The doctor considered long, in silence.At last he said: "I see only one way out.If Dal could somehow be brought to realise your point of view at that time as a possible one, without knowing it had actually been the cause of your refusal of him, and could have the chance to express himself clearly on the subject--to me, for instance--in a way which might reach you without being meant to reach you, it might put you in a better position toward him.But it would be difficult to manage.If you could be in close contact with his mind, constantly near him unseen--ah, poor chap, that is easy now--I mean unknown to him; if, for instance, you could be in the shoes of this nurse-companion person I am sending him, and get at his mind on the matter; so that he could feel when you eventually made your confession, he had already justified himself to you, and thus gone behind his blindness, as it were."Jane bounded in her chair."Deryck, I have it! Oh, send ME as his nurse-companion! He would never dream it was I.It is three years since he heard my voice, and he thinks me in Egypt.The society column in all the papers, a few weeks ago, mentioned me as wintering in Egypt and Syria and remaining abroad until May.Not a soul knows I have come home.You are the best judge as to whether I have had training and experience; and all through the war our work was fully as much mental and spiritual, as surgical.It was not up to much otherwise.Oh, Dicky, you could safely recommend me; and I still have my uniforms stowed away in case of need.I could be ready in twenty-four hours, and I would go as Sister--anything, and eat in the kitchen if necessary.""But, my dear girl," said the doctor quietly, "you could not go as Sister Anything, unfortunately.You could only go as Nurse Rosemary Gray; for I engaged her this morning, and posted a full and explicit account of her to Dr.Mackenzie, which he will read, to our patient.
I never take a case from one nurse and give it to another, excepting for incompetency.And Nurse Rosemary Gray could more easily fly, than prove incompetent.She will not be required to eat in the kitchen.She is a gentlewoman, and will be treated as such.I wish indeed you could be in her shoes, though I doubt whether you could have carried it through--And now I have something to tell you.Just before I left him, Dalmain asked after you.He sandwiched you most carefully in between the duchess and Flower; but he could not keep the blood out of his thin cheeks, and he gripped the bedclothes in his effort to keep his voice steady.He asked where you were.Isaid, I believed, in Egypt.When you were coming home.I told him Ihad heard you intended returning to Jerusalem for Easter, and Isupposed we might expect you home at the end of April or early in May.He inquired how you were.I replied that you were not a good correspondent, but I gathered from occasional cables and post-cards that you were very fit and having a good time.I then volunteered the statement that it was I who had sent you abroad because you were going all to pieces.He made a quick movement with his hand as if he would have struck me for using the expression.Then he said: 'Going to pieces? SHE!' in a tone of most utter contempt for me and my opinions.Then he hastily made minute inquiries for Flower.He had already asked about the duchess all the questions he intended asking about you.When he had ascertained that Flower was at home and well, and had sent him her affectionate sympathy, he begged me to glance through a pile of letters which were waiting until he felt able to have them read to him, and to tell him any of the handwritings known to me.All the world seemed to have sent him letters of sympathy, poor chap.I told him a dozen or so of the names I knew,--a royal handwriting among them.He asked whether there were any from abroad.
There were two or three.I knew them all, and named them.He could not bear to hear any of them read; even the royal letter remained unopened, though he asked to have it in his hand, and fingered the tiny crimson crown.Then he asked.'Is there one from the duchess?'
There was.He wished to hear that one, so I opened and read it.It was very characteristic of her Grace; full of kindly sympathy, heartily yet tactfully expressed.Half-way through she said: 'Jane will be upset.I shall write and tell her next time she sends me an address.At present I have no idea in which quarter of the globe my dear niece is to be found.Last time I heard of her she seemed in a fair way towards marrying a little Jap and settling in Japan.Not a bad idea, my dear Dal, is it? Though, if Japan is at all like the paper screens, I don't know where in that Liliputian country they will find a house, or a husband, or a what-do-you-call-'em thing they ride in, solid enough for our good Jane!' With intuitive tact of a very high order, I omitted this entire passage about marrying the Jap.When your aunt's letter was finished, he asked point blank whether there was one from you.I said No, but that it was unlikely the news had reached you, and I felt sure you would write when it did.So I hope you will, dear; and Nurse Rosemary Gray will have instructions to read all his letters to him.""Oh, Deryck," said Jane brokenly, "I can't bear it! I must go to him!"The telephone bell on the doctor's table whirred sharply.He went over and took up the receiver.
"Hullo!...Yes, it is Dr.Brand....Who is speaking?...Oh, is it you, Matron?"--Jane felt quite sorry the matron could not see the doctor's charming smile into the telephone.--"Yes? What name did you say?...Undoubtedly.This morning; quite definitely.A most important case.She is to call and see me to-night...What?...
Mistake on register? Ah, I see...Gone where?...Where?...
Spell it, please...Australia! Oh, quite out of reach!...
Yes, I heard he was ordered there...Never mind, Matron.You are in no way to blame...Thanks, I think not.I have some one in view...Yes....Yes....No doubt she might do...I will let you know if I should require her...Good-bye, Matron, and thank you."The doctor hung up the receiver.Then he turned to Jane; a slow, half-doubtful smile gathering on his lips.
"Jeanette," he said, "I do not believe in chance.But I do believe in a Higher Control, which makes and unmakes our plans.You shall go."
