Ring for the Nurse (24 page)

CHAPTER
FIFTEEN

The best laid
plans are apt to go astray and when
a
telephone call to the airport the following morning elicited the fact that, owing to fog, the trans-Atlantic plane would not land until the afternoon, it completely upset all Alaine
’
s and Felicity
’
s arrangements.

“
But you must come,
”
Alaine insisted.
“
I don
’
t see how you can do otherwise, you ought to be there to meet your brother and as for this Mr. MacDuff, or whatever his name is, well, he must manage without you, that
’
s all,
”
she ended with finality.

“
I
’
ve just
got
to be here this
afternoon
—you don
’
t understand,
”
Felicity argued miserably.
“
I
’
m on duty here and it
’
s my job—it
’
s not even like hospital, no one can take over for me—it can
’
t be helped, I must stay.
”
She pushed back her coffee cup, she had no longer any appetite for breakfast and the toast lay on her plate untouched.

“
It does seem a pity, my dear,
”
Colonel Brenton interposed. He was so obviously distressed at her disappointment and eager to help, but, no doubt recognizing the truth of Felicity
’
s words, better than Alaine, wisely refrained from argument.

Felicity
was at least glad that Guy, breakfasting in his room, was as yet ignorant of the controversy which had arisen. She had no idea what his reaction would have been or what advice he would have given. Somehow she preferred not to know and was determined that, by the time he did know, her arrangement to remain on hand for Mr. MacFarlayne
’
s visit would have become an accomplished fact.
“
It can
’
t be helped, it
’
s just unfortunate.
”
Felicity
forced a smile then, turned to Alaine.
“
I
’
ve got to get a message to the airport somehow, I must let Tony know what
’
s happened, tell him where I am and get him to come straight on here.
”
She forced a note of lightness into her voice.
“
After all, I
’
ve waited four years, it
’
s only a matter of an extra hour or so.
”

“
How would it be if I went without you—supposing I meet him and bring him back?
”
Alaine
’
s suggested a trifle diffidently. Even if it wasn
’
t her habit to put herself out for others, she had managed to make her offer sound spontaneous and perhaps, with the prospect of a dreary afternoon ahead while Guy would be closeted with the surgeon and
Felicity
, even a run to the airport to meet an unknown young man offered some kind of diversion.
“
I really would not mind a bit,
”
she added, warming to the suggestion.
“
You
’
ll have to tell me what he looks like, I
’
d hate to accost the wrong man!
”

“
Would you really go? Oh, Alaine, that
’
s sweet of you!
”
Felicity brightened visibly at the suggestion.
“
Your meeting him would be so much more welcoming, so much less impersonal than a message. You
’
d take a load off my mind. Of course I
’
ll tell you what he
’
s like—he may have changed, I might not even recognize him myself,
”
she exclaimed with the first note of genuine relief she had shown
si
nce she had heard
o
f her disappointment.

It was not until his dressing was completed and Felicity was packing away the lint and neatly folding a bandage that Guy mentioned the subject of Tony
’
s delayed arrival.
“
I am awfully sorry about this afternoon, would you like me to try and defer Mr. MacFarlayne
’
s visit?
”

Felicity
was not only surp
r
ised but strangely moved at the offer. No doubt it was merely conventional but at least it showed some consideration.
“
No, of course not—in any case Mr. MacFarlayne could never get down here on a weekday, besides you must be aching to get that heavy plaster off.
”

“
I shan
’
t be sorry,
”
he admitted, then went on talking.
“
I suppose it would be difficult to put him off now—I understand that you
’
ve got it all fixed up with Alaine and she is going for you.
”

For a few moments the matter was amicably disc
us
sed between them and it appeared to be as propitious a mo
m
e
nt
as she was likely to find
s
o she took advantage to question him.
“
What are your future plans?
”
Have you any idea how long you will require me here?
”

“
I
’
m certain now that I shan
’
t be able to stand more than a week of this inactivity,
”
he admitted.
“
I expect I
’
ll stay a few more days then I propose to return to town I can
’
t do much at hospital except my lecturing; I might pick up
a few threads of my private work, but anyway I feel I must get started again soon. I imagine you could get back tomorrow or Tuesday—why not make it Tuesday, it will give you an extra day here with your brother. I
’
ll discuss the thing with MacFarlayne. Once I
’
m back in town I can get my dressings done at hospital, and with the plaster off I imagine I
’
ll be able to manage quite a good bit more myself.
”

“
You should feel far less handicapped,
”
Felicity agreed as with everything satisfactorily tidied, she went on,
“
Are you riding with Alaine this morning? Shall I put out your things?
”

“
Yes, I believe I am—but don
’
t you bother, Mackerley will be along to help me dress.
”

Felicity couldn
’
t avoid the little stab of envy which she suffered as she watched Alaine and Guy mount their horses; true Alaine had thrown her a casual invitation to join them, but even her love of riding could not persuade Felicity to accept. It didn
’
t really matter, she told herself when half an hour later a brisk walk had taken her across the meadows and into a shaded coppice; she had enough happiness as it was, the glorious feel of the open country around her and the blue sky above her head and the joyous anticipation of her coming reunion with her brother.

