Mrs.
Tams had received instructions to bring the doctor back with her, but
Rachel's ear caught no sign of the doctor. She went out to the head
of the stairs. The doctor simply must be there. It was not conceivable
that when summoned he should be "out" twice in one day, but so it was.
Mrs. Tams, whispering darkly from the dim foot of the stairs, said
that Mrs. Yardley hoped that he would be in shortly, but could not be
sure.
"What am I to do?" thought Rachel. "This is a crisis. Everything
depends on me. What shall I do? Shall I send for another doctor?" She
decided to risk the chances and wait. It would be too absurd to have
two doctors in the house. What would people say of her and of Louis,
if the rumour ran that she had lost her head and filled the house with
doctors when the case had no real gravity? People would say that she
was very young and inexperienced, and a freshly married wife, and so
on. And Rachel hated to be thought young or freshly married. Besides,
another doctor might be "out" too. And further, the case could not be
truly serious. Of course, if afterwards it did prove to be serious,
she would never forgive herself.
"He'll be here soon," she said cheerfully, to Louis in the bedroom.
Pages:
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375