Free Hawke's Tor by E. V. Thompson Page B

‘but you mustn’t get your hopes up about Tom’s chances with Verity even if the social gap wasn’t there. She is a dedicated nurse and committed to what she is doing.’
    â€˜Perhaps,’ Talwyn replied, enigmatically, ‘but I’m not giving
up yet. I see a lot of the same strength of character in Tom that I first saw in you … but without the arrogance! Verity is no fool, she will be able to recognize it too.’

Chapter 10
    T OM HAD SOME work to carry out in the Bodmin police headquarters before he sought out suspects in the murder of Kerensa Morgan and it was Amos who took Verity to Trelyn in the hope that she might meet Horace Morgan and learn more of his life in India, but it was Tom who was the early subject of conversation when the two first set out.
    They were travelling using a pony and trap that Amos had at his disposal and Talwyn gave her husband a brief but smug ‘I told you so’ look when Verity expressed disappointment that Tom would not be accompanying them.
    Verity saw the look too and said, easily, ‘Tom has had a very interesting life and I enjoyed talking to him last evening.’
    â€˜We’re likely to meet up with him later in the day,’ Amos explained. ‘He has one or two things to do at headquarters, but they shouldn’t take him too long. When they are done he will be riding to North Hill to try to interview two possible suspects who were unavailable yesterday.’
    Verity quietly accepted this and, although during the drive to Trelyn she put a great many questions about the man they were hoping to meet, she also succeeded in finding out more about Tom.

    Amos was aware of this and wondered whether Talwyn’s acumen might prove superior to his own where Verity was concerned. He conceded that it would not be for the first time.
    Arriving at Trelyn Hall, they were greeted with thinly disguised disapproval by the butler and seated in the entrance hall while Colonel Trethewy was informed of their presence.
    The magistrate kept them waiting for some fifteen minutes before putting in an appearance and it was immediately apparent that he was annoyed at being disturbed by Amos. His irritation dissipated somewhat when he saw Verity but, still frowning, he demanded, ‘What is it the police want this time, Hawke?’
    Gesturing towards Verity, he added, ‘and who is this?’
    Giving Colonel Trethewy a brief introduction to Verity, Amos explained the purpose of their visit, but it failed to mollify the bad-tempered landowner. ‘Talk to schoolgirls about becoming nurses? What sort of a future is that for decent country girls, eh? I’m surprised Chief Constable Gilbert allows his most senior superintendent to waste time aiding a woman who is attempting to lure young girls into almost certain immorality when he should be investigating a murder. I shall most certainly have words with him about it.’
    â€˜It is because I was coming here as part of that investigation that I offered to bring Miss Pendleton with me to speak to you, sir. As for the mission that brought her to Cornwall, I have no doubt she will be able to put your mind at rest.’
    â€˜Thank you, Amos. Colonel Trethewy is not the first man to have misconceptions about the nursing service. It is something Miss Nightingale has needed to fight against for very many years. Whenever the word nurse is mentioned to senior army officers of the past they immediately think of camp followers,
the women who follow soldiers into battle for a wide variety of reasons and who are the only ones to care for soldiers when they are wounded in battle. Many are well intentioned and do their very best for the men – others do not. All lack the skills necessary to help the recovery of the men they tend. Miss Nightingale is aware of this and with the full support of Her Majesty Queen Victoria she has trained and organized a force of women whose skills are often superior to