Erica was later than usual for breakfast on the following Sunday. Usually one of the first down, today she was the last one to arrive. She served herself as usual, choosing about half as much as any of the others, and took her seat silently. Silently wasn't unusual for Erica, but this was different. She seemed sleepy and even groggy to me this morning.
Constance Claire noticed this also, and greeted her somewhat gleefully, I thought, with, "What's wrong with you this morning, Erica? You look tired, as if it was difficult for you to get out of bed this morning. Were you out late, or just studying too far into the night?"
She had a small smile which I assumed meant that she hoped for something, no matter how small, newsworthy from Erica. It was generally supposed that Erica had no social life, and that for her Saturday night was just another night. I expected a spirited denial, and possibly an explanation.
"I don't know," answered Erica slowly and quietly, "I slept really hard and had strange dreams. I can't remember any of them now, but they weren't at all pleasant I think. And I can't seem to wake up this morning." Her sleepy gaze went around the room from person to person in turn. She seemed quite as puzzled as anyone else at her state of mind and body.
Dora Lund asked, "Maybe you are catching something." Dora came from a family where everyone was either getting over something or catching something or concerned about catching something. She had begun to lose some of that behavior lately, but Erica had apparently been noticed by her as well.
"Perhaps, but I think not. I'm sure I'll feel better after breakfast. Please don't concern yourself over me. It can't be important."
She then got up, served herself coffee at the buffet, sat back down, and very carefully ate her breakfast. She was the last to finish, which again was unusual for her. Although very irregular in her church attendance, to put as good a face on it as I could, she nevertheless wasn't normally inactive on Sunday mornings. Breakfast finished, she went up to her room, supposedly to dress for the day.
* * *
About noon I was stirring about in the kitchen seeing that there were sufficient supplies for at least sandwiches for lunch for those who were not eating in town.
Constance Claire had told me earlier that she and Louis were eating in town. They had made that perfectly clear at breakfast. Rather nice for them, I thought. I don't promise to provide lunch on Sunday, but it was Cook's day off and while I admire frugality I recoil at the thought of my tenants' actually starving while under my care. I was arranging things so that the least able of them would be able to find something to eat when John Watson came in and proved that I had met success by finding the necessary items and making a sandwich lunch for himself.
"I hope you don't mind the raid on the facilities," he said, "I'm going to be spending some time at the laboratory this afternoon and won't be able to leave it for some hours."
"Not at all. Forage as you will."
I walked into the dining room, passing Erica as she went into the kitchen. I supposed that she had the same goal as had Mr. Watson, but she apparently wanted John himself rather than his sandwich. I overheard part of the conversation.
"I heard you tell Mary Susan that you were going to the medical lab this afternoon. I wonder if I could go with you. I've never seen it. Would you show it to me?"
"Well, of course, yes," he stammered, "I'd be delighted. Say, I'm making my lunch. You could do the same and we could have lunch together. There's room for that. In the laboratory, I mean."
John seemed quite surprised at the request, as was I. What could Erica want in John Watson's medical laboratory? But perhaps she just wanted to talk to John, as improbable as that sounded. John, while not actually anti-social, was certainly not skilled at talking socially. But then, I thought, neither was Erica. That sounds like a happy mix, but it seldom occurs, since neither person has the skills needed to initiate the connection. Well, maybe this is the exception that proves the rule. All I can say for sure is that they made their lunches and left to walk to the laboratory and I saw neither of them until nearly dark.