Doctor Fane (hiatus)

The New Nurse III.

Doctor Culpepper was not the only person interested in the new nurse. In the largest of the old, big houses in the hills beyond the village, Lady Loretta Nittleton was discussing the matter with her daughter, Desdemona. They had a particular right to be interested, as a matter of fact, because Lord William, Lady Nittleton's husband, was the founder of the hospital and the chairman of the board. Nothing that went on at the hospital could go on without their censure or approval. As to the new nurse, they were yet undecided in their opinion. They already knew that she was twenty-seven. Sir William had been able to tell them that. They did not know if she was pretty. Sir William had not seen her, and even if he had, he would not have noticed.

"I hope," Desdemona said anxiously to her mother, "that she is not pretty, for Miss Devon is always distracting the doctors, or any other male creature that comes in to the room. We cannot have two such nurses as Miss Devon. One is more than enough."

"I do not think a creature with such artificial feathers could be considered pretty," Lady Nittleton replied; she distrusted the brass of Zelda's hair and did not believe that it could be natural with such dark eyebrows. And perhaps it was not. Under the little nurse's cap, any dark roots might well be hidden until Zelda's day off each month. "And I should not think the new nurse will be either. They always have such... strong wrists and stout ankles."

Desdemona, who was a creature of wilting, orchid slenderness, approved this sentiment. At twenty-nine, past her first bloom of youth and never in possession of a bloom of beauty, she had decided she was going to marry Doctor Fane. It would be a very radical thing, she thought, for a baronet's daughter to marry a mere doctor — a mere doctor, who, though brilliant, had been expelled from brilliant society for an indiscretion. The presence of another pretty nurse in the hospital might threaten her plans. "Stout ankles," she repeated. "Strong wrists. And I might add, Miss Devon has very large feet."

"She does indeed." Lady Nittleton dwelt on the thought for a while. "Unless it merely those dreadful, sensible shoes she wears."

It cheered Desdemona to think that the new nurse would also have to wear the same sensible shoes, so very round in the toe and flat in the heel. "And the new nurse may not be pretty at all," she said. "Not that I wish her to be very ugly. An ugly nurse can be just as distracting as a pretty one — there were times when I do believe Miss Jameson made the patients sicker."

Lady Nittleton snorted, coughed to hide it, and then let out the airy tinkle which she used to convey her deepest amusement. "We had best hope that the new nurse is nothing more and nothing less than plain," she said. "That would be the best of all possible worlds."

"That is my hope," Desdemona said. "I did try to talk with Doctor Fane about it, you know. I met him as he was coming back from Mrs Heston's — she, I think, has only half as many aches and pains as she imagines she does — and he stopped his car—"

"—That dreadful thing," Lady Nittleton murmured.

"Don't interrupt, Mummy. Doctor Fane stopped his car for me and said hello and I said I was on my quotidian constitutional and he asked me how do I spell that, which I think was a joke. So, there, you have often wondered if Doctor Fane has a sense of humour and now I have proof that he does." Desdemona smiled to herself at the memory then tucked it away again. "But, anyway, he couldn't get his car to start again afterwards, so I took advantage of the moment to press him about the new nurse. I said that I hoped we would not get another nurse like Miss Devon. And do you know what he said?"

"If it was not a monosyllable, it will have been something sarcastic," Lady Nittleton said. "I do not like sarcasm."

"He is not sarcastic, Mummy. He is dry. But he said, 'What do you mean? Another competent, hard-working nurse, like Miss Devon is?' And I said, 'You know what I mean. She is always flirting with the patients. I do not think it proper.' I did not mention the way she flirts with him and Doctor Culpepper. And he said that I may hope whatever I want and think improper whatever I please."

"That was sarcasm," Lady Nittleton said.

"I would not call it sarcasm. He was merely being dry — that is a bad habit of his. But he did intend to brush me off."

That she knew he intended it only made him all the more appealing. As a general rule, men ignored Desdemona or toadied to her. For a man to be rude to her was a pleasant and unique friction. His rudeness demanded taming. She would be the one to tame it.

"And I must say," Desdemona said eagerly, "that as ones who are... almost patrons to the hospital as much as Daddy, I should think, we have the right to set the standards of the nurses' behaviour. But, there, Doctor Fane does not think her improper! Well, Mummy, how shall we persuade him?"

Lady Nittleton shook her head. "Dessie darling, there is no persuading the man. You had much better apply to your father. He will be able to exert his influence in the matter of Miss Devon — or the new nurse, if she be of the same design."

"If she is." Desdemona tossed her head. "I should like to find out. I will visit the hospital tomorrow to see her."

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A/N: Short little chapter. As I've said, don't expect regular updates, but this story will crawl along at a snail's pace.