by L. T. Meade
CHAPTER III.
Meanwhile Dr. Staunton and Dorothy drove quickly to The Grange. It wasstill very early in the morning, and when they arrived at the great halldoor it was opened by Squire Harvey himself.
"That's right, Dr. Staunton!" he exclaimed. "I am so glad you have come.Oh, and I see you have brought a nurse. What a blessing! Now, perhaps,you will induce my wife to take some rest. How lucky that you were ableto find a nurse in a little place like Whittington!"
"I am very fortunate indeed," replied the doctor in his hearty voice."Nurse Fraser has been trained at St. Joseph's, and happens to bestaying at Whittington for a brief holiday. She has most kindlyconsented to undertake the case until we can get fresh assistance fromLondon."
"I will stay as long as I am wanted," said Dorothy in her quiet voice."If I can be shown to a room for a moment to take off my bonnet andcloak, I will go immediately afterward to the little patient."
Dorothy's voice was perfectly cool and calm. She did not speak in theconstrained whisper which the poor Squire thought it right to use. Therewas an everyday tone in her voice which at this moment was absolutelyrefreshing, and the sympathy in her blue eyes just gave the rightquality to the cool tones.
The doctor looked at her with unconcealed admiration. "That girl is onein ten thousand," he said to himself. "She will keep us all on ourmettle, I can see, but there is plenty of heart underneath that coolexterior."
The great luxurious house looked neglected and wretched. Although thefather and mother were up, and one or two servants were assisting in thesickroom, the greater number of the servants were still in bed. Therewas no one to take Miss Fraser to a room, and the Squire looked roundhim in hopeless bewilderment.
Dorothy saw at a glance that she must take matters into her own hands.
"I do not want to trouble you," she said. "I can put my cloak and bonnetin here. I should like to put on my cap and apron before I goupstairs."
She opened a door as she spoke, and went into a room where all theblinds were down, took off her outdoor things, and, taking a cap out ofher bag, slipped it over her hair, tied on a white apron, and then stoodready and capable, and fresh and bright, before the Squire and thedoctor.
"Now, come straight upstairs with me," said the doctor.
They went up together; Squire Harvey followed them at a distance. Whenthe doctor reached the first landing, he opened a green baize door, shutit behind him, and walked down a long, cool corridor which led in thedirection of the nurseries.
"Now, look here," he said, turning and facing Dorothy, "the great thingthat we have both to do is to keep this terrible disease from spreading.One or two of the servants have been with the case from the first; thefather and mother have been in and out of the room as freely andunconstrainedly as if the child had only a cold the matter with her; ifthey are likely to take the infection, the mischief is probably donealready; but, on the chance of this not being so, I shall beg of theSquire to come into this part of the house as seldom as possible. And asto Mrs. Harvey, she must be got away; that is your task, nurse. You willallow me to call you nurse, won't you?"
"Certainly. Call me Nurse Dorothy; I like that name best. I am calledthat by the children at St. Joseph's."
"Very well. I am sure you will be a blessing here; but a great deal oftact must be used. The position of affairs is extremely difficult."
"I will do my best," replied the nurse. The doctor gave her another lookof complete satisfaction, and they entered the room where the littlepatient lay between life and death.
A small cot had been drawn almost into the center of the room, theblinds were down, there was a sense of desolation, and a heavy smell inthe air.
"Who has shut these windows?" said the doctor in a voice of disapproval.
He went straight across the room, drew up one of the blinds, and openedthe window two or three inches. A fresh current of air immediatelyimproved the close atmosphere.
When he spoke, and when he and Nurse Fraser came into the room, afair-haired young woman, who was on her knees by the side of the cot,started up suddenly, and gazed at them out of a pair of wide blue eyes.Her cheeks were deeply flushed, her lips were parched and dry.
"Oh, doctor," she said, staggering toward Dr. Staunton, "you have comeback. What a blessing! She is asleep now; perhaps she is better."
The doctor went over and looked at the child. She was a little creatureof not more than five years of age. In health she may have been pretty,she probably was; but now, the shadowy little face, the emaciated hands,the hot, dry, cracked lips, were the reverse of beautiful. They were allthat was pathetic, however; and Dorothy's heart went straight out to thebaby who lay there in such suffering and weakness.
The doctor looked at her, and gave a significant glance toward Mrs.Harvey.
Dorothy took her cue at once.
"I have come to nurse your dear little girl, madam," she said. "Dr.Staunton has brought me. I have a great deal of experience, as I amsuperintendent of one of the children's wards at St. Joseph's Hospital.I think you may trust your little girl to me; but first of all, let metake you to your room and put you to bed."
"Put me to bed!" said Mrs. Harvey, with a laugh which jarred oneveryone's nerves. "I have not been in bed for nights. I could notsleep. When the doctor tells me that Freda is out of danger, then I maybe able to sleep, but not before--not before."
"Whether you sleep or not," continued Dorothy, "you must come and liedown. You are completely worn out, and can do no good whatever to thechild in your present condition. While she sleeps it is surely rightthat you should sleep too. Come, I will promise to call you if you arewanted."
"Yes, dear madam, let me entreat of you to go to bed," said the doctor.
The door was opened at this moment, and the Squire came in.
"Now Elfreda," he said, coming up to his wife, "you will go and takesome rest, won't you?"
She looked from him to the nurse, and from the nurse to the doctor, andthen her tired, bright eyes fell upon the little parched face lying onthe pillow.
