Nurse Kelsey Abroad (3 page)

a particularly demonstrative person, and the unmistakable urgency in the way in which she responded to her mother’s greeting told Mary better than words could have done how deeply disturbed her child was about the opportunity presented to her. .

She made no comment, however, merely greeting Dudley and, as a matter of course—for her hospitality was famed—inviting him to their meal. In common with Jane she liked this young man, but there was something too pedantic in his approach to life, something to which she could not put a name but which instinctively removed him in her mind as a suitable life companion for her gay, personable Jane.

They didn’t mention the reason for Jane’s unexpected forty-eight-hour leave as though by mutual consent, not until the key turned in the lock and Edwin Kelsey came home.

Tall, broad-shouldered and with a rapidly thinning thatch of silvered hair, Edwin was the epitome of the successful business man who has managed his private and his business life to his own and o
thers’ complete satisfaction.

He appreciated young Dudley Power’s genuine gifts in accountancy, but Edwin’s had been the stolid, gradual path to advancement, and he had an instinctive deep distrust of men like Henry Crabtree and all his associates, men on whom fortune
always
seemed to smile. Life, Edwin was wont to say, wasn’t always like that for anyone, not without a little “jiggery-pokery” here and there!

Nevertheless he greeted the young man pleasantly enough, and when they were all seated round the table and Mary had placed the glazed bacon loaf before him to carve while she served the varied and attractive
-
looking salad, he spoke directly to Jane.

“You’re not supposed to be home until next weekend, are you, love?” he queried. “What’s the matter? All your patients cured and gone home, so that you’re free until the next batch come in?”

Edwin had made such jokes about the nursing home often since, really without his approval, Jane had thrown in her lot with Angela and left the General for the private nursing home, where, Edwin was secretly convinced, her gift for nursing was not so greatly needed as in the wards of the infirmary in the town.

“I’ve got a special forty-eight-hour leave, Dad,” Jane told him. “Miss Power thought I should come home and discuss it with you and Mother before really deciding, but I know what
I’
d like to do—I didn’t say why, did I
?
” she laughed at herself. “I’ve the opportunity to nurse abroad, and to replace a friend of Miss Power’s who’s coming home to be married. I think it sounds perfectly wonderful,” she added, more for Dudley’s benefit than because she had by any means made up her mind. “I wanted to see what you and Mum had to say first, though, Miss Power would like my answer when I go back.”

“What does Miss Power think?” Edwin sliced the last of the loaf and apportioned it on to their plates. He had always been a believer in “fair shares for all”, and knew that if he left it to the others to help themselves both his wife and daughter would have insufficient, each of them inwardly making certain there was more than enough for the menfolk. The boys would be in later, and Susan had a music lesson straight after school which meant she would not be home for some time. Edwin made mental calculations and left on the dish the amount he anticipated would be sufficient for them all, then helped himself to salad as he sat down and waited for his daughter’s reply to his question.

“I think—I
know
—she would like me to agree,” Jane said slowly. “I can understand that well enough. This girl who’s leaving was at P.T. School. I understand they were friends, and that’s why she’s relying on Miss Power sending her someone on whom the people out there can also rely. I understand the hospital is staffed mainly by people from this country and that the British Embassy have something to do with it. I don’t know much about it, really, but it certainly sounds interesting.”

“And a way of escape
!
” Mary thought, looking at her daughter and guessing more correctly than Jane would ever realise how the girl felt about the young man who sat beside her now, putting aside his meal for the moment, the better to talk easily and forcibly about what seemed to him a very vexed question indeed.

“There are equally interesting positions in the nursing world in this country, I feel sure,” he said primly. “Jane,” he smiled, showing his excellent white teeth in a wide smile which Jane had always disliked although she had never said so, “has a great sense of loyalty, you know,” he informed her parents, scarcely realising that they both knew this even better than he did himself. “I’m quite certain she thinks she ought to say ‘yes’ to please my sister. That’s utter nonsense, of course. Angela will soon find someone else, put herself about a little, maybe, but not too much, to find exactly the right sort of person. She’s simply picked on Jane because she was nearest, and,” he coloured sligh
tl
y, “because she wants to break things up between us.”

