Love for the Matron (10 page)

Elizabeth came and settled on the low stool in front of the fire. “Do you go to day school, then?” she asked.

Susan sugared Elizabeth
’
s tea. “You can have more if that
’
s not sweet enough.” She passed the cup. “Yes. I go to Shenston Grammar School for Girls. You see, Robin had to go away to boarding school because of the war and Mummy
’
s working and so they decided when I came along they
’
d have one child at home. I think maybe if Robin
hadn
’
t
gone away to school he and Daddy might get along better and sort of talk the same language. Holidays aren
’
t long enough and they
’
re sort of special anyway ... not like ordinary living at home. Stuart says it
’
s because Robin and Daddy are too much alike, but he
’
s wrong. It
’
s because Robin reminds Daddy too much of life when Mummy was alive and I suppose it hurts or something. Stuart
can
’
t
know ... he didn
’
t know Mummy and he wasn
’
t here when Daddy was younger.” Susan glanced up at Elizabeth. “Funny how some men can
’
t bear to think they don
’
t know all the answers. It makes them wild to be told they could be wrong.”

“Are you referring to Stuart?” Elizabeth asked casually.

Susan began to scrape the sugar out of the bottom of her mug. “I suppose so. He
’
s the
only
man I know at all well apart from Daddy.”

“Does that matter?”

Susan decided that her mug was really and truly empty. “I don
’
t know. Some days he
’
s just like Robin, only older, and you feel you can say anything that comes into your head, and then other days he
’
s like a stranger. He looks at me in such a way that I feel all funny and sort of excited inside. Is that what it
’
s like being in love?” she demanded without any warning.

Elizabeth put her cup back on the tray. “I won
’
t have another, thanks, No, it
’
s more like growing up when you begin to realize that you
’
re no longer a child.”

Susan nodded as if she understood. She cuddled her knees with her arms. “I suppose you
’
ve been in love, so you
’
d know the difference.”

Elizabeth hesitated a moment and then trusted her secret to the girl. “Yes ... I was when I was about twenty-one, but he was killed in the war ... in the R.A.F.”

There was a little silence, and during it Elizabeth realized that the memory of Irving no longer had any power to hurt her
.

Susan stared into the fire. “I know it sounds cheek, but were you and Stuart ever in love?”

Elizabeth withdrew slightly. “I don
’
t think I was,” she said finally. “We were only good friends.

“I thought it might be something like that,” Susan admitted with an air of triumph. “I told Robin so and he said I was crazy.”

Elizabeth risked a direct question. “Would it really matter if we had been
?
”

Susan shook her head. “I don
’
t suppose so
...
anyway it isn
’
t my business.” She laughed merrily. “I think he
’
s got high hopes of making you change your mind,” she said with astonishing shrewdness.

Elizabeth flushed slightly. “He might have, but it wouldn
’
t do him any good,” she said firmly.

“Are you through with love and all that?” Susan demanded impudently.

Elizabeth gave her a steady look. “That question is not on the agenda,” she said quietly.

Susan had the grace to apologize. “I
’
m sorry, Miss Graham. I shouldn
’
t have said that. It
’
s just one of those days when I
’
m all of a muddle. That
’
s why I didn
’
t go to school. I would have put all four feet in it or something.” She began to grin. “Instead I threw Stuart into a flat spin ... he thinks I
’
ve got a thing about him. I bet he went off home worrying about my complexes or something!”

It was so near the truth that Elizabeth felt uncomfortable. “When is Robin coming in?” she asked, to change the subject.

“Haven
’
t the faintest. Good thing Daddy isn
’
t here. He gets hot under the collar when Robin
’
s in one of his casual phases. I expect they
’
re trying out the beer at the Dirty Duck
...
” She saw Elizabeth
’
s expression. “It
’
s the White Swan really, but they call it the Dirty Duck. After all Robin
is
nineteen and he
’
s got to grow up some time, even though Dear Emily and Daddy treat him like someone in rompers. You can
’
t make time stand still by not noticing it. What
’
s that
?
Oh, it must be Robin
...
it
’
s too early for Dear Emily; she always stays for the last
farthings worth
of her half-crown ticket.”

They could hear the sound of someone approaching uncertainly along the short corridor that led from the side door.

“He must have forgotten to switch on the light
...
silly boy.” Susan got to her feet and picked up the tray. I
’
ll get rid of this.”

