“You’re pretty long, aren’t you? Do you think we can play in the
fountain to-day?”
“We’ll make a try for it, son. It will do us all good to get out into
the sunshine.”
“We always took Chang for a walk every day, Mademoiselle and Chang and
Freddie and I.”
Freddie had found my cap on the dressing table and had put it on his
yellow head. But now, on hearing the beloved name of his pet, he burst
into loud grief-stricken howls.
“Want Mam’selle,” he cried. “Want Chang too. Poor Freddie!”
The children were adorable. I bathed and dressed them and, mindful of my
predecessor’s story of crackers and milk, prepared for an excursion
kitchenward. The nights might be full of mystery, murder might romp from
room to room, but I intended to see that the youngsters breakfasted. But
before I was ready to go down breakfast arrived.
Perhaps the other nurse had told the Reeds a few plain truths before she
left; perhaps, and this I think was the case, the cloud had lifted just
a little. Whatever it may have been, two rather flushed and blistered
young people tapped at the door that morning and were admitted, Mr. Reed
first, with a tray, Mrs. Reed following with a coffee-pot and cream.
The little nursery table was small for five, but we made room somehow.
What if the eggs were underdone and the toast dry? The children munched
blissfully. What if Mr. Reed’s face was still drawn and haggard and his
wife a limp little huddle on the floor? She sat with her head against
his knee and her eyes on the little boys, and drank her pale coffee
slowly. She was very tired, poor thing. She dropped asleep sitting
there, and he sat for a long time, not liking to disturb her.
It made me feel homesick for the home I didn’t have. I’ve had the same
feeling before, of being a rank outsider, a sort of defrauded feeling.
I’ve had it when I’ve seen the look in a man’s eyes when his wife
comes-to after an operation. And I’ve had it, for that matter, when I’ve
put a new baby in its mother’s arms for the first time. I had it for
sure that morning, while she slept there and he stroked her pretty hair.