Elinor said:
“Good morning.”
Nurse Hopkins said:
“Good morning, Miss Carlisle. Lovely day, isn’t it?”
Mary said:
“Oh—good morning, Miss Elinor.”
Elinor said:
“I’ve been making some sandwiches. Won’t you come up and have some? It’s just on one o’clock, and it’s such a bother to have to go home for lunch. I got enough for three on purpose.”
Nurse Hopkins said in pleased surprise:
“Well, I must say, Miss Carlisle, that’s extremely thoughtful of you. It is a nuisance to have to break off what you’re doing and come all the way back from the village. I hoped we might finish this morning. I went round and saw my cases early. But, there, turning out takes you longer than you think.”
Mary said gratefully:
“Thank you, Miss Elinor, it’s very kind of you.”
The three of them walked up the drive to the house. Elinor had left the front door open. They passed inside into the cool of the hall. Mary shivered a little. Elinor looked at her sharply.
She said:
“What is it?”
Mary said:
“Oh, nothing—just a shiver. It was coming in—out o
f the sun….”
Elinor said in a low voice:
“That’s queer. That’s what I felt this morning.”
Nurse Hopkins said in a loud, cheerful voice and with a laugh:
“Come, now, you’ll be pretending there are ghosts in the house next. I didn’t feel anything!”
Elinor smiled. She led the way into the morning room on the right of the front door. The blinds were up and the windows open. It looked cheerful.
Elinor went across the hall and brought back from the pantry a big plate of sandwiches. She handed it to Mary, saying:
“Have one?”
Mary took one. Elinor stood watching her for a moment as the girl’s even white teeth bit into the sandwich.
She held her breath for a minute, then expelled it in a little sigh.
Absentmindedly she stood for a minute with the plate held to her waist, then at the sight of Nurse Hopkins’ slightly parted lips and hungry expression she flushed and quickly proffered the plate to the older woman.
Elinor took a sandwich herself. She said apologetically:
“I meant to make some coffee, but I forgot to get any. There’s some beer on that table, though, if anyone likes that?”