Doctor Luttrell's First Patient

by Rosa Nouchette Carey

  CHAPTER XXII.

  "YOU MUST NOT LOSE HEART."

  "Cherish those that love you; that if ye love, ye may be lovedagain."--_Moschus_.

  When Greta woke on her wedding morning, she was greeted by the palewintry sunshine. The weather was unusually mild for December, the skyblue and cloudless, and only the bare blackness of the trees and theirstripped branches testified that winter had come.

  "Happy the bride that the sun shines on," says the old proverb, and asOlivia repeated the saying, she felt her old cheerfulness and buoyancyreturn. Marcus had promised to meet them at the church, and to returnwith them to Brunswick Place, and her finery would not be thrown away.

  It would be of course a very quiet wedding, the only guests would bethe lawyer, Mr. Treherne, an old family friend, who had undertaken togive the bride away, and Alwyn's best man, a young artist.

  As soon as the young couple had partaken of refreshment and Greta hadchanged her dress, they were to drive round to Galvaston House on theirway to the station. The brief fortnight's honeymoon was to be spent atSt. Leonards. Mr. Gaythorne had begged that they would not go very faraway, and Alwyn had been reluctant to leave his father for a longertime.

  Olivia had promised to spend the remainder of the day with Mr.Gaythorne, and, if possible, Marcus was to join them in the evening,but she had another visit to pay on her way to Brunswick Place, so whenthe brougham came round she drove over in solitary state to MaybrickVillas.

  Mrs. Broderick regarded her niece with satisfied eyes. "Why, Livy,"she said, admiringly, "I have not seen you look so well since your ownwedding-day. Fine feathers make fine birds. You are quite astriking-looking woman. Marcus will be proud of his wife."

  "You must not make me vain," returned Olivia, blushing. She was aspleased as a child with her beautiful dress. "Look what Alwyn hasgiven me," and she exhibited a pair of delicate gold bangles. "Youcannot think how smart I feel, for that pretty brooch that Marcus gaveme the day before we were married was my sole piece of jewelry."

  Mrs. Broderick smiled. "I am not much richer than you in that respect,Livy. I never would let Fergus spend his money on trinkets. I toldhim I was far too ugly, and that I preferred books. There are only twohandsome rings to come to you, Livy, when I am gone," but Oliviafrowned at this speech. She never could endure to think of anythinghappening to Aunt Madge.

  Marcus was at the church door to meet her, and there was unmistakableapproval in his eyes as they stood together for a moment in the porch.And as they walked up the empty church together each was thinking ofthe day three years ago when they had plighted their troth in this verychurch.

  Greta made a sweet-looking bride, there was a chastened gravity on herfair face, but no tremor as she repeated the solemn responses, butAlwyn was painfully nervous, and looked so pale, that Olivia fearedmore than once he was ill.

  He looked more like himself when the service was over, but that herealised his responsibilities intensely was evident from the few wordshe said to Olivia while Greta was changing her dress.

  "I have not deserved all this, have I, Mrs. Luttrell?" he said, in hisimpulsive way. "I feel as though coals of fire were heaped upon me.Fancy a sweet girl like Greta consenting to link her lot with mine.How am I to live up to it? but she believes in me, and God bless her.I will try not to disappoint her," and there were tears in the youngman's eyes as he said this.

  "Good-bye, Olive darling," whispered Greta, as she put her armsaffectionately round her friend. "I am glad that we are not to be longaway, the dear new home will be quite ready for us," and then she tookher husband's arm and the little group of friends watched them as theydrove away.

  When Olive went to Mr. Gaythorne an hour later she found him lookingpleased and excited. "Alwyn is a happy man," he said, "he has got agood wife. Greta has tact as well as heart. She will let him have hisown way whenever it is possible, and he will not find out that he isguided. That is what Alwyn's nature needs. I have found that out bybitter experience." And the old man sighed heavily. In spite of hiscontentment the memory of the past was still painful, and both he andAlwyn would carry their scars to their dying day.

  "I am sure you will love Greta dearly," Olivia observed. "She is alittle shy and quiet until she gets used to people, but she is sowonderfully gentle."

  "Yes, and she was my little Olive's friend. I shall never forget that,but as I told you just now, I have two daughters," and then he laid hishand on Olivia's with one of his rare gestures of affection. "My dear,Alwyn and I were talking last night. I told him that he must be masterhere, and that he must put his wife in her proper place at once. Ishall want little during the few months or years that remain to me.Just my quiet rooms and my children's affection and the society of theone or two friends that remain to me. But Alwyn needs more. He lovessociety, and to be a successful artist he must mix with hisfellow-workers, and rub against other minds. He must go into the worldand see and be seen."

  "I think you are right," returned Olivia, slowly; she was secretly verymuch surprised by this speech. She had no idea how much he had broodedover this question.

  "Yes," he returned, a little sadly, "I have learnt my lesson at last.Those young lives must not be overshadowed by a sick man's whims. Myson must never be able to say again that his father's house was like ajail, and that he felt cramped in body and mind. Sooner than that,"with a trace of the old excitement in his manner, "I would rather myweary bones were laid in the earth."

  "Dear Mr. Gaythorne," in a soothing voice, "Alwyn loves you far toowell ever to say or think such a thing."

  "I hope so--I trust so, but I would rather not put his patience to theproof. My boy must be happy, or I can know no peace. 'If you willbring your wife here and stay with your old father I will neverinterfere with either of you,' that is what I said to him. 'You mayturn the house out of window if you like, so that you leave me my twoquiet rooms;' but he only laughed in my face. 'We will see aboutthat,' was all he answered, but I shall prove to him that I meant whatI said."

  "Greta will not care for gaiety this winter. You must remember thatshe has been used to a very quiet life."

