Betty Neels - Damsel In Green.txt Read online

  like Karel.

  "What shall we call you?" he asked.

  "The children call you George, but perhaps you'd rather we didn't--I don't

  think Cousin Julius likes it very much, although he's never said so, but when

  Karel told us about you he said you were called Georgina and were the

  prettiest nurse he had ever seen, and Cousin Julius asked him if he meant

  Staff Nurse Rodman, and his face was all empty like it goes when he doesn't

  want us to know what he's thinking."

  Four pairs of eyes, all blue, stared at her, and she found herself blushing

  faintly, not sure why. She asked carefully, "What would you like to call me?"

  Cor gave her a surprised look.

  "George, of course. Fancy asking!" The others nodded.

  "Well," said Georgina, "I tell you what I'll do. When I see your guardian

  I'll ask him if he minds--I don't suppose it matters--you can always call me

  Nurse Rodman when there's anyone about."

  "Of course," agreed Dimphena, 'though Stephens and Mrs. Stephens and Milly

  don't count. "

  Georgina knitted her brows.

  "No?" she asked.

  "Do I know who they are?"

  "Stephens is the butler," said Franz, 'and his wife does the housekeeping and

  cooking, and Milly looks after the house--they've been here for simply ages.

  Will you really ask Julius? "

  "Yes, of course," Georgina replied briskly. She looked at her watch.

  "Old Saw--Mr. Sawbridge said he'd rather you didn't stay too long this

  evening. If someone would tell me how to get Cor's supper..."

  Dimphena walked over to the old-fashioned brass bell handle by the fireplace.

  "You can tell Stephens what you want. Have you seen your room?"

  Georgina shook her head.

  "No, not yet, but I've not had time."

  Dimphena flushed.

  "I'm sorry--Julius would be annoyed at the short shrift we're giving you."

  Georgina laughed.

  "But I'm not a guest, you know, only the nurse, and there was quite a lot to

  do when we arrived. Perhaps I could go and unpack while Cor is having his

  supper."

  Dimphena looked rather taken aback.

  "Milly will unpack for you while we're at dinner, but I'll take you to your

  room presently, if you like."

  She broke off as the door opened and Stephens came in. He was a small man

  with an ageless face and sandy hair brushed neatly over the baldness it

  didn't quite conceal. His face had no expression, but his black boot-button

  eyes were intelligent and lively. He was accompanied by a black labrador and

  two cats--the first a ginger with a decided squint and the second a rather

  obsequious tabby. The three animals approached the bed in single file and

  then stood staring at its occupant, and were only prevented from making a

  concerted leap on to it by the warnings, delivered in a variety of accents,

  by everyone in the room.

  Everyone, that was, but Comelis, who shouted with delight when he saw them,

  and begged anyone who would listen that they might be allowed on his bed for

  just one minute. Georgina saw the mutinous look on his face and said, "One

  at a time, then," and suiting the action to the word, lifted the ginger cat

  on to the bed so that he might touch Cor's cheek with a pink nose.

  "He missed me--look how he missed me!" cried Cor. The cat patted him gently

  with a soft paw.

  "He's Ginger," he explained as Georgina put the cat back on the floor and

  picked up the tabby.

  "Of course they missed you," she said in a sensible voice, 'they're just as

  fond of you as you are of them. What do you call this one? "

  "Toto--Cousin Julius said he was a clown when he was a kitten. He's shy."

  He stroked its head, and was rewarded by a lick or so from a pink tongue.

  "Now the dog," said Georgina. The beast, without being told, heaved himself

  up and laid his forepaws on the bed. The boy and the dog gazed at each other

  for a long minute. Cor sighed, "Dear Robby, it's nice to be home."

  Georgina thought she detected tears in his voice. He was more tired than she

  had supposed.

  "You shall have them up here every day--tomorrow morning," she said bracingly.

  "Now it's time for your supper."

  These words had their desired effect. It was decided that scrambled eggs on

  very buttery toast, a cup of chocolate, followed by a plate of Mrs. Stephens'

  very special homemade almond biscuits, were exactly what he most wanted, and

  Stephens, murmuring that he would be back within ten minutes, went away,

  ushering the animals before him.

  It seemed a good moment to ask to see her room, thought Georgina, and did so,

  suggesting with some diffidence that Franz might like to stay with his

  brother for a minute or two. With Beatrix hanging on to her hand, and

  Dimphena on the other side, she crossed the room to a door in its panelled

  wall. It opened into a room which seemed most magnificent, but also, she

  realised, as she took a quick look round her, very comfortable. Dimphena

  walked ahead of her and opened another door, to disclose a bathroom which was

  a modern as the bedroom was steeped in the past.

