Proud Mary by Iris Gower

Author:Iris Gower
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Canelo
Published: 2021-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Seventeen

The windows of Ty Mawr were ablaze with lights by the time Mary arrived. The front door under the stone porch stood open, the glare from the hallway spilling onto the drive. A carriage stood in front of the house, the horse pulling impatiently between the shafts.

As Mary approached the doorway, Dr Thomas was walking slowly through the hall. His shoulders were stooped and his black bag hung down at his side; his appearance was one of complete dejection.

He paused in the lighted porch and turned to look at the tall man looming behind him whose large frame cast a great shadow onto the pathway.

‘The improvement will just be a temporary one.’ The doctor spoke softly, but Mary was close enough to catch the gist of what he said. Dean Sutton acknowledged the doctor’s words with a slight inclination of his great head.

‘You know there is nothing more I can do but make her comfortable. She has at best another month and after that her life is in the lap of the gods.’

The big American rested his hand on the doctor’s thin shoulder. ‘I’m grateful, Bryn, for all you’ve done. Thank you for coming up here so promptly and for spending so much time with Bea.’

‘It’s the least I can do.’ Dr Thomas’s voice was muffled. ‘I brought the girl into the world, it’s sad to see her reduced to a shadow of her former self. Bonny and lovely she was as a child. With great fat glossy curls and laughing eyes, always laughing they were.’ The old doctor shook his head. ‘But then life must go on as they say.’

Mary waited until the doctor climbed into his carriage and then made her way round to the back of the house. In the kitchen Bertha was seated at the white scrubbed table, her head buried in her apron. Awkwardly, Mary sat beside the maid and touched her arm lightly.

‘I’m so sorry about Mrs Sutton,’ Mary spoke quietly. ‘Is there anything I can do to help?’

Bertha looked up at once, her eyes red and puffy through weeping. Her face was deathly pale and her hair dishevelled.

‘There’s nothing anyone can do. She’s dying, my beloved mistress is going to her great sleep and I don’t know how I’ll manage without her.’

Mary put her arm around Bertha’s shoulder, patting her back as though she was a child.

‘Now listen to me,’ Mary said sternly, ‘Mrs Sutton may live for some weeks yet. I heard the doctor telling Mr Sutton, so you must be brave. Go wash away your tears and smarten yourself up a bit, you can’t let your mistress see you looking like this otherwise she’ll know something is very wrong.’ She helped Bertha to her feet. ‘Now, come on, cold water works wonders and so does a smattering of wet tea leaves wrapped in a linen handkerchief and placed on the eyes.’

Bertha stared at her gratefully. ‘Will you take up her tray, just this once? Tell Miss Bea I’m busy in the kitchen, what with the cook off visiting her sister an’ all.

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