On his arrival in London, Mountjoy went to the Nurses' Institute to
inquire for Mrs. Vimpany.
She was again absent, in attendance on another patient. The address of
the house (known only to the matron) was, on this occasion, not to be
communicated to any friend who might make inquiries. A bad case of
scarlet fever had been placed under the nurse's care, and the danger of
contagion was too serious to be trifled with.
The events which had led to Mrs. Vimpany's present employment had not
occurred in the customary course.
A nurse who had recently joined the Institute had been first engaged to
undertake the case, at the express request of the suffering person--who
was said to be distantly related to the young woman. On the morning
when she was about to proceed to the scene of her labours, news had
reached her of the dangerous illness of her mother. Mrs. Vimpany, who
was free at the time, and who felt a friendly interest in her young
colleague, volunteered to take her place. Upon this, a strange request
had been addressed to the matron, on behalf of the sick man. He desired
to be "informed of it, if the new nurse was an Irishwoman." Hearing
that she was an Englishwoman, he at once accepted her services, being
himself (as an additional element of mystery in the matter) an
Irishman!
The matron's English prejudices at once assumed that there had been
some discreditable event in the man's life, which might be made a
subject of scandalous exposure if he was attended by one of his own
countrypeople. She advised Mrs. Vimpany to have nothing to do with the
afflicted stranger. The nurse answered that she had promised to attend
on him--and she kept her promise.
Mountjoy left the Institute, after vainly attempting to obtain Mrs.
Vimpany's address. The one concession which the matron offered to make
was to direct his letter, and send it to the post, if he would be
content with that form of communication.
On reflection, he decided to write the letter.
Prompt employment of time might be of importance, if it was possible to
prevent any further communication with Lord Larry on the part of his
Irish correspondent. Using the name with which Iris had provided him,
Hugh wrote to inquire if it was familiar to Mrs. Vimpany, as the name
of a person with whom she had been, at any time, acquainted. In this
event, he assured her that an immediate consultation between them was
absolutely necessary in the interests of Iris. He added, in a
postscript, that he was in perfect health, and that he had no fear of
infection--and sent his letter to the matron to be forwarded.