Chapter Seven
Dr. Swenson dropped Jeanette off after their last appointment, and she was sure to wish him well on his chess date that evening. The red tinge that sprang to his ears was a nice reward.
She wasn’t expecting to be picked up by Mrs. Godfrey’s driver for another hour, so she used that time to put on a fresh dress and tidy her hair, then read the two letters she’d received that morning. Abigail’s was filled with the details they’d worked out for the baby’s room, and Elizabeth’s letter was light and cheery, keeping her updated on all the doings at the Brody Hotel. So many waitresses had come and gone in the last six months, it nearly gave Jeanette a headache trying to keep track of them all, but Elizabeth always did her best to make sure that Jeanette felt like she knew all of them and hadn’t lost touch with the place she’d begun to call home. There was no mention of Phillip in the letter, but Elizabeth did talk about the new millinery shop that would soon be opening.
That was not helpful.
When the doorbell rang an hour later, Jeanette was ready to go, and answered it herself rather than making Mrs. Everett come all the way out from the kitchen to do it. She was surprised to see Robert Godfrey on the other side.
“Did your grandmother give the driver the night off too?”
He laughed. “No, I volunteered to come. I’ll have plenty of time to make my engagement, and this way, there’s no need to bring two carriages out into the cold.”
Two carriages? That hadn’t even entered Jeanette’s mind. She couldn’t help but wonder just how wealthy the Godfreys were.
“I think it’s admirable that your grandmother didn’t just have the cook or the housekeeper stay behind,” she said as they walked toward the waiting carriage.
“They don’t get many evenings out, and she would hate to disappoint them. I think there’s a play being performed somewhere in town, and they do love their dramas.” He gave her a hand up into the seat, then climbed into his own on the other side.
“And what’s your event, if you don’t mind my asking?”
He smiled, but looked a little bashful. “My former college professor is holding a dinner to honor his most prestigious students from the previous year. I wouldn’t have suspected it, but apparently, I’m prestigious.”
“That’s something to be proud of. Why don’t you seem more excited?”
He gave the reins a flick. “Oh, I don’t know. I was just doing the assignments I was given—I don’t believe I did anything out of the ordinary.”
“Well, what did you do?”
“I shared some ideas about storing electricity. Really, it was nothing.”
Jeanette looked at him in surprise. “Nothing? I’d say that’s very impressive.”
“It’s only impressive if I can come up with a way for it to work in practical application and not just on paper. That will be my next experiment.”
Mrs. Godfrey was waiting for Jeanette in the parlor when she arrived. “I see you delivered her safe and sound, Robert?”
“I did, Grandma.” He kissed her cheek. “I’ll be home in two hours, all right?”
“Two hours? But what if you’re having a good time? Don’t cut your fun short because of me.”
“I promise, I won’t.” He nodded at Jeanette, and then was gone.
“Now, young lady, let’s see how we can entertain ourselves this evening, shall we?” Mrs. Godfrey smiled. “Down the hall and to the left, you’ll find the kitchen. Cook tells me she left a nice dinner on the stove, and we can eat in the small dining area off to the side.”
“Perfect,” Jeanette said. She pulled off her coat and draped it over the back of the sofa near where Mrs. Godfrey sat, then made her way down the hall.
The house was enormous and elaborate. With all the fancy homes she’d seen in the last few days, she had to wonder if most of the patients who came to Dr. Swenson were well to do, or if she’d just happened to be here on a week when he was seeing more of them than usual. She’d never stopped to wonder if doctors charged differently for their services, but she supposed they’d have to—she knew Phillip often accepted a few pies or loaves of bread for services rendered, and she couldn’t imagine some of these New York doctors doing that, even though Dr. Swenson did say that he volunteered from time to time.
The cook had left a roast with vegetables simmering on the stove, and on the counter was a loaf of fresh bread. Jeanette was pleasantly surprised. This was one of her favorite meals, but she would have thought that it would be too simple for this sort of house.
