Free Consulting Surgeon by Jane Arbor Page B

more important than that.”
    “You are too modest, my dear. But I do see that you mustn’t fail all those other people for my sake. Though that doesn’t mean, does it, that you won’t come to see me just as often as you are able? Matthew, you’ll be coming, won’t you? You could come together—”
    Across the words cut the harsh sound of Averil’s chair being thrust back from the table. Averil said stormily: “Well, I think the whole thing is absurd. Matthew, there isn’t a reason in the world why you couldn’t pull some strings, so that Ursula could stay with Lucy for as long as she is needed. I mean, surely even nowadays it is possible to hire nurses, so long as they are well paid?”
    There was a moment’s silence. It was Ursula’s instinct to flare at the insolence Averil clearly intended. But, curbing the impulse to retort, she was glad she had done so, for nothing could match the quiet dignity with which Mrs. Damon rose from her place, saying: “Please, Averil, the matter is settled, and if I am quite happy about it, that is sufficient. But I think you should realize that I do not need a nurse, nor has Ursula been here in that capacity. She came as a ‘friend in need’ to me, and because Matthew asked her to. And when she comes again I hope it will be because I ask her to.” With which, and with a smile at Ursula, the old lady laid a hand upon Matthew’s proffered arm, and turned to the door with him. But before she left the room she had one more thing to say. With lips which trembled slightly she added: “Incidentally, Averil, my dear, to Foster I was ‘Mother.’ I could have hoped that his wife would call me that too, rather than by my Christian name.”
    Ursula could not but admire the simple dignity of the gentle but telling rebuke and of the frail figure which seemed to acquire a stature that had nothing to do with inches. But as soon as they were left together Averil flung petulantly from the table, lighting a fresh cigarette from the one upon her lips as she did so. She declared irritably: “I don’t care. It is absurd that Matthew can’t arrange for you to stay. Why can’t you?”
    “I thought Mr. Lingard explained? Because my work happens to be hospital nursing, not private nursing—however well paid!” replied Ursula coolly, not being able to resist adding those last words.
    Averil shrugged. “Don’t ask me to see the difference, please. To me it sounds no more than a quibble you have concocted because you don’t want to stay. Though why you don’t when you came readily enough for Matthew’s asking, I don’t know.”
    “Why do you want me to stay?” asked Ursula quietly.
    “Why?” From where she stood at the fireplace, her back turned, Averil flung round dramatically. “Can’t you see why? Because Lucy doesn’t like me—she never has done. Look at the way she snubbed me just now—about calling her by her Christian name, as if everyone didn’t do it nowadays. But it’s not only that. It is that, from not wanting to talk about Foster at all, she’ll now do little else. It’s Foster, Foster all the while—and I can’t stand it. But there is no reason why you shouldn’t. And if you came as a nurse to her, I suppose you’d have to—”
    “There is no question of that.”
    “All right. But that doesn’t help me, with the endless prospect of having memories of Foster either thrust at me or probed from me. I don’t want to have to go on remembering Foster for ever. I want to be allowed to forget.”
    Pitying her, Ursula said gently: “I think I understand. You didn’t love him less than his mother did, though you mourn him differently. But don’t you think that, with tolerance for her side, you could bring her in time to appreciate that? Or couldn’t Mr. Lingard try to express it for you?”
    “Matthew doesn’t understand either. He keeps on asking questions—on and on and on. As if anyone could expect me to remember every detail of those last awful