Marriage By Arrangement

This last was said on a note of defiance, making Red wonder if that was what their argument had been about. But surely if the surgeon had said that she was well enough to leave Linus wouldn’t want Felicia to stay in this alien place a minute longer than necessary? That would be cruel, and not the act of a man who had crept up the stairs in the dark rather than risk waking his mother.

Linus said nothing, merely handing Red the water-filled vase so that she could arrange the flowers, which she did by simply thrusting the whole bunch into it. Felicia blinked in surprise but said nothing as Red put them on the bedside cabinet alongside the exquisite spray of orchids that already sat there.

Did Linus buy all his women orchids, Red wondered, or just his mother? It occurred to her that she still didn’t know whether or not he was married or living with someone, but if that was the case why hadn’t the woman shown up with him this afternoon? And why had he gone to his mother’s house to sleep last night? No, Red decided, he must be a free agent.

They chatted a little, Felicia telling Linus that Red was an actress.

His eyes went over her and grew disparaging. ‘I’d never have guessed,’ he said sarcastically, meaning exactly the opposite.

Red found herself growing angry; what right had he to be so damned cynical? ‘Have you got something against actresses?’ she demanded stiffly.

‘I have nothing against them—when they’re good, when they behave in a professional manner.’

Red opened her mouth to ask him what he meant but Felicia held up a hand to stop her. ‘Please, you’ve both come here to cheer me up and I don’t find such a discussion amusing. Linus, if you can’t behave better you might as well go away.’

‘Which means that you want to get rid of me, I take it.’ He got to his feet. ‘Very well. But remember what I said and don’t go making any plans behind my back. Will you promise?’

‘No, Linus, I won’t. I shall do exactly as I please, the same as I have always done. You ought to know that by now.’

He gave an exasperated sigh. ‘What am I going to do with you?’

‘Kiss me and say goodbye.’

He obeyed her and for a moment she held him tightly. Red quickly looked away, but lifted her head when Linus said goodbye to her too.

Both women watched him walk away, so tall and good-looking, drawing the eyes of that ward of sick women, making them feel wistful in many different ways.

‘One has to be very tough and determined where Linus is concerned,’ his mother remarked.

Red smiled. ‘But you always get your own way, I imagine.’

‘Oh, I let him win occasionally; that’s good policy, you know. But I think I’m going to have a battle on my hands this time.’

‘And you want me to help,’ Red stated.

Felicia smiled. ‘That’s what I like about you Australians. And Americans too. You’re so direct, don’t lead up to things as a British person would. Yes, I do want your help—but you might not be willing to give it when you hear what I want you to do.’

‘You’d better tell me, then.’

‘Well, because of this silly ankle and my shoulder, I’m going to find it rather hard to look after myself for a while. And Linus, of course, has to work, and he may have to go away again. So he wants to hire a live-in nurse to look after me.’ She paused as the senior nurse, the dragon of the morning, walked by. When she was gone, Felicia said, ‘Somehow I don’t think I could stand a nurse.’

‘They’re not all like her.’

‘Oh, I’m sure they’re not. But experienced nurses do tend to be very bossy, don’t you think? I expect it comes from having to deal with children and difficult patients or people who are very ill; they have to be firm with them.’

‘And you don’t feel like being treated like a child.’

‘Exactly,’ Felicia agreed with feeling. ‘I want someone who will just help me as I need it, not wrap me in cotton wool or cosset me so much that it drives me mad. I want someone who’s sensible but willing. And I want someone I already know.’ She came to a stop and gave Red a sideways glance.

It didn’t take much figuring out, although it surprised Red that Felicia should want her help. ‘You want me to come and look after you?’

‘Indeed I do.’

‘But I have a job and—’

‘I’d pay you a wage, of course. As much as I would have paid a nurse.’

‘But if I give up my job I might not be able to get another when you’re better and don’t need me any more,’ Red objected.

‘You could have as many free voice-training lessons as you like,’ Felicia wheedled, making Red smile.

‘Bribery too, huh? But what if I got a part?’

‘Oh, in that case you would take it, of course, and you’d be free to go to as many auditions as you like. Heaven forbid that you should miss a chance on my account,’ Felicia said, meaning it. ‘But you don’t have anything lined up at the moment, do you? And I wouldn’t want you to be on hand twenty-four hours a day, just to help me when I need it.’

‘But you’d want me to live at your house?’

‘Yes. Please.’

‘Why me?’ Red asked bluntly. ‘You must have loads of friends who’d be happy to help you.’

‘Possibly,’ Felicia admitted. ‘But ii would be too much of a strain for someone my own age—and besides, they would feel they had to entertain me, or be entertained, the whole time, which I’m afraid I’d soon find extremely irksome. I’m used to being on my own, you see.

‘But you’re of a different generation, and I think of a more open outlook. If I told you to go away and leave me on my own, you wouldn’t be offended, you’d just go. Wouldn’t you?’

‘Well, yeah, sure. But—’

‘Don’t say yeah.’ Felicia assumed her tutor’s hat to interrupt.

Red gazed at her, a slight frown between her brows, not sure if she liked this proposition or not. Her nature was basically kind and prompted her to help, but she was happy in the life she already had, and could see it changing. She would very much miss Jenny, for instance. And there was another factor to take into account. Bluntly she said, ‘Have you already suggested this to Linus? Is that what you were arguing about earlier?’

‘You noticed, did you? Yes, I have, and yes, he was against the idea.’

‘I can see why.’

‘Well, as I said, he did think that I ought to have a registered nurse,’ Felicia admitted.

Glancing at her, Red was pretty sure that she was holding something back, that Linus had objected on far more grounds than just that. She shook her head. ‘I don’t know.’

‘I do need you, Red,’ Felicia said earnestly.

Red didn’t altogether believe that. There must have been lots of other, more suitable people whom Felicia could have asked for help, so she must be pretty sure that with Red she could get away with doing exactly as she wanted. Although she might be wrong about that, because Red could be firm if the occasion demanded it, the same as any nurse. But again she shook her head. ‘I have a friend I share my flat with.’

‘A man?’

Red gave a surprised laugh. ‘No, a girlfriend.’

‘Couldn’t you find someone else to take your place for a couple of months? I should be able to look after myself by then.’