Nurse Errant

by Lucilla Andrews

  ‘If you’ve come to tell me I’ve been rude ‒ I know I have! But I’m not saying I’m sorry, or Mum’ll think she’s won.’

  I sat by her. ‘My good child, your mum loves you. There’s no question of her wanting to win. She just wants to do what she feels right for you. But let’s not go into that now. I want to talk about your headache and the pain in your chest. How much does it hurt when you cough?’

  Surprise made her look as young as Lindy Yates. ‘How did you know I got a headache? And this pain?’ She fingered her chest. ‘I didn’t tell Mum.’

  I smiled. ‘Because that’s my job. If I go down for my case will you let me take your temperature?’

  ‘I just got a bit of a chill.’

  ‘I know.’ I put a hand on her shoulder. ‘And feel rotten and fed-up with everyone, including nurses who want to take your temperature. But don’t be too cross with me, or you’ll scare the daylights out of me with that scowl.’

  She smiled reluctantly. ‘I don’t scare you, Nurse.’

  ‘Don’t you believe it, my child.’ I replied more truthfully than she perhaps suspected. I might boost rights for teenagers, but I still found them quite terrifying on occasions.

  Her temperature was one hundred and one. At first she refused to go to bed. ‘Dickie’ll pack me in if I stand him up.’

  ‘He won’t, and you know it. You’ve only to lift a finger to have Dickie knocking over strong men to reach you at the double.’

  She smiled properly. ‘Get on with you, Nurse!’

  It took the best part of half an hour to get her to bed. Mrs Smith brought a deeply embarrassed Dickie up to say goodnight; then I heard Vi’s side of the family problems. We talked together for a long time. I was not sure how much, if anything beyond giving her an opportunity to let off steam, our talk achieved. Later, downstairs, Mrs Smith had what she called a ‘real lovely cry’ on my shoulder. ‘I’m ever so glad you came, Nurse. I rang Dr Bowers like you said. He’s coming in the morning. I’m sorry we kept you so long.’

  ‘That’s all right, Mrs Smith. You did tell Mabel Withers I was at your number?’

  ‘That’s right, dear. She said there’d only been one call from Mrs Carter after you left.’

  ‘It can’t have been urgent, or Mrs Carter would have rung again. It was probably to say my sister’s going to be later than she thought.’

  Our cottage was still empty when I returned. I guessed Ann had had supper at the vicarage. I had my own, cleared away both trays. I was just wondering if to wait up or go to bed when a car drew up at our gate.

  A car door slammed as I opened the front door. ‘Annie, you are late! Had fun?’

  Mike, not Ann, came up our path. ‘Lesley, I’m glad you’re back. We couldn’t reach you as you were on a case ‒’ He paused for breath as if he had been running hard. ‘Can I come in? I have to speak to you.’

  ‘Of course. I’m waiting up for Ann. What’s up? Been out on a case too?’

  He did not answer. He followed me into the sitting-room and looked at me in silence. He looked most peculiar. ‘Something wrong, Mike?’

  ‘Yes.’ He hesitated, then, to my great gratitude, without wrapping the words in tactful cotton-wool, told me at once how Ann had fallen from that ladder, been concussed, and was now in the County Hospital. ‘I don’t know how she got off without a fracture, Lesley. With luck, she has. Parkingly, the cranial man at the County, was in the place when she was admitted. He’s seen the wet plates and says he thinks she’s in the clear. He can’t be sure until morning. He put in ten stitches.’

  I sat down. ‘How long was she out?’

  ‘Around an hour.’ We were both speaking unemotionally as if discussing a textbook case. ‘She came round in Cas. Mrs Carter went along with her in the ambulance when we found you were out.’

  ‘I was at the forge. Vi Smith had a tantrum ‒ and, I think, has ’flu. I ‒ er ‒ wish I could have been with her.’

  He sat by me on the sofa. ‘Probably as well. She didn’t look too good. She was out cold ‒ and you know how scalps bleed.’ He removed the gloves he had forgotten to take off. ‘I was playing chess with the vicar. When Mrs Carter rang me’ ‒ he was having a great deal of trouble with those gloves ‒ ‘from her description I thought Ann had broken her neck.’

  I was no longer surprised he looked peculiar. He seemed to have aged years since this morning. ‘Poor Mike.’

  He glanced at me. ‘You know?’

  ‘Not for certain until now.’ I stood up. ‘I want to drive over to the County. They’ll let me see her?’

