“How could he be alarmed?” she asked. “I shall say, of course, what Dr. Maitland said, that typhoid is unknown in babies.”
“Yes, that will be all right,” said Jeannie, rather absently. “But don’t make the outbreak too serious.”
And her enigmatic aunt smiled again.
Arthur had got in to lunch when they got back. He, too, had heard the news about the typhoid.
“They told me you had both gone to the hospital,” he said. “What do they say there? Is it very serious?”
“Yes,” said Miss Fortescue. “The baby goes to Jack Collingwood this afternoon. Not that there is the least risk, but Jeannie is foolish. She and I are going to help in nursing.”
He had not expected anything else, for he knew Jeannie. Aveshams were not demonstrative, and he only looked at her quietly a moment.
“I supposed you would,” he said. “I suppose it is right. Is there much risk?”
“Ordinary risk,” said Jeannie. “Dr. Maitland allowed it.”
“Yes, one wants to be of some use in such cases,” said Arthur. “I hear the state of things in the lower part of the town is awful. The brewery stops working to-day; there are over twenty men down with it. I wonder if I could help?”