She dished up the meal and set everything out on the table, then went to fetch Mrs. Godfrey. When she led the woman into the room, Mrs. Godfrey sniffed appreciatively. “Is there anything in the world more wonderful than the smell of fresh bread?”
“Nothing,” Jeanette replied. “Absolutely nothing.”
They ate in companionable silence, then Mrs. Godfrey directed Jeanette to a cupboard on the side of the room that was known to hold cake. After cutting them each a generous slice of chocolate cake and eating her own, Jeanette felt ready to burst, but in the best possible way.
“Leave the dishes, dear,” Mrs. Godfrey said. “Let’s go in the parlor and visit.”
“It would only take me a minute,” Jeanette protested.
“But I get new company so seldomly. I want to be entertained with stories about you and your life and everything that brought you here.”
They settled in comfortably, Mrs. Godfrey in an upholstered chair right next to the fire, and Jeanette seated across from her in a matching one. She was so content after dinner and so relaxed by the fire that it was hard not to feel drowsy.
“Come now. Tell me all about how you decided to become a nurse.”
Of course that meant telling the story of how she met Phillip, and Jeanette’s eyes were wet by the time she finished. She literally ached to be held by him again—her arms felt a yearning she couldn’t even begin to explain.
“He sounds like a wonderful man,” Mrs. Godfrey said warmly.
“He is. He came into my life right when I needed him and he was everything I could have asked for.” Jeanette wiped her eyes. Gracious—why was she being so sentimental all of a sudden? Yes, she’d been homesick from the moment she left Topeka, but she’d managed to stay focused on her work and her studies. Now it seemed like everything reminded her of Phillip to the point where she thought she’d break if one more thing happened, one more word was spoken to remind her that they weren’t together. She couldn’t help but wonder if the universe was preparing her to lose him.
“And you’ll be a perfect companion for him.” Mrs. Godfrey nodded and smiled. “I think it’s marvelous. You’ll each have someone you can depend on for absolutely everything, both in your marriage and in your professions.”
“Do you think . . .” Jeanette shook her head. “Never mind.”
“No, no, my dear. What were you going to say?”
“I just wondered if you thought a relationship could last after six months of separation,” Jeanette said slowly. She had no idea why she was seeking counsel—neither Dr. Swenson nor Mrs. Godfrey wanted to listen to her insecurities, she was sure—but she felt the need to talk about it, to have her fears allayed.
“My husband fought in the War of 1812,” Mrs. Godfrey said, then chuckled. “I can almost hear you doing the math in your head now. Yes, I’m in my eighties, and we were just married when he went off. I thought I would surely die. I’d sometimes go so long without a letter that I wondered if I should be wearing widow’s weeds instead of a regular kitchen dress. By the time he came home, I was certain we’d be strangers to each other.”
“And were you?” Jeanette asked when Mrs. Godfrey paused for a long moment.
“We had both changed quite a bit. We were more sober because of the things we’d faced during our separation, and we had to teach each other about our experiences. But the love we’d shared had only grown stronger, and in a way, it was as though we were given the chance to fall in love
twice.”
“That sounds nice,” Jeanette said. She knew she’d changed over the last six months. Had Phillip? Well, he had at least a little bit—he always wrote regularly before.
“It was wonderful. I wouldn’t give it a moment’s worry, my dear. My husband was gone for two years, and we managed it. Six months is just a fraction.”
Jeanette felt a little guilty for complaining—six months really was short in comparison, and she didn’t have to fear for Phillip’s life. Things could be so, so much worse.
She spent the next hour listening to stories from Mrs. Godfrey’s life, and when the door opened and she heard Robert’s cheery voice, she was startled that the time had gone by so quickly.
“Thank you so much for coming, my dear,” Mrs. Godfrey said, taking both Jeanette’s hands in hers. “You’ve been such a comfort.”
“Oh, it was my pleasure,” Jeanette replied. “Are you sure there’s nothing more I can do? Can I help you to your room?”
