Free Kit Cavendish-Private Nurse by Margaret Malcolm

kissed her hand.
    “It is beginning to dawn on me,” he admitted. “Though it still seems a miracle to me.”
    They talked in a desultory way for a time. Then Ruth began to work on a piece of embroidery, and Mr. Baylis went back to his book. Suddenly he looked up.
    “Ruth, has Noel said anything to you about going to work?”
    “Not recently,” she replied carefully. “And to be quite honest, I’ve had so much on my mind that I’ve rather tended to shelve the matter.”
    “I’m not surprised,” he said tenderly. “You’ve taken on so much—still, it’s time the boy settled down. I think I’ll have a word with him.”
    “Oh—” Ruth’s hands paused in her work. “Just as you like, darling, but I can manage, you know. Things are easier now that I’ve got back into the running of the office.”
    “No, I think it’s my job,” Mr. Baylis replied thoughtfully. “And yon needn’t worry, my dear. I’ve learned my lesson. Whatever attitude Noel takes, I won’t be upset.”
    An hour later, when Noel came into the room to inquire if there was any tea, Mr. Baylis hardly waited for him to sit down before he opened the matter.
    “We’ve been talking about your joining the firm, Noel,” he said eagerly. “How do you feel about it?”
    If Noel was surprised at his father’s question, he gave no indication.
    “Well ... it’s always been understood that I would, of course.” he remarked. “But I think the real question is, how do you feel about it? I mean, do you think you would find it at all embarrassing?” he enlarged, looking directly at Ruth.
    “Why should I?” Ruth asked, looking puzzled.
    “I don’t know,” Noel admitted. “I just thought it was only fair to ask your opinion. You see, father and I decided this years ago, but now that you’re temporarily running things, I think you ought to be consulted.”
    Ruth puckered her smooth forehead in thought.
    “Just what was the plan?” she asked.
    “Well, in good time, when I knew what it was all about, I would become a partner,” Noel explained. “But first of all, we agreed that I must learn everything from the bottom up. That’s about it, isn’t it, father?”
    “That’s it,” Mr. Baylis agreed. “A year in the plant, then a year in the office; and finally, a partnership. It’s the only way when a young man comes into a family business. The people who work for him must feel that he knows at least as much as they do, otherwise they may resent taking orders from him.”
    Ruth nodded in agreement, but made no comment.
    “What is it?” Mr. Baylis asked rather anxiously.
    “Nothing, really, darling,” Ruth said quickly. “Just, what you said about taking orders made me wonder... ”
    “Yes?” Noel encouraged, his eyes narrowing.
    “Well, I can’t help wondering if we’re making it difficult for Noel,” she said. “I mean, he’ll receive training and take orders from the very men who will subsequently be expected to work under his orders. And I thought, well, Noel might find it embarrassing to remember that but for them, he wouldn’t know anything. If there was any trouble, I mean, and he had to make it clear who was boss... ” Her voice trailed away, and then, with a sigh, she added, “If only he was not going to be absolutely ignorant when he started... ”
    “As a matter of fact, I won’t be,” Noel said coolly.
    Two pairs of eyes looked at him in startled surprise.
    “Oh, how’s that?” Mr. Baylis asked.
    “Well, during the last long vacation I spent most of my time in Tom Fleming’s workshops,” Noel explained.
    “You didn’t say anything to me about it,” Mr. Baylis said, frowning slightly. “Nor did Tom, and seeing what old friends we are—”
    “I asked him not to,” Noel explained. “To tell you the truth, father, I wanted to find out for sure that it was really my sort of work, that I’d be able to put something into it that would satisfy you ... and myself.” He paused expectantly.
    “And