Lakeland Nurse by Gill Sanderson

Author:Gill Sanderson
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781783750948
Publisher: Headline
Published: 2013-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Next morning John Brownlees rang just after ten. He sounded concerned. ‘Zanne, d’you remember Mr and Mrs Belling? He’s the man in the wheelchair.’

‘Of course I do. A lovely couple.’

‘Yes, well …’ She could tell that John was uncertain about something. It wasn’t like him.

‘You know it’s our policy not to interfere. People come here for a holiday and they’re entitled to be left alone. It’s just that so far Tom and Grace have been up first thing every morning. They’re everyone’s friends; they’re loving the course. But this morning Tom came and asked if he could take a breakfast tray in for Grace.

He said they wouldn’t be going on the coach trip, even though we know they were looking forward to it last night. I just wondered …’

‘I’ll come straight up and call in on them. I’ll think of some excuse.’

‘Thanks, Zanne. Appreciate it.’

Before walking up to the main house, Zanne unlocked her filing cabinet and reread the letter from Grace Belling’s doctor. Then she turned to one of her thick medical textbooks. It wasn’t a nurses’ textbook – it was for doctors. She had bought it in the hope – in the anticipation – of being a medical student.

As she picked it up, yet again she felt the familiar flash of anger. She deserved a place in medical school! She had half conquered her initial deep distress, but there was still a great resentment.

Grace Belling’s problems were much greater. She had breast cancer. There was a short case history in the textbook, and Zanne read how a mastectomy had not proved sufficient. Now, for a while, Grace was symptom-free, but it was obvious that she couldn’t last much longer. Her medication was simply to ease pain.

Sighing, Zanne packed a small bag and walked up to the hall.

Tom Belling’s expression was strained when he opened the door to Zanne’s tap, but he still managed a smile. ‘It’s Sister Ripley, isn’t it?’

Zanne had decided to be blunt. ‘We’re worried about Grace,’ she said. ‘Is she ill?’

Unsuccessfully Tom tried to maintain his smile. ‘She’s just tired,’ he said. ‘We thought a day in bed might be a good idea. We didn’t want to trouble anyone.’

‘It’s no trouble to me. Shall I have a look?’ When she stepped forward Tom had to give way.

Zanne thought she saw an expression of relief on his face.

The breakfast tray was by the bed, largely untouched. Grace was half-upright in bed, supported by pillows.

Tom had pulled back the curtains, and she was gazing desperately at the sun shining on the trees outside.

When Zanne saw her face she knew that something was wrong.

‘Hello, my dear,’ Grace said. ‘It’s good of you to call.’

Zanne took Grace’s temperature and pulse and asked her how she felt.

‘Well, just a little bit of pain. And this morning I felt so incredibly tired. I just didn’t have the strength to get out of bed.’

‘You’re taking all your medication?’ ‘

‘Of course I am! Tom sees that I do.’

‘I think you’ve had a slight relapse,’ Zanne said carefully.

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