by Cathy Sharp
Little fairy lights were strung from trees and bushes and several small tables and chairs were scattered about the large garden. Another table was crowded with bottles of beer, lemonade, orange juice and glasses with tall stems or thick tumblers. There was already a buzz of excitement as the party got underway to soft background music of The Platters crooning about being the great pretender.
‘This is lovely,’ Rose said glancing about her. ‘Thanks for inviting me, Rob. I haven’t been to anything like this before …’
‘I’m glad you could come,’ Rob said and smiled at her. ‘Nick particularly wanted to ask you, but he didn’t know how … Ah, here he is …’
Rob’s brother emerged from the kitchen carrying a large tray of cold beers, icy trickles gathering on the thick glasses as he set it down. He turned to face them and smiled as he saw Rose. He was older than Rob and now that he wasn’t wearing a cap, as he did for work, she noticed there were silver streaks at his temples but they only made him look even more distinguished and handsome. His smile lit up his face and reached his eyes, she noticed as he welcomed her.
‘I’m so glad you could come, Sister Rose … I wondered if St Saviour’s could spare you. Rob says you’re the mainstay there …’
‘No, that’s not right,’ Rose exclaimed with a laugh. ‘Sister Beatrice keeps us all on our toes. I just look after my patients and help out where I can …’
‘All the kids say they like Nurse Rose because she’s always willing to help,’ Rob said, refusing to back down. ‘And she doesn’t mind gettin’ a parched man a cup of tea when he’s been workin’ for hours and forgot his flask …’
‘Oh, that,’ Rose said, feeling her cheeks warm as Nick’s gaze rested on her with thoughtful interest. ‘I’m always making a cup of tea for someone these days – Sister Beatrice or Wendy or the carers. We don’t have as many staff as we used to, so I help out where I can …’
‘See, what did I tell you,’ Rob grinned. ‘Get the girl a drink, Nick. I’ve just seen Wendy arrive and I’d better make her welcome, because she’s on her own.’
‘And thus he deserts you,’ Nick said, flashing her a smile that made her insides flutter. ‘However, that’s my good luck – what may I get for you, Rose?’
‘Perhaps a glass of white wine,’ Rose said. ‘I prefer medium to dry – if you have any?’
‘We’ve got all sorts here,’ Nick assured her. He found a bottle of Graves and showed it to her. Rose nodded, because she’d chosen that wine more than once when friends had taken her out. Nick smiled as he handed her the glass of nicely chilled wine. ‘I asked Rob to invite as many friends as he liked. He always seems to make new friends easily, and I find it more difficult … It really is nice to have you here, Rose. Is it all right if I call you that?’
‘Everyone does,’ Rose said, glancing back at the red-brick house with its French windows and slanted roof. ‘You’re a builder – did you build this house?’
‘Yes – I was lucky to get the land cheap. Helen’s father sold it to me. He didn’t think I would get planning permission but I did …’
Rose hesitated, then, ‘Helen was your wife?’
‘I see Rob has told you I lost her some years ago,’ Nick said and a shadow passed over his face. ‘That was when my luck ran out. Did Rob tell you I was in business before but it folded after Helen became ill and then died? I neglected things, drank a bit too much, got into debt and had to go back on the tools for other builders – but now I’m on my feet again and Rob and I have joined forces … Hence the reason for this party – and of course my charlady’s coming nuptials.’
‘You’ll miss her coming in all the time …’
‘Actually, she fusses over me like a mother hen so it will be a relief to have the house to myself sometimes.’ He flashed another of those special smiles at Rose. ‘I think she believed I might top myself just after Helen died – and I came close to it for a short time, but I had the kids to think of …’
‘I know how it feels to lose someone.’ She shook her head as his brows went up. ‘Not a husband – my mother died of TB and I had to watch out for my younger sister. I had to put her in St Saviour’s while I trained as a nurse. She didn’t like it, but I didn’t have much choice …’
‘It must have been rotten for both of you. Everything sort of goes grey at those times or it did for me …’ Nick’s eyes darkened to slate. ‘I’m sorry for being so morbid, but you give off those kinds of vibes, as if you’re willing to listen – perhaps it is because you’re a nurse.’
