Four little moments with Isobel and Richard
Disclaimer: Yes, I know. JF and ITV own Downton Abbey. I only own the DVD boxset...
Other: Again, written for my 1000 words a day challenge. This is the first part, the next story the second one because I simply could not get my brain to imagine something longer. The 'moments' themselves can stand alone.
By the way... Isobel and her favourite doctor are currently overtaking my brain. I need to stop this somehow... But first... read on with the first moment. ^^
~~o~~
1. Chocolates
Isobel Crawley was rather angry with dear Doctor Clarkson at the moment. And she had been so since he told her several days ago that women simply weren't designed to be doctors because of their mental disposition. Because of their fragile sensibilities. She had shown him fragile sensibilities then when she had angrily told him how she had set bones and treated infections while he nursed cuts and bruises during the week before. Put up with the audacity with which he had dared to throw those words into her face she had stormed out of his office and refused to either talk or even see him.
Somehow the other nurses had heard about their "discussion", even though she was sure that she hadn't lost one word about it, and now treated the doctor with cold politeness. If he was lucky. Some of them had adopted the course of simply ignoring him. Of course they cared about the patients, but they knew what they had to do, even without a Doctor telling them. Even though they weren't "designed" for it.
Some of the more resolute ones had even started a strike and within two days he found himself only with a skeleton crew of nursing staff staying in the hospital. And before he knew it he had to deal with a flood of different cases and patients himself.
She really hoped that it taught him a lesson even though she hadn't encouraged the other nurses to do it and silently prayed that whoever of the nurses stayed at the hospital had a watchful eye on the patients.
Her days had been spend with staying at home, letting him stir in his own juice as long as there wasn't some emergency that needed the nurses attention, and reading through all the medical journals she could find. He hadn't shown up on her doorstep until now and she refused to seek him out. She was sure that it would stay this way until he managed to get everything at the hospital under control.
But to her surprise he found another way to say he was sorry.
A few days after their falling out Molesley entered her drawing room in the evening while she was writing a letter and presented her with a small basket. Taking it from him and sending him to see when dinner would be ready she placed it on a low table. For a moment she simply stood in front of it, wondering about who would send her a basket and especially what was in it. Carefully she stretched her hand to the lid and opened it an inch to peer inside. And then she realised what was in it and opened it completely.
Inside lay a stack of medical journals, all brand new, and a little box of exquisite chocolates. Taking the journals and setting them to the side a simple white card fell out and onto the carpet. Slowly she bend down, picked it up and opened it curiously. Inside of it she found Doctor Clarkson's distinctive handwriting.
I shouldn't have said what I did.
I'm sorry.
And at the bottom of the card she found the small line: I really want you and my nurses back.
With a smile she unpacked one of the chocolates and gently nibbled on it, the warm velvety taste filling her mouth. The rich and heavy flavour helped her to accept his apology for his mindlessly spoken words and come to the decision to go for a walk the next day. A walk back into his office to forgive him and to tell him that he never did not have her. And maybe she'd bring these chocolates, too.
~~o~~
Actually, I think the medical journals worked more as an apology for her then the chocolate and the card did together. I just see her as that kind of woman. ^^