‘When you come from a family that’s supported hospital fundraising to the extent the Dawsons have, I think you can pretty much call the shots. Do you mind?’
‘Not at all. I really like her. She reminds me of my nana.’
‘That’s good. I get the impression that Lady Dorothy can be formidable if she doesn’t get what she’s set her heart on.’
What Lady Dorothy had really set her heart on became apparent a little later that morning, after Bella had helped her get dressed and sat with her while the physiotherapist put her through a range of exercises intended to keep her joints mobile. Bella went to fetch Lady Dorothy a cup of the Earl Grey tea she preferred when the session was finished and when she came back, she found that Oliver was visiting his mother.
They seemed to be finishing a rather intense conversation, in fact.
‘I can’t stop you,’ Oliver was saying in a low voice. ‘It’s your life and your house, after all, but I think it’s ill-advised.’
When he saw Bella enter the room, he turned away, walking two strides to the outside window where he stood staring at a view she knew was not that fascinating.
Bella had made the tea cool enough to be safe and it was in a cup with a straw.
‘Put it there, dear.’ Lady Dorothy waved at her bedside table. ‘There’s something I want to talk to you about.’
Bella set the cup of tea down and turned. She looked at Lady Dorothy sitting up quite straight in her chair. She was smiling. She looked at Oliver’s back. He was standing very straight. Bella had the distinct impression that if he turned around, he would not be smiling.
‘I want to go home,’ Lady Dorothy announced. ‘But I realise I’m going to need some help until I get better. Oliver suggested that I get a private nurse.’
‘That sounds like a very good idea,’ Bella said cautiously, not sure what this had to do with her.
Lady Dorothy beamed at her. ‘So you’ll take the job, then?’
Bella’s jaw dropped. ‘I’m not a private nurse. I work here, at St Patrick’s.’
‘That’s what I told you, Mother,’ Oliver said, without turning around. ‘Private nurses probably have specialised training.’
‘Nonsense,’ Lady Dorothy said. ‘A nurse is a nurse.’ She was still smiling at Bella. ‘What’s to stop you taking on a private job?’
‘Oh… no, I couldn’t.’ Bella was taken aback. ‘I’m only working until I can save enough money to go overseas.’
‘There you go,’ Oliver said. ‘You need someone who can commit to more long-term employment.’
‘I’d pay you very well, dear.’ Lady Oliver frowned at Oliver’s back. ‘And Oliver won’t be in the way. His wing of the house is quite separate, really.’
Bella couldn’t help sucking in an audible breath. Hiswingof the house?
Her astonishment came out as a rather different query, however. ‘You live with yourmother?’
The back stiffened further, quite visibly, and Oliver turned to face Bella directly. Oh… Lord… how could she have forgotten just how intimidating this man could be? Except… something about his face reminded her of how he’d looked when she’d caught him out with the fast food. Was he embarrassed by the fact that he still lived with his mother?
Even though the tiny hint of vulnerability was quite appealing, Bella knew it would be a big mistake to smile.
‘How long is it going to take for you to save up to go overseas?’ Lady Dorothy seemed undeterred.
‘Um… a wee while, I guess.’
Bella had to look away from the direct stare she was receiving from Oliver. He didn’t approve of what his mother was trying to do here. What was the problem? Did he think she wasn’t good enough to care for his mother without the kind of supervisory hierarchy a hospital provided? Of course she was. If she wanted to be a private nurse, she would be an excellent one. It was, in fact, the type of job she was considering doing when she went overseas because she’d heard that it paid very well.
‘Is that why you live with your aunt? To help you save money?’
‘Partly.’ Bella turned her attention back to Lady Dorothy who was, after all, a much more likeable person than her son. ‘She’s also my favourite person in the world. She’s not that much older than me and she lived with my family for a long time.’
Bella was happy to change the subject because the idea of a job that would pay well enough to speed up her saving was rather tempting.
She also had to admit that Oliver was right. They needed someone who could commit long term. It wouldn’t be fair to Lady Dorothy to take on a job as her private nurse and then disappear off overseas in a few months.
