Read Online It Shouldn't Happen to a Midwife! by Jane Yeadon - Free Book Online Page A

she can check everything’s alright in the household as well.’ His eyes drifted over the priest’s gravy stains whilst he added gently, ‘And maybe you might not be the best judge of that.’
    The priest looked thwarted then blue as a fit of coughing worthy of medical attention took over, giving Dr O’Reilly a perfect opportunity to hurry back to the real work of the labour ward.
    As the priest recovered, his chin settled back into its pillow of Brillo-coloured jowl and he sighed. ‘Ah, but these doctors all think they know best and, forgive me for saying so, but Miss Harvey may have her job to do whilst mine is a calling.’ He made the comparison sound as if he was a hot-blooded saviour. ‘You know the family is very special to me so I’ll just hurry with my other tasks and follow you on then, Nurse.’ But Seonaid was already out of negotiating range.
    â€˜Does that not remind you of a Christmas pudding on the run?’ said Laura, nodding as the priest bobbed off in the opposite direction . ‘But I suppose we should head back to the lecture room – Miss Harvey’ll be waiting for us.’
    As we passed the nursery Marie said, ‘They must have allowed in Mammy Fleming. See? I’d know her by her hair. Ah, the wee love, she’ll feel better being there and so much closer.’ She pointed to a gowned figure under whose cap a ratty tail escaped and who was now gazing into Mary-Jo’s incubator.
    As unaware of us as her daughter was of her, the figure sat motionless , looking in with the same intensity as Marie whilst I hurried to catch up with Seonaid.
    â€˜I think the doctor wants Mrs Murphy to be sterilised, tubes tied and all that.’
    â€˜And I think her husband will too,’ Seonaid cranked up her pace, ‘once I’ve had a word with him, but I’ll have to shift. Father O’Patrick’s going to be right on my tail and I don’t want him trailing in clouds of conscience and talk of God’s will before I get my oar in.’ As she sprinted past the lecture room she called back, ‘Could you just tell Miss Harvey where I’ve gone?’
    I wasn’t sure if that was a good idea, especially as Miss Harvey nodded us in with a grin so fierce you might have thought she was my aunt welcoming an unexpected busload of hungry relations. Suddenly, I wished I’d gone with Seonaid.
    â€˜I want you all in and in your seats now!’
    She slammed the door shut and leant against it as if we might escape, which I now very much wanted to do. There was a brief silence whilst she contemplated her shoes which were Edinburgh sensible, highly-polished and apparently a brighter sight than her class. Silence prevailed, then in a very cold voice she said, ‘I’ve just had a visit from Professor McQuaid who’d come to fix up a time for a lecture I’d asked him to give. He was surprised nobody was here and when I told him where you actually were he said he’d been to the labour ward and was told there was nothing happening.’
    Her sigh was as gusty as that of a chief mourner fighting against sleet. ‘And I can tell you right now, he’s just furious and for that matter so am I. He’s a busy man and accustomed to respect. I believe he almost had a door shut in his face and then …’ In an ‘Outraged of Morningside’ voice, she registered a far more serious crime. ‘You lied to me as well. I want you all to know you’ve put me in a very embarrassing position. Against all my principles, I’ve had to defend you and say it was just you were so mustard keen to see an actual delivery you forgot yourselves.’
    Even if she didn’t appear to have noticed Seonaid’s absence, perhaps this was not the time to explain it. The St Andrew’s flags on Margaret and Cynthia’s backs flapped disconsolately whilst Miss Harvey stomped over to a shelf. ‘And covering up