Nightingales Under the Mistletoe (24 page)

Grace laughed. ‘How can I do that? I've got to get tea ready for the kids.'

‘I'm sure we can manage to put a bit of bread and dripping on the table between us!' Daisy said. ‘Anyway, I can help. I'm not going out until later.'

‘Are you seeing Max?'

Daisy pulled a face. ‘No, he's busy.'

‘Is he? I thought …' Grace stopped herself.

‘What?' Daisy frowned.

‘Nothing.' Grace looked towards the window. Whatever was happening between Daisy and Max, it was none of her business. She just hoped her sister wouldn't get hurt. ‘Let's see about that bread and dripping, shall we?'

By the following morning the swelling round her ankle had gone right down, and Grace could put her weight on it, if she was careful. She was getting ready for work when she remembered her broken bike.

‘Could you be a love and go and collect it for me?' she asked Walter. ‘It'll need fixing, but I'll do that when I get home tonight.'

Walter went out, and fifteen minutes later she heard him trundling back across the yard, pushing her bicycle over the cobbles.

Grace went to the back door and looked out. ‘You were quick,' she said. ‘Did you manage to fix it?'

‘You must be imagining things,' he said. ‘There's nothing wrong with it.'

‘Are you sure?'

‘Come and see for yourself.'

She followed him out into the yard. Sure enough, there was her bicycle, as good as new. ‘I don't understand,' she said, ‘it was definitely broken last night.'

‘Well, it isn't now.' Walter grinned. ‘Maybe the fairies fixed it.'

‘Maybe they did,' Grace agreed.

She wondered if the fairies had left the bunch of snowdrops in her front basket, too.

‘
DON'T LOOK NOW,
Nurse, but your admirer's just walked in!'

Mrs Flynn looked up with a gaping grin, her false teeth in the bowl on Effie's lap.

She didn't need to be told. She had felt Connor Cleary's presence like a cold breeze on the back of her neck.

She tried to concentrate on the task in hand, swabbing Mrs Flynn's gums with a mouth mop. ‘He's not my admirer,' she muttered. ‘Rinse out your mouth, please.'

Mrs Flynn took a swig of Glycothylomine and spat it into the dish.

‘I don't know how you can say that. He's always here, and he's always got his eye on you. Ooh, he's coming over. Quick, pass me my teeth, I don't want him to see me like this!'

She grabbed them and slipped them into her mouth just as Connor came over. ‘Good morning, Mrs Flynn. How's my favourite patient?'

Effie busied herself collecting up the mouth swabs, determined not to meet his eye. Who did he think he was, swaggering round the ward like a doctor doing his rounds? He always did it, and it got on her nerves.

Mrs Flynn simpered like a schoolgirl. ‘I'm very well, thank you, Mr Cleary.'

‘How many more times do I have to tell you? It's Connor to my friends.'

Her smile widened. ‘And you can call me Deirdre, if you like?'

‘Deirdre, eh? Did you know, according to Celtic folklore, Deirdre was the most beautiful woman in the whole of Ireland?'

‘Really?' Mrs Flynn looked entranced. ‘No, I didn't know that.'

‘Legend has it she was betrothed to a great king, but she fell in love with his nephew. The king got jealous and killed the nephew, so she threw herself under the king's chariot rather than live with a man she didn't love.'

Mrs Flynn clasped her plump hands together. ‘Oh, isn't that romantic?'

‘I'll tell you something else, Deirdre. On the spot where they both died two yew trees sprang up, and over the years they entwined together so the lovers were reunited in death.'

‘What a lovely story.' Mrs Flynn turned to Effie, her face rapt. ‘He's a gifted storyteller, isn't he, Nurse?'

‘Full of blarney, more like,' Effie muttered under her breath.

‘Your name's Euphemia, isn't it?' Mrs Flynn went on. ‘Go on, Connor. What does Euphemia mean?'

Effie felt his gaze on her. ‘Trouble, usually,' he said.

Mrs Flynn laughed. ‘Oh, you are a card!'

Effie finished gathering the wash things on to the trolley and stood up.

‘Sister will have your guts for garters if she catches you flirting with the patients,' she hissed to Connor as she walked away.

No sooner had she said it than Sister Allen appeared at the door to her office.

