“You should get away,” he told me. “It’s the best thing. Get right away from all this.” He took my hand and pressed it. “In London…it would be different. There’s so much to do. You wouldn’t have time for brooding.”
“Perhaps you are right,” I said. “But not yet, Richard. I have to wait. I have to make myself see what I should do.”
He nodded patiently and we went on sitting there. Matilda came out to join us.
“I do hope you’ll stay to dinner,” she said. “It is so nice for Violetta to have her friends down from London.”
Richard accepted the invitation.
Before he left he reminded me that he had to get back to London and tomorrow would be his last day.
“We’ll do something special,” he said.
It was early morning of that Saturday when Nanny Crabtree burst into my room. I had just awakened and was lying in my bed, contemplating getting up. Richard would be coming at ten o’clock. I must be ready. I would try to make up to him for the disappointment of the previous day.
I saw at once that there was something wrong. Nanny Crabtree was pale and her eyes were fierce. She was greatly agitated.
“I want the doctor at once,” she said.
I struggled up.
“It’s Tristan?” I cried. “He’s worse…I’ll telephone the doctor right away.”
“Do that. It’s on his chest…having difficulty breathing. Get him quick.”
I picked up my dressing gown and ran downstairs, Nanny Crabtree at my heels.
She stood beside me while I telephoned.
The doctor said he would be with us in an hour.
“How bad is he?” I asked Nanny.
“God alone knows. Four o’clock this morning, it was. I thought I heard him cough. It woke me. It’s a habit you get when you’re with children. I went in and there he was…all the bedclothes off…and, could you believe it, that window beside his cot was open…just enough to let in a draught. I couldn’t believe it. I had tucked him in so he couldn’t throw anything off. I had that window shut. There’s a cold wind blowing in from the sea. It must have been one of them maids, though what she was doing in my nursery I don’t know. I’d seen to him and he’d gone off to sleep…”
“He must have been terribly chilled.”
“To the bone. That’s what’s brought this on. I only hope it’s not going to turn to pneumonia. He’s too little. If I find out who opened that window, I’ll be ready to kill the one who did it.”
I went up to see Tristan. He was tucked in with extra blankets and there were hot water bottles on either side of him. His face was flushed and he was shivering every now and then. His eyes had lost their brightness. He opened them for a second or two and then closed them. I felt sick with anxiety. I knew that he was very ill.
“I wish that doctor would come,” said Nanny Crabtree. “He’s taking his time.”
“He said in an hour. It’s not fifteen minutes yet. Nanny…how is he, really?”
“Not too good. He’s had this chill. He was sleeping and warmly tucked in when I left him. I thought he’d be better in the morning. Children throw things off easy. They worry you sick, and then in half an hour they’re right as rain. I was a bit anxious about him. You always are…you never know what can flare up suddenly. It was four o’clock…I just heard that cough and there I was. I felt the draught as I came in. He was lying there…uncovered, with that wind blowing in right onto him. Well, I shut the window fast as I could and I got him wrapped up and warm. He was like a little iceberg. But he’s taken a chill, no doubt of that. I wish that doctor would come.”
I washed and dressed and was ready when the doctor arrived. He went straight to Tristan and I could see by his expression that we had done right to call him immediately.
He said: “We’ll have to take care of him. It’s not pneumonia…yet. Well, we’ll do our best. He’s a strong little fellow, but he is young, very young. He didn’t seem all that bad when I saw him last.”
“I found him with the clothes off him,” said Nanny. “He was just in his little nightshirt…”
“Well, we’ll see what we can do.”
I could not believe this. Dorabella dead and now the child threatened. There was something evil in this place.
Matilda was deeply concerned.
“Poor little mite,” she said. “I thought it was just a cold and, in fact, when the doctor came yesterday, I didn’t think it was really necessary.”
“I’m glad he saw him yesterday,” I said. “He can see what a big change there has been.”
“It’s not…dangerous?”
“The doctor thinks it could be. It’s so sudden. I feel…” I turned away and she slipped her arm through mine.
She said: “I know. One thing after another. Life can be like that sometimes. Everything seems to go wrong.”
“Nanny went in this morning. She found him frozen. He had thrown off the bedclothes and the window was open—the one by his cot.”
“Did Nanny leave it open?”
“Oh, no! She would never do a thing like that. The wind was blowing straight down onto his cot and she wouldn’t let him be in a draught. The result might have been disastrous. Thank goodness she woke up when she did.”
“I suppose he kicked off his bedclothes. But who opened the window?”
“Nanny says she doesn’t understand it. She said she tucked him in so tightly that he couldn’t have thrown off the bedclothes. And she certainly didn’t leave the window open.”
“She must have. I expect she forgot. She is a little old.”
“I never thought of her age. She’s as efficient as ever. She looks after Tristan as she did after us. Little escapes her.”
“But to leave a window open like that.”
“I can’t believe she did.”
Matilda shrugged her shoulders. “Well, it has happened. The thing is to get Tristan well. Dr. Luce is very good. He will do what is best. Do you think I could see Tristan?”
“I don’t know what the doctor’s orders are. Let’s go up and see Nanny.”
Nanny Crabtree came to the nursery door.
“I’ve got to watch him,” she said. “If there is a change I’m to call the doctor at once.”
Matilda looked startled. “Is it as bad as that then?”
Nanny said: “I don’t want him left. Miss Violetta, I want you here.”
“Your friend…” began Matilda.
I had forgotten Richard. I looked at my watch. It was nine thirty. I had promised to be ready by ten.
“You should go out and have a pleasant day with him,” said Matilda.
“I couldn’t have a pleasant day. I’d be thinking all the time of what was happening to Tristan.”
“You should be here, Miss Violetta,” said Nanny Crabtree. “I don’t want anyone coming in here and opening windows.”
She looked fierce and angry. Matilda exchanged a glance with me.
I said to her: “You see that he is really ill.”
She tiptoed to the cot.
“Poor little thing,” she said. “He does look poorly.”
“I’ll pull him through,” said Nanny Crabtree. “And then I’ll have something to say if I find anyone opening windows in my nursery.” She turned to me. “I don’t want him throwing off the bedclothes. He’s got to be kept warm. The doctor will be back this afternoon to take a look at him.”
Matilda said: “If I can be of any help…”
“That is kind of you, Mrs. Lewyth,” said Nanny. “But we’ll be able to manage.”
Matilda looked at me helplessly.
I said to Nanny: “I’ll be back in a moment,” and went out with Matilda.
“You really shouldn’t disappoint that nice young man,” she said.
“I can’t help it.”
“I could be up there to help Nanny. You should go off with your friend.”