  "Julius didn't think you would mind being next door to Cor," she said, 'and

  you're to be sure and ask for anything you want. " She smiled, " I do hope

  you'll like being here; it's quiet, although we're a noisy family. I left

  school last term, and I thought I should find it very dull, but I was never

  more mistaken. Julius says I must go to a school in Switzerland after

  Christmas--just for a year, you know--and I was so excited about it, but now

  I've been home for a month or so, and I don't think I want to go at all. "

  "But you'll have it all waiting for you when you come home," observed

  Georgina sensibly.

  "And a year goes very quickly." She stifled a pang of envy, not for the year

  in Switzerland, but for the lovely home Dimphena would return to, and turned

  her attention to Beatrix who was demanding to know if she was going to change

  her uniform for dinner.

  "Well, no," she said hesitantly, 'your guardian particularly asked me to wear

  my uniform excepting in my free time, of course. "

  Two pairs of round eyes regarded hers. After a moment Dimphena said:

  "It seems funny, but Julius always has good reasons for things."

  She looked at Beatrix.

  "Doesn't he, Beatrix?" The small girl nodded, apparently quite content with

  the explanation. It seemed that the Professor held the reins very firmly in

  his household. Georgina turned towards the door.

  "I'd better go back, I think. Cor will need to be lifted up a bit before

  supper, and then if you'd all say goodnight.. "

  When they had all gone and Stephens had brought up the tray, she sat at the

  little writing table under the window making out her charts in a neat

  handwriting, pausing from time to time to answer Cor's remarks.

  However, he soon despatched his supper, and she put away her papers and

  prepared to amuse him for the half hour or so before dinner.

  They were halfway through a game of draughts, which she was losing in a most

  humiliating manner, when the door opened and the Professor walked in. He

  answered his small cousin's shout of welcome in avunc
ular manner and then

  turned his attention to Georgina. She had got to her feet when he entered,

  and said, with almost as much starch in her voice as there was in her apron,

  "Good evening, sir," but got no further at the look of amused irritation on

  his face.

  "Hullo, Nurse," he answered casually, 'and for heaven's sake, don't jump up

  and down every time we meet; my nerves won't stand it! " He smiled with a

  friendly warmth that robbed the words of any seriousness and went on, " I

  expect you would like ten minutes or so before dinner. I'll keep Cor company

  if I may, and we can go down together when the gong goes. " He pulled a

  mahogany stool up to Cor's bed and sat himself down with an airy wave of

  dismissal which she was glad to obey. Even if she was forced to eat her

  dinner in all the severe stiffness of her uniform, she could at least give

  herself the satisfaction of doing the best she could with her hair and her

  face.

  Ten minutes later she stood staring at her reflection in the shield back

  Sheraton mirror upon it. Despite her pretty starched cap and apron, her

  carefully made-up face and immaculate hair, she felt herself woefully

  unsuitably clad for dinner with the family. She took another critical look

  at her face in the Valentine mirror on a side table; its glass was

  heart-shaped, as was its ornate silver frame. She thought she had never seen

  anything as pretty and had just picked it up to admire it more closely when

  she heard the dinner gong. She hurried into Cor's room, with the vague

  feeling that Professor Eyffert was the sort of man who expected punctuality.

  He was indeed, standing by Cor's bed, with the games table back where it

  belonged and a book ready for the small patient's amusement lying on his

  bed-table. She hurried over to him, saying in a cool little voice, "I don't

  know at what time Cor goes to bed--but Mr. Sawbridge suggested that he should

  have an early night," and was surprised when the Professor meekly closed the

  book and moved the bed table to the foot of the bed.

  "Then we must do as he says, must we not?" be remarked placidly. He gave

  his cousin a hand and wished him goodnight, then stood a little apart while

  Georgina straightened the bed covers and turned a pillow.

  "Comfy?" she asked.

  "I'll put out the light, shall I, and leave the door open--the bell's under

  your hand and you may be sure that I shall hear it; I've very sharp ears.

  Anyway, I shall come in and see if you're asleep when Icome upstairs."

  Cor nodded sleepily and yawned, then opened his eyes very wide.

  "I don't usually kiss ladies," he said, 'but I should like you to kiss me

  goodnight, George. "

  She squeezed his thin hand on the coverlet and bent and dropped a light kiss

  on his cheek.

  "Sleep well, dear. Tomorrow we'll make all sorts of plans." She smiled at

  him delightfully, forgetful of the man watching them. He didn't speak until

  they were halfway down the stairs, then, "It's extraordinary, Cornelis hasn't

  allowed anyone to kiss him--other than his sisters--since his mother died..."

  Georgina glanced at him shyly.

  "No, it's not extraordinary at all.

