Ring for the Nurse (10 page)

“
It seems quite understandable that a man, hitherto impervious to girls, could fall for the Jason type,
”
Diana reasoned.
“
Especially if she deliberately set out to get him
before her name was starred, but she turned out to be one of the lucky ones who caught a producer
’
s eye and no wonder with features like hers, for a
‘
close-up
’
, she must be God
’
s gift to photographers!
”

“
I can
’
t help feeling sorry for him,
”
Felicity murmured.

“
Sorry for him!
”
Diana echoed derisively.
“
Why should you be? I expect there are long queues of men dying to be in his shoes!
”
She stifled a yawn.
“
We
’
ve gossiped far too long anyway, the sun
’
s making me sleepy. How about a little shut-eye?
”

Diana was still resting peacefully when Felicity rose to her feet and slipped quietly away. She had already cut things a bit fine and she only had time for a snatched cup of tea before returning to duty. She had envied Diana
’
s peaceful sleep, but their conversation had left her far too disturbed to attempt sleep herself, she had been so busy turning over Diana
’
s remarks. Her thoughts had in fact been in complete turmoil; Diana was level-headed and practical and certainly not given to passing on idle or malicious gossip, she must have believed it herself or she would never have troubled to repeat it.

Felicity was still turning matters over in her mind as she hurried back to the ward. It wasn
’
t really her affair, surely Guy Brenton of all people in the world was capable of running his own life, it always seemed that there was nothing those keen eyes of his ever missed. When it came to people, he appeared to see right through them, to read them like a book, and if he had had any comment to make his judgment was invariably correct. Diana
’
s contention then was surely ridiculous, Guy Brenton would never be taken in by anyone, he must care for Alaine Jason and, what was more, Felicity felt certain that any girl to whom he gave his love would only too readily give her devotion in return.

“
Oh, Nurse Dene, there you are, can I go in and see Guy, it
’
s all right now, isn
’
t it?
”
Alaine Jason rose from her chair in Sister
’
s office as Felicity entered.

“
Yes, Mr. MacFarlayne gave permission this morning. I
think
you
’
ll find Mr. Brenton much better.
”
Felicity spoke conventionally, but with Diana
’
s words still running in her head she found herself surreptitiously searching her companion as if she would see beyond that charming smile and appealing manner.

“I’ve been
aching
to see Guy again, he hardly spoke at all that first visit.
”
Alaine stopped abruptly and there was a note of marked concern, almost anxiety in her voice as she continued.
“
He didn
’
t seem to recall anything at all of what happened before the accident, do you know if he has remembered it since, I mean has he said anything to you about
it?”

“
Mr. Brenton has not discussed
”
the matter with me,
”
Felicity replied shortly. Then doubting if her companion
’
s anxiety could have been prompted by mere curiosity, went on in explanation,
“
It
’
s not uncommon, you know, that loss of memory, it
’
s due to sudden shock and events immediately preceding an accident, may never be recalled.
”

“I see.” Alaine s
eemed to be digesting Felicity
’
s information.
“
Sorry, I was just thinking about things, I understand now, I
’
m afraid I
’
m very dense about such matters,
”
she added naively.

With some relief Felicity watched Alaine Jason
’
s expensively clad figure disappear along the corridor towards Guy Brenton
’
s room. She did not want a prolonged
tete-
a
-te
t
e
at that moment. Turning towards the kitchen she scrutinized the tray a probationer was preparing.

“
Two teas in Mr. Brenton
’
s room today, he has a
v
isitor,
”
she informed the younger girl.
“
And cut the bread and butter nice and thin,
”
she added with a smile.
“
Not your usual door-steps!
”

The probationer returned Felicity
’
s smile as she bent over the loaf and cut with meticulous care. Felicity was a favourite with all her juniors, they were all only too willing to please her.

Felicity smiled appreciatively at the wafer-thin slices, then picking up the tray carried it along the corridor and tapped at the door. Sounds of Alaine Jason
’
s gay laughter came clearly to her and in that brief moment of waiting there was no evidence of Brenton
’
s response. Perhaps after all it had been rather a vain hope to expect her patient to get either relief or reassurance from a person as completely temperamental as Alaine appeared to be.

That impression was only further endorsed when as Felicity arranged the tray, placing it carefully within her patient
’
s reach, she heard Alaine continue with a highly coloured account of the morning
’
s film shooting. She was, as appeared to be her habit, imbuing it with every possible dramatic effect, making her conversation, in Felicity
’
s opinion, most exhausting to listen to.

“
Thank you.
”
Guy Brenton addressed Felicity as she stooped to arrange his backrest that he might more readily reach the tray.
“
Special effort with the bread and butter, I see; we are duly impressed.
”

Was this a sample of his hateful sarcasm? Felicity felt her cheeks reddening, then, as she straightened up she was certain a smile was twitching the corners of his lips, and was unaccountably pleased.

