Read Online Yankee Surgeon by Elizabeth Gilzean - Free Book Online
Authors: Elizabeth Gilzean
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relieved.” She watched the angry color come into the other woman ’ s face before she murmured, “I ’ ll tell the night engineer about the phone,” and slipped away, but not before she had overheard the two surgeons.
“Why were you up here talking to that girl?” Claris ’ s tone was peevish.
“Why, I was ordering those fancy white boots for you, honey. It seems you put in a request to the theater super. Staff nurses can ’ t just hand them out like bars of candy, you know.”
Sally found herself slowing down. She had to hear the house surgeon ’ s answer.
“Seems to me that some staff nurses are decidedly uppity at handing out cheek, but let ’ s not talk about her. Can we...” The trilling of the phone blotted out the next words and Sally went to answer it, telling herself that since she was the one being talked about she had a perfect right to listen.
“Theater Staff Nurse Conway speaking.”
“Oh, your phone is working then, Staff Nurse. That new house surgeon, what ’ s-her-name, put in a complaint.”
Sally snatched at her temper. “Bill, just how many calls have there been for the theater since you came on duty?”
Switchboard sounded surprised and a trifle pained. “Only the one, Staff Nurse. Why? What ’ s the trouble?” He chuckled. “Was your boyfriend supposed to be phoning?”
“We don ’ t take private calls on duty,” Sally said primly. She was tempted to add that Claris Stornoway was the trouble, but that would be handing the other woman a piece of cake ... letting her know that her existence troubled Sally Conway.
“Sorry I mentioned it. Dr. Brown was wondering if Dr. Tremayne was still in your department, that ’ s all,” Bill said with no apology in his voice.
Sally was furious. So Claris Stornoway wasn ’ t the only one checking up ... but the click of the elevator gates gave her an answer.
“Dr. Tremayne and Dr. Stornoway have just left the department,” she said with stiff dignity.
“Together? I see. I ’ ll let Dr. Brown know. Seems he was expecting Dr. Tremayne to meet him or something. Perhaps Dr. Tremayne got caught up or something...”
Sally refused to rise. “Bill, could you tell the night engineer that the green signal light in the staff room isn ’ t working? Please...”
Bill chuckled. He hadn ’ t done fifteen years as night operator on the switchboard at St. Bride ’ s without knowing far more about the hopes and fears of its nurses than they ever dreamed of.
“Staff room, eh? I ’ ll tell him when he ’ s finished fiddling with the respirator on Men ’ s Medical. Better leave the door open meantime and then you can hear it anyway.”
Sally hung up the phone with relief. She had a feeling that Bill had picked up far more than she had knowingly given away. And yet ... what did she know? Or what had she learned of their new surgeon? She reviewed what she remembered of their conversation. She began to sum it up in her mind ... he was ambitious ... he was determined ... he was willing to learn ... he didn ’ t put on airs when discussing things with her ... and he called most women honey—two at least, she amended.
Sally was glad when it was time to go to supper. She was tired of her own company and especially of her own thoughts.
Night Sister was off and her deputy too near to their own set to cast much of a damper on the jollity at the staff nurses ’ table. They greeted Sally with delight.
“What price America?”
“Have you got the ticket in your pocket yet?”
“Sally is a quick worker ... you ’ ve got to hand it to her.” Sally ’ s first reaction was anger but she knew only too well that if she showed it, the teasing would never end.
She sat down and sighed elaborately. “Someone sent dear Claris up too soon. I hadn ’ t even got to first base...”
T here was laughter.
“So the way to an American heart is via the baseball field! Good work, Sally. We know where to come for advice if we get some more from over
“Why were you up here talking to that girl?” Claris ’ s tone was peevish.
“Why, I was ordering those fancy white boots for you, honey. It seems you put in a request to the theater super. Staff nurses can ’ t just hand them out like bars of candy, you know.”
Sally found herself slowing down. She had to hear the house surgeon ’ s answer.
“Seems to me that some staff nurses are decidedly uppity at handing out cheek, but let ’ s not talk about her. Can we...” The trilling of the phone blotted out the next words and Sally went to answer it, telling herself that since she was the one being talked about she had a perfect right to listen.
“Theater Staff Nurse Conway speaking.”
“Oh, your phone is working then, Staff Nurse. That new house surgeon, what ’ s-her-name, put in a complaint.”
Sally snatched at her temper. “Bill, just how many calls have there been for the theater since you came on duty?”
Switchboard sounded surprised and a trifle pained. “Only the one, Staff Nurse. Why? What ’ s the trouble?” He chuckled. “Was your boyfriend supposed to be phoning?”
“We don ’ t take private calls on duty,” Sally said primly. She was tempted to add that Claris Stornoway was the trouble, but that would be handing the other woman a piece of cake ... letting her know that her existence troubled Sally Conway.
“Sorry I mentioned it. Dr. Brown was wondering if Dr. Tremayne was still in your department, that ’ s all,” Bill said with no apology in his voice.
Sally was furious. So Claris Stornoway wasn ’ t the only one checking up ... but the click of the elevator gates gave her an answer.
“Dr. Tremayne and Dr. Stornoway have just left the department,” she said with stiff dignity.
“Together? I see. I ’ ll let Dr. Brown know. Seems he was expecting Dr. Tremayne to meet him or something. Perhaps Dr. Tremayne got caught up or something...”
Sally refused to rise. “Bill, could you tell the night engineer that the green signal light in the staff room isn ’ t working? Please...”
Bill chuckled. He hadn ’ t done fifteen years as night operator on the switchboard at St. Bride ’ s without knowing far more about the hopes and fears of its nurses than they ever dreamed of.
“Staff room, eh? I ’ ll tell him when he ’ s finished fiddling with the respirator on Men ’ s Medical. Better leave the door open meantime and then you can hear it anyway.”
Sally hung up the phone with relief. She had a feeling that Bill had picked up far more than she had knowingly given away. And yet ... what did she know? Or what had she learned of their new surgeon? She reviewed what she remembered of their conversation. She began to sum it up in her mind ... he was ambitious ... he was determined ... he was willing to learn ... he didn ’ t put on airs when discussing things with her ... and he called most women honey—two at least, she amended.
Sally was glad when it was time to go to supper. She was tired of her own company and especially of her own thoughts.
Night Sister was off and her deputy too near to their own set to cast much of a damper on the jollity at the staff nurses ’ table. They greeted Sally with delight.
“What price America?”
“Have you got the ticket in your pocket yet?”
“Sally is a quick worker ... you ’ ve got to hand it to her.” Sally ’ s first reaction was anger but she knew only too well that if she showed it, the teasing would never end.
She sat down and sighed elaborately. “Someone sent dear Claris up too soon. I hadn ’ t even got to first base...”
T here was laughter.
“So the way to an American heart is via the baseball field! Good work, Sally. We know where to come for advice if we get some more from over
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