Nurse Saxon's Patient (9 page)

He was by no means relaxed as she helped
him
prepare for bed, and it had been no help that Tansy had offered to take her place. Before Garth could voice the somewhat vehement response Julie could sense trembling on his tongue, she had made herself intervene placatingly.

‘
I
’
m sorry, Miss Maitland,
’
she said,
‘
but
Mr.
Holroyd is my patient, and I
’
m responsible to
Mr.
Greensmith for his physical care while we
’
re here. Do try to understand.
’

Tansy gave in with ill grace, and at last, worn out emotionally, Julie retired to her own room, wondering why she was already looking forward to Sunday evening when Tansy
’
s visit would be ended and she would be left to care for Garth in her own way once
ag
ain
.
The old story, she chided herself, turning restlessly. I
’
m getting too involved. But the thought was cold comfort as she sought in vain for sleep.

If
Friday evening had been a strain Julie was to find there was worse to come when Tansy was with them throughout the whole of Saturday. Accustomed to early rising, Julie was awake and dressed by seven o
’
clock, awaiting Garth
’
s summons to his room to help
him
dress. Somehow some of the exuberance had gone from
him
that morning, and he scarcely made any comment as she deftly fixed his tie and gave him a final, approving glance.

‘
How much longer do you think
this
will go on
?’
He waved his hands helplessly.
‘
Tansy thinks I ought to be able to do a little more for myself by this time, and so do I,
’
he ended defiantly.

Julie summoned all her years of training to her aid as she made herself smile and comment lightly:
‘
Perhaps Tansy would care to take up that point with
Mr.
Greensmith when next she sees him. I only obey orders, because I know I
’
ve been given them for a very good reason—your benefit!
’

‘
I
’
m not ungrateful,
’
Garth protested, stung a little
by her carefully controlled tone,
‘
you know that. It
’
s just that Tansy
’
s right in one thing ... it does make me look a fool, being waited on like this, fed, dressed, helped with everything
...’

‘
But you really would
be
a fool if you didn
’
t allow yourself to be helped,
’
Julie told him practically.
‘
This is only temporary. To use your hands before they
’
re well again might result in never being able to use them again in the way which means most to you ... for your work. Try to be patient,
’
she pleaded.
‘
It won
’
t be for much longer, I
’
m sure of that.
’

‘
I
’
ll try,
’
Garth promised,
‘
only Tansy doesn
’
t really understand. I suppose it
’
s because she isn
’
t used to seeing people unable to do things for themselves. She
thinks
I could do a great deal more if I tried
...
and I
’
m really doing my best to do as you and
Mr.
Greensmith tell me,
’
he added, suddenly sounding to Julie like a small boy, pleading for understanding. All her indignation rose suddenly against the other girl. Garth would, perhaps, not have been so badly hurt himself had he not tried to shield her, and her only way of saying
‘
thank you
’
was to try and interfere with the work of those who were doing their best to repair the damage.

‘
You continue as you are doing,
’
she advised,
‘
and remember that I take my orders from
Mr.
Greensmith, you, if you are good, take yours from me, and we
’
re working together to restore your hands to their usefulness as quickly as ever we can. Now
’
—she stood back and smiled at him—
‘
let
’
s go down to breakfast. Everything always looks better after a meal.
’

‘
You don
’
t think I could manage with a
...
what is it? A pusher and a spoon or whatever it is babies have when they
’
re learning to eat?
’
he asked, hesitating at the door.

Julie laughed.
‘
I
’
m perfectly sure you would find them a nuisance,
’
she told him.
‘
Just content yourself by thinking that before you know it you
’
ll be using y
o
ur knife and fork, and never mind what the present situation looks like
!’
she ended tartly.