  He caught my hand. ‘They can’t stop you, but I don’t think you should. Won’t do her, or you, any good. Sorry to be blunt, my dear, but that’s true. There’s nothing you can do ‒ she’s in the best place. If you turn up at her bedside in the middle of the night you’ll only worry her by showing you’re worried. She’ll have been sedated and needs quiet. I know this standing around doing nothing isn’t easy,’ he added with the first touch of expression he had yet shown, ‘but there’s nothing we can do for her now.’

  He was right, of course. I said, ‘Then I’ll just ring and enquire.’

  He came with me into the hall. ‘She’s in Ward Seven.’

  I spoke to the Night Sister. She was a pleasant woman I had met twice professionally.

  ‘I was upset when Dr Ellis told me Miss Sanders was your sister, Nurse. Such a shock for you, poor dear. Out on a case, weren’t you? Well, don’t worry, we’ll look after her. I’ve just been up to her ward. She’s fast asleep. I’m sure Mr Parkingly will confirm his optimistic opinion in the morning.’

  I asked her to give Ann my love when she woke, and say I would be in to see her tomorrow, and rang off. Mike and I went into the kitchen and made coffee. We were in that restless state that generally follows shock, and we sat over the sitting-room fire talking and talking.

  Ann’s accident had knocked down his barriers. He discussed her openly.

  ‘What’s puzzled me is why you’ve never done anything about her.’

  ‘What difference would it have made if I had? She can’t tolerate me. To quote Paddy, a man can always keep his aching, breaking heart to himself, seeing as it’s his property.’

  I wondered what had caused Paddy to say that. ‘A pretty hopeless line, Mike.’

  ‘Possibly. But if you know something’s hopeless, it serves. And I know when something is. I didn’t once. I learnt the usual hard way,’ he added with rare bitterness.

  Slowly, I understood. ‘Whoever she was, she hurt you a lot. I’m sorry.’

  He lit a cigarette. ‘Thanks. I know you mean that. Don’t look like that ‒ I got over her long ago. The day she told me there was another man around. She had to tell me ‒ she was married to him ‒ I was pressing the point about her marrying me. She left me with precious few illusions about myself. I didn’t blame her for that. She had a right to her opinions. But I had loved her, and it hurt like hell.’

  ‘That I believe. But, Mike, don’t let the past colour the present.’

  ‘My dear girl, that’s inevitable, seeing the past makes us what we are in the present. And at present’ ‒ he smiled self-derisively ‒ ‘I’m good and wary. That’s why I’ve acted as I have. I even tried to keep away from her. I’ve only discovered in the last couple of days how little I’ve succeeded.’

  I refilled our cups. I had thought when this subject came up between us, it might be an embarrassment. It was not. ‘Paddy tell you too?’

  He nodded. ‘Then I realised I had noticed a lot of things without noticing. You as well?’ We smiled at each other. ‘I seem to have compromised you well and truly, Lesley. Sorry about that.’

  I said I did not mind at all, and wondered if to tell him Ann did. ‘You didn’t help things by switching your day off. What made you do that?’

  ‘My God, I didn’t! I tried to change with Carruthers, who has Wednesday. As we were fixing it, old Bowers blundered in and insisted I had Thursday. I thought he particularly want
ed Wednesday, and as he’s senior, gave in. Paddy put me straight.’

  ‘Poor old Mike. What are you going to do now?’

  He shrugged. ‘Nothing. Status quo hasn’t altered.’ He waited, and as I made no comment, added impatiently, ‘You must see that.’

  ‘I can only see it would be a good thing if you made sure she was on Dr Bowers’s list from now on. You can do that easily as you were only called in to attend her as an accident. Then it’ll be quite ethical for you to tell her what you’ve told me.’

  ‘Lesley, are you crazy? She wouldn’t want to listen.’

  I was too tired for tact. ‘Mike, do stop being a damned fool. We’re discussing my sister, remember?’ I tapped my chest. ‘My sister. I say she’ll listen. With great pleasure.’

  It did not take too long to persuade him after that, since he was only too happy to be persuaded. When I saw him to the front door a little later he looked like my old pal Mike at Hilary’s.

  He kissed my cheek lightly. ‘You’re a good soul. I’m sorry you were held up so long with the beauteous Vi, but perhaps it was all for the best. Incidentally, did I tell you Paddy came along here twice, as he and I thought once Ann was on her way to hospital, this wasn’t the kind of news we wanted to give over the phone.’

