yRing for the Nurse(19)

"Why are you fidgeting around, the room's all right, O'Brien's just done it."

"Yes, of course." Felicity felt a telltale flush mount her cheeks but  she forced herself to stand calmly by the bedside as she continued. "Is  there anything else you need before I go off duty?"

"You can take this tray away," he responded shortly.

"You haven't eaten your supper."

"No, never mind about that." He turned her remark impatiently aside,  then went on. "I must drop a line home to tell them to expect me-must  contact my secretary too, he'll have to order a car-I believe Sister put  some writing-paper in the dressing-table drawer-my fountain pen, that  was in one of my pockets-by the way, where did you put the contents of  my pockets?"

Felicity was sure she must have given a visible start at the question,  but was glad at least that to reach the dressing-table she had to turn  her back. Still bending over the opened drawer, she spoke. "The paper is  here-and the pen too, is there anything else you need?"

"No, but tell me what's happened to all the stuff that was on me at the time I was brought in?"

"As you had a private room Sister didn't think it necessary to deposit  anything at the office. Your money and note case are here." Felicity  rummaged in the drawer. "Your cigarette case, some matches-and oh, yes, a  pipe and tobacco pouch."

"Is that all? You are sure you cleared my coat pockets this morning?"

Felicity longed to see from his expression whether there was any  underlying meaning to the question, but as if rooted to the spot she  felt utterly unable to turn. "There was nothing whatever left." At least  that was the truth, she told herself desperately.

"All right-then just hand over the writing materials. I hope I can produce a legible scrawl with this utterly useless hand."

A surge of misery enveloped Felicity as she made her way with dragging  steps through the ward. She had done the right thing she told herself,  surely she had acted wisely. She knew now that Guy Brenton's happiness  and welfare meant more to her than anything else in the world. Yet to  have deceived him, even for his own good, filled her with unhappiness.  Now, as the swing doors of the ward closed behind her, she knew a sudden  fear of the hours which stretched ahead of her; she had intended to  have an early supper, then to bed. Now the prospect appalled her ...  those hours alone, lying in bed thinking ... thinking ... she couldn't  bear it; somehow, somewhere she must find distraction. Almost  unconsciously her steps turned towards the operating theatres, there was  just a chance Diana was free that evening, she'd just have to be,  Felicity thought with rising panic, she couldn't remain alone with her  tormenting thoughts.

"Nurse Weste-is she anywhere about?" Felicity asked the white-coated  porter on duty in the corridor outside the operating theatres.

"Yes, Miss, I just see her come out of number two, I reckon she may be in the sterilizing room."

"Thanks." Felicity walked along the corridor past the theatres. The  bustle of the day had died down but through the small glass panels in  the doors she could see that two of the theatres were still in use-there  must have been a long operation list; perhaps, after all, Diana  wouldn't be off duty yet. Unconsciously hurrying her steps, Felicity  opened the door of the sterilizing room, the hiss of steam muffled her  footsteps and she had reached Diana's side before the other girl had  realized her presence. Pulling down her gauze mask and letting it dangle  at her throat, she turned eagerly.

"Hallo, what are you doing here? Don't tell me that Mason's has an  'emergency' for us, we've just about had it down here, couldn't face  another thing!"                       
       
           



       

"Nothing like that!" Felicity laughed reassuringly. "I've just come off  duty, I wondered if you were free this evening, I don't feel I can face  dining-room supper and an early night."

"Half a moment, I can't hear a word." Diana lowered a facet controlling  the steam, then turned again to her companion. "Did you ask me if I was  free this evening?"

"Yes-couldn't we eat out somewhere-what time will you be off?"

"Right now if I know anything about it!" Diana twisted her arms round to  the back of her neck to unfasten the long white overall. "Here, give me  a hand with this," she begged, turning her back to Felicity, then,  twisting her head round, continued, "I'm nearly half an hour late as it  is. MacFarlayne's so slow, he just puts the whole list back hours-  thanks," she interposed as, the tapes undone, she flung off her overall.  "Yes, let's go out, can't say that the prospect of a dining-room meal  thrills me either-it's corned beef night, after eight hours on my feet I  couldn't face it, corned feet I've got already and I don't need the  beef to match."

"That's grand! I'll wait for you in the hall-don't let's change, it's  such waste of time, couldn't we just run into the 'Kettle', it's near  and the food's not too bad, it seems so late to go into town."

Half an hour later the two girls were seated at a small table over an  appetizing dish of fish au gratin. There was something so warm about  Diana's presence that Felicity was already beginning to feel more at  ease. The happenings of the day seemed less real, they were dissolving  away like a bad dream.

"What made you change your mind about an early night?" Diana asked  casually as she helped herself to another portion of fish baked to a  beautiful golden brown.

"I was worried-I felt I wanted to talk to you," Felicity, admitted, then  suddenly diffident about saying more, lapsed into silence.

"Go on, tell me what it's all about, I thought you seemed a bit  mournful." Diana's calm voice took on a teasing note as she added,  "Fretting about Brenton leaving?"

Felicity choked back the denial which sprang to her lips and with  unsteady fingers fumbled for the menu. "What will you have next? Coffee?  Or how about a sweet? I see there's apple-tart."

"Never mind about food, tell me what's up," Diana persisted, but the  mocking note had left her voice and her serene expression was  sympathetic.

The urge to share her burden was too strong for Felicity to resist.  Leaning towards her companion she began. "I must tell you  something-about Alaine Jason-she waylaid me yesterday afternoon and  poured out the most amazing story." Felicity paused, then assured of her  companion's attention went on with her narrative while she found  herself anxiously-almost fearfully-watching Diana's reactions. "I didn't  know what to say at first, I was horrified at the idea of taking  anything from a patient's pocket, it seemed unthinkable, preposterous!" A  deep sigh escaped her. "I tried to see the thing reasonably, I just had  to believe, what she told me, that if Mr. Brenton found the ring it  would seriously upset him." She lifted her head anxiously. "You do  believe me, don't you?"

"Goodness, what a teaser!" Diana ejaculated. Then, pursing her lips, she  silently contemplated her friend's revelation. "You say you found the  ring just where the girl said? You've given it back to her now, I  presume?"

"Yes, this afternoon." Felicity spoke with obvious distress. "Don't tell me you think I did wrong."

"Heaven alone knows!" Diana shrugged her shoulders. "I suppose that  one's duty is to protect a patient from unnecessary excitement or  distress, in that way you were right. It was certainly an odd sort of  position to find yourself in and I suppose you acted wisely ... always  assuming that minx was telling the truth," she ended meaningly.

"Oh, it sounded true enough, but she is such an actress, one never knows  how much is an act or how much is genuine. She was almost in  tears-surely one can't fake that?- she seemed to care so much, to be  deeply concerned that he shouldn't be hurt."                       
       
           



       

"Don't worry, I don't see that you-or anyone else for that matter-could  have behaved differently, you had to accept her word and I expect there  must be some truth in the fact that, assuming he had forgotten all about  the row, finding his engagement ring back in his pocket would have been  a nasty shock. I really think you were right, honestly I do." Diana  repeated trying to add conviction to her words.

"If only I knew-if only I could understand." Felicity's tone was more  relaxed but there was an obvious longing for enlightenment. "I just  can't make out the relationship between Miss Jason and Guy Brenton."