Gideon's Chair

Chapter 4 Nottingham Present Day

 Chapter 4 Nottingham England 2013

The drive to the hospital seemed longer than usual . I suppose that I may have been daydreaming a little , it's not everyday that a Priest runs away from you , you find the biggest tomb in your town has your name on it and someone leaves a note in your mailbox calling you the devil.

Once again the hospital was packed . This time it seemed there was a book sale to raise money for the hospice which was attracting hordes of people .

As I was a little early I thought I'd browse a little . The smell of fusty books , that sterile hospital aroma and the lady next to me's waft of lavender made quite a combination. I fingered through rows of dusty old books .

Mrs Beaton How To Cook, Latin Dance Made Easy and just next to that one that caught my eye . Lifting it off the shelf I blew the dust away . Nottinghamshire Mills and Mill Owners £1.99.

The buzzer sounded announcing visiting time had started , so handing the money to the assistant I hurried to the ward .

Carol looked just as I had left her . Sighing , I kissed her then placed one of the chairs in the room closer to the bed. Glancing around I couldn't see a nurse , busy I guess , so placing the book on the bed I started to flick through it .

The first few pages were torn , so I thought the best idea was to find some kind of index . Scanning down it a line of dust and years of dirt lined my finger .

Armstrong

Arkwright

Masson

Smedley

Tutbury

"Tutbury " I exclaimed outloud .

Turning to page 160 I folded the spine back to lay the book flat and started to read .

'Joshua Tutbury

1760-1820

Tutbury Great Mill

Five Acres

Nottinghamshire

Arguably the greatest of all the mill owners ......owned the vast Great Mill at Five Acres .....Tutbury opened trade links into America and Asia ....

reading on

Pioneered the Super Boaz machine which was fed from vast reservoirs ......Regarded as a tyrant by many ......when he and his family died of the plague no one mourned his death nor offered him funeral dignity or rights "

He died of the plague , Five Acres , The Great mill...that's got to be his tomb I thought . A tyrant ...I smiled to myself ...can't be related to me then.

I closed the book as I heard the nurse approach .

She looked across the bed at me

" Are you able to come in tomorrow Mr Tutbury" , the nurse picked up Carol's notes continuing that irritating habit of not looking at me when speaking to me .

" Yes of course , why ? " I replied , " Is something wrong"

" We hope to have more results by then Mr Tutbury "

" Oh ok sure " I answered , relieved and frustrated ,

She put the notes down and started to turn

"We think it might be some kind of blood poisoning , or poisoning . Whatever test so far has been inconclusive . We can control it , but we can't cure it .....yet . A new consultant is coming in tomorrow , he is going to have a look"