Hope - Lesley Pearse [146]
‘I’d come back just to see you,’ Mrs Hubert said, her eyes glistening with emotional tears. ‘It was your doing that I’m well again.’
‘Nonsense, you’re a fighter,’ Hope insisted. ‘Now, remember what I said, don’t try to do too much straight away. You are still frail.’
Sometimes Hope wished she didn’t know what patients like Mrs Hubert were going home to. The poor woman still had the grief of losing three of her children to deal with, and with a husband who only came home when he had no money to buy drink, she’d get little comfort from him.
‘I hope you marry the doctor,’ Mrs Hubert said.
Hope was so stunned that her mouth gaped open. ‘There’s nothing between us,’ she said quickly.
Mrs Hubert smiled, her thin, pale face softer now. ‘There is, my dear. I can see it,’ she said. ‘Even Sal, before she left, said I was lucky he had eyes for you or he’d never bother to come and see people like me.’
‘That’s not true,’ Hope said indignantly. ‘Dr Meadows is probably the most caring doctor in the whole of Bristol. He wouldn’t ignore any sick person.’
‘Well, now you’ve proved to me you feel the same about him,’ Mrs Hubert chuckled. ‘There shouldn’t be anything to stop you getting wed then? But I’ll be on my way now. If you’re ever up round my way, you make sure you come and see me!’
Hope stood alone in the cold, empty ward for some minutes after Mrs Hubert had left, her heart singing because of what she’d said. If a sick woman could pick up that Bennett cared for her, then it must be true.
She had been at the hospital for three months now, and she’d seen him almost every day, but although they talked and laughed together, he hadn’t invited her to Harley Place again, and he certainly hadn’t given her any reason to think he returned her love.
Not that she had anguished over it; she did love him, but the greater part of her brain had already resigned herself to the fact that his interest in her was nothing more than as his protégée and friend. She was content enough being just that, though she suspected she would be exceedingly jealous if he was to tell her he had a sweetheart.
Footsteps out in the corridor alerted her that someone was coming, and she took the broom from the corner of the room to sweep up the remaining bits of straw from the floor.
The door opened and in came Bennett with Sanders, the burly, red-faced man who did odd jobs around St Peter’s.
‘I’ve just brought Sanders to show him what needs doing in here,’ Bennett said. He looked flushed, and there were bloodstains on his cloth coat, as if he’d just finished an operation. ‘I’ve already told him about limewashing the whole room. Is there anything else, Nurse Renton?’ He winked at her as he used the formal address, and Hope stifled a giggle.
‘The mouse and rat holes need blocking up in the wainscoting. And the chimney will need sweeping,’ she said. ‘We’ll need to light a fire when we have patients in here again. Oh, and the sink in the back needs unblocking, it takes an age for the water to drain away.’
Sanders looked around him, sucking in his cheeks as if the job was an exceedingly difficult one. Hope had never liked this officious and crafty man. She realized he was going to ask for a great deal more money than the job was worth.
‘I took the liberty of asking someone I know to come and give us a price for the job,’ Hope lied. ‘He said he’d do it for two pounds ten shillings.’
Bennett looked at her in surprise.
‘I knew it had to be done quickly,’ she said with a shrug. ‘And I know Mr Sanders is usually quite busy.’
‘I’ll do it for two guineas,’ Sanders growled. ‘Out of the goodness of my heart.’
‘But can you start tomorrowand have it finished in two days?’ Hope asked.
Sanders glanced from her to the doctor. He looked deflated; clearly he’d hoped not only to make a big profit on this job, but to do it in his own time. ‘Two days ain’t long nuff!’ he exclaimed.
‘The other man said it was,’ Hope