Rose was in quite a talkative mood with Martha though luckily she wanted to talk about herself as Martha escaped by telling her room mate she had been lucky that Doctor Smith had kept her on when he had chosen to come to the school. Rose wanted to talk about her encounter earlier in his room but thought better of it. Rose knew if she wasn't very careful, things would get awkward and he may still decide to insist Martha took the job, she had seemed very disappointed to say the least she'd thought as she sat on her bed, hugging her knees.
''So Martha, I don't want to put you off or anything but you may possibly get the job the girl you seemed to have replaced used to have, did I tell you she left without even saying goodbye to me?''
Martha was glad of the chance to avoid talking about her supposed past.
''No, you never said, why do you think she left then?''
Martha thought she had been right and hopefully nothing untoward would have happened to this Jenny in order for she herself to gain a place on the school staff.
''I told Doctor Smith about it, he sounded concerned, he's really nice and like I told you Martha, I'm not gonna get myself dismissed over it. Anyway, Jenny and I were good friends, she wouldn't just go off without saying anything and I'm too scared to ask Mrs Graham what happened to her, she'll say it's none of my business but maybe he might mention it, try to find out for me. I'm really worried about her Martha. You know him, do you think he will?''
Martha wanted to say he'd already forgotten about her, let alone ask about a missing member of the cleaning staff but maybe the Tardis had not done a good enough job planting her in his memory or the ship thought they should keep their distance from each other. She just hoped he had the fobwatch close by and not be tempted to open it but he'd managed to tell her that he'd put a perception filter on it so he'd recognise it was important but not take too much notice of it, then it was her job to make sure he opened it after three months or sooner if they were in real danger of being discovered but it was early days yet.
''I'm sure Doctor Smith will ask for you if he remembers Rose, he's got a lot on with him just starting here I'm sure and I really don't know how long he's staying here.''
''Oh, I thought he was permanent? Funny, the other history master left in a hurry as well, had a family emergency or something.''
''Maybe your friend Jenny went home?''
''Yeah, she didn't talk much about her family to me.''
Meanwhile, John had found his way to the teachers dining room and joined the others, all male he noted until the matron walked in and everyone stood up. John didn't think the woman had anything on the cheeky housemaid he'd met a few hours ago though, she was something else but as everyone sat down, John offered her his seat at the end to save her the embarrassment of sitting amidst the male teachers.
She smiled and thanked him and he moved two chairs up and pulled out the chair, scraping it on the floor and grinning.
''Ah, you must be matron then? I'm John Smith.''
''Joan Redfern'' the woman replied, trying not to raise her head and look at him.
She always felt uncomfortable in the dining room every evening and often called in the kitchen to ask for someone to bring her meal to the infirmary but she had wanted to meet the new history teacher after catching a glimpse of him earlier.
The headmaster entered the room and everyone stood again as he took his seat at the head of the table. He was followed by a few members of the kitchen staff carrying trays.
''Gentlemen, matron, let us give thanks for our meal shall we?''
As they ate, the headmaster finding it unusual for the matron to be dining with them but since there was a new member of staff put it down to mere curiosity on the woman's part. It just meant they had to behave like proper gentlemen in her company and not discuss matters not meant for a woman to hear. Joan was trying her best not to look over at John, he was now talking to the man next to him, Mr Snell though John was unable to fathom what position the man held so he was unaware the matron was giving him the eye.
Joan thought the new arrival a refreshing change from the older male teachers, not that she had been looking, trying to get over the fact she had never wanted to look at another man after losing her husband but many women she knew in the village and nearby town had remarried, why should she be any different? Still, she was getting ahead of herself, he wasn't even aware she was in the room despite giving up his seat at the table for her.
She tried to delay her leaving as the men got up one by one and made their excuses, nodding to her and saying 'good evening' to her as they left, leaving whom John had learned was called Mr Philips, the headmaster and the matron.
''So matron,'' the headmaster, Mr Rocastle stated, getting up. ''I hear you had two boys in the infirmary earlier, nothing serious I hope?''
Joan wondered where he got his information from sometimes, since she never reported minor incidents and scrapes and wondering if Rose Tyler was his spy.
''No, just a headache and a scraped knee headmaster, Rose attended to the knee injury. She's proving to be a good helper, I'd like your permission to train her further if that's at all possible? It would mean her spending more time there though, perhaps some of her other duties could be dropped?''
''You would have to speak to the housekeeper but I don't see any reason why not, she seems more than capable, unlike that clumsy girl who spoiled the science projects the other term.''
''Oh, actually, she's just been assigned as my housemaid headmaster,'' John chirped up, thinking now it was a big mistake in admitting it as matron and the headmaster both looked at him for being a bit over enthusiastic in volunteering the information.
''Has she indeed?'' Mr Rocastle enquired.
John decided to remain quiet, he had only met the young servant twice and was already smitten with her though he knew it would be frowned on and could get one or both of them dismissed.
''Well in that case matron, if you want to train the girl further, maybe you should do it at the weekend, I'll have a word with the housekeeper and get her released from general cleaning duties.''
''Thank you headmaster, I'm sure she'll be pleased. If you'll excuse me, I have some notes to write up.''
''Of course matron,'' Rocastle replied, getting up and signalling for John to remember his manners and also stand.
''Doctor Smith, I believe you have an appointment for your medical examination in the morning?'' Joan enquired of him as she got up.