‘Yes, perhaps,’ Rose agreed. ‘This is lovely wine.’
‘I like it, but Rob is more of a beer man,’ he said. ‘Let me help you find some food before it all disappears.’
It was a lovely summer night and being in the garden made everything seem so much nicer. They moved towards the table where the food and plates were waiting. Nick picked up two plates and began to select meat from the dishes of ready cooked food, salad and some crusty chunks of bread. When he’d consulted Rose about her choice they finally had plates loaded with enough food to last a week, and he led the way to an empty table at the far end of the patio, placing the plates down and pulling out a wrought-iron chair with a cushion on the seat for her.
‘I’ll fetch some more wine,’ Nick murmured and went off in the direction of the bar, where he was waylaid by Rob and some other friends.
Rose decided to start eating the chicken wings, which smelled absolutely delicious and tasted wonderful.
‘Hello, I never expected to see you here this evening,’ a voice said, making her look up in surprise. ‘It is Sister Rose …?’
‘Doctor Henderson,’ Rose said and stood up automatically. He motioned her to sit down. ‘I’ve never been to a garden party before – have you?’
‘Occasionally abroad,’ he said and hesitated, before sitting in one of the other chairs. ‘You’re on your own, but it looks like someone intends to join you?’ He glanced at the loaded plate Nick had chosen for himself.
‘Nick went to get some wine …’ Rose said with a glance at her host who was still talking even though clearly trying to get back to her.
Then they both spoke at once, ‘Have you known Nick long?’
Rose laughed and Doctor Henderson grinned, saying, ‘I’ll sit here until he gets back. I treated Nick’s wife Helen when she was dying of her injuries. I’m not sure how much you know, but Helen was in a terrible car accident and she broke her back. There were internal injuries too and she died of them after some months of pain … but perhaps you knew all that?’
‘No, I didn’t,’ Rose said, feeling tears sting her eyes. ‘How awful that must have been for her – and for her family.’
‘It was wretched, but at that time I was dealing with a lot of that kind of trauma at the London … we were getting several severe injuries from car accidents every week, mainly caused by drivers who were drunk, though I don’t think that was the cause in Helen’s case.’
‘You worked at the London before you went into general practice?’ Rose looked at him again and something stirred in her memory – something about him being asked to leave soon after she’d arrived there, because a patient had died and his administration of a certain drug was questioned until it was discovered that the fault was that of a careless nurse … She saw him looking at her oddly, as if he’d guessed that she’d just recalled the old gossip, but before she could speak, Nick walked up to them. He deposited the wine and three fresh glasses, then extended his hand. ‘Stephen, it’s good to see you. I see you’ve introduced yourselves – or perhaps you’ve met before?’
‘Doctor Henderson attended one of our children the other day,’ Rose said, then glanced at him. ‘By the way, I visited Beth and she seems a lot better …’
‘Yes, the infection is almost gone and you’ll be able to have her back soon.’ He rose from the table, accepting a glass of wine from Nick. ‘I must let you two eat your food before it’s spoiled. I’ll wander over and see what I fancy.’<
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Nick nodded and then sat down in the chair he’d vacated. ‘It’s a small world, isn’t it?’ He lifted his wineglass in salute and smiled at Rose. ‘I’d like to know all about you, Rose – why you wanted to train as a nurse and how you came to be working at St Saviour’s …’
‘I’ve heard from Miss Sampson,’ Sister Beatrice told Rose when she visited the sick room on Saturday afternoon. ‘She has been given Doctor Henderson’s report and says that she will be applying to make the Harris children wards of court and giving us the official custody of them while investigations are made about other relatives who might be willing to give them a home. However, it does mean that we could move them to Harlow if we wished now that it is official …’
‘I think it would be a pity,’ Rose said thoughtfully. ‘Andy is getting on well with the sports master at his school and talking about learning to drive as soon as he’s old enough to get a provisional licence. Surely they should be safe enough now? The police will be investigating their step-father and he will in any case be forbidden to approach them …’
‘Do you think that would stop a man like that if he was determined to harm them?’
