Nurse Angela (15 page)

Under Angela’s gentle pressure the vein showed up more prominently and at last the needle was inserted. Very carefully, Angela started the flow again.

“Not too much, Sister,” Simon said. “Yes, that’s right. Now if it only stays like that for an hour or so, he’ll get it all.” He looked down at the man. “Do you think you’ll be able to sleep?”

“I think
s
o, doctor, but I’m not worried whether I do or not. What’s a night’s sleep compared with my life? I’m quite willing to lie here quietly until it’s all in.”

Angela said quickly. “I’ll stay here with him, Doctor. I don’t think he should be left.”

Simon gave her a long look. It somehow didn’t seem right for him to leave her to keep this nightly vigil while he himself slept, but he knew he had his work to do tomorrow.

“Thank you, Sister. I’ll rest easy knowing you are here, but don’t hesitate to call if you need me.”

If I need you,
she thought swiftly.

“I won’t,” she answered in a low voice. “Good night, Doctor.” He hesitated as if about to speak again, then turned and left her. Angela took a chair by the bed and sat watching the slow, steady drip.

She was just about to get into bed the next morning when she was called to the telephone.

It was Simon. “I hope I haven’t got you out of bed,” he said, “but my mother has just phoned me to say that she and your mother are coming into town and would like us to meet them for lunch. How do you feel about it?”

“But I don’t understand. Mother knows I usually go straight to bed after my first night back on duty, and she wouldn’t expect me to get up in the middle of the day unless it was urgent. Besides, I’ve arranged to go out to tea. I could put Roger off, I suppose.”

“Oh, I don’t think there’s any need to do that. I told your mother you’d had a busy night. It’s not important; they’re only coming in to do shopping. It’s just that they wanted you to know in case you felt like meeting them. Shall I go and say you can’t make it?”

“If you don’t mind, Simon. I’m sure Mother didn’t really expect me to.”

They hung up and Angela went back to bed, a puzzled frown on her face. That was odd, most unlike her mother. What were they up to, she and Suzette?

To her consternation, the maid forgot to call her in time to meet Roger that evening. It was seven o’clock when she awoke—only just time to have her meal and go on duty. She rang Roger to apologize.

“I’m terribly sorry, Roger. The maid is usually most reliable. I do hope you didn’t wait too long.”

“That’s all right, my dear. I guessed what must have happened, and as you’re usually punctual, I didn’t wait very long. I knew you’d phone me if I wasn’t there to meet you. You must have been extra tired.”

“Yes, I was. I had a busy night. Thank you for being so sweet about it. What about tomorrow?”

“Er ...
sorry, darling. Can’t make it tomorrow. I’ll call you. ’Bye.”

In spite of her long sleep Angela felt somehow listless and dispirited. For the first time since she had taken on the post as night sister, she longed for a change.

When Simon came at 11 he seemed unusually thoughtful. Angela asked him if her mother and Suzette had enjoyed their shopping spree.

“Oh yes,” he said. “They sent their love and quite understood that you needed your sleep.” He looked at her oddly and was about to say something when one of the nurses called for her.

“I’m wanted,” she said.

“Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, I can manage. It’s only routine. Mrs. Brown is rather restless and the nurse wants me to check her medicine.” She moved toward the door.

“Just a moment, Angela.” He put out a detaining hand.

“Yes?”

“There’s something I want to talk to you about. Will you come out somewhere to tea with me tomorrow before you go on duty?”

She recoiled inwardly. “Must you?” she asked stiffly. “Is it important?”

He compressed his lips, then said quietly. “Yes, it is.”

“Very well. I’ll be ready at five o’clock.”

She went upstairs to the waiting patient. If only he would leave her alone. If only he would go back to Paris. Her mother and Suzette had been busy in their matchmaking efforts no doubt. But it was too late. She was going to marry Roger. That was one thing they didn’t yet know.

Simon took her to a small place on the edge of the moor where they had tea. Then he suggested that they make the best of what sunshine was left.

“You don’t get a great deal of sun on night duty,” he said. He parked the car and they walked for a while. He seemed reluctant to begin what he wanted to say.

“Well?” she said at last, her heart beating queerly. “And what have our mothers been telling you?”

He glanced at her sharply. “I didn’t know you could be cynical.”

“Perhaps there is a lot you don’t know.”

“There’s one thing I’d
like
to know. Are you, or are you not, engaged to Roger Cameron?”

“Yes, I am.”

The words came out like the crack of a whip and Simon started as though he had been struck.

He turned. “In that case, there’s no more to be said. Let’s get back.”

They walked on in a silence that seemed like the lull before a volcanic eruption.

Then suddenly, Simon turned swiftly, and before she was aware of his intention he had taken her roughly in his arms and was kissing her fiercely.

And she was clinging to him, half-sobbing, half-laughing “Simon, oh, Simon.”

“Angela, darling,” he said passionately. “I love you.”

At last they drew apart and looked at each other.

“Angela, te
ll
me you’re lying. You’re not engaged to Roger. You can’t be.”

“Oh Simon, I am,” she whispered. “Only the other day. You said you were going back to Paris. I thought you were going to marry Paulette.”

He stared at her. “But how could you have thought such a thing?” he breathed.

Then she told him all the things that had been haunting her: Paulette’s greeting of him in Suzette’s flat; the night she had seen them together in Montparnasse; Paulette’s arrival in England; the time she had seen them coming out of the jeweler’s together.

He took her in his arms. “Oh, darling, if only I’d known what was going on inside your head. Paulette loves jewelry and she was buying herself a dress ring. As for everything
else ... T
hat’s just her way, it doesn’t mean a thing; and of course, she came to England to do some fashion shows. Darling, I fought my love for you because I thought you loved Roger, and oh, if only you knew what I suffered. I began loving you on that first night when Matron introduced us, but fear of being repulsed had become part of my makeup.”

They clung together for a while, then very gently he let her go. “From now on, there are going to be no misunderstandings. You’re going to marry me—oh happy, happy thought—and we must tell Roger, poor fellow.” He looked at her anxiously. “You do love me, darling?”

“Oh, yes, Simon, so very much. So very, very much.”

They went back to town and Angela called Roger.

“Yes Angela?”

“Roger, I’m sorry ... I hardly know how to tell you this ... but I’m afraid it is Simon after all. Oh, can you forgive me?”

There was a moment’s silence. “I felt it all along, darling. I’m glad you’ve found it out before—” He broke off. “Don’t worry about me, Angela. People get over these things in time. Love is eternal. It doesn’t depend on one person forever. I’ll always love you, even when I’ve learned to love somebody else. Do you know what I mean? Goodbye, darling. Be happy.”

“Goodbye,
Roger...
”
she whispered huskily.

Simon looked at her anxiously. “All right?”

She smiled tremulously and put out her hand.

“Yes, all right. Oh yes, really all right.”