“Robert can see me to the door, and the housekeeper left my nightgown out for me,” Mrs. Godfrey said. “I can manage on my own.”
“All right, then. If you need any other help, please don’t hesitate to call. This was such a nice evening.” She paused. “But you’ll be alone while Robert drives me home. Shouldn’t I stay until your staff returns?”
“Bless you, my dear. No, I’ll be all right. I’ll stay right here in my chair and listen to the crackling of the flames.”
Jeanette hesitated, but sensed that if she pushed the issue, she might make the older woman feel more helpless about her situation than she already did, so she decided to trust that all would be well. And it was true that Dr. Russell’s wasn’t very far away.
“Goodnight, then, and sleep well.” She gave Mrs. Godfrey’s hand another squeeze.
Robert held her coat while she slipped into it, then led her outside to the waiting carriage. “I can’t thank you enough,” he said as they began their short journey. “It was so nice to know that I didn’t need to worry about Grandmother for the evening.”
“Does the staff take good care of her when they’re home?” Jeanette asked. She’d wondered from time to time because of odd comments Mrs. Godfrey had made.
“They do, but it’s not their specialty, and I’ve often thought Grandmother should have a nurse.” He turned to her. “Do you have any idea what Dr. Swenson thinks about her eyes? I shouldn’t ask, but did he say anything to you after we left?”
“Just that he’s going to talk to his colleagues.”
“I wish we had some way of knowing what to plan for.”
“You do know that it’s quite soon in the process—you only had your first appointment today.”
Robert chuckled. “You’re right. I’ve always been far too impatient, and when it comes to Grandmother, I just want what’s best. I should take a few deep breaths and prepare to wait, shouldn’t I?”
“That’s what I’d suggest. Worrying won’t make things happen any faster.”
“Which is really quite terrible because it ought to.” He chuckled again and steered the carriage around what looked like a particularly slick spot in the road. “I appreciate everything you and Dr. Swenson are doing, and I’ll try not to be so edgy about it.”
When he brought the carriage up to Dr. Russell’s house, Robert helped Jeanette climb down, then walked her up the steps. “Thank you again,” he said. He took a step as though to leave, but then turned back. “I wonder if you’d be interested in attending the symphony with me next week. The staff will be in, and we could get a late dinner while we’re out.”
Jeanette smiled. “I’m sorry, but perhaps you didn’t hear that I’m engaged to be married.”
“Oh. No, I didn’t know that.” He glanced down at his feet and then back up again. “Well, this is certainly awkward.”
“No, it’s rather flattering. Thank you for thinking of me.”
He nodded. “All right, then. Have a good night.”
He waited on the steps until Jeanette had let herself into the house, and then she heard his footsteps on the walk leading back out to the carriage. She hoped she hadn’t embarrassed him, but she had to admit, it was flattering that he wanted to take her out. It was nice to be thought of as a woman instead of just as a nurse.
Chapter Eight
The next morning, Jeanette looked up and down the breakfast table with suspicion. “I just need to know if anyone has decided to play a little prank on me and is hiding my letters from Phillip,” she said. “I promise not to be angry—well, I’ll try hard not to be—but if you could maybe leave them on my pillow or something, I would really appreciate it.”
“Jeanette, no one is hiding your mail,” Meg said, her voice strangely compassionate. “I don’t think anyone here would be that unkind.”
All the girls shook their heads.
“I didn’t really think you were, but that seemed better than the alternative,” Jeanette said. “I suppose I’ll just have to give him a piece of my mind when I get home in two weeks, then.” She tried to make her voice sound light, but instead, it sounded a little bit bitter. Maybe she was bitter. Maybe he should just stop what he was doing and pick up a pen. How hard was that, really?
Being Saturday, the doctors didn’t have need of their temporary nurses. Some of the girls headed off to help out at one of the two hospitals, but Jeanette didn’t have an assignment, and she wasn’t sure whether to be happy about that or disappointed. She wanted to stay busy, but at the same time, two days off in a row would be such a blessing, and Sunday was a guaranteed day unless there was an emergency surgery. She decided to drag Sophie along with her to do some shopping. Choosing out some gifts for the people back home would help her shake these doldrums.