  ‘You didn’t. How did Paddy know?’

  ‘He was at the vicarage too. He wanted to work on the sets he’s designed for the Nativity play.’

  I opened the door. ‘I keep forgetting he’s an architect. I can’t see him working at anything.’ I looked round at him. ‘Mike, what’s he really doing down here? People don’t take indefinite holidays at this time of the year.’

  The most extraordinary change came over his expression. I felt exactly as if the door had already closed between us. ‘When would Paddy do the orthodox thing?’ was his answer. It was not until I was alone that I realised that was no answer at all.

  I rang the Night Sister at the County Hospital early next morning. Her news was reassuring. She promised to tell Ann I would see her during visiting hours in the afternoon. I would have liked to have gone that morning, but did not feel it fair to pull a string as it was my day off. I would probably have to do that during my working week.

  My leisurely breakfast was interrupted by a soft tapping on the kitchen window. Lindy Yates’s scrubbed morning face was pressed against the pane.

  ‘Mum said I wasn’t to knock hard as you might be sleeping an’ it’s your day off, Nurse,’ she announced breathlessly when I opened the door. ‘Mum said I was to leave these eggs on your step, but if you was up I was to say she an’ Dad is ever so sorry about your sister.’ She thrust a trug of eggs at me. ‘I got to go, Nurse. The school bus’ll be there.’

  ‘Lindy, thank you so much. And do thank your mum and dad.’

  ‘I will! I best go ‒ there’s Billy shouting for me!’

  ‘How is Billy?’ I called after her.

  She stopped on one foot. ‘He’s real made up ’cause he’s wearing his Sunday suit for school, an’ he reckons none of the others in his form has ever been on fire!’ She raced off, beaming with pride in her unique brother, with her pig-tails flying and her satchel bouncing up and down on her back.

  Mrs Carter arrived a few minutes later. ‘I can’t stay long, dear. I’ve brought these flowers to cheer you up, and I know you’ll want to hear just what did happen to your poor sister.’

  Mike telephoned as she drove off. ‘I’ve been talking to Parkingly. Definitely no fracture. I feel a new man, Lesley, thanks largely to you. Sorry I may not be able to get over to see you today. I’ve business in Albion.’

  I told him I was delighted with the news of Ann and himself. ‘Did Paddy mention a party at the White Hart to you? Of course I’ll opt out now.’

  ‘If anyone opts out it’ll be me, as Ann’s out of it. No reason why you shouldn’t go. You’ll mess up all Paddy’s arrangements if you back out. No, dear ‒ I can’t thrash it out now. Mrs. Grimmond wants the phone.’

  The telephone rang all morning. ‘It’s worse than a working day, Nurse,’ Maureen Mercer on the local exchange morning shift informed me cheerfully.

  When I was not answering telephone enquiries about Ann I was dealing with a stream of callers at the front door. Everyone we knew, and countless people we knew only by sight, stopped by to ask after ‘your pretty young sister, dear’. Each one assured me I must be feeling lonely, and must also be sure to remember where he or she lived.

  Mrs. Smith arrived with an apologetic countenance, and a huge bunch of chrysanthemums. ‘We were that upset to hear you couldn’t go with your sister to the hospital because you were with us, Nurse. My Vi and I are that sorry, we are. Real bad we feel.’

  I told her they must not feel anything of the sort, thanked her for the flowers, asked after Vi.

  ‘She looks ever so much more rested this morning. The doctor says she’s a touch of the ’flu and the bronchitis, and she’s to stay in bed quiet for the time being. We had a little talk this morning. She was that sweet. I was ever so pleased, Nurse. She’s a good girl at heart.’

  Paddy appeared on our front doorstep with a large shopping-basket. ‘My Aunt Mary’s compliments for the invalid, angel.’ He slapped his heart. ‘And all my love for the invalid’s sister. Where can I put the goods? Kitchen table?’

  We went in and I thanked him for trying to reach me last night. ‘I’m sorry you wasted your time.’

  ‘Time is something I have plenty of,’ he replied drily. ‘How did you know? Michael tell you in the small hours?’

  ‘Have you two men a private grapevine?’

  He said he thought I knew he had second sight, and Michael, being more down to earth, was equipped with radar.

  I smiled. ‘You’re quite daft! Can I offer you coffee?’

