agreeably, eyes twinkling at Anna.
Despite her determination not to weaken, a reluctant smile came to Anna's face.
'Your eyes light up like candles—Christmas candles,' Dr Alexandre said softly. She wasn't aware of him moving but suddenly he was within touching distance and how she longed to touch him.
She wanted to put her hands on his face, smooth away the laughter lines, gaze deeply into those steady eyes . . . She pulled herself together, aware that her expression might be giving her away. 'Excuse me, please. I have to take the men's temperatures.'
He moved aside to let her pass, and disappointment stabbed her.
'I'll bet their temperatures are always higher when you're around!' he chuckled to her retreating back, but Anna pretended not to hear. The cheek of the man!
They had another new patient now, a diabetic. John Snelling was a year or two younger than Anna and had been admitted for stabilisation of his regime of diet and insulin. He confidently expected to be out within a week but Anna knew better. Staff Nurse had told her he would be kept in over Christmas, if they could spare the bed, because John over-indulged himself and he could die at Christmas if there was no one to watch his diet.
Although intelligent, he seemed incapable of denying himself anything—and this applied to girls as well as food. He'd already boasted that he had a girlfriend for each day of the week.
His face lit up as Anna approached. Patients' thermometers were kept in a phial at the head of their beds, just under the notice giving their name and religion, and Anna moved forward to take John's thermometer, her mind still on the registrar. He had a lovely smile. Not as nice as Mike's, of course. Or was it?
'Ow!' John Snelling's long, thin arm wrapped itself around Anna's leg, his fingers caressing her thigh.
'Let me go!' she whispered furiously, anxious not to disturb the others.
John grinned up at her, his freckled face alight with laughter, and she hadn't the heart to be too cross with him. He was' rather sweet. Even so, he had to be kept in his place or it would be another black mark for Nurse Curtis!
Unfortunately, Mr Pearson saw the intimate gesture and began bellowing for Staff Nurse.
Scared of being taken to task yet again, Anna cried, 'Please, Mr Pearson! I'll be with you in a moment!'
'You won't!' the old man snapped, just as Sister Noakes glided into view. 'You're too busy letting that dirty so and so do what he likes to worry about we old ones!'
'What is the matter?' Sister Noakes's voice was icy as she spoke to Mr Pearson and her brown eyes were cold as they rested on Anna, who fidgeted uncomfortably. 'You know the patients must be kept quiet, Nurse Curtis,' Sister went on.
'Yes, Sister. I'm sorry but I was just going to take Mr Snelling's temperature when Mr Pearson started shouting,' Anna explained, hoping that neither of the men would mention John Snelling's wandering hands.
But she hoped in vain. 'It were that dirty little blighter, Sister!' Mr Pearson pointed an accusing finger at John. 'He were putting his hand up Nurse's skirt!'
Anna blushed, John Snelling almost choked with laughter, and there were smirks and muffled laughter from the other men. Anna waited, terrified, for Sister to fly into a rage.
Instead, Sister Noakes permitted herself a tight smile. 'When male patients start touching up the nurses, it's a sign they are getting better!'
Astonished, Anna watched Sister's starchy figure disappear in the direction of the office, and John smirked. 'See, she likes me. I knew she did!'
'So it would seem!' Anna said, heart still thudding at thought of what might have been. Mr Pearson sat back against his pillows looking cross, and she hurriedly did the rest of the TRPs, leaving Mr Pearson and John Snelling to last to give their temperatures time to cool down.
As she finished writing up Mr Pearson's chart, she saw Sister and Dr Alexandre walking purposefully towards her, and she trembled. Dr Alexandre was
Despite her determination not to weaken, a reluctant smile came to Anna's face.
'Your eyes light up like candles—Christmas candles,' Dr Alexandre said softly. She wasn't aware of him moving but suddenly he was within touching distance and how she longed to touch him.
She wanted to put her hands on his face, smooth away the laughter lines, gaze deeply into those steady eyes . . . She pulled herself together, aware that her expression might be giving her away. 'Excuse me, please. I have to take the men's temperatures.'
He moved aside to let her pass, and disappointment stabbed her.
'I'll bet their temperatures are always higher when you're around!' he chuckled to her retreating back, but Anna pretended not to hear. The cheek of the man!
They had another new patient now, a diabetic. John Snelling was a year or two younger than Anna and had been admitted for stabilisation of his regime of diet and insulin. He confidently expected to be out within a week but Anna knew better. Staff Nurse had told her he would be kept in over Christmas, if they could spare the bed, because John over-indulged himself and he could die at Christmas if there was no one to watch his diet.
Although intelligent, he seemed incapable of denying himself anything—and this applied to girls as well as food. He'd already boasted that he had a girlfriend for each day of the week.
His face lit up as Anna approached. Patients' thermometers were kept in a phial at the head of their beds, just under the notice giving their name and religion, and Anna moved forward to take John's thermometer, her mind still on the registrar. He had a lovely smile. Not as nice as Mike's, of course. Or was it?
'Ow!' John Snelling's long, thin arm wrapped itself around Anna's leg, his fingers caressing her thigh.
'Let me go!' she whispered furiously, anxious not to disturb the others.
John grinned up at her, his freckled face alight with laughter, and she hadn't the heart to be too cross with him. He was' rather sweet. Even so, he had to be kept in his place or it would be another black mark for Nurse Curtis!
Unfortunately, Mr Pearson saw the intimate gesture and began bellowing for Staff Nurse.
Scared of being taken to task yet again, Anna cried, 'Please, Mr Pearson! I'll be with you in a moment!'
'You won't!' the old man snapped, just as Sister Noakes glided into view. 'You're too busy letting that dirty so and so do what he likes to worry about we old ones!'
'What is the matter?' Sister Noakes's voice was icy as she spoke to Mr Pearson and her brown eyes were cold as they rested on Anna, who fidgeted uncomfortably. 'You know the patients must be kept quiet, Nurse Curtis,' Sister went on.
'Yes, Sister. I'm sorry but I was just going to take Mr Snelling's temperature when Mr Pearson started shouting,' Anna explained, hoping that neither of the men would mention John Snelling's wandering hands.
But she hoped in vain. 'It were that dirty little blighter, Sister!' Mr Pearson pointed an accusing finger at John. 'He were putting his hand up Nurse's skirt!'
Anna blushed, John Snelling almost choked with laughter, and there were smirks and muffled laughter from the other men. Anna waited, terrified, for Sister to fly into a rage.
Instead, Sister Noakes permitted herself a tight smile. 'When male patients start touching up the nurses, it's a sign they are getting better!'
Astonished, Anna watched Sister's starchy figure disappear in the direction of the office, and John smirked. 'See, she likes me. I knew she did!'
'So it would seem!' Anna said, heart still thudding at thought of what might have been. Mr Pearson sat back against his pillows looking cross, and she hurriedly did the rest of the TRPs, leaving Mr Pearson and John Snelling to last to give their temperatures time to cool down.
As she finished writing up Mr Pearson's chart, she saw Sister and Dr Alexandre walking purposefully towards her, and she trembled. Dr Alexandre was
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