She went to see Sister Julienne straight away, before Baby Fred's christening. She hugged the knowledge of it to her chest for one night, telling no one; happy that of the whole world only she, Patrick and Timothy knew. But by the morning, it was clear to her that there were many things that she needed to discuss.
"Sister," she told her, having taken her seat, having been offered and declined a cup of tea, and announced that there were several things she wanted to discuss, "Something rather... important has happened. It happened yesterday, as a matter of fact."
Sister Julienne leant forwards, listening attentively.
"You know that-..." she did not quite know how to put it. At the sanatorium and here in this office when they had discussed her feelings for Patrick it had always been done with extreme tact on both of their parts, and always wrought with emotion. She had no wish to temper her present happy news with painful memories or to make Sister Julienne awkward by referring to their discussions too explicitly. "You know what you know about Dr. Turner, and myself," she surmised finally.
Sister Julienne nodded briefly, expecting her to go on.
"Yes, I do," she confirmed, betraying no hint of awkwardness, and just a hint of concerned curiosity about where Shelagh might be going with this.
"He has asked me to marry him," she told her quietly, "We are engaged."
Sister Julienne's mouth had fallen openly, but not unkindly. She looked ecstatic and surprised in equal measure.
"Oh, my dear," she told her once she had recovered herself, "Congratulations, to you both. That is wonderful news. Simply wonderful."
Shelagh had been intending to ask if Sister Julienne gave them her blessing, but this question was made shortly redundant by her continuing;
"I could not have prayed for a happier outcome," she reached across the desk, clasping Shelagh's hands in hers, "Congratulations, my dear girl."
Shelagh said nothing for long moments, but squeezed Sister Julienne's hands in return.
"When is it you intend to get married?" she asked her.
"We haven't quite decided yet," Shelagh replied, "That rather depends on you, Sister."
"On me?" she asked surprised, "How so?"
"On several counts," Shelagh told her seriously, "It depends on what day is convenient for you to come to the church and give me away."
Sister Julienne's face froze, completely caught out this time by shock, and moments later, real delight.
"I would be free to do that on any day of the year," she replied finally, her eyes welling with tears.
Shelagh smiled at her, beaming in delight, so different to the way she had seemed for months leading up to this.
"Then it depends, really, on when I'm to be allowed to come back to work," Shelagh told her, "When I'm married I'd like to start as I mean to go on, and to know my routine from the beginning."
This statement seemed to give Sister Julienne cause for a graver and more contemplative pause than before. She had to admire Shelagh really, and saw that Sister Evangelina's firm advocacy of the practicality of routine had certainly made its impression upon her after all the years. However, it also gave her pause on account of the fact that though she by no means wished to delay the Turners' nuptials, she simply refused to allow Shelagh to make herself ill again by coming back to work before she was ready. She expelled a heavy sigh.
"Have you talked to Dr. Turner about this?" she asked, a little warily.
"We discussed it briefly last night," she told her, "He said I should talk about it with you."
Julienne sensed that this was not all the doctor had had to say on the subject, and looked at Shelagh not sternly, exactly, but fixedly, hoping she would elucidate without having to be pressed. She met her eyes, and the girl gave a short sigh.
"He said it should be a while yet until I return to work," she admitted, "But he has no wish to delay the wedding either."
"He's right, you know," Julienne told her gently, "You really must take things easily, you know."
She thought for a moment that Shelagh was about to glare at her. She did not, but the air of resentment was still there in her look. It was only to be expected, Sister Julienne thought, and she deeply sympathised with the fact that Shelagh was not used to idleness.
"I know you had a lot of rest in the Sanatorium," she added quickly, "And the makes it all the more important that you don't rush things at the beginning. I'm sure Dr. Turner's recommendations only indicate the depth to which he cares about you."
"I know," Shelagh told her earnestly, "But I want to be useful, Sister, I want that more than anything."
"Yes, my dear," Julienne told her patiently, "But forgive me if I sound a little harsh: you're no use to man nor beast back in that Sanatorium."
The statement gave Shelagh a moment's pause. She gave a deep, her shoulders shrinking a little, conceding defeat on that point.
"I think if we started you working one day a week," Sister Julienne told her slowly, "Helping to relieve the burden at the antenatal clinic. No home visits just yet, and definitely no night shifts. How does that sound?"
"Starting immediately?" Shelagh asked, a look of hope spreading across her face.
Sister Julienne nodded.
"And," there was a positive excitement in Shelagh's voice, which brought a small smile to Sister Julienne's lips, in spite of her concerns, "Would it be foreseeable that-... I mean, might I be back to work within... two months?"
Sister Julienne paused for a moment.
"It is possible that that might be the case," she told her, but quickly added, "Only you know how how you feel, and if you feel ready for it," she told her, "But please, Shelagh, for my sake as much as yours, if you need a rest, at any time, take it. No one would begrudge you it in the slightest and I would never forgive myself if-..."
She trailed off, unable to finish. For a moment, Shelagh met her eyes, and knew at once what she meant. But still, there was an ecstatic look in Shelagh's eye at the prospect, the very thought of being able to work again.
"I understand, Sister," she told her, "Thank you."
Sister Julienne smiled.
"I am not so well-staffed that I can afford to decline your offer of help completely," she told her kindly, "The position has not changed in the slightest: I really don't think I could do without you."
"You seem to have managed admirably well while I was away," Shelagh replied modestly.
"I'm not sure "managed" is quite the term I would use," Sister Julienne amended casually, "But we got by."
Shelagh smiled, standing up, getting ready to leave.
"I cannot keep you any longer, Sister," she told her, "You must have plenty to do."
"Thank you for coming to see me," she replied, standing also, "I am honoured that you chose to impart your news to me first of all. And, Shelagh-... Thank you," was all she could say.
But Shelagh understood, and returned her smile. They stood quietly for a few moments, looking at each other warmly.
"Are you going to tell the others now?" Sister Julienne asked, surprised to find that her voice was somehow a little weak.
"Patrick and I have decided to wait until we are both here," she replied, "Could I ask you to keep our confidence for a little while? Hopefully until tonight or tomorrow evening at the latest."
"Of course," Sister Julienne agreed, "It would be a privilege."