The morning flew by on wings and she was still giving Alaine a few last-minute instructions when Mr. MacFarlayne
’
s car drew up at the door.
“
I
’
ve got to go now,
”
she hurriedly told Alaine.
“
Must be there to receive him—you
’
ll find Tony all right, don
’
t forget, hair my colour, bit darker perhaps through constant application of hair oil! Blue eyes with a kind of twinkle—looks as though he is laughing even when he isn
’
t!
”

“
A most adequate description,
”
Alaine laughed, but Felicity hardly heard, she was already smoothing out her apron as she went forward to greet the surgeon.

Felicity was sure that Mr. MacFarlayne was even slower and more d
r
earily fussy in his actions today than he had ever been, she was convinced that he wouldn
’
t have finished by the time Alaine returned from the airport and found herself glancing anxiously and surreptitiously at the clock beside Guy
’
s bed. The wretched man would talk so much too, if only he would get on with the job; during all her years of nursing Felicity had never felt more impatient and never more like shaking the surgeon! It was only when the plaster was eventually discarded and Mr. MacFarlayne began with meticulous care to test the reflexes of each finger that, to do Felicity justice, even Tony
’
s imminent arrival was forgotten and her whole mind was absorbed, to the exclusion of all else, in her patient
’
s welfare. She found herself tensed, scarcely daring to breathe as the examination progressed, and when Mr. MacFarlayne straightened up his rotund figure she found herself waiting breathlessly for the verdict.

“
I see no reason, Brenton, why you shouldn
’
t be operating again before very long,
”
he stated with obvious satisfaction.
“
It
’
s a matter of time and perseverance—I
’
m sure you
’
ll get back complete movement. I admit that at one time I wasn
’
t so sure, I know that medical men are reputedly bad patients but you didn
’
t seem to make the slightest effort to use your hand and I don
’
t
mind
admitting I began to wonder—still, lately you
’
ve certainly cooperated and I think you
’
ll find it
’
s been well worth while.
”

“
I think we have to put something down to good nursin
g—”
Guy began, then perhaps feeling he had paid
sufficient tribute and unwilling to enlarge on the matter, turned again to MacFarlayne and began to discuss his future arrangements and his intention of returning to town.

“
That
’
s all right,
”
MacFarlayne agreed.
“
If Nurse can be spared then I suggest she remain a bit, then you can get up to St. Edwin
’
s for regular dressings—another X-ray too.
”

Although the surgeon lingered for a cup of tea and long discussions with Guy about recent hospital happenings, he had left Weir Court long before there was any sign of Alaine
’
s return. Felicity was clearing away the last traces of the powdered plaster, glad of
anything to occupy her mind when Guy, no doubt sensing her impatience, mentioned the subject.

“
You know planes aren
’
t always punctual, particularly as you were warned last night that there was already delay,
”
he reminded her, aware of her air of despondency added,
“
Besides, you know Alaine by now, she had probably insisted on stopping for a cup of tea!
”

Felicity was glad of the relief of laughter.
“
I
’
d forgotten that,
”
she admitted.
“
Of course it may have been just around tea time when the plane landed. I expect that
’
s exactly what Alaine is doing.
”

“
Then they
’
ll be at least another half-hour. Why don
’
t you go and change, get into something
p
retty, you don
’
t want to greet your brother in a starched apron.
”
There was a teasing quality in his voice which swept away the last threads of Felicity
’
s despondency and she found herself eagerly reacting to his mood.

“
I
think
I will—I hadn
’
t thought about it, of course it
’
s silly to meet him like this, he has never even seen me as a nurse, probably wouldn
’
t recognize me.
”

“
Put on that pinkish thing you wore last night, I liked it.
”

It was only while she was changing that Felicity recalled Guy
’
s words and a smile curved her lips and dimpled her cheeks. It seemed so funny that he had even noticed what she wore, she imagined that Guy Brenton was the last person to be concerned with women
’
s clothes
!
She was just about to leave her room to join Guy and his father in the lounge when she heard the sound of car tyres on the gravel. Not even pausing for a last glance in the mirror she tore down the stairs and was already standing in the steps when the car drew to a standstill and Tony alighted.