’It seems strange that we do not project our
own shadows sometimes, and make our patient shiver,’
he said, with a touch of gruffness. ’It
is little that I can do for Phoebe, except order her
a blister or ice when she needs it. One cannot
touch the real nervous suffering: there is where
I look to you for help; a little cheerful talk now
and then may lighten her burden. Anyhow, it would
be a help for poor Miss Locke, who has a sad time
of it trying to earn food for them both. There
is a little niece who lives with them, a subdued,
uncanny little creature, who looks as though the childhood
were crushed out of her; you might take her in hand
too.’
‘I wonder if Phoebe would like me to sing to
her,’ I observed quietly. ‘I have
found it answer sometimes in nervous illnesses.’
I thought my remark surprised him.
‘It is a good idea,’ he said slowly.
’You might try it. Of course it would depend
a great deal on the quality of voice and style of singing.
I wonder if you would allow me to judge of this,’—looking
meaningly at the piano; but I shook my head at this,
and he did not press the point.
We had very little talk after this, for he went away
almost directly, first arranging to meet me at Mrs.
Marshall’s about four the next day and go with
me to Woodbine Cottage.
‘You will find plenty of work, Miss Garston,’
were his final words, ’so do not waste your
strength unnecessarily.’ And then he left
the room, but came back a moment afterwards to say
that his sisters meant to call on me, only they thought
I was hardly settled yet: ’we must get Mr.
Cunliffe to bring you up to Gladwyn: we must
not let you mope.’
I thought there was little chance of this, with Uncle
Max and Mr. Tudor always looking after me. Mr.
Hamilton had hardly closed the door before Uncle Max
opened it again.
‘So the enemy has tasted bread and salt, Ursula,’
he said, looking excessively pleased: ’that
is right, my dear: do not give way to absurd
prejudices. You and Hamilton will get on splendidly
by and by, when you get used to his brusque manner.’
And, though I did not quite endorse this opinion,
I was obliged to acknowledge to myself that the last
half-hour had not been so unpleasant after all.
A DIFFICULT PATIENT
I had a little talk with granny the next day.
Mrs. Marshall was dozing uneasily, and I was sitting
by granny, nursing the baby, and waiting for Mr. Hamilton,
when I felt her cold wrinkled hand laid on mine.
‘What is it, Elspeth?’ I asked, thinking
she wanted something.
’What put it in your head, my bairn, to do the
Lord’s work? that is what I am wanting to know.
I have been listening to you this morning singing
like a bird about the house, with all the bit creatures
chirping about you, and I said to myself, “What
could have put it into her head to leave all her fine
friends, and come and wait on the likes of us old and
sick folk and young bairns?"’