“Of course I’ll go shopping with you! Shopping is my favorite thing in the world!” Sophie grabbed her coat and hat. “I need to be back by five, though—Edward is taking me to a dinner party tonight. It seems the head of some new hospital is looking for staff, and they’re considering making Edward an offer.”
“Really? Would that be a good change for him?” Jeanette asked.
“I think so. He’d have the advantages of private practice without the pressure of an emergency room, so it would bring him the best of both worlds. I suppose we’ll need to see what they decide before we start making any plans, of course.”
The roads weren’t as slushy as they’d been the previous day, but Jeanette’s feet were still soaked by the time she and Sophie had found the little trinkets she wanted to take back to Topeka. A beautiful hair comb would be the perfect gift for Elizabeth. A silk cravat would look very nice on Phillip, and for Abigail . . . Jeanette smiled when she thought about the precious baby rattle she’d found, now wrapped up in her parcels. Right next to it was another one for Irene, which Jeanette would give her right before she left.
“We’ll need to hurry,” Sophie said as they hurried down the sidewalk. “I didn’t realize I’d let so much time pass at that last shop.”
“It is rather difficult to separate you from pretty fabrics,” Jeanette teased.
They were a few blocks from home when a carriage pulled up beside them and a man’s voice called out, “Ho there, Nurse Anderson. May I offer you a ride?”
Jeanette looked up through the snow that had just started to fall to see Robert Godfrey waiting for an answer. “Yes, please,” she said, not pausing to ask Sophie what she thought. “We’re running a bit late.”
They clambered aboard, and Robert put the horses in motion again. “It’s lucky that I caught you, I guess. We can’t have you scurrying around in weather like this.”
“No, we can’t,” Jeanette said with a laugh. “This is my friend Sophie Jones.”
“It’s a pleasure, Miss Jones.” Robert touched the brim of his hat. “I have to admit something, though. It’s lucky that I caught you out here on the street, but not a coincidence at all that we’ve run into each other. I was on my way to your house to speak with you.”
> “Oh? Why is that?”
He negotiated the carriage around a puddle before speaking again. “I talked with Grandmother last night, and she actually brought up the subject of a full-time nurse herself. That saved me a bit of figuring out how to introduce the topic. She said she felt comfortable with you there, that if anything happened, she’d be well taken care of. Now, I know you’re engaged,” he said quickly, “but . . . I just wanted to let you know that if anything happened . . . if things didn’t work out . . . Grandmother would very much like to hire you.”
“Oh, how sweet,” Sophie interjected. “I’m quite positive that Jeanette will be married within a month at the longest, though.” She cast an affirming look at Jeanette. She wasn’t going to let her friend wallow in self-pity, which Jeanette appreciated.
“I can make some recommendations, though,” Jeanette added. “I know several very talented nurses who might be interested.”
“Well, if we can’t have you in person, having someone you’ve recommended would be the next-best thing,” Robert said. “And here we are.”
As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Sophie jumped out, calling “Thank you” over her shoulder.
Robert chuckled. “I would have helped her down if she’d waited a moment,” he said.
“Sophie doesn’t believe in waiting,” Jeanette replied. “Life is an adventure to be explored right this minute. I, on the other hand, will let you help me. I don’t like the looks of that puddle.”
Robert pulled the carriage up another foot to allow for clearance, then gave her a hand.
“Thank you,” she told him, taking her packages from him with a smile.
“You’re quite welcome.” He paused, looking a little uncomfortable. “I didn’t mean to indicate that I hoped your engagement would fall through, Nurse Anderson. In fact, I wish you every happiness. I just wanted you to know that if things were to change, you’d have other options.”
He looked so uncomfortable, Jeanette couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. “I understood what you meant,” she said gently. “And I appreciate it. It’s always nice to know there are options.”
Test of Time (Nurses of New York Book 5) Page 5