"Is Miss Una ill?" he asked, thinking she had come for his professional services.
"No, sir," replied Patience sitting down and throwing back her veil, "Miss Una is quite well--I have come to see you on my own business."
"Are you ill?" he asked wearily, resuming his seat and leaning his head upon his hand, "what is the matter with you?"
"Nothing at all," she answered coldly. "My health is all right, but I wish to speak to you about Mr. Beaumont."
Dr. Nestley looked at her in surprise, with a bitter smile on his lips.
"What, you too?" he said derisively, "are you another of his victims?"
"No--I am not his victim--but, as you know, I am the nurse of Mr. Blake, who lately succeeded to the property, and as he is now in London with Mr. Beaumont I want to hear from your own lips what danger you think there is in such companionship."
"Everything; you told Miss Una your story yesterday and she said something about it to me----"
"Nothing of the sort, sir, she merely said you did not consider Mr. Beaumont a good companion for a young man, nothing more--is it true?"
"Perfectly true. I know what Beaumont is from my own experience of him--he will drag Reginald Blake down to the lowest depths of degradation."
The woman tightened her thin lips ominously.
"I don't think so if I can help it," she said grimly.
"Then if you can help it--if you have any power over him--take Blake away from his influence or he will ruin him."
"Sure," he repeated bitterly, "I know it only too well to my own cost, God help me! Basil Beaumont is a devil, and never rests till he makes his friends as base as himself. Blake has got money, Beaumont wants that money, and will let nothing stand in his way to procure it."
"He had better not set himself up against me."
"Then use that knowledge to keep him away from Garsworth."
"I don't care if he comes to Garsworth as long as he leaves my--my boy alone."
"Reginald Blake--I was his nurse--I will get him to return here, and if he marries Miss Una I don't think Mr. Beaumont will be able to do much."
"He'll do this much," cried Nestley quickly, "he'll try and prevent the marriage."
"Why?" she asked curtly. "For what reason?"
"The best of all reasons--he loves Una Challoner himself."
Patience arose to her feet with a cry, her face turned to a ghastly pallor.