‘Mr Cleary?' she called out.

Effie grinned. ‘You see? Now you're for it!'

‘We'll see about that, won't we?' Connor turned to face Sister as she advanced down the ward. Effie waited expectantly.

‘Hello, Sister.' He sniffed the air. ‘Is that a new scent you're wearing? It's gorgeous.'

Sister Allen blushed lightly. ‘Why, thank you, Mr Cleary.' She patted her hair through her linen bonnet.

Effie stared in disbelief. Sister Allen's ice-cold heart was legendary, but somehow Connor's charm had managed to melt it. Why couldn't all these women see what Effie could see?

‘Now I know what you're going to ask me, Sister, and the answer is yes,' Connor said. ‘I've replaced all that old pipework, so you shouldn't have any more rusty water coming through the taps.'

‘Oh, that's marvellous news.'

‘And I put down some traps for the mice, too, so you won't have any more trouble there, either.'

‘How splendid. Now I wonder if I might trouble you to look at that blackout curtain over there? The rail seems to be loose, and I'm worried the whole thing will come down one night.'

‘I expect it's just a bracket needs replacing. I've got my tools outside, I'll do it now.'

‘Mr Cleary, I don't know what we'd do without you,' Sister Allen declared.

‘You won't have to, Sister. I'm not going anywhere.' Connor winked at Effie as he said it.

He put her in such a bad mood she nearly crashed the trolley on her way back to the sluice. Once inside, she slammed the door shut, leaned against it and let out a scream through clenched teeth.

Daisy, who was scrubbing bedpans at the sink, looked over her shoulder.

‘Let me guess?' she said mildly. ‘Mr Cleary's here again.'

‘He's driving me mad! Honestly, I don't know how much more I can stand of this.'

‘You've got to admit, it is quite useful having him on the ward. I haven't seen one rat since he started working here.'

‘Except for him,' Effie muttered. ‘He's a great big stupid rat. I wish he'd go home.'

Not that there seemed to be much chance of that. In the two weeks he'd been working at the Nightingale, Connor had managed to make himself very much at home. He'd wooed and won over everyone with his twinkling Irish charm. He laughed and joked with the men, flirted with the women, and generally made everyone fall in love with him.

Everyone but Effie.

‘He's persistent, I'll give him that,' Daisy said.

‘Stubborn, more like.'

Jess considered it for a moment. ‘You don't think there's a reason for it, do you?' she ventured.

‘Yes! He wants to make my life a misery.'

‘Are you sure he's not here because he's fond of you?'

The idea was so ridiculous, Effie snorted. She knew she could be fanciful herself at times, but Daisy Maynard took the biscuit! ‘Connor? Fond of me? Don't make me laugh!'

She couldn't see the attraction herself, but she couldn't deny Connor Cleary was a hit with the women, and not just at this hospital. Why would he need to pursue her here when he had every girl in Kilkenny panting after him?

‘Well, I reckon he's going to a lot of trouble just to provoke you,' Daisy said.

‘You don't know Connor Cleary. He'd saw off his own leg with a rusty blade if he thought it would annoy me!' Effie shook her head. ‘No, he's told me himself he's been sent over by my mammy to fetch me home. And I bet he couldn't wait to come over and start causing trouble!' she muttered.

‘Perhaps you shouldn't have run away in the first place?' Daisy said.

‘Don't you start! You sound just like Connor.'

The truth was, Effie did feel guilty for what she'd done. She loved her mother dearly, and had never set out to break her heart. She missed home, too. But even if she'd wanted to go back to Kilkenny she couldn't, because she didn't want to give Connor the satisfaction of thinking he'd beaten her.

All she could hope was that eventually he would get bored and go home to Ireland. But in the meantime, his looming presence was proving a real nuisance.

She was more worried about the effect it was having on Kit. She hadn't seen him for a few days now and she was sure he wasn't as keen on her as he used to be.

The few times they had seen each other had been a misery, thanks to Connor. If they met in the pub he would be in the corner, playing cards with his newfound friends. If they went for a walk in the moonlight Effie couldn't be sure Connor wasn't lurking in the bushes, ready to spring the minute Kit tried to kiss her. It was all very unnerving.

‘When is he going to go home?' Kit kept asking.

‘Don't worry, he'll give up soon,' Effie pleaded.

