Rich Girl, Poor Girl by Eileen Ramsay

Author:Eileen Ramsay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bonnier Publishing Fiction

12

Dundee, 1905

THEY COULD NOT meet. Rose looked in her mirror and hated what she saw. She saw, not a girl who was going to become a doctor in a few weeks’ time and who had worked and slaved and sacrificed for the opportunity, but the face of a girl who finally admitted to herself that she was ashamed of her family. For Kier was not the only visitor to the students’ lodgings in the West End; Donaldina Nesbitt too had become a common visitor. She came, quite frankly, not because she loved or missed her older sister but because, in her perception, Rose was rich and she was definitely poor and so the balance must be redressed.

Rose had suffered badly when Elsie died. She had castigated herself for the neglect she felt her mother had suffered. I could have done more. I could have helped. I should have stayed at home – there, she still called that two-room flat up the closie, home – during the summer holidays and given Ma my money instead of saving for a costume.

Elsie was dead. Donaldina was alive and Rose tried to help. Donaldina knew about the approaching graduation and she hinted for an invitation.

At least Rose did not try to pretend that Donaldina would be ill at ease in the grand hall where the degrees would be awarded. It was quite simply that she, Rose Nesbitt, did not want her half-sister to meet Kier Anderson-Howard. For he too had hinted that he would like to attend.

Unlike Donaldina, he had not been subtle but almost direct. ‘There’s only this half-brother of yours in Australia, Rose . . .’ (Rose had given him a carefuly edited version of her life story. She had never actually lied about Frazer – Frazer was too good, too noble not to be admitted into her life – but she had never told the whole truth either.) . . .  ‘and he’ll never manage to come. Unless he’s one of these fellows who suddenly finds gold. He’s not an Australian millionaire, is he?’

‘I doubt it. Murray is my half-brother, Kier. We’re not really in touch. Men are notoriously bad correspondents.’

Kier, who had written letters religiously to and from many corners of the globe, did not deny this sweeping statement. ‘You can’t graduate alone, with no one to cheer madly,’ was all he said.

‘I’d like you to be there.’

‘Good, and what are you doing with this hard-won medical qualification?’

Should she say something? Should she tell him? He could approach Dr Graham. Hadn’t Dr Graham promised, hinted even, that she might help?

‘I’m not sure yet. There are several possibilities.’

So far there were no offers of employment. No private doctor, no hospital, was rushing to hire the new female graduates.

‘There’s a further degree . . .’ (My God, I’ve spent my entire life studying. Now I want to practise . . .) ‘I’m not sure,’ she finished lamely.

In the months before her graduation, Rose found herself worried more and more about the future. She was unconcerned about whether or not she would pass the examinations.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.