  "That is for her and Alwyn to decide," returned Mr. Gaythorne. "Ah,Mrs. Luttrell, my dear, what it will be to me to hear a woman's stepabout the house again. It will be like music in my ears;" and then heleant back in his chair as though he were exhausted and asked Olivia toread to him.

  Later in the evening, as she walked back with Marcus, she told him ofthis conversation, and then she added,--

  "He will be very good to Greta, I am sure of that; his voice softenedso when he spoke of her. She is a link with the past, you see. But,Marcus, as he talked he looked so old and broken that I cannot helpfearing that they will not have him with them for long."

  "Probably not. I have hinted this more than once to Alwyn, and thoughhe always turns it off, I think he understands me. It was his ownproposition that they should only be a fortnight away. Now I have twoor three patients to see, so you must not wait up for me;" and tired ashe was Marcus walked off briskly, whilst Olivia lingered on thedoorstep for a moment to look at the stars shining in the dark wintrysky. Alwyn had begged her, as a special favour to him, to pay a dailyvisit to Galvaston House, so for the next three or four days she foundit impossible to go round to Maybrick Villas.

  Mr. Gaythorne took her visits as a matter of course. There was alwayssomething he wanted to discuss with her. Some fresh arrangement forhis daughter-in-law's comfort. One day he consulted her about abrougham that he intended to buy as a surprise.

  "I shall get Dr. Luttrell to choose it," he said; "and there is a man Iknow at Medhurst who will pick me up a pair of chestnuts. My son'swife is a rich woman, and ought to have a pair for her carriage. Thereis some good stabling to be got just by, and Dr. Luttrell knows acapital coachman who has been thrown out of place by his master'sdeath. In the spring she might have a victoria, but a brougham will bemore serviceable at this season of the year when Alwyn takes her
totheatres and concerts." And though Olivia smiled, she could not butown that the brougham would be a boon to Greta.

  "Then we will see about it at once," he returned, eagerly. "Would youask your husband to call to-morrow morning if he can spare the time?"And as Olivia took her leave she promised to give the message.

  To her surprise she found Marcus reading by the fire; he looked up ather a little gravely as she entered.

  "You are rather late, are you not, Livy?" he said, laying down hispaper. "Martha brought me some tea, but I waited to speak to you. Ishall have to go out again directly."

  "Let me give you Mr. Gaythorne's message first. He wants you to goround and speak to him tomorrow morning about a new brougham for Greta.How delighted she and Alwyn will be. Greta is not strong and does notcare for walking much in the winter, and she catches cold so easily."

  "It is just what Alwyn wished for her. Yes, I will try to run acrossto-morrow morning, but I have a long day's work before me. Olive,darling, I have rather bad news for you," and here he put his arm roundher. "Aunt Madge is ill."

  Olivia turned very pale. "Marcus, how did you know? Has Deb sent amessage? I hope--oh, I do hope, it is not influenza."

  "I fear it is," returned Marcus, reluctantly. "I met Randolph, and hestopped and told me. He was just going there for the second time. Hewants to send a nurse in, but Deb was so against it that he did notventure to insist; but I am afraid she is very ill, Livy."

  "I must go round at once. Marcus, do you think you can spare me?Martha is very careful; she will look after Dot. But you know"--andhere there were hot, smarting tears in Olivia's eyes--"you know whatAunt Madge is to me. I cannot leave her to Deb."

  Marcus sighed; he could not bear his wife to run the risk, and yet howcould he be selfish enough to deprive Mrs. Broderick of the comfort ofhaving her with her? He knew their deep affection for each other.Aunt Madge was her second mother; few aunts were so fondly beloved.

  "I hate you to go, dearest," he said, "and yet I cannot deny thatRandolph is very anxious about her. It is the prostration he fears;the fever has been so high these two days."

  "She has been ill two whole days, and Deb has never sent for me," andOlivia sobbed in a heart-broken manner.

  "My dear girl, you must not lose heart in this way," and Marcus strokedher hair tenderly. "Let me tell you exactly how it was. I went roundwith Randolph and waited while he paid his visit. Deb came out tospeak to me; she is an obstinate, incorrigible, cross-grained oldwoman, and I told her so. Oh, I spoke my mind to her. She cannot denythat she has been up for three nights, and yet the mention of a nursethrows her into tantrums. 'I have always nursed my mistress, and aslong as I can drag about she shall have no strangers to harass her dearsoul,' she said, defiantly. Now what are you to do with a woman likethat? I asked her why she had not let us know," he went on, "and sheconfessed that Aunt Madge had made her promise not to send. So you seeDeb was not to blame for that."

  "No, I see;" and then Olivia looked up in her husband's facepleadingly. "Marcus, dear, you will not forbid my sitting up with AuntMadge tonight. Deb will not mind me; she knows how Aunt Madge willlove to have me. I will be very careful, and do just as you tell me;but I must! I must be with her!" and then very reluctantly Marcus gavehis permission.

  Martha was interviewed and Dot kissed in her cot, and then Olivia toldMarcus she was ready; and they walked to Maybrick Villas almost insilence.

  Olivia's heart was too full for speech. If Aunt Madge died, she toldherself, the world would never be the same to her again; some of thewarmth and the light and the joy of life would have faded out of it."She is one of my few treasures," she thought. "Marcus and dear babycome first, of course, but Aunt Madge has taken mother's place. Allthese years she has helped me so with her wise, loving counsel andsympathy."

  "While there is life there is hope, Livy," observed Marcus, gently; andhis hand touched hers in the darkness.

  "Dr. Randolph does not own himself beaten by any means. Do what youcan to help Deb, for she is just worn out, the foolish, faithfulcreature;" and his voice changing, "do not forget me or Dot, and forour sakes take care of yourself," and with these words he opened thelittle gate and left her to go in alone.