“I know what I’m asking you to do is very difficult, but if you could make Mother rest without telling her why—” The doctor patted her shoulder.

“Take that anxious look off your face, my dear. The world is so full of sorrow these days that keeping cheerful is a duty. I don’t suppose I can cure your mother, but I’ve no doubt that I can help. I’ve bullied patients for years, I’ve kept farmers in their beds from fear of me, and believe me it’s no mean job keeping a farmer on his back when he hears stirring in his yard and his milk pails clattering. I’ll get round your mother, you’ll see.”

Miller had laid tea on the lawn. The colonel looked up as Barbara brought Janet and the doctor to the table.

“Ah, Nelson! This is a new acquisition to the village. Mrs. Brain. I believe you haven’t met yet.”

The doctor shook Maggie’s hand and sat down beside her.

“I know Mrs. Brain by sight, and, of course, we all know young Sheila. I said that all the men’s temperatures went up the first time she walked down the village street.”

Miller stood beside the colonel’s chair.

“Your milk, sir.”

The colonel scowled.

“Take that damned stuff away. I told you at luncheon I was havin’ a cup of tea this afternoon.”

Miller looked at the doctor.

“It’s your orders, sir.”

The doctor was offering Maggie a sandwich.

“The colonel’s got a certain amount of milk to get down every day and he knows it, Miller. If he won’t drink it and likes to be ill instead that’s his business. You can’t do any more than put it by him.”

The colonel bristled.

“I never said I wouldn’t drink the stuff. I only said I wasn’t takin’ it at tea-time. I’m allowed a cup of tea, you said so yourself.”

Maggie beamed sympathetically at Miller.

“I’ve made him a milk jelly. He’s eating that for his tea.”

Miller was surprised as she carried the milk back into the house to find she had not taken offence at Maggie’s interference.

“She spoke ever so nicely,” she told Mincing. “She’s only homely, you know. You could hear she sympathized with us, knowing how difficult men are when they’re ill.”

The doctor believed in hobbies. Many was the person he had persuaded into the cottage hospital while poring over a stamp collection, or admiring a piece of patchwork. The jelly gave him his line on Maggie. Happily they discussed herbs, home-made wines, cake-making and recipes for jams. At a wink from the colonel Janet interrupted them.

“I’m sorry to break in on this kitchen-front talk, but if Dr. Nelson will forgive my talking shop at tea-time, I want him to give you an appointment to overhaul you. She’s too thin, isn’t she, doctor? I want you to order her to rest.”