She tries to be strong; she always knows how to be strong when pain comes creeping up on her.
It's only an earring.
Yet combing the grass by the sidewalk, Isobel cannot stop her eyes from spangling the withered blades.
Richard sighs.
She'd said she'd not be gone for too long.
"Nurse Thompson, Mrs Crawley has lost a pearl earring. If any of you find one, be sure to return it to her, please."
The head nurse nods observantly, obediently.
"If anything happens, you can get Doctor Golt. He's in my office."
Mrs Crawley hasn't been the same since the passing of her son, but the doctor hasn't been the same either.
They had both softened somehow.
The late summer haze has kept some children on the street, providing him with a small distraction as he scans the road for her.
Coming up with nothing, he casts a look in the direction of the church. He has not seen her there often, but maybe this is one of the times… He refrains and makes a movement to go back inside, when he discerns her on the bench behind the chestnut tree.
He hesitates, but then makes his way over; across the road, across the lawn. Hands by her sides, she is holding on firmly. Her eyes are closed, but when she opens them, he can see a watery film reflecting the sky above.
"Thank you."
She looks at him and nods towards the hospital, referring to him dismissing her earlier.
"I can't find it, so I suppose it doesn't matter, though."
Her voice sounds defiant now, but the look in her eyes is dispirited, her demeanour a disheartening reminder of the first weeks after the funeral. He fights the urge to say too much, and succeeds by speaking truthfully and gingerly.
"I'm sure it does…"
She doesn't know what to say to that and so she remains quiet, and lets the silence surge back over her instead.
He's right, of course.
"It can be helpful to let others take care of you every once in a while, Mrs Crawley… As a nurse at least, I'm sure you're aware of that."
He has already averted his eyes when she looks up, glancing over at the children running around.
She sighs.
"I suppose there is some truth to that, doctor Clarkson."
He hesitates a second time, but speaks again.
"It's rather a task looking out for you, Mrs Crawley, not only as a doctor, but as a friend as well."
His gaze returns to her, questioning his ability to stay on the fine line of balance he had tried to walk during the past few months.
He cannot see if he's failed, since her mind seems to have strayed elsewhere.
"My brother called this morning, asking if I wanted to stay with him and his family for a while."
A pensive look is spread across her face as she answers him, and he feels an unexpected gratefulness that she has other people looking out for her as well.
"Nurse Garnett is doing well. And with my new assistant we should be able to cope…" he offers.
"Are you trying to get rid of me, doctor?"
She smiles a bit at this, softening the blow and the reddening of his cheeks.
And as he searches for words with which to reply, she quietly adds,
"He gave them to me after he got his first job, with Christmas."
Pearl; just like you, mother.
Her features turn soft and he sees her warmth suddenly winning the struggle to break out.
"You must have been very proud of him."
She nods, and allows a small smile to linger on her lips.
"We should go back."
"If you wish – of course."
And as he walks steadily beside her, the last sun rays single out the gold in her hair.
A thought comes back to him, when they traverse the dusty road.
"Where did you fall, Mrs Crawley?"
She seems lost in thought for a moment, reminding him of an infant, starkly lost without a hand to hold onto.
"I'm not sure. I wasn't really paying any attention, doctor." She shakes her head, heads towards the gate with a resilient pace.
He looks up in question when the steady rhythm of heels is followed by a rap on his door.
"Enter."
He feels the coolness of the tiled corridor enter his office, making him realize how warm he'd actually felt.
"I found this outside, doctor."
The nurse holds out a small piece of intricate gold work, inviting him to walk around his desk to inspect it.
"Is this Mrs Crawley's earring?"
The pearl is missing.
"Yes, it is…, but this is only a part of it. You didn't find anything else, did you?"
The woman shakes her head, disappointed.
"Please, I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention this to Mrs Crawley. Not if it can be mended."
A look of understanding passes between them, and Nurse Thompson knows what to answer.
"Of course, doctor. Goodnight."
"Goodnight. And thank you, Megan."