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Authors: Elizabeth Gilzean
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the water.”
One of the more senior staff nurses set them off again. “Sorry about Claris. I simply had to get her out of my hair or I never would have got my patients settled. I suppose she thought I had him tucked away somewhere. When she phoned for the third time I told her to try the theater. Of course if I had known that you really did have him there I would have told her to try Timbuktu. But why didn ’ t she phone through to Theater?” She looked at Sally sharply. “Casualty is a long, long way for a walk.”
Without thinking Sally replied, “She did, but the green signal light in the staff room wasn ’ t working...”
There were shouts of glee.
“Sally, you weren ’ t really alone with him in the staff room! Come on ... be a sport and give us the low-down on the American line...”
Sally tried to mend her defenses. “George was there when he came.” Then she stopped and her cheeks were pink as she remembered the American ’ s entrance, but she went bravely on. “We talked for a bit...”
“Just the two of you?” someone asked mercilessly.
Sally made another attempt. “George was there ... at first ... and then Claris came.”
“What did she want?”
Sally grinned wickedly. “Him, of course, and she wanted to know why he was up there and so forth.”
“Did he tell her?”
“He did, and she didn ’ t seem to like the answer. She ’ d gone running to him because someone hadn ’ t put out size four wellingtons and her dainty little feet were positively wallowing in size six or something so he ’ d come to do something about it.”
“And had he?”
“You needn ’ t sound so doubtful. Of course he had, and the request has been referred to the theater super.” There was finality in Sally ’ s tone.
The clock saved her from any more grilling and the staff nurses stood up to go back to their wards. They were chatting among themselves now but Sally had a suspicion that her few morsels would stave off their sleepiness for the rest of the night. She consoled herself that she hadn ’ t given anything away that they wouldn ’ t have found out for themselves. She had saved a few scraps for herself—George ’ s unexpected jealousy and that friendly kiss ... she ’ d have to watch her step with him ... the warm informal discussion with John ... she could surely stop thinking of him as John B. Tremayne now ... and even that snippet of conversation she had overheard...
The phone was ringing as she turned the final corner of the stairs. Bill must have tried the dining room and found out that she had left. She hoped it would be a case that would keep her busy. She had an idea it would be better not to hold a post-mortem of her evening ’ s experience just yet.
“Theater Staff Nurse Conway speaking,” Sally said breathlessly.
“Good nurses run only for fire or hemorrhage,” a voice said severely.
“George, you shouldn ’ t scare me like that! I thought it was a case,” Sally reproved him.
“It is a case,” George said firmly.
“But you ’ re off duty,” Sally insisted.
He sighed. “I know. I thought I was, too, but someone upset my Junior Casualty Officer so I ’ ve packed her off to bed—not personally, and you needn ’ t giggle. It isn ’ t respectful. I don ’ t suppose you would have an idea who upset dear Claris?”
“I suppose I did, for one,” Sally admitted hastily. “And I think you did for another.”
George smothered a groan. “I knew about you but I wasn ’ t sure about anyone else being involved and I never thought about me.”
Sally felt her curiosity stretching like a rubber band. “How did you know I had?”
“How? I walked into the Mess when she was raving about staff nurses in general and theater ones in particular. I know I have reason not to like Claris, but don ’ t make me hate thee as well! It isn ’ t what your sex says but the way you say it that makes a man want to light out for places unknown. Much more of this and I ’ ll join
One of the more senior staff nurses set them off again. “Sorry about Claris. I simply had to get her out of my hair or I never would have got my patients settled. I suppose she thought I had him tucked away somewhere. When she phoned for the third time I told her to try the theater. Of course if I had known that you really did have him there I would have told her to try Timbuktu. But why didn ’ t she phone through to Theater?” She looked at Sally sharply. “Casualty is a long, long way for a walk.”
Without thinking Sally replied, “She did, but the green signal light in the staff room wasn ’ t working...”
There were shouts of glee.
“Sally, you weren ’ t really alone with him in the staff room! Come on ... be a sport and give us the low-down on the American line...”
Sally tried to mend her defenses. “George was there when he came.” Then she stopped and her cheeks were pink as she remembered the American ’ s entrance, but she went bravely on. “We talked for a bit...”
“Just the two of you?” someone asked mercilessly.
Sally made another attempt. “George was there ... at first ... and then Claris came.”
“What did she want?”
Sally grinned wickedly. “Him, of course, and she wanted to know why he was up there and so forth.”
“Did he tell her?”
“He did, and she didn ’ t seem to like the answer. She ’ d gone running to him because someone hadn ’ t put out size four wellingtons and her dainty little feet were positively wallowing in size six or something so he ’ d come to do something about it.”
“And had he?”
“You needn ’ t sound so doubtful. Of course he had, and the request has been referred to the theater super.” There was finality in Sally ’ s tone.
The clock saved her from any more grilling and the staff nurses stood up to go back to their wards. They were chatting among themselves now but Sally had a suspicion that her few morsels would stave off their sleepiness for the rest of the night. She consoled herself that she hadn ’ t given anything away that they wouldn ’ t have found out for themselves. She had saved a few scraps for herself—George ’ s unexpected jealousy and that friendly kiss ... she ’ d have to watch her step with him ... the warm informal discussion with John ... she could surely stop thinking of him as John B. Tremayne now ... and even that snippet of conversation she had overheard...
The phone was ringing as she turned the final corner of the stairs. Bill must have tried the dining room and found out that she had left. She hoped it would be a case that would keep her busy. She had an idea it would be better not to hold a post-mortem of her evening ’ s experience just yet.
“Theater Staff Nurse Conway speaking,” Sally said breathlessly.
“Good nurses run only for fire or hemorrhage,” a voice said severely.
“George, you shouldn ’ t scare me like that! I thought it was a case,” Sally reproved him.
“It is a case,” George said firmly.
“But you ’ re off duty,” Sally insisted.
He sighed. “I know. I thought I was, too, but someone upset my Junior Casualty Officer so I ’ ve packed her off to bed—not personally, and you needn ’ t giggle. It isn ’ t respectful. I don ’ t suppose you would have an idea who upset dear Claris?”
“I suppose I did, for one,” Sally admitted hastily. “And I think you did for another.”
George smothered a groan. “I knew about you but I wasn ’ t sure about anyone else being involved and I never thought about me.”
Sally felt her curiosity stretching like a rubber band. “How did you know I had?”
“How? I walked into the Mess when she was raving about staff nurses in general and theater ones in particular. I know I have reason not to like Claris, but don ’ t make me hate thee as well! It isn ’ t what your sex says but the way you say it that makes a man want to light out for places unknown. Much more of this and I ’ ll join
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