A Nightingale Christmas Wish (25 page)

‘And what about dealing with casualties? Who is going to look after them?’

‘I daresay they will be transported to another hospital, out of harm’s way. It makes no sense for them to be treated in a place where they’re likely to be in danger, does it?’

‘But time is of the essence when treating emergencies. Transporting them miles by ambulance could mean the difference between life and death.’

‘So could staying in a hospital with bombs dropping through the roof,’ Mrs Tremayne pointed out mildly.

Frustrated, David directed his gaze to Miss Fox. Surely she couldn’t sit and listen to this? She must be as outraged as he was. But she scarcely seemed to be paying attention, her pen moving restlessly over her blotter, sketching abstract shapes on the thick white paper.

Malcolm Eaton broke the tense silence. ‘I’m sure we don’t need to come to any drastic decisions just yet,’ he said, looking around the table. ‘Besides, we don’t even know if there’s going to be a war.’

‘Quite right,’ Gerald Munroe agreed. ‘Could all just be a lot of fuss over nothing.’

‘Why don’t we just wait and see what happens, and then think about it?’

‘I agree,’ Constance Tremayne said. But David could see from her expression that whatever discussions might follow, her mind was already made up.

The meeting drew to a close shortly afterwards. He was still feeling shaken as he gathered up his notes.

‘Is it always that bad?’ he asked Kathleen Fox.

‘Hmm?’ She looked up at him, smiling vaguely.

‘The Trustees’ meeting. Is it always such an ordeal?’

‘That depends if Mrs Tremayne has a particular bee in her bonnet about something.’

‘She certainly had one today.’ David paused, considering. He was still reeling from the shock of what he’d heard. ‘You don’t think she really means it, do you? About closing down the hospital?’

‘Who can say?’

David frowned. Miss Fox’s expression was so bland, they might have been discussing the new linen order, not the future of the hospital.

He peered at her. She was usually a handsome woman, but today she looked rather pale and drawn. ‘Miss Fox, are you quite well?’ he asked.

She looked at him sharply. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘You just seem rather distracted, that’s all.’

‘I’m fine, thank you.’

David had reached the door when Miss Fox suddenly said, ‘Actually, Dr McKay—’

He turned to face her. ‘Yes?’

Their eyes met for a second. Then she shook her head. ‘No, it’s nothing,’ she said, forcing a smile.

He returned to the Casualty department and went straight to see Jonathan Adler in his consulting room.

‘Well, that was a complete waste of time,’ David said, slamming his papers down on the desk.

‘Oh, dear. We’re not getting our extra resources, then?’

‘Hardly. In fact . . .’ He stopped talking abruptly. This was no time to start spreading doom and gloom about the hospital’s future. Rumour spread around the Nightingale faster than the influenza virus.

‘I daresay you did your best, old man,’ Jonathan said mildly.

‘Yes, but I’m still no match for Mrs Tremayne. I don’t know what it is about that woman, but she really infuriates me.’

‘Like mother, like daughter, eh?’

David frowned at him. ‘I beg your pardon?’

‘Sister Dawson is Constance Tremayne’s daughter, remember?’

‘Helen Dawson is nothing like her mother,’ David said firmly.

‘Yes, but she still gets under your skin, doesn’t she?’

David thought about Helen Dawson, and what a great asset she’d been to the Casualty department. He’d been wrong about her, he didn’t mind admitting it. She knew her job, and she ran the department better than it had been run in years.

‘I’ve got used to her,’ he admitted grudgingly. ‘And she’s good at her job, I must say.’

Jonathan grinned. ‘High praise indeed, coming from you! The poor girl couldn’t do a thing right a few months ago.’

‘As I said, I’ve got used to her.’ More than that, in fact. Helen Dawson might be young, but she wasn’t the silly, empty-headed girl he’d feared she would be. She was calm, patient and unfailingly good-humoured, whether she was soothing an angry drunk, consoling a frightened child or dealing with a stomach-churning injury. David liked having her at his side when he treated patients. Her serenity seemed to wash over everything around her.

‘I don’t know how we’re going to manage without her.’

David looked up at Jonathan, not sure he’d heard correctly. ‘What do you mean? Why should we have to manage without her?’

‘When she gets married, of course.’ Jonathan looked at him. ‘Oh, you won’t have heard the news, will you? Our Sister Dawson is engaged.’

David froze. It was as if all the air had suddenly been sucked from his body, making it too painful for him to breathe.

‘Since when?’ he said.