"I know she is going to die!" she said, with a kind of broken sob. "Icannot leave her. How can anyone dare to ask me to leave my little childjust now?" Her agitation became more terrible each moment. She wasevidently on the verge of hysterics.
Dorothy walked straight from the nursery to a sort of dressing-roomwhich lay beyond. There was a small bed there, which was sometimesoccupied by the under-nurse. A scared-looking, tired young woman wasstanding in this room. Dorothy gave her quick directions. "Get cleansheets, and make this bed up immediately," she said.
The girl started, but looked relieved at having anything explicit to do.She ran off to obey, and Dorothy came back to the sickroom.
"Hush!" she said, going up to Mrs. Harvey, who was standing shaking fromhead to foot with dry sobs. "You must not give way like this; it is verywrong. Remember you have not only yourself to think of." She bentforward and whispered a word in the young mother's ear. Mrs. Harveystarted, and with a violent effort controlled herself.
"I see that you must not be separated from your child," continuedDorothy--"at least, not at present. I am having a bed made up for you inthe dressing-room, where you will be within call."
"Ah, yes, that's better," said the poor lady--"that's much better."
"Come, then, at once," said Dorothy. She held out her hand. Mrs. Harveycrossed the room. She and Dorothy disappeared into the dressing-room.
In ten minutes the nurse came back to Dr. Staunton. "I have undressedher, and she is in bed," she said. "She is very weak, and in a terriblynervous condition; she ought to sleep for hours. Will you prepare acomposing draught for her it once?"
"Yes," said the doctor; "I have brought some medicines with me."
He went out of the room, and returned in a minute or two with a smalldose in a glass.
Dorothy took it into the dressing-room. Mrs. Harvey's tired eyes wereshut already.
"Now, you're to drink this," said Dorothy, raising her head slightly."Drink t
his--don't open your eyes. Trust. Lean on me, if you like.Believe me, that nothing would induce me not to call you if your childwere in real danger, but you must sleep now--sleep, and try to believethat all will be well."
"You comfort me, nurse," said Mrs. Harvey. "You are strong. I somehowbelieve in you."
"You may do so," said Dorothy. She bent down and kissed the hot lips.She absolutely forgot that she was only the nurse, and that the tiredwoman in the bed was a lady of high position. At such a moment as thisthey were only two women, two sisters.
Dorothy waited for a moment to see the sleeping draught take effect,then, drawing down the blind, she left the room, closing the door softlybehind her.
When she returned to the nursery, Dr. Staunton was bending over littleFreda, who had opened her eyes, and was moaning in terrible pain.
"The fever is better," he said, turning to the nurse; "the feverishstage is over, and of course, although we may expect and must guardagainst complications, there is no reason why the child should not dowell as far as that is concerned, but the state of the throat is thereal anxiety. I do not like to suggest such a terrible operation astracheotomy, but if the child does not get relief before long, I fearthere is no help for it, and it must be performed."
Dorothy bent down and examined the little patient carefully.
"I have had a good deal of experience in these cases," she said, after apause, "and have found "--she mentioned a certain remedy which could beinhaled--"work wonders, especially in the cases of children."
"I have not heard of it," said Dr. Staunton, knitting his brows inanxiety, "but it sounds simple, and I see no harm in trying it."
"It is very simple," said Dorothy. "I should like to try it."
The child moaned and tossed on her pillow.
The doctor went out of the room to prepare the medicine which the nursehad recommended, and Dorothy called one of the frightened servants toher side. She told her that she meant to take the child up and walkabout the room with her in her arms.
"While she is out of bed I will have the windows closed," said thenurse, "and of course she must be well wrapped up in blankets. She maydrop off to sleep again in my arms; anyhow, the change of position andthe slight movement will be most refreshing to her. Will you make thebed and put on clean sheets while I am walking about with the child?"
The girl promised to obey.
"It is very infectious, ain't it, miss?" she said suddenly.
"It is in God's hands," replied the nurse.
There was a sound in her voice, a sort of thrill of strength, whichsubjugated the girl at once, and made her forget her fears. She obeyedthe nurse's directions with a will; and when, in an hour's time, Dr.Staunton returned with the remedy which Nurse Dorothy had suggested, hescarcely knew the sickroom.
The little child had been laid back again in bed. Her long hair wascombed away from her pale, worn face, Dorothy had plaited it neatly; thelittle face was washed, and looked almost cool compared with its oldflushed and weary condition. The bed was neat, and in perfect order,with snowy sheets. The tired little head rested on a cool pillow.Dorothy and the maid had removed the carpets from the floor, and theroom was sprinkled with a disinfectant. Two of the windows were open,and a faint sweet breath of air from the garden outside blew into theroom.
"Why, nurse, this is an admirable change," said the doctor.
"It is necessary," replied Nurse Dorothy. "There is no chance ofrecovery without fresh air and a cool, quiet, calm atmosphere. I thinkRhoda"--she looked at the servant as she spoke--"will help me with thiscase, and I should like as few other people as possible in the room. Ihave promised Mrs. Harvey to call her if there is any change for theworse in the child, but my impression is she will soon be better."
"God grant it!" said the doctor.
"What a blessing a good, properly-trained nurse is!" he thought, as hewent off to the room which had been prepared for him, and where he wasglad to take an hour or two of much-needed rest.
