of the class, after an hour of watching the red-faced Latimer pulling amphibians apart, I had made up my mind to do something. It would be no use to approach Carlisle directly, but the unctuous Gillespie would surely hear my complaint. I knew quite well that the man hated trouble of any kind, and I fully intended to cause as much of it as I could.
Not wishing to be distracted, I crossed the square and walked straight down the corridor to Gillespie’s office. The door was half open, and I could hear voices. A woman’s voice sounded angry. I made out the phrase ‘compromise yourself. Perhaps some of the women were already making their feelings known to Gillespie. I knocked on the door and entered.
To my astonishment, Miss Scott stood there, a little flushed in the face, staring at me. I was equally startled. It was the first time I had seen her since the incident with Crawford and I was struck, as before, by her physical beauty. The reddish fair hair was combed out and fell round her face. The eyes were less defiant now, sadder, though surprised enough at the sight of me.
I tried to compose myself. ‘I am sorry,’ I said. ‘I was looking for Dr Gillespie.’
I turned, expecting to see him, but the other person in the room was the small, somewhat fragile yet elegant figure of Carlisle’s wife. Miss Scott saw my confusion.
‘He is not here, Mr Doyle,’ she said. ‘May I introduce my older sister? Lady Sarah Carlisle.’
Of course I went forward and shook her hand, marvelling at this. Now that I thought about it, there was a faint resemblance between the two sisters, though Lady Carlisle was some years older.
‘Mr Doyle,’ she said. ‘Dr Gillespie has been approving the new wing with my husband. I am sure you can interrupt them.’
I was emboldened now to say what I had come for, and I wanted Miss Scott to hear it. ‘Well, to be honest, ma’am. I only wished to point out to him it is hard enough here for your sister and her colleagues without our own patron airing his feelings against them.’
If I had expected Miss Scott to look pleased with me, I was disappointed. Her eyes were fixed on Lady Carlisle. The latter did not seem put out, but her reply had dignity. ‘Mr Doyle, if certain of my husband’s views incline to the traditional, it is his affair and not particularly unusual.’ And then she smiled over at her sister. ‘But Elsbeth here will make a very good doctor. I am proud of her.’
It was a touching moment, and Miss Scott was about to answer when suddenly the door swung wide open and Gillespie and Carlisle swept in, laughing together.
‘Lady Carlisle!’ Gillespie wrung his hands with typical unctuousness. ‘We have returned from our ministrations to offer you and your husband some refreshment.’
I noticed Carlisle answered for his wife at once. ‘I can certainly bid them welcome,’ he said, smiling at Lady Carlisle and moving to the fireplace. He ignored both myself and Miss Scott entirely. It was as if we were not even there.
A look from Gillespie, however, made it clear I should leave, and I needed no second invitation. Perhaps it might seem like cowardice, but I did not wish to embarrass Miss Scott in any way and reasoned I had no place interrupting a family gathering. After negotiating Carlisle, who gave me a quizzical look, I nodded at the women and withdrew.
Outside, however, I did glance back and saw Sir Henry, Lady Carlisle and Gillespie were talking. It seemed to me that Miss Scott was totally ignored, but then the door was shut.
That afternoon was not so cold as it had been and, rather than go directly home, I wanted to walk and think about this encounter. I was in such a daydream that I hardly noticed where I was heading, and then ahead of me I saw a little cluster of people, mainly traders, with a policeman among them.
Even then I was not alert enough to wonder about this or register who I was. Until my eye was caught by something lying in the gutter. It was a smashed
Not wishing to be distracted, I crossed the square and walked straight down the corridor to Gillespie’s office. The door was half open, and I could hear voices. A woman’s voice sounded angry. I made out the phrase ‘compromise yourself. Perhaps some of the women were already making their feelings known to Gillespie. I knocked on the door and entered.
To my astonishment, Miss Scott stood there, a little flushed in the face, staring at me. I was equally startled. It was the first time I had seen her since the incident with Crawford and I was struck, as before, by her physical beauty. The reddish fair hair was combed out and fell round her face. The eyes were less defiant now, sadder, though surprised enough at the sight of me.
I tried to compose myself. ‘I am sorry,’ I said. ‘I was looking for Dr Gillespie.’
I turned, expecting to see him, but the other person in the room was the small, somewhat fragile yet elegant figure of Carlisle’s wife. Miss Scott saw my confusion.
‘He is not here, Mr Doyle,’ she said. ‘May I introduce my older sister? Lady Sarah Carlisle.’
Of course I went forward and shook her hand, marvelling at this. Now that I thought about it, there was a faint resemblance between the two sisters, though Lady Carlisle was some years older.
‘Mr Doyle,’ she said. ‘Dr Gillespie has been approving the new wing with my husband. I am sure you can interrupt them.’
I was emboldened now to say what I had come for, and I wanted Miss Scott to hear it. ‘Well, to be honest, ma’am. I only wished to point out to him it is hard enough here for your sister and her colleagues without our own patron airing his feelings against them.’
If I had expected Miss Scott to look pleased with me, I was disappointed. Her eyes were fixed on Lady Carlisle. The latter did not seem put out, but her reply had dignity. ‘Mr Doyle, if certain of my husband’s views incline to the traditional, it is his affair and not particularly unusual.’ And then she smiled over at her sister. ‘But Elsbeth here will make a very good doctor. I am proud of her.’
It was a touching moment, and Miss Scott was about to answer when suddenly the door swung wide open and Gillespie and Carlisle swept in, laughing together.
‘Lady Carlisle!’ Gillespie wrung his hands with typical unctuousness. ‘We have returned from our ministrations to offer you and your husband some refreshment.’
I noticed Carlisle answered for his wife at once. ‘I can certainly bid them welcome,’ he said, smiling at Lady Carlisle and moving to the fireplace. He ignored both myself and Miss Scott entirely. It was as if we were not even there.
A look from Gillespie, however, made it clear I should leave, and I needed no second invitation. Perhaps it might seem like cowardice, but I did not wish to embarrass Miss Scott in any way and reasoned I had no place interrupting a family gathering. After negotiating Carlisle, who gave me a quizzical look, I nodded at the women and withdrew.
Outside, however, I did glance back and saw Sir Henry, Lady Carlisle and Gillespie were talking. It seemed to me that Miss Scott was totally ignored, but then the door was shut.
That afternoon was not so cold as it had been and, rather than go directly home, I wanted to walk and think about this encounter. I was in such a daydream that I hardly noticed where I was heading, and then ahead of me I saw a little cluster of people, mainly traders, with a policeman among them.
Even then I was not alert enough to wonder about this or register who I was. Until my eye was caught by something lying in the gutter. It was a smashed
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