If I were pretty it would be easy enough to get married.
Men," stated Beth seriously, 'like pretty girls.
' He was peeling a peach, now he put it on a plate and handed it to her
and began one one for himself.
"Of course men like pretty girls; it would be a strange world if we
didn't.
' He smiled suddenly.
"The children think you're pretty, did you know that?
' "No--and how nice of you to tell me; people usually keep nice things
to themselves and pass on the nasty remarks.
' "You sound bitter, dear girl.
' He leaned back in his chair, studying her quite openly.
"Tell me about yourself," he invited.
"There's nothing to tell.
' She spoke too quickly and he said softly: "Ah, I see that I must
wait.
What does William intend to do at the end of the year?
' It was easy enough to talk about William.
"He's going to try for a surgical job--somewhere where he'll get plenty
of experience-the Midlands.
' "You will go with him?
' The?
No.
He'll live in wherever he is; besides, he'll be moving around until he
feels he can try for a registrar's post and his Fellowship.
' "And you will stay at St Elmer's?
' "Well, yes.
.
.
' She saw her future in her mind's eye and didn't much care for it.
She added rather crossly.
"What else should I do?
' "I can think of a number of things.
Shall we have coffee in the sitting room?
' She poured their coffee from the little silver Queen Anne coffee pot
into Spode china cups and passed him the sugar.
The curtains were drawn now and the room looked, despite its
magnificence, delightfully homelike.
She cast a lingering look around her and caught her companion's eye.
"This is a lovely house, and when one is in it, one forgets that London
is just outside.
' He agreed gravely.
"And yet I prefer the country, as I believe you do.
Do you ride, Elizabeth?
' "Yes at least, I used to.
We had a pony when we were children, and then there was Beauty.
.
.
my stepbrother wanted to sell them after my father's death, but we
persuaded him not to.
They'll be old now I hope they're well cared for.
' "Why not?
perhaps they are out to graze at some farm.
' "There were some people called Truscott they had a farm near Chifney,
they may have taken them.
.
.
' "What did you call the pony?
' His voice was placid and she glanced at him; he didn't look tired
now; he was unwinding.
"Sugar he loved it.
IfTruscotts took them they wouldn't be far away they were at the other
end of the village.
' "Ah Chimey.
' Beth shook her head.
"No, that's my home, the village is Lang ton Magna.
' "A small village with a long name, I take it?
' "That's right, it's very pretty there.
' "The English countryside is delightful tell me about it, Elizabeth.
' She liked the way he called her Elizabeth; she would have to be
careful when she got back to St Elmer's, though; it would never do to
be on such a free and easy footing with him there.
It was surprising to her that although they had known each other for
such a short time, she should feel so easy with him, as though she had
known him all her life and he would be going back to Holland very soon
and she would never see him again.
But in the meantime she would tell him about Chifney and the village
because he seemed to be enjoying it, though probably he wouldn't
remember any of it once he was away from England.
She said now, a little hesitantly: "Well, if you would really like to
know.
' and told him about the house and the village and the people who lived
there, although she told him nothing about herself; she had, she
remembered uneasily, already told him too much before, although it
wasn't likely that he remembered much of it.
He didn't appear to be paying much attention to her now and she kept
her chatter deliberately light and after a little while declared her
intention of going to bed; it disappointed her a little that he made no
attempt to persuade her to remain with him a little longer.
He showed little wish to share her company during the next few days
either; they met at occasional meals, or passing each other in the hall
on their way in or out, but usually the children were with her, and if
he had any time to spare he gave it to his small relations.
Beth felt that she was beginning to turn into a real live governess and
that it was a good thing that within a day or so she would be back in
the Recovery Room, so she was all the more surprised when at breakfast
on Friday morning he asked her to accompany him to hospital.
"I haven't a list until this afternoon," he explained, 'and Mar tina
wants to see you.
' She buttered toast.
"What about the children?
' "Mrs Silver has promised to look after them until we get back.
I should like you to come, Miss Partridge.
' She was tempted to think of some excuse because he looked so sure
that he would get his own way, but he had spoken in the same terms that
he might have used if he had been asking her to put up a drip or alter
the flow of the oxygen, so she said: "Very well.
Profess or," and busied herself cutting Alberdina's toast into
fingers.
She was glad that she was already wearing the tweed suit, although she
didn't feel that it really did justice to her companion's elegance as
she joined him in the hall, but her hair had gone up perfectly that
morning with no stray ends, and all the outdoor exercise she had had
with the children had pinkened her cheeks in a most attractive
manner.
She smoothed her leather gloves over her capable hands and sat quietly
beside him while he manoeuvred the car through the traffic.
She was neither ill mannered not particularly shy, but after a quick
glance at his face, it seemed to her that to chatter nothings while he
had such a preoccupied look on his face wouldn't have done at all; it
was only when he stopped outside the hospital's main entrance that she
asked: "Shall I go up to the ward?
I expect you have things to do.
' He stared at her from beneath his hooded lids.
"No, I have nothing to do, we will go together.
' He disdained the lift; by skipping up the stairs without pause Beth
was able to keep pace with him, but only just.
At the top of the first flight she said tartly.
"There are two more flights of stairs, if you don't slow down I shall
just stay where I am.
' He stopped at once.
"My dear girl, I'm sorry.
I was thinking.
' "Yes, I know.
Is something worrying you?
' He was leaning against the hideous wrought iron balustrade.
"Hardly that--ask me again in ten minutes or
so and I'll tell you.
' They went on up, at a more sober pace now, until they reached the
Private Patients' Wing, where, after a brief pause in Sister's office,
they went along to Mevrouw Thor becke's room.