‘Well, she only told us an hour ago, but it all happened a couple of days ago, apparently. Quite a whirlwind romance, so Nurse Willard reckons. Some young merchant seaman she met at Christmas. You know what they say, I suppose. All the nice girls love a sailor!’ he laughed.

David had a sudden image of a handsome, fair-haired young man swaggering into his consulting room, so full of himself. Just the kind to bowl a naïve girl right off her feet . . .

‘She can’t,’ he said.

Jonathan’s brows rose. ‘I’m sorry, old boy?’

‘I mean, she can’t do this to the department,’ David amended, seeing his friend’s look of surprise. ‘Does she know what she’s doing? Does she even care that she’s leaving the rest of us in the lurch?’

‘I didn’t think you cared much for her? You’ve always said we needed someone older, more experienced—’

‘Yes, well, I was wrong, wasn’t I?’ David snapped. ‘She’s been a real asset to this department, and now we’re losing her without a by your leave. How are we supposed to cope without her? This place will descend into chaos!’

‘I hardly think it will be that bad.’

‘And fancy getting engaged to someone she’s only known five minutes,’ David went on, not listening. ‘It’s the height of lunacy, in my opinion.’

‘Surely that’s her business?’

‘It’s our business too, if it means we lose a damn good nurse! Honestly, I don’t know why this hospital goes to so much trouble and expense to train these girls for three years, when all they do is run off and marry the first man they meet. It’s a complete waste of everyone’s time.’

‘You didn’t say that when Nurse Willard got engaged. I seem to remember you bought her a bunch of flowers,’ Jonathan pointed out mildly.

‘That’s different!’ David said. ‘I wasn’t surprised by her getting married. It was pretty obvious she was only ever biding her time here. And besides, Nurse Willard isn’t half the nurse Helen Dawson is. I’m very disappointed in her, I really am.’ He stopped, aware that his friend was studying him with interest. ‘What?’

‘Well, I never,’ Jonathan said wonderingly. ‘So that’s the reason she got under your skin so much. You’ve fallen for her!’

‘Don’t be absurd,’ David dismissed this, turning away. ‘I’m just put out, that’s all. And so should you be,’ he said.

‘Oh, I am. You’re right, Sister Dawson is an excellent nurse, and I’ll certainly miss her. But not as much as you, by the way you’re acting.’ Jonathan regarded him consideringly. ‘But this has got nothing to do with her abilities as a nurse, has it? You’re jealous.’

‘And you’re mad,’ David declared, snatching up his notes.

‘I don’t know why I didn’t see it sooner,’ Jonathan went on, ignoring him. How did Shakespeare put it? “My only love sprung from my only hate?”’

‘Sister Dawson and I are hardly star-crossed lovers,’ David snapped. Embarrassment prickled like spreading heat up the back of his neck. If this was his friend’s idea of a joke, he didn’t find it very funny.

Once again, Jonathan ignored him. ‘But what are you going to do about it? Are you going to tell her how you feel?’ he asked.

David stared at him, appalled. ‘What?’

‘You can’t just keep quiet about it, surely? Good heavens, David, this is the first woman you’ve ever lost your head over. You can’t possibly let her walk out of your life!’

‘Jonathan, if anyone has lost their head, it’s you,’ David said flatly. ‘I think you’ve been spending far too long gossiping with Nurse Willard. You’re as foolish and romantic as each other. You’ll probably be braiding each other’s hair soon.’

‘You can deny it all you like, but I can see I’ve hit a nerve.’ Jonathan’s voice followed David as he left the consulting room, closing the door behind him. ‘Just wait until Esther hears about this. She won’t be able to believe it either.’

‘
DO WE HAVE
to do this now?’ Helen pleaded. ‘Why can’t we wait until later, when things are more settled?’

‘Everything
is
settled,’ Christopher said firmly. ‘Unless you’re having second thoughts?’ he asked with a smile.

‘Of course not,’ Helen replied, although she’d thought of little else over the restless weekend since his proposal.

‘Good.’ He lifted her hand to look at the ring he’d given her. The diamonds and sapphires sparkled in the spring sunshine. ‘Don’t look so worried, love. She’ll be delighted, I promise.’

‘Will she?’

‘‘Course she will. Anyway, we’ve got to tell her sooner or later. And I’d rather do it before I go away. It’s been hard enough keeping it to myself all weekend. I reckon I’ll burst if I have to wait any longer!’

