“I should say not. These Easterners get my goat. No, I’m from what the novelists call the Great Middlewest, Main Street and all that bunk, you know. Some time I intend going back to practice in Chicago.”
Claire nodded politely.
“Did you go to medical school here in the East?”
Dr. Elliott nodded. “Yes, you see I was lucky enough to win a scholarship. That led to an internship, too, and then I decided to stay on for a while. But I hope to clean up in about a year.”
“Clean up?” Claire looked surprised.
He laughed.
“Finish. You don’t understand my argot, do you? I must seem an awful roughneck to you.”
Claire smiled delightedly.
“Roughneck? No, indeed you don’t! You see I know what that means! I like the way you talk. It sounds so eager and interested and young. Most of the people I see are a good deal older. You are very refreshing.”
“You are quaint,” he laughed. “One would think you were an old lady instead of a baby! Why, you look so young you ought to have a wet nurse.”