‘Yes, that was the word. I’d never heard it before.’
‘It’s quite rare,’ said Antonia. ‘But it’s a chronic condition that causes enlargement of the bones of the hands and feet–quite often the head and face as well. Sufferers used to become grotesquely misshapen, and often unnaturally tall. I don’t know a great deal about it, but I think they can deal with it very early on nowadays so you hardly ever see it any more. It comes from an excessive secretion of something within the pituitary gland–I’ve got that right, haven’t I, Jonathan?’
‘Near enough. The reverse side of its coin is dwarfism, of course. But in the good old, bad old days, people ascribed all kinds of menace to the poor sods who had it. They thought of them as unnatural–creatures to be feared. Sometimes the condition brought about swelling of the soft tissues as well, including the tongue, which made speech difficult. That would add to the sinister air of it all. If the skeleton was a hundred years old, that means he lived in a time when he could have suffered one of two fates. He could have been exhibited as a freak, or–more probably–been shut away somewhere.’
‘Latchkill,’ said Oliver softly.
‘Yes, that’s more than likely. It’s not so long since it was known as giantism.’
‘Blunderbore or Pantagruel, and seven-league boots, or the blood-sniffing lament of Child Rowland approaching the Dark Tower,’ murmured Godfrey, and then turned fiery red, and apologized.
‘Well, whatever he was or wasn’t, and wherever he came from,’ said Curran, ‘we’ll make sure he has suitable burial in the churchyard.’ He stood up. ‘Miss Weston, I’ll let you know what happens with Miss Robards.’
‘I’d have to give evidence, wouldn’t I?’
‘I’m afraid so. Is that all right?’
‘Yes,’ said Antonia. ‘But whoever it was–Donna Robards or someone else altogether–I think you’ll find she isn’t fit to stand trial.’
‘Will you come back to the hospital?’ said Jonathan to Antonia, as they left Quire House. ‘To work, I mean.’
‘I don’t know. Would it be possible?’
‘I think so. The board’s talking about expanding my department–making a full-time drug rehabilitation unit. They’ll need someone to head that–maybe undertake some research as well. I could probably swing it your way.’
‘I don’t want anything swung my way. I’d rather get things by my own efforts.’
‘You would get this by your own efforts. You’d be a good person for the job. Are you going to try for reinstatement?’
‘I don’t know.’ Antonia did not say she was afraid of doing this, because a refusal would be too much of a blow.
‘You could start getting back into things with the new unit,’ said Jonathan.
‘Prove myself all over again, and then go cap in hand to the GM? “Please let me be a doctor again.”’
‘Don’t be so spiky. I’m trying to help you.’
‘I know you are. I’m sorry. Can I think about it?’
‘Yes, of course. You aren’t going to stay here though, are you?’
‘I’ll have to stay for a bit longer.’
‘Why? The police investigation’s wound up. What is there to stay for?’
‘Oh,’ said Antonia vaguely, ‘loose ends to tidy up.’
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Dear Daniel