Healing ch 7

A/N Alas, no report of the walk in the gardens… not yet anyway. It proved very difficult to write. Instead Isobel demanded attention. Hope you like it! Nothing belongs to me.

Isobel Crawley almost couldn't believe the change she had made. Six weeks ago she was ready to let it all go, and now she was well on her way to lead a nursing school at the hospital. She had received permission to set up her small school in the hospital's biggest attic room. Out of the girls that had been interested, she had personally chosen five promising candidates. One of them was Ruby, Downton's former scullery maid. The girl had been suggested as a help for her by Mrs Patmore, who knew she'd been taking care of her mother before going into service and had noticed how unhappy she was in her new position. It had worked out brilliantly. Ruby was a bright girl, she handled the patient with loving care, and she was very eager to learn more. Isobel found she enjoyed the girl's company and together they gave their patient sponge baths and changed the bedding, while Isobel taught the girl how to battle fever. It had brought her back to life and she remembered how much she'd always loved to train students. While working together and teaching Ruby, she found she was able to think about the future again.

Class would start next month and she had been busy writing out her lesson plans. Basic nursing was to be the main subject for the first months, but after that the students would have to be educated in anatomy, physiology and pathology as well. She needed Dr Clarkson's help for that and now she was on her way to pay him a visit.

She knew he had been the one who had dragged her out of her misery. She had been desperate, feeling utterly useless and even the thought of her grandson had made her cry and feeling bereft; the boy was the future Earl of Grantham, to be raised at Downton and had no need for his middle class grandmother.

Seeing the Downton housekeeper, a woman she liked and respected, being seriously ill and left uncared for had finally kicked her back into life. During the hours spent battling the fevers and chills, calming the patient, keeping her comfortable and teaching Ruby how to do all that, her plan for a new future had formed.

~oOo~

She entered the hospital to find Dr Clarkson wasn't present. 'The doctor is making a house call at Downton Abbey,' the nurse informed her.

'At the Abbey? What has happened?'

'I don't know exactly Mrs Crawley, but he should return any minute now,' the nurse answered while checking the clock.

'I will wait for him then,' Mrs Crawley decided.

The nurse seemed to be very accurate, because Dr Clarkson arrived a few minutes later, looking very relaxed.

'Oh, good afternoon Mrs Crawley, I didn't expect you, have you been waiting long?' he greeted her, while inviting her into his office.

'Not at all,' she answered and closed the door.

'What can I do for you?' he asked her.

She told him about her plans for the school and how she needed his help for advanced lessons/ They had a very animated conversation and were able to write a preliminary school plan.

'The nurse told me you were visiting the Abbey earlier,' she said when they were having a tea break, 'nothing too serious I hope?'

'Oh no, I was visiting Mrs Hughes.'

'Mrs Hughes? But I thought she was doing well…has she fallen ill again then?' Isobel asked, startled.

'No no, nothing like that, its just that she is not recovering as well as she should. I took her out for a walk and a bit of air. She needs some extra time and attention,' he assured her.

'Well, I agree on that, they all seem to take her for granted. But since she's not ill anymore, why does it have to be you to give her that extra attention?'

'It's just for now, practise is a bit slow at the moment and I can spare the time.'

He felt uneasy, was he defending himself?

'I suppose so,' Mrs Crawley said and rose from her chair. 'Thank you Dr Clarkson, for thinking along with me about the school. Good afternoon!' She turned and left the room, leaving him clueless.

~oOo~

Mrs Hughes had enjoyed a lovely walk around the rose gardens with Dr Clarkson. They had talked and paused near the lake, where he had produced a satchel containing bread and cheese, and some fresh fruits. He had been very attentive and kind to her. Still, the walk and the fresh air had left her very tired.

Dr Clarkson had escorted her to her sitting room, at her request. She hadn't been there for three weeks and had feared the amount of paperwork and bills that would have piled on her desk, but she didn't want to return to her bedroom just now.

Dr Clarkson must have alerted the kitchen, because Mrs Patmore came in bearing a tray, just when she was eyeing her desk from her place on the settee, not really wishing to face the ledgers just yet.

'Thank you, Beryl,' she smiled at her friend.

'It's nice to see you up and about again. We were all so worried about you,' Mrs Patmore said whilst pouring tea. 'I'm not too pleased your posh private nurse took my scullery maid with her, but if that's the price for her nursing you back to health I won't complain. '

'Dr Clarkson told me she enlisted for Mrs Crawley's nursing class. I'm sorry.'

'Oh, don't be, she wasn't cut out for the kitchen anyways. We've found another girl already, though she doesn't seem to be very bright, that one.'

'You always say that,' Elsie smiled, 'and they always appear to be fine girls after all.'

After some time, tea and pleasant conversation had strengthened her enough to finally face the desk, and she looked surprised.

'What is it?' Beryl asked.

'I don't know…I expected a lot more work here, but it seems ... what happened?'

'Oh, that is Mrs Crawley's doing, I suppose,' Beryl said, 'she wished to make herself useful while you were sleeping, and she kept the household chore book for you. Anna helped her. And Mr Carson has been handling the invoices and the bills, and the laundry lists. And the household supplies, and the maids' working schedules. Anna helped of course, and he gave her and Mr Bates an extra day off together.'

Elsie was utterly speechless and Beryl grinned. 'Surprised, are you? We all were. Bewildered would be a better word. Mr Carson said he did not want you to overwork yourself first thing when you came back to work.'

'…..Mr Carson did?'

'Yes, dear,' Beryl smiled. 'From what I've heard, Dr Clarkson was fairly upset with him because all he kept going on about when you first fell ill was how he could not miss anyone of the staff, instead of showing any concern for you. He was absolutely shocked when the doctor brought in Mrs Crawley to take care of you, her being Master George's grandmother and all.'

'He would be,' Elsie said softly. She sighed. Of course his actions were the results of Dr Clarkson's and Mrs Crawley's lectures. It had nothing to do with her.

'Thank you for your company Beryl, but I'm very tired and I should go back to bed now,' she told the cook.

'Sleep well then. I'll have our new scullery maid bring you supper, her name is Beth and I think she's backward. See what you make of her,' the cook said.

Dear Beryl, she always knew how to lighten the mood, Elsie thought.

But as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom, she felt silent tears burning, and her feet growing heavier with every step.

A/N Go Mrs Patmore! I like her more every time I write her. Thank you all for reading and your lovely and encouraging reviews, x george.