“I wasn’t aware there was really anything
to
break up, as you put it,” Mary said sweetly, making one of her apparently innocent remarks-which scored so directly on whatever point she was trying to make. Even after twenty-five years of marriage Edwin wasn’t in the least bit certain whether or not these remarks were intentional or whether they emerged by pure chance and somehow or other usually had their desired effect.

“There isn’t really, at least nothing more than a friendship I value more than any I’ve ever made. It’s Janey’s
fault there’s nothing more to it than that!” he protested indignantly.

“Friendship is all I feel adequately equipped to cope with at present,” Jane said promptly, thankful for the opening her mother had given, whether knowingly or not. “I haven’t time to give to anything deeper than that, I’m afraid. And there’s so much more I want to fit into living before I even attempt to settle down or anything. So many places I want to see, visit, get to know, so many new developments in the nursing world, I want to see as many of them as possible, know what people are doing in places other than Rawbridge.”

“Even in Dalasalavia, love?” Edwin regarded her gravely through his spectacles. “It’s just inside the Iron Curtain, remember
!”

“Ann Palmer’s been all right, and she’s been happy enough,” Jane held his glance with her own steady one, unconscious of the appeal in her eyes for his understanding, an understanding which had never failed throughout the twenty-two years of her life and which didn’t fail her now.

“I can understand your feelings, love,” he said sympathetically. “When Mum and I were your age we had the world to visit, but the occasions were seldom pleasant ones! You young people have a world to explore and, heaven be thanked, so far without a war to send you exploring. It’s a pity Betty couldn’t have heard of something where she’s gone, you’d have been company, for one another then, but I suppose as you grow up more and more your paths’ll divide, and so they should. You miss her badly, I know,” he sighed, “just as we do, but we always realised it would happen one day. I only wish,” he sighed again, “the pattern had repeated itself for Susan!”

There was a little general laughter. The family “pattern” of the Kelseys was one which had afforded them all endless amusement at times. Alan and Barry had come as a surprise to Mary, who had never even imagined having twin babies. A study of the family tree on both sides, after they were born, more or less prepared her for the arrival, some eighteen months or so later, for the twin girls who were so alike in features and so opposite in temperament. Susan, when she made her appearance after five years or so, was a solitary little person from the start, and indeed rejoiced this was so. Remembering her defiant “there’s only one like me,” when she was much younger, Mary laughed now, more gently.

“She’d have hated it,” she observed. “At least her being alone so much in the family has meant her having more time with me than any of you, for which I’m thankful. She’ll be thrilled, and she’ll want all the information you can give her.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know very much more than I’ve told you,” Jane announced, “but I think I’d like to try it
...
maybe for the six months’ trial period first, before I sign on for the two years they expect anyone to stay,
j
ust to see if I like it.”

“That’s a good idea, love,” Edwin glanced round the table. “We’ll all help clear, then get the globe out and have a look at where this place is exactly and just how far away from us you’re likely to be. I presume telephonic and radio communication will be possible, since there’s a British Embassy
?
”

“I still think this is only Angela’s way of getting Jane out of orbit,” Dudley grumbled, but both Edwin and Mary had sensed the message their daughter had done her best to transmit, and he was gently but firmly cajoled into believing it was all for the best and very good experience for Jane.

They sat for a long time poring over the map, studying the contours of the country, reading up what little they could discover about the place from one or other of the ponderous tomes Edwin reached down from the shelves. It was quite late when he finally closed the last of his selected volumes and yawned prodigiously.

“Seems it might be interesting, love,” he announced. “Land-locked, of course, but there are apparently mountains, lakes, rivers in plenty. According to that last book some marvellous scenery and so on, and,” he frowned a little, “a growing tendency for modernisation which may or may not be an advantage! However, try it for six months, and if you don’t feel happy about staying, come home. If it’s too intolerable before the six months are up, we’ll get you home somehow, never fear! At least you’ll have given the thing a trial!”