Before she reached the door into the back hall it opened and Robin came in
.
He stared at them rather belligerently and his eyes were very bright.

“Good evening, each ... Dad still safely in London, Susie
?
”

“Of course he is, and don
’
t call me Susie! You know I hate it.”

“That
’
s why I call you
...
Susie
,
” he said with the careful precision of someone who has to pick his words.

Susan looked at him sharply. “You
’
re dr
u
nk, Robin! How beastly!”

He drew himself up.
“
I
’
m not beastly. I
’
ve only had two beers and I
’
m
not ...
drunk.”

Susan glanced towards Elizabeth “I
’
d better make our coffee, hadn
’
t I
?
”

Elizabeth almost refused before she realized how sensible Susan was being. “Yes, if you don
’
t mind. I mustn
’
t be too late getting back.”

Susan slipped away and Elizabeth was left with Robin, who glanced at her rather unhappily before subsiding in the nearest chair.

“I didn
’
t tell Susan quite all the truth. I had a whisky after the beer and I was all right until I came out of the pub ... the cool air or something.” He saw Elizabeth
’
s expression. “It
’
s all right
...
Dad does let me have the occasional drink.” He bent forward and leaned his head on his hands. “But to be honest I feel rather sick.”

Elizabeth remembered abruptly that after all she was a nurse. “Is there a downstairs cloakroom
?
” she demanded briskly.

Robin frowned at her tone. “First door on the left. Didn
’
t Susan do the honors
?
” Then astonishment and alarm spread over his face and he staggered unsteadily to his feet. “I
’
m not
...
quite
...
sure
...”

Elizabeth didn
’
t give him time to wonder. She took him firmly by the arm and escorted him through the first door left. From countless years of helping patients through similar discomforts she wasn
’
t quite as surprised as Robin to find herself holding his forehead against the coolness of her hand while he was as
unashamedly
sick as any small boy.

“I
’
d rinse out your mouth if I were you,” she directed him quietly.

He obeyed meekly and then splashed cold water on his face and hands. Elizabeth passed him a towel and surveyed him critically. He still looked very pale, but the greenish tinge has passed.

“Let
’
s see if Susan
’
s got that coffee made,” she suggested finally.

He nodded and then looked at her rather miserably. “I
’
m sorry about all this ... it can
’
t be very pleasant for you,” he muttered.

“Let
’
s forget about it, then.” She opened the door and waited for him to pass her.

He took her arm as they went towards the library.
“
You
’
ve been a wonderful sport. Dad would have been livid if he
’
d been
...
oh, I didn
’
t know you were back.”

Robin hesitated on the library threshold
.
William Gregory stared at them from under lowering brows.

“I happened to get a lift back. Would someone like to tell me precisely what
’
s been going on here
in
my absence?
”

Elizabeth stood silent, uncomfortably aware of the unmistakable aroma of beer that hung like unwelcome perfume in the air. Before she could speak Susan came bustling in with her tray of coffee.

“I made Robin
’
s coffee r
eally black and strong. That
’
s the best treatment, isn
’
t it?
...
Oh, hello, Daddy!
”

CHAPTER FIVE

Elizabeth f
ound herself without words as she faced an angry William Gregory. In some inexplicable way she felt that she had let him down, although she had done nothing to warrant such a feeling.

“Well ...
I
’
m waiting,” William Gregory began, but before he could continue Robin spoke:

“
It
’
s all my fault, Father. I misjudged my capacity and Miss Graham and Susan were kind enough to come to the rescue
...
that
’
s all.”

Suddenly William Gregory looked very weary and older than his forty-eight years. “I see. Then may I suggest that you drink your black coffee, make your apologies, and retire.”

“Yes, Father,” Robin said with unhappy meekness.

Susan passed round the coffee quickly
.
William glanced at the cup she offered him.

“Isn
’
t this yours, Susan?”

“I
’
d rather have cocoa after all, Daddy. I think I
’
ll take mine up with me.” She bent and kissed the cheek next to her. “Good night, Daddy.” She departed with a warm smile for Elizabeth and a warning nod to Robin who was sipping his black coffee gloomily.

A
mis
erable silence seemed to follow Susan
’
s departure as if she had taken all brightness with her. Robin was the first to make a move. He got to his feet and put his cup back on the tray awkwardly.