Garth need not have worried about his appearance at the breakfast table so far as Tansy was concerned. Looking slightly disapproving herself, Edna reported,
‘
Miss Maitland says she never gets up before lunch and could she please be left undisturbed until then?
’

‘
I suppose that
’
s what she is accustomed to,
’
Mrs.
Andy
’
s gentle voice sounded a trifle edgy,
‘
and so we must indulge her, but she
did
have an early night last night, although perhaps,
’
she ended charitably,
‘
as she is used to such different hours maybe she found it difficult to get to sleep. Call her half an hour before you sound the gong for luncheon, Edna. That should allow her ample time to bath and dress.
’

Apparently half an hour was not long enough for Tansy. Garth and Julie had spent the morning in the garden working
on his notes, but when Edna came to summon them to lunch there was no sign of T
an
s
y in the dining-room. Lunch was waiting
half
an hour before, her lips tightened by her efforts towards self
-
control,
Mrs.
Andy asked Edna to go upstairs and tell their guest they were not going to wait any longer. Tansy was down closely on Edna
’
s heels. She had t
a
ken
great pains with her appearance, but nobody seemed the slightest bit impressed, and when she offered to help Garth with his meal she found herself abruptly dismissed as he commented:

‘
Julie is used to doing it ... if you don
’
t mind I
’
d rather she carried on. Somehow I don
’
t spill things when she does it for me.
’

Tansy
’
s face flushed to the roots of her hair, and it was plain that she and all of them had a vivid memory of her first attempt to help him on the previous evening, when
soup had been spilled down the front of his shirt.

He ate little lunch, and Julie did not attempt to press him. The tension in the atmosphere seemed almost tangible, and she knew
Mrs.
Andy was watching Tansy
’
s every move, just as Tansy was watching Julie and Garth. The only person who ate his lunch normally and appeared to carry on as though everything was in order
was Andrew Crossman, but only later was Julie to learn there was little his keen grey eyes missed.

Once the meal was ended Garth looked helplessly in
J
ulie
’
s direction as though seeking guidance. It was obvious that now they would not be able to spend the afternoon in filling in the details he wanted written down
concerning
the recreation-room on the development site.

‘
May I bring my radio into the garden, Garth?
’
Tansy
’
s voice cut in on his thoughts.
‘
It
’
s just a little bit dull sitting there with nothing to see but the garden and nothing to listen to but all those birds.
’

‘
Bring it by all means,
’
Garth said a little stiffly,
‘
that
is, if Julie doesn
’
t mind.
’

‘
I thought,
’
Andrew put in unexpectedly,
‘
that as
Miss
Maitland—Tansy,
’
he smiled as the girl made a quick, instinctive protest at the formality,
‘
is here today, Julie
mi
gh
t
prefer a little drive into the village with me?
I
have a few things to attend to, and she has had no free time since she came here.
’
He looked questioningly at her.
‘
I don
’
t know what arrangements have been made regarding your free time, my dear,
’
he went on, but it seems extremely unfair to me that you should go on and on without any break or change. You don
’
t do that in the hospital, do you?
’

‘
Matron is always fair about these special cases,
’
Julie answered promptly,
‘
but,
’
guessing there was something more behind her host
’
s remarks,
‘
I should love to go into the village, if I might telephone Matron first and make sure it
’
s all right.
’

‘
I
’
ll do that for you, dear, while you run up and change,
’
Mrs.
Andy put in. She knew her husband too well not to guess he had a reason for his suggestion, and she had always known she could trust his judgement.
‘
I
’
m perfectly certain it will be all right so far as Matron is concerned.
’

Obediently Julie ran upstairs to change her dress, laughing a little at her own excitement at such a small event. Surely a drive into the tiny nearby village with her elderly host was not such a great occasion in her life?
But Julie was honest enough to realize she was excited because she was wondering what effect an afternoon of undiluted attention from Tansy and her radio would have on her patient.

Unless I
’
m much mistaken, she thought as she gave herself a final glance in the mirror, he
’
ll
be more
than
content to return to routine by the time the afternoon is ended
...
and that will be all the better so far as his recovery is concerned!

She enjoyed the drive through the winding lane which led to the village. Andrew did not take the limousine or Bailey, but himself drove the estate car, Julie-seated contentedly at his side.

‘
I
’
m calling on the vet,
’
Andrew announced.
‘
He was up at the house yesterday, and I
’
m not quite satisfied with the reaction of the spaniel to the treatment. I telephoned this morning and he said he
’
d call in on his rounds, but if I was down in the village I could pick up the special tablets he
’
d left and try one on the dog before he calls. Then I want to call in on the vicar and leave him a few pamphlets, then pop round to the schoolmaster
’
s house and leave these prizes for his children
’
s gala. Will you mind all this, my dear
?’