“See here, Bess,” Rhoda stopped and put a restraining hand on Bess’s arm. “You’re not going into that hospital room and talk like that before Nan. She needs rest and quiet. The doctor said so. Now, are you going to curb your anger, or aren’t you?”
“Oh, I will,” Bess answered. “Just give me a couple of seconds to cool off. Every time I think of Nan risking her life to save that good-for-nothing, it riles me clear through. Nan’s so good to everyone, and Linda, well, she tramps all over everybody.”
“There, Bess, take it easy,” Laura for once tried to placate the girl. “We won’t have any more trouble from her this trip. The nurse told me Linda has to stay in bed until the boat docks. If Nan is careful, she’ll be down in her own cabin tomorrow.”
“So remember, Bess,” Amelia implored, “not to say anything about Linda or about that other either.”
“What other?” Bess asked, and then remembered. “Oh, you mean the cabin?” she supplied the answer herself.
“Yes, just keep still about everything unpleasant,” Rhoda warned. “We want Nan out of here as soon as possible.” With this, she pushed open the white door of the ship’s hospital and a nurse came forward.
“You’ve came to see Miss Sherwood,” she smiled.
“Yes,” Rhoda was spokesman for the group. “Is it all right for us all to go in together?”
The nurse looked doubtful a moment, noting the marks of tears that were still on Bess’s cheeks. Bess felt her glance and blushed. “Oh, I’m all right now,” she reassured the nurse. “I promise to be good,” and she smiled so winningly that the nurse gave in.
“Well, you may go in,” she said, as she looked professionally at her watch, “for half an hour. But remember, you are not to disturb the patient.” With this she opened the door to a private room, and the girls went in.