Page 23 of New Dreams for the Village Nurse
‘Give her our best wishes, won’t you? And you – how are you doing?’
‘Good,’ Ottilie said. ‘Apart from the things that come to test us all, I’m good. How’s everything here?’
‘Oh, about the same. I’ve had the all-clear from the hospital so that’s good, isn’t it?’
‘Completely clear?’
‘Yes. Cancer free. I can’t quite believe it myself, if I’m honest. Keep thinking I misheard the doctor, but that’s what he said.’
‘That’s brilliant!’ Ottilie gave her a hug. ‘I’m so pleased for you.’
‘It’s a relief, I can tell you that much.’
‘I bet Victor is thrilled.’
‘I think so.’ Corrine showed Ottilie her finger. ‘He got me this, so I suppose that means he’s happy. Hasn’t bought me a ring in forty years. I don’t know what possessed him to get this – hardly practical for scrubbing the stone floors in here, is it?’
‘Oh, that’s gorgeous!’ Ottilie lifted it to the light. The ring was gold, a ruby set into a shoulder of modest but pretty diamonds.‘He wants to show you he loves you and he appreciates you. I say don’t knock it.’
‘I’m not. It’s just not like him to be all sentimental.’
Ottilie smiled. She could well imagine what a health scare like Corrine’s could do for a couple. When Corrine’s skin cancer had first been diagnosed, Victor had freely admitted to Ottilie that he was terrified of losing Corrine. ‘Well, I think it’s beautiful.’
Corrine held up her hand and took a moment to admire it, and Ottilie could tell that despite her protestations, she was rather in love with her new jewellery, and perhaps even more with what it represented.
‘Anyway.’ She shook herself. ‘I’m about to make a pot. You’ll have tea, won’t you?’
‘Don’t need to ask me twice.’ Ottilie took a seat at the table.
‘I’ve been baking too, if you want cake.’
‘I thought I could smell fruit cake. Ah well, if you’re forcing me, then I’d better take a slice.’
‘Right. Won’t be a minute.’
Corrine went over to a cooling rack on the worktop, and it was then that Ottilie noticed the freshly baked brick of fruit cake. ‘So have you come to visit us or the girls?’
Ottilie laughed. ‘A bit of both.’ ‘The girls’ was the nickname they gave to their alpaca herd, and it was a running joke that when Ottilie came to visit them she really only wanted to see the alpaca. It was only a bit true, in that no visit ever felt complete without a walk to their enclosure on the top field. ‘I’ve actually come to beg a favour, if you can spare the time.’
‘Oh?’ Corrine cut into the cake. ‘This is still a bit warm and a bit crumbly – sorry about that.’
‘That sounds amazing,’ Ottilie said. ‘I’ll take your cake however it comes. So you know Ann at Hilltop?’
‘Yes, of course. Is she all right?’
‘Not really. I mean, it’s a temporary thing, but she’s got a nasty infection and she needs a week or so of decent rest, but she’s panicking about the farm. I know you and Victor are busy with this place, but if you or your daughters and their other halves can spare the odd half hour here or there to go and help her, I think it would make a huge difference. Only day-to-day stuff, enough to keep things ticking over. I’m sorry to ask; I know you have a lot on. I thought I might ask one or two others as well, but I came to you first because you’ll know farming, and other people won’t so much.’
‘Of course we’ll always do what we can for a neighbour. Do you need someone to go over today?’
‘Whenever you can would be brilliant.’
‘And she has all that extra worry with her lad, poor thing.’
‘Exactly. So any support for her would be amazing.’
Corrine put a slice of cake in front of Ottilie just as Victor came in, bringing a blast of cold winter air in his wake.
‘All settled in…Oh, hello, Nurse!’
