To Please the Doctor (11 page)

“
Yes, you would remember the glamorous girls!
”
Jill broke in.
“
But you
’
re quite right, it
was
a wonderful dance
...
And after everyone had gone
,
you and I had a swim in the pool. Dear old Nana was so shocked, I couldn
’
t make her see that bathing by night was really no worse than bathing by day.
”
Jill laughed at the recollection.
“
Well, we shan
’
t be tempted to bathe this week-end, that
’
s a certainty.
”

“
It
’
s more likely that we shall be snow-balling!
”
Philip remarked as he glanced out of the window at the frost which still clung to the bare branches of the trees.
“
Well, may I call it a date then? If so, I
’
ll pick you up about ten o
’
clock and we shall have an easy run to get there for lunch. The roads will probably be skiddy, I shan
’
t be able to drive fast.
”

“
It
’
s a lovely idea, I
’
m glad you suggested it. Not that I think you deserve an invitation. Look at the months when you ignored our existence completely—a card at Christmas was about all you managed.
”

“
You know I can
’
t bear letter-writing,
”
Philip protested.
“
And that last hospital I was at was in the wilds of Northumberland, and except for a summer holiday, when I went fishing in Scotland, I never got away from it. I fully intended to look you up when I was settled in
h
ere.
”

“
Intended to!
”
Jill scoffed.
“
How like you!
”

“
Well, I
’
m still pretty much of a newcomer at Sunsand myself, you know,
’
he defended himself.
“
And then miracle of miracles, you appeared in person. I could scarcely believe my eyes, it
seemed too good to be true!
”
He glanced at Jill searchingly.
“
Yet already there
’
s an ugly whisper going round that you
’
re not going to stay. It
’
s not true, is it?
”

“
You shouldn
’
t listen to gossip,
”
Ji
l
l retorted quickly.
“
And if the
‘
ugly whisper, as you call it, emanated from Nurse
Malling
, you can tell her from me that I haven
’
t the slightest intention of leaving.
”
She was surprised at her own emphasis. The idea of a rumour that she was leaving only strengthened her decision to stay the course as she had promised Harriet.

“
I stand rebuked,
”
Philip replied contritely.
“
Now I
’
d better go and do a spot of work.
”
He walked across to the door and opened it.
“
Thanks a
lot, Jill, the thought of that week-end has put new life into me.
”

A moment later Brenda
Malling
entered the office.
“
What about Mary
’
s injection, do you want to give it yourself?
”

Jill glanced quickly at the clock on her desk.
“
Goodness! yes, I
’
ll come at once. Why didn
’
t you remind me?
”

“
I didn
’
t like to disturb you and Dr. Traven.
”
Jill glanced quickly at her companion, but Brenda
’
s expression was completely blank, betraying nothing of her thoughts.

“
There was no reason at all why you shouldn
’
t.
I was only giving
him
some tea.
”

“
I thought he might have come over to discuss a case with you. How was I to know you were only fixing up your week-end?
”

Jill, passing Brenda as she stood in the doorway, gave the girl a quick glance. Her expression was cool and impassive,
but there was no mistaking the underlying insolence of her words. Jill, walking ahead of her towards the ward, could
almost feel the girl
’
s antagonism; no doubt she had overheard Philip
’
s parting remark, and it had merely served to add fuel to her already burning resentment. Determined to let it pass unnoticed, Jill threw open the folding doors of the ward, then, glad of an excuse to change the subject, turned to her companion.
“
What an awful noise! Shall we ever get the children settled down? How about letting them start some paper chains for Christmas, that might distract them.
”

“
I
’
ll
get some,
”
Brenda
Malling
agreed.
“
It
’
s a bit early yet but, as you say, it might quieten them down.
”

“
Yes, the paper is in a box just inside the office. They
’
ll probably be to
rn
and dirty by the time we are ready to put them up, but perhaps that
’
s all to the good. It will mean we
’
ll need another lot, which will serve nicely
for distraction after next visiting day!
”

By the time Jill had completed her ministrations to Ma
r
y and was making her way back to her office, all was quiet in the beds evenly arranged along each side of the ward. The older children—and even some of the tinies—were earnestly engaged in looping the coloured strips of paper into chains. Busy fingers were carefully manipulating the flimsy paper, happily vying with each other to complete the longest strip, parents
’
and visitors
’
departures completely forgotten in the childish dreams of Christmas which the coloured chains no doubt evoked. Jill suppressed a sigh. How easy it was to distract a child, how easy to replace a tear with a smile. She re-entered her office where Brenda
Malling
awaited her, ready with the day
’
s reports. Jill advanced towards her with a smile. How nice it would be if only they could be friends, but her smile evoked no response in the other girl. It was obvious that the distribution of paper chains had done nothing towards imbuing her Staff Nurse with the season
’
s goodwill.

