Part 1
A Semi-barbarous Age
Revenge is the naked idol of worship in a semi-barbarous age.
-Percy Bysshe Shelly.
Chapter 1
A Meeting of the Minds
On a train in Union Station[1]
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Friday, June 22nd, 1917, 1:27 pm
Knowing that it would not be practical to even attempt to put his trunk above him, Lieutenant[2] John Wood kept it on the ground. Even though he was wounded a little over two months ago, he was still feeling the aftereffects of the shrapnel and the operation.[3] Still at least he was alive and able to do things, unlike some of his comrades.
Wood was 32 years old, with reddish-brown hair, brown eyes and a broad handlebar moustache. He was still wearing his uniform, he hadn’t had a chance to change yet, and kept his left hand in his trouser pocket. He was still wearing his uniform. Right now, he was looking out of the window at the platform, waiting for the train to leave the station. The large clock that was hanging from the ceiling had just changed to 1:28 pm. Looking at his own watch, Wood realized that he had not been able to reset his watch since he left France.
“Coc a Garth.”[4]
“Oh, sorry,” said a voice with a heavy Eastern European accent.
He looked around and saw that there was a woman standing at the door.
“It’s all right,” she said. “I can go to another compartment.”
“What?” Wood was temporarily dumbstruck.
“I said that I can go to another compartment.”
Wood shook his head. “Sorry. Please come in.”
The woman was slender, blonde hair tied off in a bun with almond shaped brown eyes. She looked to Wood to be in her late 20s (Though it was rude of him to presume a lady’s age). She had a broad nose above full lips in an angular face. She was shorter than Wood by a few inches by Wood’s estimate. She was wearing a floor length green dress, with a white blouse. She was carrying a small trunk.
Wood stood up. “Do you need help with that trunk?”
The woman smiled. “No. I’m alright Lieutenant…”
As she put her trunk next to Wood’s, he answered.”Wood. Lieutenant John Wood. And you are?”
They sat down. “Svetlana Petrova. Dr. Svetlana Petrova.”
Petrova sensed that Wood was a good man. She found him handsome. She noticed that his left arm seemed….odd. As though someone had frozen it.
Wood blushed. “Oh. Well. I have not met many female doctors.”
“May I ask why you were cursing.”
Wood blushed deeper. “I noticed that my watch was slow. Has been since I left France. Only I can’t wind it anymore.”
Petrova leaned over. “Perhaps, I could be of assistance.”
Leaning forward, Wood gave her his right arm. Petrova took off his watch and wound it to the correct time and put it back on his wrist. As she sat down, she smiled at him.
“Where were you wounded, Lieutenant?”
“Vimy Ridge. I was nearly at the top of the ridge when it happened.”[5]
Petrova crossed her legs. “You seem to have recovered remarkably quick. You didn’t have to go to rehabilitation?”
Wood arched an eyebrow. “I did. It’s just that the doctors felt that I should finish at home.”
“Where is home?”
“Lancaster, Ontario.”
“That’s where I’m headed.”
Wood paused. “Why?”
“I have a job there. The coroner offered me a job as an assistant coroner.”
Wood smiled at that. “Well, Horace has said that he wanted more qualified assistants. You must have impressed him.”
Petrova looked surprised. “You know Doctor Burns?”
“I was a cop before the war. Now I plan to go into the private detective business.”
“And you think that you can do this? What with your arm-”
“Never mind my arm. I can do this. I just need some help is all.”
There was silence between the two as the train started to move out of the station. They looked at each other as though searching for something.
They both laughed.
“Things are a bit tense here, aren’t they?” Wood said, still smiling.
Petrova smiled back. “Yes, it is.”
“Well, I do hope that we will work together.”
The whistle sounded in the distance. The train jerked to a start as the cars were shunted together. The train, at last, started to move a few minutes later. There was silence between the two but neither knew what to say.
“Is there anything I need to know about Dr. Burns before I start to work with him?” Petrova asked.
“Well….” Wood stroked his chin. “He takes his job very seriously. Several of his previous assistants have been fired for taking bribes.”
They fell back into silence. There was not much they could say to each other, or so they felt at the time. Then Wood said:
“Where are you staying?”
“This place on Maddox St.? It’s called-”
“The Cardiff Arms?”
“Yes. You know the place?”
“I live there myself.”
Petrova raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“My father owns the building. He is letting me live in one of the apartments.”
After a few minutes more silence, Wood leaned forward and said:
“Look you’re new here and you need to be shown around, see the sights.”
“Are you offering to be my escort?”
Wood blushed. “Well, yes, yes I am.”
“I didn’t mean to embarrass you Lieutenant.”
“No. It’s OK. How ’bout it?”
“It will have to be after work. However, I am adverse to being shown around. Especially by someone I just met. Though I will accept, my job permitting of course.”
“Of course.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes, the train rocking back and forth on the tracks. The conductor came by to check their tickets. Eventually, Petrova spoke.
“You must be glad o be going home.”
Wood smiled. “Yes, I am. My sister wrote to me saying that she wants to help with the detective business.”
Petrova raised an eyebrow. “You are alright with this?”
“How do you mean?”
“It’s just that I always thought of detection as a man’s occupation.”
Wood stroked his chin. “I hadn’t thought of that. Besides I need someone to take notes.”
Petrova frowned slightly. “I meant do you think she can handle any dead bodies you come across?”
Wood frowned too. “I don’t think so. I may need someone else to help with those cases. Though I may still run across bodies in my investigations.”
Petrova nodded. She looked down. She did not wish to come off as pessimistic about his abilities or those of his sister. After all she had just meet him. She looked up at him. He was looking at her with curiosity.
“I’m sorry if I insulted you.”
Wood waved his good hand dismissively. “It’s ok. I had wondered about whether I should have two assistants myself. Ethel, that’s my sister, she was never good with bodies. I learned early on not to go into details about the murders I was investigating with her.”
The train started to slow. They had arrived in Lancaster.
[1] That is the Old Union Station that was in use from 1873 to 1927. It is located just west of the current Union Station, on the waterfront.
[2] First Lieutenant doesn’t exist as a rank in the Canadian Army.
[3] By all rights, Wood, given the nature of his injury, should have stayed in the hospital for another month. From the doctor’s reports that are available, he seems to have been a remarkably fast healer, comparatively speaking. This may account for his release in early June.
[4] According to surviving friends and family members of Wood and Petrova, they would both speak in other languages, especially when overcome with emotion. Petrova in Russian and Yiddish and Wood in Welsh. When this comes up, I will not be providing translations.
[5] Vimy Ridge was, and is, a defining moment in Canadian history as it was the first time that Canadians fought together in war. It lasted from Easter Monday, April 9th, 1917-Thursday, April 12th, 1917. Wood was wounded on April 10th.
Underwood Productions 