  Nurses are a bit like mothers--I mean, we do all the things for children that

  mothers usually do. "

  He said kindly, "I daresay you're quite right. Anyway, I'm very glad of it."

  They went into the dining-room and had their dinner with a good deal of

  light-hearted conversation. Georgina was seated at the foot of the Regency

  table, opposite the Professor, with Beatrix next to her. The little girl ate

  a simple little supper--she had, Georgina noticed, beautiful manners and was

  encouraged to join in the talk, and despite the elegance of the table

  appointments and the dignity of the room, the atmosphere was that of a happy

  family having supper together without formality, although the menu was hardly

  that of a simple supper. Prawn cocktails and roast gosling, followed by a

  chocolate mousse with a great deal of whipped cream, was the kind of meal she

  would have considered a great treat in the ordinary way-it seemed the

  Professor and his family were in the habit of living in great comfort. They

  went back to the drawing-room for their coffee, and Beatrix climbed on to her

  guardian's knee and yawned into his waistcoat until he said, "Bed for you, my

  poppet."

  Georgina stood up too and said, "Let me take her up. I--I should like to go

  to bed too if you won't think me rude."

  He got up at once, exclaiming, "My dear good girl, how thoughtless of me!

  You must be longing for bed and there are several things I had meant to talk

  to you about this evening, for I have to leave early tomorrow."

  Georgina resolutely kept resignation out of her voice, "Very well, I'll take

  Beatrix up and come down again, shall I?" and was relieved when he said,

  "Indeed no, I'm no slave driver Go to bed, Miss Rodman;

  but I should be grateful if you could see me tomorrow before I leave, and I

  must warn you that that is early in the morning. I breakfast at half past

  seven--perhaps we could clear up several points then? I shan't ask you to

  share my breakfast, but perhaps you will have a cup of coffee. "

  She agreed; after all, she was in the habit of getting up at six-thirty most

  days. She said goodnight and went upstairs with Beatrix clutching her hand,

  the Professor's formal "Goodnight, Nurse' still ringing in her ears.

  Beatrix's room, she discovered, was down one of the small passages leading

  off the main upstairs corridor. It was a good deal smaller than Cor's, but

  its furniture was so exactly right for a small girl, and the furnishings so

  pretty, that she stopped in the doorway and exclaimed:

  "What a lovely room, Beatrix--like something out of a fairy-tale!"

  Beatrix was climbing into bed.

  "Yes, isn't it? When we came here I was a very little girl, and Cousin

  Julius thought 1 might be frightened sometimes if I woke in the night, so I

  sleep next door to him, and when I got bigger, he let me choose the colours I

  like best..." she nodded at a door in the farthest wall.

  "There's another room there;

  our nurse had it until she got married. Now it's empty, but I don't mind at

  all 'cos Cousin Julius is so close. "

  She had arranged her very small person in a tight ball, pulled the covers up

  to her ears, and now declared that she was ready to go to sleep, and would

  Georgina kindly kiss her goodnight. Georgina complied, switched on the

  little night- light on the tallboy, and went away to her own room. There was

  no sound coming from Cor, but all the same she went quietly in to see if he

  was sleeping, and, satisfied on that score, she went finally to her bed,

  leaving the door open between them.

  It was dark when she awoke, and at first she thought that it was the alarm

  clock she had had the foresight to bring with her which had awakened her. It

  was, in fact, a gentle tap on her door, and a moment later Milly came quietly

  in carrying a tea tray. She said "Good morning. Nurse," in a pleasant, soft

  voice, put down the tray by the bed and added, "I'll run your bath," then was

  gone again, as silently as
she had come. Georgina bathed and dressed,

  crowned her shining hair with her little muslin cap, and went downstairs.

  The Professor was already at the breakfast table, obviously half way through

  his meal, and dealing with his post, about half of which he had scattered

  around his plate; the remainder, together with a quantity of empty envelopes,

  littered the floor around his chair. He got to his feet as she went in and

  said pleasantly, "Good morning.

  Nurse Rodman. I hope you slept well. Pour yourself some coffee, will you? "

  Georgina removed The Times and sat down and did as she was bid while he made

  vast inroads into his breakfast. She had just settled herself nicely, and

  had raised the cup to her lips when he remarked:

  "I've made a few notes of several small points I feel we should clear. " He

  paused and started to search amongst the untidy heap of letters, until,

  exasperated, Georgina got up and took them from him, identified his untidy

  writing on the back of an envelope and put it into his hand. Before she sat

  down again she piled the letters neatly, whisked a wastepaper basket from a

  corner of the room and threw in the litter on the floor. As she resumed her

  seat, she said sedately, "I'm sorry to be fussy;

  I couldn't possibly concentrate on what you wish to say to me if I were