‘Once the court order is in place he couldn’t snatch them back because he could go to prison just for that,’ Rose said. ‘I suppose in some ways it would be safer to pass them on, and yet I still think it a pity to move Andy.’
‘Perhaps I should talk to him about it,’ Sister Beatrice said. ‘I know Beth trusts you and we’re expecting her back here this week. She believes in you so perhaps you should ask them what they would like to do. I do not approve of forcing children to move out of London if they’re against it – but some of them want to go. I’m taking a party of them down this weekend. There are three girls and one boy, and they’re all exceptionally bright and could have a chance of going on to college.’
‘You’re talking of Becky and Susan Martin, and Jean Grant – but I’m not sure which of the boys?’
‘Tom Allsop,’ Sister Beatrice said. ‘He came to us about six months ago. I think he has been in at least three care homes and he ran away from them all. His mother died when he was five and he’s had a hard time of it since. When he was brought in off the streets he’d been caught stealing from a market stall. He was warned it was his last chance but he seems better here …’
Rose frowned, because she was remembering that he was the ringleader of the boys that had cheeked Jinny when she started work. Jinny hadn’t complained and she’d seemed to handle them well, but Rose had noticed that she looked a bit anxious whenever Tom and his friends trooped in for their meal.
‘Do you think it’s a good idea to move him if he’s settling well?’
Sister Beatrice frowned. ‘You think I should give him a bit longer? We are a temporary refuge these days. I have to move them on eventually but perhaps …’ she inclined her head. ‘Perhaps I’ll rethink Tom’s move and just take the girls down this weekend.’
‘Shall you see Angela when you’re there?’ Rose asked.
‘Yes, I certainly shall. She has asked me to stay overnight with them and I am looking forward to it.’ A little sigh escaped her. ‘You are on duty over the whole of next weekend I think, as is Wendy, so you shouldn’t miss me for a couple of days …’
‘I’m sure we can manage, though it is always comforting to know you’re here,’ Rose said and smiled.
‘Yes, well, as long as you can manage …’ Sister nodded. ‘I think you’re right. I shall keep Tom here for a while longer – keep my eye on him. We don’t want him slipping back into his old ways, do we?’
‘No, though he said he only stole food because he was hungry. It may be best to keep him here until you’re sure he’s getting on well … after all he went through at his last place.’
‘You’re quite right,’ Sister Beatrice said. ‘Now, I understand you have two cases of a vomiting bug today. How are your patients coming along?’
Rose showed her the records of temperatures, pulse and regularity of vomiting, which appeared to be on the wane now that they were being cared for by the nurses. Sister Beatrice visited the two youngsters who were in the isolation ward and feeling sorry for themselves and then went off on a tour of the dining room and the dorms to make sure that everything was as she liked it.
Rose was left alone to care for her patients; she had a tonsillitis case recovering in the sick ward and her two rather less well children in the isolation ward, but her duties were not arduous that morning and left her time to think.
Nick had invited her to the theatre and supper on Wednesday, which she’d told him was her evening off this week. She’d thanked him and accepted, because it was time she went out more and she’d felt sympathy towards him for the terrible loss of his wife. They hadn’t talked about Helen again, and Rose hadn’t told him that she was aware of how his wife had suffered, but she felt a kinship with him because she understood the pain that came from losing a loved one.
‘Nick seems really taken with you,’ Rob had told her when they left the party late that evening with Wendy, Jinny and Micky. ‘I haven’t seen him so animated in ages … not since …’
‘Since Helen’s accident,’ Rose said as he lapsed into silence.
‘Did he tell you about that?’
