Hope - Lesley Pearse [153]
He had bought her a gold chain to hang the ring on, but for today she was wearing it on her finger. Bennett had apologized that it was such a tiny diamond, but to Hope it was something a queen would wear.
‘It doesn’t sparkle as brightly as you,’ he smiled, and kissed the tips of her fingers. ‘You are my love and my life, and I hope you’ll remember that when I tell you what I’ve decided.’
‘That we elope tonight?’ she suggested.
‘No, that wouldn’t be wise, not when I don’t have any money to keep you. But I’ve got a plan to sort that out. I’ve decided to join the army as a doctor.’
Hope’s heart plummeted. ‘Oh no, Bennett,’ she exclaimed. ‘You can’t do that. I would never see you, you might get killed.’
‘Military doctors don’t fight,’ he said, smiling fondly at her. ‘Let me explain it all. Everything is stacked against us while I am under my uncle’s thumb. I haven’t got the means to start my own practice, and if I was to join someone else’s practice as a junior doctor, I’d be worse off than I am at present. But in the army I’d be beholden to no one.’
‘But you’d have to go away,’ she said, tears prickling in her eyes.
‘You could come with me,’ he said. ‘Wouldn’t you find that an adventure? We might get to India!’
‘But would I be allowed to go with you?’ she asked.
‘I’m sure you would. But the reality of it now, while there’s no war on, is that we’d be stuck somewhere like Winchester for years and years, with me treating boils and suchlike. What an asset you would be to me! Not many doctors have a wife who is a nurse.’
‘Have you made any enquiries about this yet?’ She looked sharply at him, wondering if he’d really thought it through.
‘No, I wanted to see how you felt first.’
‘I’m not sure,’ she said doubtfully.
‘Once we are married,’ he said, squeezing her hand, ‘you could write home. I mean, you would be married to a soldier, so apart from apologizing for being out of touch for so long, you wouldn’t need to tell them about the real reasons you left.’
Hope smiled because his enthusiasm was infectious. In reality she knew that wouldn’t really work, as her whole family would be furious with her for making them so worried. But she wasn’t going to spoil his moment by saying so.
‘We won’t worry about them for the time being,’ she said. ‘Let’s just enjoy today.’
‘Right. We’ll find somewhere to have some dinner first,’ he said, jumping up and pulling her to her feet too. ‘Then we can look at the sights of Bath!’
A few hours later in the Pump Rooms, Hope was forcing herself not to laugh. The moment they walked through the doors and Bennett sawthe elegantly dressed people congregated there, he pretended to have a terrible affliction. He stuck up one shoulder, hunched his back, grimaced and limped, and made several circuits of the room so everyone would notice him. Some looked offended by his appearance, others whispered together, perhaps in sympathy. Then, when he’d got almost everyone’s attention, he hobbled up to the pump for his glass of the medicinal water.
Hope had remained close to the door, guessing what his plan was. If she’d walked round with him she would have laughed aloud and spoiled the whole thing. But he played the part far better than she had expected, and as he gingerly sipped the water she saw everyone was watching him intently.
As he sipped he made little grunts to keep all eyes on him. His left arm shot up above his head as if it had a life of its own, then he made his left leg shake.
‘’Tis working,’ he shouted out in a broad Somerset accent. ‘Aye, ’tis working. I’s can feel its powers down deep in me innards!’
Hope had to put her hand over her mouth to stop herself from laughing. He was jerking, twisting, and gulping down the water so fast it was running down his chin. Everyone was transfixed: some looked scared as if they thought he was having a fit, but the rest were wide-eyed with astonishment, and the only sound apart from the groans and sighs Bennett was making were shocked whispers.
Slowly, he straightened up. He looked down at himself as if in disbelief.