  ‘Some other time, angel. I have a heavy date with my Aunt Mary and some house in Albion. Michael is giving us a lift over. My aunt has taken a fancy to this house. She thinks it’ll do for my cousin Edward and family when they come home on leave for good next spring. She wants my expert opinion.’ He grinned. ‘But she’ll not listen to it. The house has bay windows, so she’ll have Edward buying it even if it’s riddled with dry rot and has no drains at all.’ He produced a rolled metal measuring-tape and folded ruler from one pocket. ‘Behold the expert with equipment at the ready!’

  ‘You actually mean you’re going to survey it, properly? Do some work?’

  ‘Work? Me? Darling, I wish you wouldn’t use such nasty words,’ he drawled, in his most affected manner. ‘You know I do nothing but loaf around, sleep, eat, and maybe play with shadows as a hobby. A worthless type, and there’s no ignoring it! I’d best be off, or you’ll upset me for the day!’ He blew me a kiss. ‘Enjoy your free day, my love.’

  I watched him go down the path and up the lane. He walked like an athlete. He must have played a good many games in his life to move like that, yet he never played any now, or even talked sport. He never talked of his work, either, which seemed so odd. Never, in my nursing or private life, had I met any other man who was not willing to talk endlessly about his job.

  When I left for the hospital that afternoon the back of the car was stacked with a selection of fresh eggs, cream, homemade jams and jellies, and enough chrysanthemums to stock a florist’s window.

  Ann looked pale and shaken, but apart from the soreness of her stitched scalp and a slight headache, was far better than I had anticipated.

  I gave her only a brief account of what had followed her accident. I knew I could leave the rest to Mike. But as there was one point only I could clear, I brought Paddy’s name frequently into the conversation and told her of his party invitation.

  ‘Lesley, what fun! You must go even though I can’t. Mike’s taking you, yes?’

  ‘Mike’s taking me ‒ no. It’ll be Paddy ‒ two Gerrards ‒ me.’

  ‘Isn’t Mike free?’ She was trying not to sound too curious.

  ‘Oh, yes. He’s opting out as you can’t come.’
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br />   ‘You’re not serious?’

  I smiled. ‘My name’s not Larraby, dear. I’m very serious ‒ very bucked.’ I stood up. ‘Sister’s giving me the eye. I’ll have to go.’

  Her ward sister stopped me in the doorway. ‘Your visit has done your sister a lot of good, Nurse. She looks quite different.’

  I glanced back. Ann certainly did.

  Outside the hospital, Mrs Carter hailed me from her parked car. ‘I’m just going up to see dear Ann. I saw your car and waited. I want to ask you a great favour from my husband. He won’t ask you himself as he doesn’t think it fair on your free day, but I was sure you wouldn’t mind. Ann said you played the piano. Can you play an organ?’

  ‘Just. Not well.’

  ‘I’m sure you play beautifully!’ she announced kindly but mistakenly. ‘Could you play for the Nativity play rehearsals this evening? Poor Mrs Jefferson, our organist, is down with ’flu, and poor dear Mr Buckley, who always stands in for her, has sprained his wrist.’

  The rehearsal was at eight. I asked to practise first, and she said she would ask dear Gervase to unlock the church at six-thirty before his P.C.C. meeting.

  The vicar was waiting when I arrived. He went through the rehearsal music with me, then apologised for having to desert me at my post. ‘I expect our peaceful little meeting will be over before you are ready to go, Nurse.’ He smiled serenely. ‘Should I be detained, just leave the door on the latch. I have the keys.’

  I had not yet heard of one parochial council meeting in our village that had not run over time or failed to produce at least one stupendous row, but I did not like to contradict the amiable man. I quite enjoyed playing on my own. My fingers were stiff with lack of practice, but the church had the soothing air of all genuinely old buildings. It had been standing over five hundred years when Elizabeth I was on the throne. When I finished playing and the notes faded, I sat for some time listening to that thousand-year-old silence.

  It was a crisp, dry, very dark evening. I had not bothered to come up by car as the church was so near our cottage. I strolled back to have supper before the rehearsal. Halfway down the hill, just beyond the vicarage drive, I saw a star fall and stopped to look at the sky. I heard steps behind me in the drive and guessed the meeting was breaking up. I was about to go back and tell the vicar I had finished, when I heard Paddy’s voice. ‘Angela, my beloved, will you do what the man asks like the dear, sweet, obliging girl you are? You have said all is forgiven and forgotten in front of old Michael here. Now get back in to Mrs Carter, or she’ll be hurt.’