tired, but it’s only a little after eleven,” Martha protested. “I don’t want to cut our visit short.”
“Well, if you’d sit down and rest for a few minutes—” A guard hurried in, “Is one of you ladies a nurse?” he asked.
“I’m a nurse,” said Cherry. “What happened?”
“If you could come downstairs directly, miss—” the guard said. “Lady Liddy has been taken bad. She’s having an attack, miss. I don’t know exactly what—If you could come quickly—”
“Coming,” said Cherry.
Martha Logan said, “I’m coming with you.” They went downstairs, the guard leading the way, explaining. Lady Liddy had come downstairs to ask Mr. Carewe a question, and to answer it, he had 92 CHERRY
AMES,
COMPANION
NURSE
escorted her to the library. While consulting some books together, Lady Liddy had had a dizzy spell, grown faint, and collapsed, the guard said. “We all rushed to help her, miss, but we can’t bring her around—”
He led them to the library. There the other guard, on his knees, was supporting the woman who was sitting, slumped forward, in a chair. Mr. Carewe was awkwardly holding a glass half fi lled with brandy, while the secretary rubbed the young woman’s wrists. The librarian was pressing a dampened handkerchief to the back of the young woman’s neck. Someone had removed her hat, exposing her frightened face.
“Eh, nurse?” Mr. Carewe said. “Will you see what you can do for her? We have telephoned a doctor, but he is many miles from here.”
“I’ll try, Mr. Carewe,” said Cherry. She signaled Martha to sit down.
Then Cherry knelt, replacing the second guard. She held the young woman’s thin wrist between her own thumb and forefi nger. Her pulse count was normal—
a little rapid, but normal. Her hands felt warm, which was normal. Cherry watched her breathing and counted her respiration rate—a little quickened, but not much and not shallow. Cherry placed her hand on Lady Liddy’s forehead for a guess at her temperature. Her forehead was cool and dry—normal.
Cherry felt puzzled. If this were a fainting spell or a mild attack of some kind, where were the symptoms?
The woman was trembling, but that could be from A
FANTASTIC
VISITOR
93
nervousness or fright, as much as from any faintness.
“Careful,” she thought, “I’m not a doctor. Perhaps I’m overlooking some symptoms.”
“Lady Liddy,” she said softly, “do you feel nauseated?
Or are you in pain?”
The young woman shook her blond head, but murmured, “Headache.”
Migraine? No, she showed no tension. Was she weak from hunger? Cherry asked, “Did you have an adequate breakfast this morning?” Lady Liddy nodded.
Miss Hayden asked, “Could it possibly be food poi-soning?” But that would have produced a cold sweat and nausea, as well as faintness, Cherry explained.
She bent and looked closely into the young woman’s face and clear eyes. Lady Liddy self-consciously averted her head.
John Carewe said irritably, “Why don’t you give her fi rst aid?”
“I see nothing to give her fi rst aid for, Mr. Carewe,” Cherry said. She glanced at Martha Logan, who was looking as puzzled as Cherry felt.
“The best I can suggest, Mr. Carewe,” Cherry said,
“is that Lady Liddy see a doctor as soon as possible.”
“Here, give her this.” John Carewe thrust out the glass of brandy. “Revive her. Do her good.” The young woman refused the brandy. “I’m terribly sorry to be a nuisance.” She sighed. “I often have these fainting spells. I’m—I’m simply not very strong, you see. It’s nothing, really.”
94 CHERRY
AMES,
COMPANION
NURSE
“Too much walking here this morning,” Mrs. Ogilvie suggested soothingly.
“That’s it,” Lady Liddy murmured. “Thank you anyway, all of you kind people.” She closed her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. Cherry wondered whether she was concealing some malady.
Martha Logan said, “Where is the Shah? Have we all
“Well, if you’d sit down and rest for a few minutes—” A guard hurried in, “Is one of you ladies a nurse?” he asked.
“I’m a nurse,” said Cherry. “What happened?”
“If you could come downstairs directly, miss—” the guard said. “Lady Liddy has been taken bad. She’s having an attack, miss. I don’t know exactly what—If you could come quickly—”
“Coming,” said Cherry.
Martha Logan said, “I’m coming with you.” They went downstairs, the guard leading the way, explaining. Lady Liddy had come downstairs to ask Mr. Carewe a question, and to answer it, he had 92 CHERRY
AMES,
COMPANION
NURSE
escorted her to the library. While consulting some books together, Lady Liddy had had a dizzy spell, grown faint, and collapsed, the guard said. “We all rushed to help her, miss, but we can’t bring her around—”
He led them to the library. There the other guard, on his knees, was supporting the woman who was sitting, slumped forward, in a chair. Mr. Carewe was awkwardly holding a glass half fi lled with brandy, while the secretary rubbed the young woman’s wrists. The librarian was pressing a dampened handkerchief to the back of the young woman’s neck. Someone had removed her hat, exposing her frightened face.
“Eh, nurse?” Mr. Carewe said. “Will you see what you can do for her? We have telephoned a doctor, but he is many miles from here.”
“I’ll try, Mr. Carewe,” said Cherry. She signaled Martha to sit down.
Then Cherry knelt, replacing the second guard. She held the young woman’s thin wrist between her own thumb and forefi nger. Her pulse count was normal—
a little rapid, but normal. Her hands felt warm, which was normal. Cherry watched her breathing and counted her respiration rate—a little quickened, but not much and not shallow. Cherry placed her hand on Lady Liddy’s forehead for a guess at her temperature. Her forehead was cool and dry—normal.
Cherry felt puzzled. If this were a fainting spell or a mild attack of some kind, where were the symptoms?
The woman was trembling, but that could be from A
FANTASTIC
VISITOR
93
nervousness or fright, as much as from any faintness.
“Careful,” she thought, “I’m not a doctor. Perhaps I’m overlooking some symptoms.”
“Lady Liddy,” she said softly, “do you feel nauseated?
Or are you in pain?”
The young woman shook her blond head, but murmured, “Headache.”
Migraine? No, she showed no tension. Was she weak from hunger? Cherry asked, “Did you have an adequate breakfast this morning?” Lady Liddy nodded.
Miss Hayden asked, “Could it possibly be food poi-soning?” But that would have produced a cold sweat and nausea, as well as faintness, Cherry explained.
She bent and looked closely into the young woman’s face and clear eyes. Lady Liddy self-consciously averted her head.
John Carewe said irritably, “Why don’t you give her fi rst aid?”
“I see nothing to give her fi rst aid for, Mr. Carewe,” Cherry said. She glanced at Martha Logan, who was looking as puzzled as Cherry felt.
“The best I can suggest, Mr. Carewe,” Cherry said,
“is that Lady Liddy see a doctor as soon as possible.”
“Here, give her this.” John Carewe thrust out the glass of brandy. “Revive her. Do her good.” The young woman refused the brandy. “I’m terribly sorry to be a nuisance.” She sighed. “I often have these fainting spells. I’m—I’m simply not very strong, you see. It’s nothing, really.”
94 CHERRY
AMES,
COMPANION
NURSE
“Too much walking here this morning,” Mrs. Ogilvie suggested soothingly.
“That’s it,” Lady Liddy murmured. “Thank you anyway, all of you kind people.” She closed her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. Cherry wondered whether she was concealing some malady.
Martha Logan said, “Where is the Shah? Have we all
Similar Books