CHAPTER
SEVEN

The car purred its
way along the country roads out of
S
unsand Bay, over the Sussex Downs, and Jill relaxed against the leather seat, glad in the knowledge that she was going home for the week-end. Despite her love for her work, she was thankful to have left hospital and its manifold worries behind her for a brief forty-eight hours. She
’
d
be able to forget the pin-
pricks of irritation which Brenda
Malling
’
s non-co-operative ways had caused her; forget, too, Duncan McRey s brusque and critical attitude. Once at Brent Towers she would be fussed and perhaps over-pamp
ered,
but it would be a pleasant change and, above all things she knew that Terry would give her a riotous welcome; Terry with his mop of curly hair and bright blue eyes, his chubby limbs and winsome smile, always showered on her boyish admiration and affection. He was an adorable child, full of laughter and high spirits, and it was a considerable source of surprise to Jill that her indolent mother should have produced such a boisterous offspring. Terry quite obviously realized that neither his mother nor his father in spite of their spoiling, ever really wanted to join in childish games, and it had always been left to Jill or his nurse to play with him, to teach him nursery rhymes, and later on to help build up his Meccano toys and more recently to instruct him in the use of a cricket bat. He had learnt eagerly, and from the beginning had shown himself an adept at games, was already a swimmer of no mean ability, and showed a remarkable courage about everything. He was never known to cry, and the nearest approach to tears he ever reached was to give a long drawn out
“
Oooh,
”
rub his knuckles into his eyes and mutter,
“
That hurted, that did,
”
and carry on with whatever he had been doing. Darling Terry, it would be grand to feel his arms round her neck again, since with Jill he made no attempt to conceal his emotions.

“
Are you asleep?
”
Philip Traven
’
s query roused Jill from her thoughts.
“
You haven
’
t said a word for miles. What
’
s the matter, is it too early in the morning for conversation, or don
’
t you believe in talking to the driver?
”

“
A bit early admittedly, although by hospital standards I should have been round the wards by now. I was just thinking how pleasant it will be to be home. I think that people who live a community life always appreciate their homes more than those who are permanently in them.
”

“
I agree. That
’
s why my visit to Brent Towers always meant so much to me.
”
Philip spoke reminiscently.
“
I shall never forget the marvellous times we had together there. You know
I
always was a bit goofy about you.
”

“
What absolute rubbish. You are making it up. Y
o
u were never the slightest bit
‘
goofy,
’
as you call it, about me in the old days, and I
’
m certain that you
’
re not now. We
’
re just jolly good friends, and you know it perfectly well!
”
Jill settled herself more snugly under the rug and stared out of the window. It was true what she had just told Philip. They were good friends and nothing more. He had always liked feminine company, and in his student days had been in and out of love more times than she could number, but he had never been serious for long, and the various girls did not appear to take him seriously either. After the depression of the past few weeks Jill was glad of his cheerful company, and with a renewed sense of wellbeing she was able to enjoy to the full the wide vista of the rolling downs and the long undulating sweep of the Surrey hills. Even in winter the countryside appealed to her, and it was a positive tonic to see the steep slopes after the barren flatness of the scenery round Sunsand Bay. A fine layer of frost covered the trees and hedges, and now that a watery sun was making a brave display, the bare branches were sparkling in the faint sunshine. It was bitterly cold still, and Jill wondered if perhaps there might be a fall of snow. That would be fun. They
’
d be able to go tobogganing. She
’
d done that during one cold spell years ago with Philip. Should she remind him? No, better not, it was no good helping to make him sentimental; he needed so very little encouragement. In spite of her warm coverings Jill shivered again, and as they had reached the outskirts of
a
village, she felt an urge for a hot drink.

“What about stopping for coffee. I’d like to have a warm up before we get there; it can’t take us much longer, and I don’t want to arrive looking pinched with cold and with a red nose.”

“Red nose be
b
othered! It isn’t even pink!” Philip protested. “Still, it’s a jolly good idea to have a drink. What about a gin? The pubs are open.”

“
Only just open!
”
Jill countered.
“
No, I
’
d far rather have a coffee. What about that place at the end of the street on the right with the gay sign? Why, it
’
s called the
‘
Coffee Bean.
’
I
’
m sure that
’
s the spot for us; the road
’
s fairly wide here, you can park the car outside. Come on, this
’
ll do splendidly.
”

The interior of the
‘
Coffee Bean
’
was as welcoming as its exterior had indicated, and soon Jill and Philip were seated before a blazing log fire with steaming cups of coffee in front of them. An aromatic smell pervaded the small oak-beamed room and Jill sniffed the air appreciatively.
“
I adore the smell of coffee; it
’
s a pity so few places know how to make it properly.
”

“
I think my olfactory organs must be frozen, I
’
m too cold either to smell or feel anything.
”
Philip stretched his legs out towards the comforting blaze and rubbed his hands vigorously against each other, then, reaching
o
ut, he took Jill
’
s hands between his own and rubbed hers too until they tingled pleasantly.
“
Good idea of yours to come here. I hadn
’
t realized that I was becoming an iceberg.
”

Jill withdrew her hands and loosened her coat.
“
I
’
m full of good ideas, aren
’
t I?
”

“
The best idea you ever had was coming to St. Joseph
’
s.
”
He looked at her searchingly.
“
You really are happy there, aren
’
t you? I
’
m so glad those silly rumours about your leaving weren
’
t true.
”

“
Don
’
t let
’
s talk
‘
shop
’
, I want to forget St. Joseph
’
s for the time being.
”

“
If you want to forget it, then there
’
s something unpleasant about it.
”
He paused to drink his coffee, then added thoughtfully,
“
I suppose that McRey is the fly in the ointment?
”