Artists -- Fiction; England -- Fiction; Love stories; Rich people -- Fiction
Then Garth's instinctive chivalry struggled up through the blackness.
He did not turn his head, but his right hand made a little courteous
sign of greeting, and he said in a low, distinct voice: "How do you do?
I am sure it is most kind of you to come so far. I hope you had an easy
journey."
Jane's lips moved, but no sound would pass them.
Dr. Rob made answer quickly, without looking at her: "Miss Gray had a
very good journey, and looks as fresh this morning as if she had spent
the night in bed. I can see she is a cold-water young lady."
"I hope my housekeeper will make her comfortable. Please give orders,"
said the tired voice; and Garth turned even closer to the wall, as if
to end the conversation.
Dr. Rob attacked his moustache, and stood looking down at the blue silk
shoulder for a minute, silently.
Then he turned and spoke to Jane. "Come over to the window, Nurse Gray.
I want to show you a special chair we have obtained for Mr. Dalmain, in
which he will be most comfortable as soon as he feels inclined to sit
up. You see? Here is an adjustable support for the head, if necessary;
and these various trays and stands and movable tables can be swung
round into any position by a touch. I consider it excellent, and Sir
Deryck approved it. Have you seen one of this kind before, Nurse Gray?"
"We had one at the hospital, but not quite so complete as this," said
Jane.
In the stillness of that sunlit chamber, the voice from the bed broke
upon them with startling suddenness; and in it was the cry of one lost
in an abyss of darkness, but appealing to them with a frantic demand
for instant enlightenment.
"WHO is in the room?" cried Garth Dalmain.
His face was still turned to the wall; but he had raised himself on his
left elbow, in an attitude which betokened intent listening.
Dr. Mackenzie answered. "No one is in the room, Mr. Dalmain, but myself
and Nurse Gray."
"There IS some one else in the room!" said Garth violently. "How dare
you lie to me! Who was speaking?"
Then Jane came quickly to the side of the bed. Her hands were
trembling, but her voice was perfectly under control.
"It was I who spoke, sir," she said; "Nurse Rosemary Gray. And I feel
sure I know why my voice startled you. Dr. Brand warned me it might do
so. He said I must not be surprised if you detected a remarkable
similarity between my voice and that of a mutual friend of yours and
his. He said he had often noticed it."
Garth, in his blindness, remained quite still; listening and
considering. At length he asked slowly: "Did he say whose voice?"
"Yes, for I asked him. He said it was Miss Champion's."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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