It was settled that way. Dudley stayed as long as he could and sulked for the remainder of the evening, but with her parents behind her Jane felt that did not matter. When she saw him out he attempted to put his arms about her. He had never done that before, and she didn’t want him to part from her under any false impression.

“Don’t, Dudley,” she said gently. “Not now. We’ve been good friends, let’s leave it that way. Enjoy yourself while I’m away, as Angela’s doing, and as she wants you to do, now the place is really on its feet
...
”

“Squiring Heather Crabtree to all those silly parties her uncle’s always giving,” Dudley growled. “It’s nothing in my line, Jane, and you know it isn’t. I want to get on
—
and I will—but not
that
way.”

“Of course you’ll get on, as you put it,” Jane assured him too quickly. “You’re clever, just like Mr. Henry. I’m told you’re rapidly becoming his right-hand man
!
The
rest’s sure to follow. Get around, as he did! Build up your own connections! Before you know where you are you’ll have a commercial empire of your own
!”

He didn’t expostulate, as she had feared he might. She knew he dreamed that one day, with any luck, he would be as powerful and as great an influence on the community as was Henry Crabtree, and she saw the glow of ambition in his eyes as he said good-night.

After that, Jane thought, it seemed one mad whirl to get everything in readiness for her departure. Mary and she had a little talk, and although she knew the older woman was going to miss her daughter as greatly as she missed her other twin, she sensibly agreed with Jane this was the right course to take in the circumstances.

“Sooner or later Dudley would have become an embarrassment, and being with Angela all day might well have put you in a disagreeable position at some point or other. You’ve always wanted to see other parts of the world, and if you don’t like it, maybe six months will be long enough for Angela to get Dudley interested in the girl she thinks right for him, who knows?
Bu
t
you
must be careful, darling! Betty’s gone away, but she has her husband to look after her, you’ll be on your own! It isn’t always easy for a girl alone in a strange country and so very far away from home! Promise me that if there’s the slightest thing you don’t like or can’t become reconciled about, you’ll let Dad and me know, and somehow or other we’ll get you home.”

“I know you would.” Jane stopped folding underwear and handing it across the bed for Mary to pack in her case. She came round to where her mother stood and put her strong young arms about the older woman.

“I’ve the best parents in the world,” she an
n
ounced, “and the most understanding! Don’t worry, I shan’t go far wrong with the memory of the background you’ve both given me! When I come home we’ll all have such a lot to talk about. How about you and Dad saving up as much as you can while I’m away, and I’ll do the same.
Then, when I come home, we’ll all go out and see Betty and Frank, you and Dad, Susan, and the boys if their careers won’t be too interrupted?”

“We’ll see,” Mary smiled, but wouldn’t say any more. She knew only too well how quickly dreams and hopes could die when faced with the harsh economic disappointments of daily living. It was as well to let Jane plan happily and resign herself to seeing her daughters when and how she could at some distant point in the unforeseeable future.

In this spirit they worked together towards Jane’s departure, and if Jane’s heart ached at times and she was assailed by a variety of misgivings, she gave no sign to either parent. Edwin, who realised more of what all this meant to his wife than she would have believed him capable of realising, contented himself by quiet, fatherly advice and by keeping up a cheerful, smiling countenance did much to avoid any emotional stress and strain in the small circle as the days sped by.

Susan chattered cheerfully about the wonderful sights Jane would see and how all the girls at the technical college envied her a sister so adventurous, but it was Susan’s small, pointed, rather wistful face which remained tugging at Jane’s heart-strings as she waved them all goodbye when she embarked on the first stages of her journey across Europe.

The thrills began as she entered France. This was her first trip abroad alone, and for a moment or so she was scared, but once she was on the Paris Metro and bound for the train to Germany she asserted herself and began to look upon the whole thing as an adventure.

By the second day on the train she was no longer so certain of the wisdom of her acceptance. The train was by no means as comfortable as the one she had left at the German frontier. The February sunshine was weak and watery, and what she saw of her fellow-travellers anything but inspiring.