A Nurse's Courage by Maggie Holt

Author:Maggie Holt [Maggie Holt]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2003-04-09T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

‘I’M VERY SORRY about Captain Drover, Nurse Court, but my concern has to be with the patients here. You’ve taken four weeks of unpaid leave and now I need to know that I can rely on you to stay on my staff.’

‘Yes, I can stay for the time bein’, Matron, until I know what’s happenin’ to him.’

Matron frowned. ‘What exactly do you mean by that, nurse?’

‘I’ve taken him back to the military hospital at Church Lane, Tooting, with a report from a specialist at Aldershot. The sooner somethin’s done about his right arm the better.’

‘And where will he go when he’s discharged from there, Nurse Court? His parents’ home?’

‘That’s what his mother wants, Matron.’

‘I see. And until Captain Drover’s future is assured, you intend to remain here at Booth Street?’

‘If ye’ll let me, Matron,’ Mabel said anxiously.

‘Good. Tomorrow you will report for duty at seven thirty on Women’s I. And get a good night’s rest. All our wards are stretched to capacity and you look very tired.’

‘Yes, Matron. Thank yer.’

After the girl had left the office, Sarah Brewer sighed and rubbed her aching forehead. Sympathy for her nurses must not be allowed to come before her duty to the patients. A year ago she might have been more flexible in such a case, but the staff problem was now so acute that even trained nurses could only take one day off per month.

Norah was overjoyed to be reunited with her best friend, though naturally very sorry to hear of Harry’s lack of progress and the condition of his arm. ‘Sure an’ they’ll get it sorted out in hospital, darlin’,’ she said, pouring a cup of tea. ‘An’ how are all the dear people at Belhampton?’

‘Me aunts and uncle have been very kind, Norah, but I didn’t see much o’ Daisy, and I know she did her best with Harry – but it’s hard for a twelve-year-old to understand such a – such a change in somebody they’ve known and loved for so long,’ said Mabel sadly. ‘It isn’t always easy for grown women,’ she added, thinking of the unfortunate Miss White.

‘Ah, God love her.’ Norah shook her head. ‘And Alice? D’ye think she’ll cope wid that poor young airman who’s been burned?’

Mabel hesitated. ‘Better not ask about me sister Alice. I don’t think she’ll marry Gerald now.’

But there she was wrong. A rather bewildered letter arrived from Aunt Elinor to say that as Gerald Westhouse had to wait for six weeks before a skin graft could be attempted, Alice had begged his parents to ask if he could come home for a short time. And the next thing to take place after that was a very quiet wedding at a Belhampton church, by special licence because of the groom’s condition. No banns had been called, and only Gerald’s parents and Mr and Mrs Somerton had been present; nobody else had been invited. Afterwards the bride had taken up residence at her in-laws’ home as young Mrs Westhouse. Her devotion

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.