Yorkshire, 1941

“I don’t think we’ve met. You must be Miss Clark,” the doctor said, approaching Sable outside the cafeteria as she patrolled the patients within. She had a clear, lilting voice and a straight smile. Her white-blonde hair was piled in a knot atop her head; her black-framed glasses perched on a fine nose in front of bright black eyes. Sable blinked in slight surprise at her forwardness.

“Yes—Sable Clark, it’s very nice to meet you,” she said as the woman paused before her. She was several inches taller than Sable. They shook hands.

“How do you know who I am? If you don’t mind me asking,” Sable asked.

The woman gave a bashful shrug. “I make it my business to know everyone here. I’m doctor Clare Bainbridge. Birdie probably told you about me.”

“She said you’d been on sabbatical,” Sable said. Doctor Bainbridge nodded, smiling warmly.

“I must admit, I had some say in your placement here,” she said. “I can see I made the correct choice.”

Sable stifled her surprise. “Thank you, Doctor.”

“Please, call me Clare,” the blonde woman said, waving a nonchalant hand. “How are you finding it here?”

“It took some getting used to,” Sable answered. “But I’ve come to enjoy it.”

“I’m glad to hear it,” Clare said. “I heard you’ve been working with Mister Torell.” Sable nodded with a sigh. An amused smile crossed Clare’s lips. “For someone in solitary confinement, he gets an awful lot of company.”

Sable huffed a reluctant laugh. “I’ve been trying,” she said. “He was improving, but… something happened and now he’s relapsed.”

Clare frowned a little, pensive. “Walk with me,” she said, and turned to go. Sable followed her down the hallway.

Sable was quiet for a bit. “Pardon me,” she began. “But it must be difficult to be a young woman in your position.” Clare shrugged.

“It is, of course,” she said. “I had to fight very hard to get where I am.”

“That’s very admirable of you,” Sable said. The pair exchanged a smile as they walked down the hallway.

“The workings of the human mind have always intrigued me,” Clare continued. “It’s one of the greatest mysteries in this world.”

“Is that why you became a neurological doctor?” Sable asked. Clare nodded, her glasses glinting in the afternoon light streaming through the windows.

“Clare?” Julien’s voice called from down the hallway. He approached with a grin on his face.

Clare smiled at him. “Julien!” He wrapped her up in an embrace and she let out a laugh as she hugged him. Sable blinked at the familiarity between them.

“You know each other?” she asked as they parted.

“We’ve worked together for a long time,” Clare said around a laugh. “We’re good friends.”

“I didn’t think you’d be back till the end of the month,” Julien said. “How was your trip?” Clare chuckled.

“That’s a story for another time,” she said, waving a hand. “I’ve been enjoying meeting Miss Clark here.”

“Doc—Clare was just telling me about her passion for neurology,” Sable said. Julien smiled.

“She does have a talent for it,” he said. Clare gave him a bashful look.

“The brain is an organ like any other,” she said. “It can be damaged and treated and healed like any other. Speaking of which—” She turned to Sable. “I’d like to pay a visit to Mister Torell and see his progress for myself.”

Sable nodded. “Of course,” she said.

Julien begged off, saying he had to get back to work anyway. Sable and Clare climbed the steps and entered the solitary confinement hallway at the top of the stairs. Sable opened the door to Crow’s room. He lay curled on his side atop his bed, dozing softly. As Sable approached, his eyes opened and glanced up at her.

“Hello,” she said softly. “I brought Doctor Bainbridge to see you.”

Clare approached from behind Sable, and Crow blinked at her. He sat upright on his bed. His brow furrowed as he looked at Clare, like he was trying to place her. She held his gaze as she knelt before him, peering into each of his eyes with a small penlight she withdrew from her pocket.

Sable was quiet for what felt like a long time. “Well?” she began. Clare finally stood, turning away from Crow.

“It’ll be a long road,” Clare said. “But any mind can be healed. I have no doubt we can do it together.”