She did not appear to see it in that light. She seemed to be quite satisfied, beforehand, that Mr Dawson would approve of her, and she sat calmly looking out of window, with every appearance of enjoying the country air. Some people might have thought such conduct suggestive of brazen assurance.
I beg to say that I more liberally set it down to extraordinary strength of mind.
Instead of the doctor coming up to us, I was sent for to see the doctor.
I thought this change of affairs rather odd, but Mrs Rubelle did not appeal to be affected by it in any way. I left her still calmly looking out of the window, and still silently enjoying the country air.
Mr Dawson was waiting for me by himself in the breakfast-room.
‘About this new nurse, Mrs Michelson,' said the doctor.
‘Yes, sir?'
‘I find that she has been brought here from London by the wife of that fat old foreigner, who is always trying to interfere with me. Mrs Michelson, the fat old foreigner is a quack.'
This was very rude. I was naturally shocked at it.
‘Are you aware, sir,' I said, ‘that you are talking of a nobleman?'
‘Pooh! He isn't the first quack with a handle to his name. They're all Counts -- hang 'em!'
‘He would not be a friend of Sir Percival Glyde's sir, if he was not a member of the highest aristocracy -- excepting the English aristocracy, of course.'
‘Very well, Mrs Michelson, call him what you like, and let us get back to the nurse. I have been objecting to her already.'
‘Without having seen her, sir?'
‘Yes, without having seen her. She may be the best nurse in existence, but she is not a nurse of my providing. I have put that objection to Sir Percival, as the master of the house. He doesn't support me. He says a nurse of my providing would have been a stranger from London also, and he thinks the woman ought to have a trial, after his wife's aunt has taken the trouble to fetch her from London. There is some justice in that. and I can't decently say No. But I have made it a condition that she is to go at once, if I find reason to complain of her. This proposal being one which I have some right to make, as medical attendant, Sir Percival has consented to it. Now, Mrs Michelson, I know I can depend on you. and I want you to keep a sharp eye on the nurse for the first day or two, and to see that she gives Miss Halcombe no medicines but mine. This foreign nobleman of yours is dying to try his quack remedies (mesmerism included) on my patient, and a nurse who is brought here by his wife may be a little too willing to help him. You understand? Very well, then, we may go upstairs.
Is the nurse there? I'll say a word to her before she goes into the sick-room.'
We found Miss Rubelle still enjoying herself at the window. When I introduced her to Mr Dawson, neither the doctor's doubtful looks nor the doctors searching questions appeared to confuse her in the least. She answered him quietly in her broken English, and though he tried hard to puzzle her, she never betrayed the least ignorance, so far, about any part of her duties. This was doubtless the result of strength of mind, as I said before, and not of brazen assurance, by any means.
We all went into the bedroom.
Mrs Rubelle looked very attentively at the patient, curtseyed to Lady Glyde, set one or two little things right in the room, and sat down quietly in a corner to wait until she was wanted. Her ladyship seemed startled and annoyed by the appearance of the strange nurse. No one said anything, for fear of rousing Miss Halcombe, who was still slumbering, except the doctor, who whispered a question about the night. I softly answered, ‘Much as usual,' and then Mr Dawson went out. Lady Glyde followed him, I suppose to speak about Mrs Rubelle. For my own part, I had made up my mind already that this quiet foreign person would keep her situation. She had all her wits about her, and she certainly understood her business. So far, I could hardly have done much better by the bedside myself.
Remembering Mr Dawson's caution to me, I subjected Mrs Rubelle to a severe scrutiny at certain intervals for the next three or four days- I over and over again entered the room softly and suddenly, but I never found her out in any suspicious action. Lady Glyde, who watched her as attentively as I did, discovered nothing either. I never detected a sign of the medicine bottles being tampered with, I never saw Mrs Rubelle say a word to the Count, or the Count to her. She managed Miss Halcombe with unquestionable care and discretion- The poor lady wavered backwards and forwards between a sort of sleepy exhaustion, which was half faintness and half slumbering, and attacks of fever which brought with them more or less of wandering in her mind. Mrs Rubelle never disturbed her in the first case, and never startled her in the second, by appearing too suddenly at the bedside in the character of a stranger. Honour to whom honour is due (whether foreign or English) -- and I give her privilege impartially to Mrs Rubelle. She was remarkably uncommunicative about herself, and she was too quietly independent of all advice from experienced persons who understood the duties of a sickroom -- but with these drawbacks, she was a good nurse, and she never gave either Lady Glyde or Mr Dawson the shadow of a reason for complaining of her.
The next circumstance of importance that occurred in the house was the temporary absence of the Count, occasioned by business which took him to London. He went away (I think) on the morning of the fourth day after the arrival of Mrs Rubelle, and at parting he spoke to Lady Glyde very seriously, in my presence, on the subject of Miss Halcombe.
‘Trust Mr Dawson,' he said, ‘for a few days more, if you please. But if there is not some change for the better in that time, send for advice from London, which this mule of a doctor must accept in spite of himself.
Offend Mr Dawson, and save Miss Halcombe. I say this seriously, on my word of honour and from the bottom of my heart.'
