Free Nurse Linnet's Release by Averil Ives

Dr. Shane Willoughby’s eyes rested on her, Linnet thought, with a kind of amused gentleness.
    “It’s like this, Nurse Kintyre,” Diana began again. “I’m going to be released from here—on condition,” she added, shooting an arched look at the doctor, “that I behave myself like a good girl! And in order that I shall do nothing else but behave myself we have decided that I must have someone with me who will be firm enough to keep me in my place when it’s necessary, but not be too hospitalish-nursish and bossy, and also be a companion to me as well. And as you’re the very person, and I’d really love having you around for a time, and you’re quite the nicest nurse in Aston House, I’d like it to be you! Do you think you can possibly get them to let you off the leash for a time so that you can come away with me?”
    Linnet was so surprised that for a few seconds she could say nothing, and Dr. Shane Willoughby put in quietly:
    “Mrs. Carey does need someone completely reliable with her—someone who understands her condition—and as she’s going into the country, and the particular spot where she’s going is very pleasant, I don’t think you need hesitate on the grounds of finding it perhaps not very much to your taste. I know you like Kent, and Hertfordshire is very attractive—”
    “Hertfordshire?”
    “Yes. You know it perhaps already?”
    “No, but I—” She broke off. She was about to add that Major Monteith lived in Hertfordshire, or his mother did, but decided perhaps just in time that it might be as well to keep this piece of information to herself. “I know it’s a very nice county,” she concluded, rather more feebly.
    “Then you like the idea?” Diana’s voice was quick and eager, and she smiled as if the whole thing was as good as arranged. “My godfather, Sir Paul Loring, has insisted that I go down to his cottage and stay there until I’m quite fit again, and although I’ve never seen it it’s bound to be a pet of a place if he spends week-ends there himself. He’s terribly fussy, and a bit of a connoisseur where old houses and so forth are concerned, and there’ll be a housekeeper there to look after us, and it should be the greatest fun—if you’ll only come with me! Please say you will,” in a charmingly coaxing manner that was well-nigh irresistible. The same method of appeal tried out on a man would be equally irresistible Linnet realized.
    “Well, I really don’t know—” she was beginning, when once again Dr. Shane Willoughby interposed.
    “If you’ve any fears that the Matron here won’t give her consent, then I might as well tell you that I’ve already won her consent,” he told her, with a smile.
    “Oh!” Linnet exclaimed.
    “And, as a matter of fact, she thinks it’s a good idea.”
    “Apparently you’re not one of those super-charged nurses who can keep going indefinitely,” Diana put in, with amusement in her tone, “and according to your aunt you need a change almost as badly as I do. Apparently you all but passed out in the winter, so we’ll be two nice comfortable crocks together, won’t we? And we’ll do one another an enormous amount of good!”
    “I certainly think it won’t do Nurse Kintyre any harm to have a little country air for a change,” Dr. Shane Willoughby observed, studying the pale outline of Linnet’s cheek.
    “So there you are, Nurse Kintyre!” Diana exclaimed. “Doctor’s orders!”
    And after that there seemed nothing very much that Linnet could say against the scheme, although she was by no means certain in her own heart that it appealed to her, or even that she thought it wise from Diana’s point of view. The lovely young widow might be more safely entrusted to the care of someone a little more capable of unshakable firmness than she was, and a little less inclined to reveal sympathy.
    Now that she was so very much better Diana needed sympathy, but she also needed a great deal of bolstering for her morale,