"Ah, well—perhaps so! We are all under the dominion of personal and selfish prejudice," said Doctor Middlemass.
"I hoped that this illness might break the tie between them," sighed Flossy pensively.
"So it may, madam—by killing him. Do you wish to break it in that way?"
"This doctor is a perfect brute!" thought Mrs. Vane to herself; but she only looked in a reproachful manner at the "brute," and applied her handkerchief delicately to her eyes. "I trust that there is no likelihood that it may end in that way. My poor dear Hubert," she sighed, "if only you had been warned in time!"
Perhaps this display of emotion softened Doctor Middlemass' heart, or perhaps he was not so insensible to Mrs. Vane's charms as he tried to appear; at any rate, when he spoke again it was in a qualified tone.
"I trust that he will get over this attack. He is certainly a little better than I expected to find him; but I cannot impress your mind too strongly with the necessity for care and watchfulness. Anything that tends to tranquilise the mind of a person in his condition must be procured for him at almost any risk. When the delirium has passed, an ordinary nurse may be of greater use than Miss West; but at present we really cannot do without her. You heard for yourself how he called her when she went out of the room?"
"Yes, I heard. Then shall I send the woman of whom I spoke, doctor? She might be a help to Miss West, whose work I of course would rather assist than retard in any way."
"You can thoroughly rely upon her?" said the doctor dubiously.
"Thoroughly. She is a most valuable person."
"She might come for a day or two, and we shall see whether she is of any use or not. Will you send for her?"