“Good night, Miss Graham. Sorry I made such a nuisance of myself. Good night, Father.” He hesitated for a moment as if waiting like a small boy for some sign of forgiveness, and then departed.

William glanced across at Elizabeth. “I
’
m sorry this had to happen, Miss Graham, when you
’
d been kind enough to do me a favor.”

“There
’
s nothing to apologize for, Doctor Gregory. Most of the young have to discover the hard way not to mix their drinks. Robin
’
s one of the
lucky ones
—
he
’
s sick before he
’
s had too much.”
Elizabeth said with a touch of lightness.

William Gregory looked rather startled. “I admit I hadn
’
t thought of it in quite that way. Did you find anything among my collection that you
’
d like to read
?
”

Elizabeth shook her head. “I didn
’
t look very far ... at least not past my favorite authors, most of whose books I
’
ve already read. May I leave it for another time? I don
’
t want to be too late getting back.”

William stood up. “I
’
ll walk back with you. I wouldn
’
t mind a breath of fresh air. Driving in a car with the heater on and the windows closed can be rather stupefying and my friend was afraid of draughts.”

“How did your patient get on? I thought you were staying overnight ... I don
’
t know why.” Elizabeth went across the room to retrieve her coat.

William Gregory took it from her and held it while she slipped into it. “I didn
’
t expect to be back before tomorrow, but I had the chance of a lift. The hospital authorities decided that Mrs. Jones can stand the whole course of treatment, so I left her in their care. To tell you the truth I was glad to be away. She was being so brave and cheerful about it all that I
’
d had about as much as I could take. If she
’
d been upset or made a fuss I
’
d have had something to do. Instead it ended up with her telling me not to worry—that she
’
d be all right. That
’
s one of the drawbacks to a practice in a small town
...
you
’
re too close to your patients, and most of them you know out of office hours, so that when serious illness strikes one of them it
’
s almost like having it happen to one of your own family.”

“And there are people who say the National Health Service is so impersonal,” Elizabeth said softly.

“It can be, but like anything else a lot depends upon the character of the people who are in it.” William put a screen in front of the fire. “I haven
’
t heard Dear Emily come in yet, but I don
’
t suppose she
’
ll be long.”

Dear Emily came bustling in on the tail of his words. “I
’
m back now, Doctor Gregory, and surprised to find you before me. Good evening, Miss Graham. Susan tells me she gave you coffee. Are you away to see a patient at this hour, Doctor Gregory?”

“Don
’
t scold, Dear Emily, because I
’
m not. I
’
m just seeing Miss Graham home. Perhaps you could heat me up some soup if you don
’
t mind. I didn
’
t stop for a meal on the way.”

Dear Emily gave Elizabeth a reproving look as if blaming her for William Gregory
’
s supperless state. “Indeed I
’
ll do that very thing. You won
’
t be long, I take it.” With that order, rather than question, Dear Emily hurried away.

“Come on, Miss Graham. We
’
d better be going. M
i
nd the step.”

As they emerged into the darkness the roar of the river burst upon them with savage suddenness.

“It must be rising again. I heard that Exeter is cut off tonight, and floods in the West Country usually precede ones here. They haven
’
t sounded the alarm, so that must mean the rise is a slow one.”

“Can it come up quickly, then?” Elizabeth asked, not sure whether she should be worried or not.

“If there
’
s very heavy rain to the west of us it mounts in feet instead of inches,” he said grimly, “but we usually get a few hours
’
warning.” Then with scarcely a change of tone he went on “What am I to do about Robin?”

Elizabeth glanced towards the big figure now shadowy in the darkness. “Do you have to do anything other than remember yourself when young?” she suggested cautiously.

There was silence for a moment and then a chuckle. “I suppose I was get
t
ing things out of proportion rather ... that
’
s the drawback of being confronted with a disagreeable situation when one
’
s tired and hungry. So you think I should say nothing?”

“What could you say without putting him on the defensive? After all, the boy is nineteen,” Elizabeth reminded him.

William Gregory sighed. “So he is. I keep forgetting ... it seems just the other day he was a
small
boy coming home from school for the holidays who scratched his knees and climbed trees or took his toy cars apart to see what made them go. Now he
’
s
set his heart on one of these sandwich courses at a technical college where he
’
ll be working in an engineering firm for part of the year: and I never dreamt he wouldn
’
t want to go to Cambridge as I did.”