She was up, sitting by the window in the most gorgeous dressing gown
Beth had ever seen, and surrounded by flowers.
She smiled as they went in, offered her brother a cheek to kiss and
gave a hand to Beth as she said in a friendly voice: "I hear from my
brother that you have been wonderful with the children, and I am so
grateful.
Will you sit down?
Has he told you about his--our plan?
' "No.
' Beth turned to look at the profess or, lounging on the end of the
bed, his hands in his pockets, apparently not very interested in the
conversation.
"We--that is I--would be so happy if you would come with me and the
children into the country, just for--shall we say two weeks?
I know that it must seem impossible to you, but it can be arranged.
The children are so fond of you and although I am almost well I do not
think that I could manage without help.
' She paused and Beth took the opportunity to say: "It's very kind of
you to want me, Mevrouw Thor becke, but I haven't any more holiday to
spare.
.
' "Not holiday, it seems that you can be lent.
I do not understand it at all, but Alexander knows all about it.
' She looked anxiously at Beth.
"You do not perhaps like the idea of spending two more weeks with the
children?
' "Well, I hadn't thought about it," said Beth with truth.
"I like them and I've enjoyed this week very much, but I don't want to
lose my job.
' The profess or spoke at last.
"There is no fear of that, I will guarantee that you return to St
Elmer's the moment you wish to.
I've already spoken to all the necessary people it's for you to decide;
you have only to say that you would prefer not to go with my sister.
' "How long exactly would you want me to stay?
I have to think about William.
' "Ah, yes William.
Do you suppose he could manage for another couple of weeks?
' He got off the bed and came over to her chair.
"Dear girl," he said quietly, 'will you do this for me?
' Something in his voice made her look at him; his expression was as
placid as usual, but his eyes were curiously intent.
She told herself that she was being a weak-minded fool as she heard
herself agreeing to go.
CHAPTER FOUR later, after the profess or had taken her back to the
house and gone again, Beth wondered what on earth had possessed her to
agree to his wishes; she liked the children, and she had enjoyed the
week at his house, but there were several reasons why it might not be
convenient now that she had had time for reflection.
The flat and William, for instance--who would clean the former and look
after the latter?
A little belatedly she wished she had asked for time to see William
before she had consented to go away for a further two weeks.
She thought about it, on and off, for the rest of the day, so that the
children accused her of being absentminded more than once, and when
Profess or van Zeust came- home at last after tea, she waylaid him on
his way to his study.
"Could you spare me a few minutes.
Profess or?
' she wanted to know.
He stopped to stare at her.
"Second thoughts, Elizabeth?
' He smiled a little.
"Yes, of course you may have as many minutes as you want-come in.
' He waved her to a chair by the window and sat himself on the edge of
his desk.
"Well?
' he inquired.
"I should like time to see William; I should have talked to him before
I agreed to go with Mevrouw Thor becke--I can't think why I didn't
think of it then.
' "This evening?
' His instant agreement took her by surprise.
"Why not?
It is something I should have thought of, too.
Is he off duty or shall we go to the hospital?
' "He's on call for Cas.
' "In that case we'll go when the children have been put to bed, and
ask Mrs Silver to put back dinner until we return.
' Beth raised her pansy eyes to his.
"Oh, but there's no need for you to take me.
I'll jump on a bus.
' "You will come with me in the car.
' He sounded quite definite about it, and then, smiling his charming
smile, "And I promise you that if you want to change your mind there
will be no hard feelings.
' "Thank you, and I'm sorry to be such a nuisance, but I don't think I
could go until I've seen William.
' "Of course not.
' He got off the desk and walked round to the chair behind it; very
likely he had work to do, so Beth thanked him again and went back to
the children, feeling considerably relieved at his readiness to fall in
with her ideas.
Her relief might not have been so profound if she had overheard the
conversation he had on the telephone as soon as she was safely out of
earshot.
They left a couple of hours later, the children safely tucked up for
the night, and the profess or, while his usual friendly self, made no
mention of the matter uppermost in her mind.
At the hospital entrance he declared that he had something to discuss
with the Senior Registrar, and left her to make her way to Casualty, on
the chance of finding William there.
He was, sitting in Sister's office with Staff Nurse King, drinking tea;
the place empty of patients and having that brooding silence such
places always have once everyone has gone home for the day; that it
would fill up presently was a certainty; it always did, but now it was
peaceful enough in an uneasy kind of way and she could see that William
was in a good mood.
She nodded to Harriet King, with whom she was friendly enough in a
vague way, and asked if she might have a word with her brother.
"Only a minute or two, William--I'm glad I caught you before the
evening rush.
' Harriet got up.
"Go ahead," she invited.
"T've got those wretched lists to fetch from the office--I'll go now.
' She paused on her way out.
"Help yourself to tea, ducky.
' It surprised Beth that William didn't want to know why she had come,
indeed, she had the impression that he had been expecting her, which
was absurd, but he was an easygoing young man and always had been; she
wasted no time on speculation but said at once: "Mevrouw Thor becke
wants me to go back home with her and the children for another two
weeks--somewhere in the country.
' She paused, realizing that she had forgotten to ask where exactly it
was.
"I said I'd go and then afterwards I thought you might not be able to
manage on your own." He grinned at her. "Don't worry about me,
Beth--funnily enough, Dobson'--Dobson was a new house surg
eon, a quiet
retiring young man she had met several times--'asked me only this
morning if I knew of anywhere where he could live for a couple of
weeks-he took over from Bill Knight, you know, but can't go into his
room because Bill's got some virus or other, so poor old Dobson's been
living at a bed and breakfast place and hating it.
He could move in with me for those two weeks and share the rent and so