‘Perhaps I should have it out with him …'

‘Don't! Please don't.' She had seen Connor fight, and knew Kit wouldn't stand a chance. ‘He's not worth it,' she added.

‘It's a bit of a nuisance, you know.'

‘I know,' Effie said. ‘But it won't be for ever, I promise.'

‘It'd better not be. My patience is starting to run out.' The note in Kit's voice frightened her.

When she left the sluice, Connor was up a ladder, replacing the curtain rail. Most of the patients had given up their books and their knitting and their crosswords puzzles to watch him in fascinated silence.

Effie could see how other women might swoon over him, what with those twinkling eyes, dark curls and rippling muscles. But Effie had grown up with him, and she knew he was actually the devil in disguise.

He was waiting for her when she left the hospital that evening, leaning casually against the gatepost, smoking a cigarette.

‘If you're looking for the cart, it's already gone,' he said.

Effie looked up and down the road in frustration. She'd only been ten minutes late. ‘But Sulley usually waits for me.'

‘I told him you weren't coming.'

She turned on Connor. ‘Thanks a lot. Now I'll have to walk home.'

‘Or you could come for a drink with me?'

She stared at him. ‘Why on earth would I want to do that?'

He shrugged. ‘I thought you might want some company, as your boyfriend isn't around so much these days.' He blew a curling stream of smoke into the air. ‘Has he gone off you?'

‘If he has, it's all because of you!'

‘Me? Why?'

‘You make him nervous.'

Connor gave an insulting laugh. ‘What is he, a man or a little girl?'

‘Having you around would put anyone off.'

‘It would take more than that to put me off, if I cared about someone.'

Now it was Effie's turn to laugh. ‘
You
, care about someone but yourself? I'd like to see that.'

‘That's all you know, isn't it?' Connor's voice was low.

Effie stared at him. ‘What's this? Have you got a sweetheart? Don't tell me Connor Cleary's actually fallen in love?'

‘Shut up, Euphemia.' Connor's jaw tightened, but she could see colour creeping up his throat.

‘It's true, isn't it?' she grinned. ‘Come on, who is the poor girl? Do I know …'

Just then, as if by some miracle, Effie suddenly saw Kit striding down the lane towards them. She instantly forgot all about teasing Connor.

She heard Connor mutter something unpleasant under his breath as she ran down the lane to meet Kit. She was so thrilled she launched herself into his arms, hugging him fiercely and planting kisses on his face, for Connor's benefit as much as his.

‘That's a nice welcome, I must say.' Kit held her at arms' length. ‘I was worried I might have missed you.'

‘The cart left without me. Thankfully.' Effie sent a meaningful look over Kit's shoulder to where Connor slouched against the gatepost. Little had he known he would be doing her a favour, sending Sulley away.

Kit glanced at him. ‘I see you haven't managed to lose your shadow yet?'

‘He'll go soon, I promise.' Effie threw her arms around his neck again. ‘Oh, Kit, this is such a lovely surprise! Will we go out tonight?'

‘Sorry, sweetheart, I can't. There's a briefing tonight, and I can't miss it.' He led her away, out of Connor's earshot. ‘But I wanted to let you know, a few of us are heading down to the coast this weekend, and I wondered if you'd like to join us? On your own, of course,' he added, glancing back at Connor.

‘I'd love to. If I can get the time off.' Effie had already decided she would do it, whatever happened. Nothing was going to keep her away from Kit.

‘We're thinking of making a weekend of it, so you might want to sort out a staying-out pass too, if you can?'

He said it so casually, but his meaning was clear. Effie's heart swooped in surprise and alarm.

‘I'll try,' she said quietly.

‘Good girl. I know you won't let me down.' He kissed her passionately. ‘I love you, and I'll see you on Saturday. Don't forget to bring an overnight bag with you.' He winked at her. ‘But leave your friend Connor behind, all right? You know what they say, three's a crowd …'

THE KENT COAST
Wasn't quite as picturesque as Jess had imagined it would be.

The beach was lined with sandbags and squat blocks of concrete to stop enemy tanks coming up off the beach in the event of an invasion. Ugly stretches of rusty barbed-wire fencing reached as far as the eye could see. Even the fresh sea air was tainted with the smell of cordite.