubt if she’ll use it. She seems quite headstrong. Do you know if she’s had episodes like this before?”
“I’m not certain. I’ve always known Mrs. Fordham to be in excellent health. Is there anything I can do for her to make her more comfortable?”
“Have some mint tea and a light dinner sent up. Her stomach may be a bit upset, but it will be good for her to have something to eat if she can. As I said, I’ll come back to check on her when I return to the hotel for the evening. I’ll be at the National for a performance this evening, but please do send for me if she should have any problems in the interim.”
“Very good. Thank you, Dr. Mitchell. Good evening.”
“Good evening to you, Mr. Chase.”
Chase knocked gently instead of ringing the bell and as he knocked he used his passkey to open the door while calling out her name. He didn’t want her to have to come to the door if she wasn’t up to it. She heard him and asked him to come to the parlor where she was standing at the window and looking distressed. Chase was immediately concerned.
“Olivia, are you alright? Shall I get Dr. Mitchell?”
“Edward, tell me what you see outside this window.”
“Olivia, let me explain.”
“Explain? Please, Edward, tell me what you see.”
Chase crossed to the window where she was holding back the drape. He looked down. “I see a variety of cars fromthe early twentieth century, several horses and many pedestrians that look like they are from—”
“From the Edwardian era,” Olivia finished his sentence.
“Yes. What I don’t understand, Olivia, is your reaction to what you see.”
“That’s because I’m usually the only one who can see it. I’m trying to figure out how you see it too and, to be honest, I’m scared of what this means.”
She walked to one of the sofas and sat down. He sat in a chair next to her.
“Scared of what?” he asked. Chase had seen others express fear when