An Indecent Obsession by Colleen McCullough

Author:Colleen McCullough [McCullough, Colleen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781781852521
Publisher: Head of Zeus
Published: 2013-05-06T12:00:00+00:00

Part 4

1

It took almost a week for Sister Langtry’s rigidly suppressed feelings of confusion and embarrassment over her weakness in the dayroom to evaporate. Thank God Michael didn’t seem to suspect anything, for he was his normal courteous, friendly self at all times. A great salve for her pride, perhaps, but not much help with the pain she suffered in other areas of her being. Still, every day she continued to survive was one day less ward X had to go, one day closer to freedom.

When she walked into the ward one late afternoon about two weeks after the incident in the dayroom, she almost collided with Michael coming out of the sluice room in a hurry, worn and dented metal bowl in one hand.

‘Put a cover over that, please, Michael,’ she said automatically.

He stopped, torn between the urgency of his mission and her seniority.

‘It’s for Nugget,’ he explained. ‘He’s got a terrible headache and he feels sick.’

Sister Langtry stepped around him and reached one hand into the sluice room, where some drab but clean cloths sat on the shelf just inside the door. She took the bowl from Michael and draped a cloth over it.

‘Then Nugget’s got a migraine,’ she said calmly. ‘He doesn’t get them very often, but when he does he’s quite prostrated, the poor little chap.’

She walked into the ward, took one look at Nugget lying very still on his bed, a cool damp cloth over his eyes, and drew up a hard chair noiselessly to the side of his bed.

‘Is there anything I can do, Nugget?’ she asked him softly, putting the bowl down very quietly on his locker.

His lips barely moved. ‘No, Sis.’

‘How long to go?’

‘Hours yet,’ he whispered, two tears trickling from under the cloth. ‘It’s just come on.’

She didn’t touch him. ‘Don’t worry, just lie quiet. I’ll be here to keep an eye on you.’

She remained sitting beside him for perhaps another minute, then got up and went into her office.

Michael was waiting there, looking anxious. ‘Are you sure he’s all right, Sis? I’ve never seen Nugget lie so still! He hasn’t even squeaked.’

She laughed. ‘He’s all right! It’s just an honest-to-goodness migraine, that’s all. The pain is so acute he doesn’t dare move or make a noise.’

‘Isn’t there something you could give him?’ Michael demanded, impatient at her callousness. ‘How about some morphine? That always does the trick.’

‘Not for migraine,’ she said positively.

‘So there’s nothing you’re prepared to do.’

His tone annoyed her. ‘Nugget is in no danger whatsoever. He’s simply feeling ghastly. In about six hours he’ll vomit, and that will relieve the worst of his pain immediately. Believe me, I’m very sorry for what he’s going through, but I do not intend to run the risk of making him dependent upon drugs like morphine! You’ve been here quite long enough to understand what Nugget’s real trouble is, so why are you making me out to be the villain of the piece? I’m not infallible by any means, but I do

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