Read Online Love for the Matron by Elizabeth Houghton - Free Book Online Page B

it, Miss Graham, but Doctor Gregory won ’ t take too kindly to having Men ’ s Medical moved and ... ”
    Elizabeth interrupted gently. “Thank you for drawing my attention to the fact, Miss Selby.” She didn ’ t say anything more, but she knew the other woman realized that she had presumed enough.
    Scarcely had the outer door closed behind Miss Selby when Margaret Smith came through from her little office with a tea - tray, and William Gregory was at her heels.
    He gave Elizabeth a smile, but there was something about the expression in his eyes that suggested that he wasn ’ t altogether pleased with life.
    “Good morning, Miss Graham. I trust the unpacking went well and you ’ re beginning to feel more settled.”
    Elizabeth listened to his polite words, wondering what was on his mind that was taking some of the friendliness from his manner.
    “Yes, thank you, Doctor Gregory, although I must confess I didn ’ t finish the unpacking. Won ’ t you sit down ? Thank you, Miss Smith.”
    The girl put the tray in front of Elizabeth and departed. The man waited patiently until Elizabeth had poured out the two cups of tea before speaking again.
    “I didn ’ t mean to eavesdrop, but I ’ m afraid I couldn ’ t avoid overhearing Miss Selby ’ s remark. Don ’ t you think it might have been more courteous to discuss the matter with me first?”
    Elizabeth sat very still in her chair. She was annoyed by the reproof even though she appreciated that he had some justice on his side.
    “It would have been brought to you, Doctor Gregory, once we had a possible solution to offer. Too much time could be wasted if we all came to a conference table full of unprepa re d thoughts. Don ’ t you agree that it ’ s best if I worked out a program with my staff ? Then it could be amended where necessary.”
    He gave her a thoughtful look. “And allow me to depart thinking it was all my own idea?” he asked wryly.
    Elizabeth flushed slightly. “A joint effort,” she said stiffly.
    “H ’ mm, I suppose that would be a fairer description. However, now that I ’ m inadvertently partly in the picture would it be asking too much to put me in possession of the solution as you see it?”
    Elizabeth told him as briefly as she could. He nodded now and again during her recital, but whether in understanding or approval she couldn ’ t be sure.
    There was a little silence when she had finished before he spoke.
    “ Odd, isn ’ t it, the way we can ’ t see the answers lying under our noses until a stranger points them out? ... Is there another cup, Miss Graham?”
    Elizabeth took his cup from him. “Don ’ t you think it ’ s because an insider is too close to the problem, and possibly too familiar with it?” she suggested.
    “Like looking at a well-known painting, and unless you happen to have seen the artists preliminary sketches it never occurs to you that he might have arranged it differently ... Yes, I suppose you ’ re right. I think the old men will enjoy having a day room of their own. I ’ ll mention it to Dear Emily if you have no objection. I believe there are various sets of curtains that might be suitable for brightening it up, and no doubt we can arrange with the Picture Library to supply us with some attractive water-colors. That settles the old men. I ’ m not quite so happy about my other patients being transferred to the surgical ward. There ’ s always so much more going on there.”
    “But wouldn ’ t that encourage them to make more of an effort?” Elizabeth suggested.
    William Gregory laughed. “Depends upon what they ’ re in for. My coronaries and gastrics have been making too much of an effort, and that ’ s why they ’ re in hospital. What about the end ward on Men ’ s Surgical ? ”
    “ Sister Ross uses it for the patients coming back from Theatre,” Elizabeth told him.
    “She does, does she? How about the sun porch, or does Sister Ross reserve that for another special