He looked so excited, just like a child, Helen couldn’t help smiling.

But her heart was still sinking to her shoes as Christopher pushed open the front door.

‘Anyone home?’ he called out. ‘Auntie Nellie?’

‘I’m out the back, love.’

Helen followed Christopher down the narrow passageway, through to the kitchen. The scullery door was open, and Nellie was in the yard, bent over the galvanised tin tub, scrubbing her husband’s shirt with a slab of green soap.

She looked up. ‘All right, Chris? You were out and about early. You usually like a nice lie-in.’

‘I’d promised to meet someone.’

He pushed Helen forward as she cowered in the shadows behind him. Nellie straightened up, smile fading to a bewildered frown.

‘Helen? What are you doing here, love?’

She would have fled then if she could, but Christopher held on to her hand so firmly she could feel her brand-new engagement ring cutting into her finger.

She opened her mouth to speak, but he jumped in first. ‘The thing is, Auntie Nell, we’ve got some news. We’re engaged.’

Beyond them, in the street, a pot mender went by on his bicycle, his tools clanking as he pedalled. Further down, someone whistled tunelessly. All around them life went on, while in the tiny square of sunlit backyard, time seemed to have stopped completely.

‘Oh!’ Nellie wiped her soapy hands on her apron. Helen couldn’t meet her eye but she could feel the older woman’s gaze on her. She was afraid to look at her, worried she would see her own shame reflected in her mother-in-law’s face.

Why had she done this? Why had she let Christopher persuade her this was a good idea? She wanted to blurt out that it had all been a terrible mistake, that she had got carried away by her own happiness, that she’d never meant to betray Charlie.

Because that was what she’d done – betrayed him. And she’d betrayed his family, too. The very people who had taken her in and treated her as one of their own.

She was so consumed with her own guilt and misery, she hardly knew what was happening when Nellie rushed to her, gathering her in her arms.

‘Oh, my love, that’s smashing news. I’m so pleased for you.’

Helen stayed rigid, crushed against Nellie’s pillowy bosom. She smelled of Sunlight soap.

Christopher nudged her. ‘I told you she’d be pleased, didn’t I?’ he grinned.

‘Of course I’m pleased. Come into the kitchen, I’ll put the kettle on.’

‘Celebrate with a cup of tea? You must be joking!’ Christopher looked scornful. ‘I reckon Helen could do with a nip of brandy,’ he said, grinning. ‘She was nearly fainting dead away with nerves about telling you.’

‘Was she?’ Helen cringed under Nellie’s curious gaze.

‘She reckoned you wouldn’t approve of us getting wed.’

Helen caught Nellie’s eye, feeling helpless. It was as if she were sitting on a galloping horse, trying to slow it down but not knowing how. All she could do was cling on and hope for the best.

‘Tell you what, Chris, why don’t you go down to the pub and fetch a jug of beer?’ said Nellie, her eyes still fixed on Helen. ‘I’ll finish this washing and get it hung up for when you come back. You could give me a hand if you like, Helen?’

Christopher let himself out through the back gate. Helen listened to him sauntering down the street, whistling.

‘He’s happy, ain’t he?’ Nellie said. ‘Like the cat that got the cream.’ She smiled. ‘Come on, you rinse this lot through for me, then we’ll put them through the mangle.’

Helen rolled up her sleeves and got stuck in, rinsing the soapy clothes in a big galvanised tub of cold water. Perspiration cooled the back of her neck as she laboured in the spring sunshine, but she was glad of something to do. If she had to have a heart-to-heart with her mother-in-law, it was far better if they were both occupied.

It wasn’t long before Nellie spoke up. ‘When did all this come about, then? I didn’t even know you two were courting?’

‘Christopher came to the hospital with a dislocated shoulder just after Christmas,’ Helen said, not looking up from her work. ‘He asked me to go out with him on New Year’s Eve, and it all started from there.’

‘Well, I never. I knew he was going out with someone, but I had no idea it was you. I thought it must be a local girl.’

Helen flicked a quick, anxious glance at her. ‘You don’t mind, do you?’

‘Mind? Bless you, love, why should I mind? You’re both over twenty-one, you can do as you please.’

‘I know, but I was just worried . . . I didn’t want you to think I was betraying Charlie’s memory, or anything like that?’

Nellie sighed. ‘Our Charlie is past caring, God rest his soul,’ she said. ‘And as for me, I’m just happy you’re happy. Didn’t I say you should find someone else? You can’t mourn Charlie for ever.’