yRing for the Nurse(21)

"So I bully, do I?"

The conversation had got far too personal for her liking, yet on the  other hand it was in a most gratifying way leading away from the  question of the ring, for that at least she was thankful. "I suppose  that is scarcely the right word, but you hardly inspire confidence in a  nervous probationer."

"As you are neither nervous-nor a probationer-perhaps you will agree to  my proposition?" His brown eyes held a quizzical expression and the  smile which played around the corners of his lips, wrinkling the fine  lines at his temples, entirely allayed Felicity's fears. "I am, as you  know, leaving here tomorrow; now I can get around on my feet there seems  little reason to stay, I shall be far happier in my own home." He  paused but his eyes still held hers. "This plaster keeps me pretty  helpless, but I can manage quite a lot for myself, but of course there  are still the shoulder dressings. Would you be willing to return home  with me for a few days just until I can get used to fending for myself?"  No doubt aware that his suggestion had taken Felicity completely by  surprise, he went on without awaiting her reply, "Matron suggested that  you should accompany me on the journey; I don't think there will be any  difficulty in persuading her to allow you to remain in attendance for a  few days."                       
       
           



       

"I ... I... well, of course, if you would care for me to come and Matron  agrees, then of course I shall be glad to do as you ask." Felicity  hoped her tone sounded calm and business-like. The suggestion had been  so unexpected, she had been so completely unprepared that it was only  with a supreme effort that she had managed to bite back the excited  acceptance which had sprung to her lips and replace it with more formal  words.

"That's all right, then, I'll settle the matter with Matron." Before  Felicity, feeling herself dismissed, had returned to the door, Guy  Brenton was already hidden behind his paper. Scarcely conscious of her  actions she replaced the dressings in the sterile cabinet and made her  way to the ward kitchen to superintend the serving of dinners. The hot  trolley, sent direct from the main kitchens, was ready awaiting her and  with the help of the two junior nurses, she served each patient's  individual tray. It must have been more by luck than judgment that  portions were correctly distributed, since her thoughts were far from  the task in hand and she was filled with such a sense of elation that  even the hard stone floor seemed like feather-down beneath her feet.

"Nurse Dene, how about potatoes for number four? You've given him carrots twice!"

It was hardly surprising, Felicity wondered that the carrots hadn't been  tripled! With an apologetic smile she rectified the mistake, then  having finished the serving, she hurried off to her own meal. It was  certainly the quickest dinner she had ever eaten and by the time she had  escaped from the dining hall to the privacy of her own room, she  couldn't even recall what had been served on her plate! A full  half-hour's respite before she need return to the ward- she flung  herself into the wicker arm-chair and let her eyes wander round the  confines of the familiar room. The narrow bed which through the years  had become so friendly, its fresh chintz cover which she had made  herself. The well-filled bookshelves which she had bribed the hospital  carpenter to put up for her, the pottery vase, a present from Diana that  very first Christmas ... Felicity sighed. She loved her room, over the  past years it had been the only home she had ever known. Still, how  wonderful to leave it for a few days, to snatch, apart from her yearly  leave, these few extra days away, to escape for a brief time the endless  monotony of her work, to breathe into her lungs fresh country air. Joy  filled her heart as, in her imagination, she visualized the countryside,  the trees heavy with blossom, sweet smelling in the soft spring breeze,  the earth still damp from winter's rain, soft beneath her tread.  Felicity's pulse quickened as she tried to stifle a tiny voice of  conscience. Was it only the prospect of escape causing this tide of  exultation or was there some deeper unacknowledged reason?

She sprang to her feet and restlessly paced the small room. She passed  her hand wearily across her forehead. Why should she torture herself,  why seek any answers, what did it matter, she was happy, gloriously  happy-a feeling akin to fear momentarily obsessed her, as she realized  that although the past years had brought her contentment and peace it  was the first time since Peter's tragic death that she had ever  experienced such complete and joyful anticipation of any break from her  normal routine.

Crossing to the mirror, she removed her cap and brushed back the soft  tendrils of her hair which gleamed with golden lights as they caught a  shaft of sunlight through the uncurtained window. Replacing her brush on  the table she leaned forward staring curiously at her reflected image,  there was an expression of bewilderment in her eyes as if she expected  to see a stranger framed in her mirror. Surely she must have changed,  some expression of that inward emotion must be visible for all to see,  she couldn't still look the same as she had a few hours ago, that seemed  impossible!" 'Vanity of vanities, all is vanity..."

Diana's laughing words caused Felicity to swing round from the mirror.  "I didn't hear you come in-I'm terribly glad to see you-come on, sit  down, I've the most stupendous piece of news to tell you!" Felicity  exclaimed with obvious excitement as she pulled her friend down on the  bed beside her.                       
       
           



       

"I've only got a moment-so hurry up," Diana begged with obvious  impatience. "I must be in theatre by two so don't waste time, come on,  tell me quickly what's it all about, you look like a cat that's  swallowed a dish of cream."

"I feel like it too," Felicity laughed. Then, as anxious to tell her  story as Diana was to hear it, she went on without further delay. "Mr.  Brenton has asked me to travel down to Buckinghamshire with him,  probably to stay a day or so until he has settled in and, imagine  it!-Matron has given permission!" She paused and watching her friend was  not disappointed with the reception of her news, and before Diana could  speak Felicity hastily went on, "At least Matron has agreed to my  accompanying him on the journey, but he didn't seem to think there would  be any difficulty about getting her permission for me to stay."

"My goodness! That is news!" Diana's usually unperturbed demeanour had  changed to an expression of awe, as if Felicity had herself wrought this  miracle.

"It's nothing to do with me, I should never have dared ask Matron, Mr.  Brenton had apparently broached the subject before he even mentioned the  matter to me."

"It's marvellous," Diana breathed. "Just marvellous-of course you must  be thrilled, it will be such a break from this dreary life, exciting  too, fancy you actually visiting Guy Brenton's home."

"Oh, that's beside the point." Felicity thrust aside Diana's last remark  as of little account. "It's the joy of spending a day or so in the  country, think of it, at this time of year, it will be heavenly-too  beautiful to describe," she ended clasping her fingers together  ecstatically.

"Rot," Diana announced briefly. "You can't pull that one on me!" she  protested laughingly. "I know you hate London -lots of the girls do, but  the majority would sooner face a London pea-souper than be forced to  spend a couple of days in Guy Brenton s unadulterated company. You like  him and for once Fate has been kind and played right into your hands! I  think he has had a jolly good influence on you- made you appreciate that  St. Edwin's isn't the alpha and omega of your existence. As long as you  don't go and fall in love with him, being human for once in a while  won't do you any harm."

Felicity swung round from the table to face her friend, her colour had  risen in her cheeks. "Fall in love indeed! I have never even dreamed of  such a thing! My job is to get him well again, back to his work. I want  the opportunity to do that, that's why I'm glad of the chance to leave  here with him."

"O.K.-no need to get worked up about it." Diana rose slowly to her feet  and slipped an arm affectionately through her friend's. "I'm awfully  glad you are going-I suppose that means tomorrow? Goodness, I'll miss  you. When are you going to pack, shall we have an orgy of it tonight,  you'd better let me help, I suppose you'll take mufti and you can't let  down the tone of St. Edwin's." She laughed, then added, "How about a  celebration tonight too? I'll get hold of Bill and Philip, I vote we  four go out on a real binge." She glanced at her watch. "Heavens! I must  rush or I'll have Sister on my tail! So long, I'll pop over to Mason's  after tea and let you know what I've fixed up for the evening."