Alaine, realizing that Felicity
’
s entrance had entirely distracted her audience, stopped speaking, then without the slightest trace of rancour addressed Felicity.
“
You
’
ve interrupted the most wonderful tale I was telling Guy about a scene we had at the studio this morning—it really was a
riot! I must tell you
—”

“
I don
’
t think Nurse Dene will be the least interested,
”
Guy Brenton broke in with an amused smile which took the sting from his words.
“
You can tell me the rest later—how about pouring out the tea now?
”

“
But it was a scream.
”
Alaine gave a low, musical laugh.
“
You must hear the end, it
’
s really too, too amusing!
”
She paused, her face alight with animation.
“
You pour out, Nurse, there
’
s a darling, I really must tell Guy what happened!
”

No doubt realizing that any further attempt to stem his
fiancée’
s enthusiasm would be wasted, Guy Brenton, with a brief nod to Felicity to pour the tea, relaxed against his pillow, with what Felicity felt sure was a sigh of resignation. Even as she bent to her task she was conscious of inward amusement, she was certainly seeing Brenton in a wholly different light. He might instil awe into quite a number of the nurses, but Alaine Jason appeared to be entirely beyond his control. Felicity
’
s feeling was not untinged with indignation, the girl had been there but a bare ten minutes, yet with
her practised eye she could already detect signs of exhaustion in Guy Brenton
’
s drawn features, and although he listened in silence to the excited discourse, his eyes were
half
closed and she couldn
’
t help wondering whether he was even trying to follow the gist of the story.

Alaine ended on a note of laughter.
“
The cheek of the man! Suggesting such a thing to me! You should have seen his face when I said I
’
d walk out on him! As if I should have done, but the old fool believed me and I got him eating out of my hand before we broke off for lunch.
”

“
Most amusing—now how about your tea?
”
Guy Brenton turned to Felicity.
“
Miss Jason takes no milk or sugar.
”
Alaine Jason appeared to talk unaware of her audience
’
s lack of enthusiasm. She was still laughing when she took the cup from Felicity
’
s hand, but refused the bread and butter.
“
Nurse, be a dear, I brought some cakes with me, Guy
’
s favourites, I must have left them in that horrid little office where I was waiting, could you get
the
m for me?
”
Felicity was glad to escape for a few minutes to regain her composure. Alaine Jason seemed to her to be the most incomprehensible person she had ever met, beautiful and intelligent yet in some ways incredibly stupid. Surely she could see that her
fiancé
was in no condition as yet for idle chatter, or was it just complete selfishness which blinded her? In spite of all that Diana had said, Felicity felt sure that she must care for Brenton, it was inconceivable to
think
that a
n
ything but love could have held her to a man so obviously restrained, while as for Guy Brenton
’
s feelings, Felicity felt just as much at sea about them as she had ever been.

“
Your cakes, shall I unwrap them?
”
Felicity asked as she handed the box to Alaine.

“
Please do
...
and try one yourself, they really are super.
”

‘
Not just now, thanks.
”
Felicity set them out appetizingly on a plate, then turned to the door.
“
There isn
’
t anything more you want?
”

“
Oh, don
’
t go! Can
’
t you get another cup and have some tea?
”
Alaine persisted, then turning to Guy Brenton added:
“
Do persuade her. Did she tell you how lucky I thought you were to have
such an attractive nurse? Most of them are quite awful, they must have picked out the prettiest for you!
”

Felicity quickly averted her face, conscious of the ready flush which mounted her cheeks.
“
I have several
things
to do.
”
She was certain that; her voice betrayed her discomfiture, but even as she reached out for the door handle, Alaine
’
s voice again arrested her.

“
What a pity you can
’
t stay but I
’
ll see you again before I leave—and by the way, isn
’
t that nice Out Patients
’
doctor, what
’
s his name, Elver, around anywhere? I wanted to ask him in to cocktails or something. You know, a little return for all the trouble he took that night.
”
She paused with a significant wink at Felicity.
“
Don
’
t worry, I won
’
t annex him—I noticed the morning that I broke in so unexpectedly on you both, I realize that he is the boy friend and I promise to return him to you unharmed!
”

Felicity bit back the angry words which rose to her lips and with a composure she was far from feeling, opened the door. She couldn
’
t wait a moment longer, one more word from Alaine Jason and she felt sure that she
’
d shed her last vestige of control. It was outrageous, she told
herself, as burning with resentment she hurried away from the room. Alaine might be outspoken but there were limits and she had certainly passed those with her absurd insinuations.