‘Yes, he mentioned something …’
‘Nick doesn’t often talk about it,’ Rob said. ‘He just refuses to talk about her months of pain. He seemed to shut it out of his mind … almost as if she’d just gone off and left him. It might do him good if he could talk to someone about her …’
‘He needs to see Mark Adderbury …’ Rose realised he didn’t understand. ‘He’s a psychiatrist and gives up his time to help our kids free of charge. We don’t see as much of him as when Angela worked at St Saviour’s, because he’s often at Halfpenny House in Essex, but he comes if Sister Beatrice asks to see him.’
She’d lapsed into her thoughts again until Rob said, ‘Penny for them?’
‘Oh … nothing,’ Rose said. ‘I didn’t realise until this evening that Doctor Henderson used to work at the London … He left suddenly after there was some gossip; there were all sorts of stories at the time, but in the end he was cleared of any wrongdoing.’
‘Ah, I see.’ Rob nodded. ‘I saw you looking a bit odd when he was talking to you. I would’ve come over but then Nick joined you.’
‘It seems they know each other well.’
‘Yes …’ Rob hesitated, then, ‘I hope you don’t mind me asking – about Nancy. I was going to ask her to the party as well, but she seemed to cut me off, as if I might contaminate her. I just touched her arm and she pulled away as if I’d burned her …’
‘I can’t tell you Nancy’s private affairs,’ Rose said, ‘but she was hurt when she was very young. I’m sorry; that’s all I’m at liberty to tell you.’
‘I was angry at first, bewildered as to what I’d done but then I started thinking and I wondered …’
‘Nancy has made a new life for herself with us, but I’m not sure how she feels about what happened. I’ve never known her to have a boyfriend … if that makes you feel better?’
‘It doesn’t matter about me,’ Rob said. ‘I don’t want to hurt her. I liked her but her feelings are what count …’
Rose smiled and touched his arm just as they all reached the gates of St Saviour’s. ‘You’re a nice man, Rob. Nancy would go a long way to find someone more understanding … but she has to realise that for herself. I can only say … be patient but don’t give up on her if you really care.’
‘Thanks, Rose. I hope you find happiness – and I’ll see if I can find ways to get Nancy to trust me …’
They all said goodnight and Rose followed Wendy and Jinny into the garden. As they walked across to the nurses’ home the other two were talking animatedly about the party, but Rose’s thoughts had been elsewhere. She was really looking forward to going out with Nick …
CHAPTER 12
Ruby saw the girls congregating outs
ide St Saviour’s when she returned from fetching her evening paper. They were talking naturally to some of the orphans and they all looked to be getting on well enough, until one of her girls struck a St Saviour’s boy on the nose and he, not unnaturally, slapped her back across the ear. Ruby arrived just in time to pull the girl off her victim before a vicious fight could develop.
‘What do you think you’re doing, Susan?’ she asked harshly. ‘I saw what happened – and I suggest you apologise to this boy.’
‘It wasn’t my fault … he threatened me.’
‘She’s been bullyin’ my friend at school,’ the boy said and glared at both of them. ‘I told her if she pulls Jean’s hair again and upsets her I’ll give her a good hidin’ …’
‘That is not the way to behave – either of you,’ Ruby said. ‘What is your name, young man?’
‘Tom …’ he said sullenly. ‘Go on, report me to Sister then, I don’t care. I shall still belt ’er if she upsets Jean again.’
‘Have you been upsetting one of the St Saviour’s children, Susan?’ Ruby demanded. She frowned as the girl nodded. ‘Very well, you know the punishment – neither you nor any of the others will receive their sweet ration for two weeks – and you will apologise to Tom now.’
‘I’m sorry I ’it yer,’ the girl said, looking furious. ‘But Jean is a sissy and if I don’t pull ’er ’air someone else will …’
‘Not if I’m around,’ Tom said. ‘And I ain’t sorry I hit you because you’re mean …’ He glared at Ruby once more and then ran off into the home.
Ruby looked at the sulky girl standing in front of her. ‘I don’t enjoy punishing you, Susan – and your friends will be angry with you – but you must learn that you cannot hit others as you please. If you recall, it was your violent behaviour towards others that brought you here. Much as I should dislike it I might have to punish you further if you behave in such a way again – but you have apologised and so we shall say no more about it …’