''Yes, I'll have to come and find the infirmary then, I believe it's for 9am?''
''Yes, would you care to walk me back there now and I can show you where it is?''
John wasn't so sure that was a good idea, he was hoping to find Rose and make an excuse his room needed tidying but if he wanted to last the next term at least, maybe that wasn't such a good idea and accompanying the matron would make it seem he was less interested in his new maid, since he'd just blurted out the fact a bit too enthusiastically to all those present.
Mr Rocastle settled the matter for him. ''An excellent idea matron, I bid you all goodnight then.''
He allowed the matron to go first, then John caught up with her outside.
''It's this way Doctor Smith,'' she reminded him as he went in the wrong direction.
''Right, sorry, lead the way matron.''
''I prefer to be called Nurse Redfern, or even Joan and it's John isn't it?''
''Yes, quite but there are still boys around, best not eh?''
Phew, he didn't want to get caught going around calling her Joan and letting the students hear him and it get around the school he had a 'thing' for the school nurse. Well not when he already had more than a 'thing' for Rose. What was he thinking though? She was a maid for goodness sake, nothing could ever come of it. Maybe he could accidentally bump into her in the corridors or even in the infirmary, if he could find out when she was there. She wouldn't be there in the morning though, she may be still doing his room or cleaning the science room or something. Joan was talking to him again, snapping him out of it.
''I was just saying Doctor Smith, I don't usually have an escort to the infirmary.''
''Oh, right, I wasn't aware you needed an escort matron, then I'm happy to have obliged.''
They had stopped outside the infirmary door, Joan unlocking it, it wasn't good practice to leave it open even though the boys were very well behaved.
''Here we are then, thank you for walking me back.''
Joan was in no hurry to go inside. She was the only eligible female around the school, he was a single male, as far as she knew and she had been alone far too long. It wouldn't take too much effort on his part for him to invite her out to the village one evening, would it? She turned her back to go inside, hoping he would follow but he merely said goodnight.
''Right, yes, here we are then, safe and sound. Goodnight matron, I'll see you for my morning appointment.'' With that, he turned and walked off without another word.
Joan could see she was going to have her work cut out for her then. She went inside and picked up a paper folder containing his medical details. Maybe she could keep finding some excuses for calling him back but skimming through them could find nothing wrong with him. Well she wouldn't since the Tardis had miraculously provided all his details.
John went off back to his study and wondered where Rose's room was but she was sharing with Martha, the maid he knew had been with his family previously and had acquired when he'd got his first teaching job but he couldn't quite remember her around in the house he had lived in. He got back to his study and looked at the sofa arm Rose had been sitting on earlier and how close he had got to her then sitting down, closed his eyes and began imaging it was morning and she was bringing his breakfast and he'd just got out of bed.
He shook his head, maybe he'd been without any female company for too long, no wonder Martha had thought she would try her luck with him. Before John realised, he was waking to a knocking on the door and a flustered Rose catching him standing in his striped pyjamas as he'd called her to come in and she put his tray on the table by the door.
''Sorry Sir, am I too early for you?''
John grabbed his thick dressing gown and hurriedly put it on but not fastening it as he approached her, lifting the tray and putting it on the other table as Rose went to pull back the curtains.
''No, it's ok, come in. Good morning Rose, ready to start your new duties properly today?'' he asked as he took a piece of toast and smiled at her and making no attempt to adjust his attire.
Rose looked at him and having no father around when she was growing up, wasn't entirely sure she should be even standing there when he had just got out of bed.
''Yes Sir, I mean John, if I may still call you that?''
''Yes you may. I'll have my breakfast and get dressed then you can come back in an hour.''
''I'll leave you to get your breakfast then shall I?''
''I never said you had to leave while I ate, did I now?''
He had noticed there were two cups. ''Rose, you are very sneaky, how did you manage to get two cups?''
''They may find one short in the kitchen,'' she replied, pouring two cups of tea and sitting opposite him.
He still hadn't fastened his dressing gown and Rose was certain she wasn't meant to be there, what if someone questioned her?
''Something wrong Rose?''
''I'm not sure I should be here.''
''Nonsense, it's perfectly alright for you to be here, no-one will bother, you are my personal housemaid after all. Have you already eaten?''
Twenty minutes later, keeping her laughter to a minimum, Rose had put all the breakfast things back on the tray and was trying to get John to let her leave.
''So you'll be coming back then?'' he asked, grinning and leaning on the door-frame, one arm on the opposite side and Rose caught in the middle, rolling his tongue around.
''Yes, when you've started your lessons and weren't you meant to be seeing the matron?''
''Yes, will you be there Rose?'' he asked hopefully, not letting her move.
''No, I have to clean your room, make your bed and then go clean the science room.''
''Well I have to say I'm rather disappointed you won't be there Rose, I'm not sure I can trust matron to examine me on her own.''
''Are you trying to get me into trouble John? For being in the infirmary when I'm not meant to be?''
''Nothing of the sort, it was just last night, matron insisted she showed me where the infirmary was and I had the feeling she didn't just want me to walk her there.''
''Oh, are you worried about being on your own with her? I wouldn't bother, she's a bit frosty, well she is with the other teachers and some of the boys, trust me.''
''She didn't seem so frosty to me last night, maybe she was thinking about thawing somewhat?''
''Maybe she was but how does that concern me John?''