Ring for the Nurse (17 page)

After an affectionate farewell and all sorts of advice serious and otherwise, Diana departed, leaving Felicity to her own devices. Mechanically she tidied up the littered room, lifted her half-packed suit-case to a chair and set out her clothes ready for the morning.

CHAPTER
ELEVEN

“
Mr. Brenton
’
s car
is ready, Miss, and I
’
ve put the suitcases in the back.
”
The hospital porter addressed Felicity as she stood ready in the entrance
hall
.

“
Then please ring through to Sister, John Mason Ward and tell her,
”
Felicity instructed him.
“
She
’
ll let Mr. Brenton know.
”
While the porter turned to his desk to carry out her request, Felicity walked towards the wide-opened doors. She felt ridiculously nervous, she couldn
’
t imagine why, but for the first time in her life she would have given anything to be wearing her familiar uniform, there was after all something comfortably inconspicuous about her worn navy coat and the plain felt hat which when pulled well forward could practically screen her face. The black suit, which a few moments ago had seemed so neat and suitable, now felt far too well fitting, the heels of her black shoes appeared to have grown inches higher and she was certain the discreet touch of lipstick must be obvious to all. With nervous tread she walked to the top of the broad stone steps. That must be the hired car, she hoped it had a careful driver, she wouldn
’
t dare caution him in front of Guy Brenton, that might be suggestive of the fussing he deplored, but since his concussion he was still liable to headaches and fast driving mightn
’
t be too good for him.

“
So you are a
l
l ready?
”

Felicity turned with an almost guilty start at the sound of Guy Brenton
’
s voice. It was so long since she
’
d seen him outside the confines of his small room that his tall figure, with an overcoat flung across his shoulders leaving the bandaged arm free, made him appear strangely
unf
amiliar
,
She was deeply conscious of his eyes appraising her, a knowledge which did nothing towards putting her at her ease.

“
I hardly knew you—odd what a difference clothes
made.
”
The words carried a hint of amusement but there was no mistaking the underlying note of admiration.

Sister Robinson retained a tight-lipped silence, but her very air of disapproval had the happy effect of strengthening Felicity
’
s flagging spirits. Guy Brenton had asked her not to look like a nurse, well, she didn
’
t and her appearance out of
unif
orm was nothing whatever to do with Sister Robinson
!
With an assumed attitude of nonchalance she turned to Sister.
“
Good-bye, Sister, I do hope Nurse Mendel will turn out all right, anyway, I expect I
’
ll be back quite soon.
”

In spite of his very definite instructions, Guy Brenton made no demur when, descending the steps, Felicity put her hand lightly beneath his elbow. It was
o
nly when he had safely completed the descent that he seemed aware of the car.

“
But this is my own car—I ordered a Daimler Hire
!
—
”

He broke off to stare in complete amazement as the car door opened and Alaine Jason slipped from the driving seat and touched her hat mockingly, her face wreathed in smiles.

“
Darling—isn
’
t this a wonderful surprise? I just had to keep it a secret! When I knew you were ready to leave St. Edwin
’
s, I hurried the garage up with the repairs so you should have your own car to go down in. I knew you couldn
’
t drive with your arm all tied up and
I guessed. Nurse couldn
’
t, so I
’
ve fixed to have time off and I
’
m going to drive you down myself!
”

Perhaps Felicity imagined it but she was sure that Guy Brenton stiffened beside her, and, as for herself she felt she had been suddenly plunged under a cold shower. She couldn
’
t imagine why it should matter so much, but it was as if Alaine
’
s unexpected appearance had suddenly blotted out the spring sunshine, as if clouds had gathered for a storm!

“
Well, darling, say you
’
re glad,
”
Alaine, her face still alight with laughter, went on as she opened the door of the car.
“
You sit in front beside me, I
’
ve put my suit-case on the back seat but I
’
ve left plenty of room for Nurse—and a rug too, see, I
’
ve thought of everything,
”
she went on, as having seen him settled in the front seat, she slammed the door and turned her attention to Felicity who still stood as if rooted to the pavement beside the car
!
“
You get in the ba
ck.
You do look nice!
”
she added, staring
at Felicity as
if seeing her for the first time.
“
What a lovely suit—and that hat too, it
’
s just right! I said you were far too attractive to stick to the dreary job of nursing: with my practised eye, I spotted you were a beauty even in that hideous uniform.
”

Felicity was glad that on stooping to enter the car her flushed face was hidden from Alaine and as the car threaded its way through the busy streets she was grateful for the privacy which her position behind afforded her. Neither of the other occupants of the car could see her and indeed she wondered whether they had not forgotten her presence. Guy Brenton had scarcely spoken since the moment Alaine had made her unexpected appearance. Felicity wondered uneasily whether being seated again in his own car, with Alaine by his side, just as it must have been on the fatal night of the accident, wasn
’
t arousing unpleasant memories.

“
You don
’
t mind if we go via St. Albans, do you? I must pop into the studio for a moment, I
’
ve left my script there and there are one or two bits I want to study over the week-end.
”
Without awaiting a reply, Alaine went on,
“
I was lucky to get the time off, but then old Fettle is just putty in my hands, I
’
m able to do just what I like with him,
”
she boasted with a laugh.

“
St. Albans is hardly on the route but—well, I suppose you
’
d better stop off there if you have to.
”

Felicity thought Guy Brenton
’
s tone somewhat discouraging but it appeared to leave Alaine entirely unmoved and she had already turned the car resolutely towards the St. Albans road.

The busy streets had now been left behind and the car sped smoothly along the wide arterial road; the air was already fresher and the young trees planted symmetrically along each side of the highway were heavy with bud.
“
Quite comfy, Nurse?
”
Alaine threw the question over her shoulder at Felicity, then unheedful of any reply, went on to address Guy.
“
Do you realize, darling, that I
’
ve given up a film premiere tonight and a dance at the
“
Shalimar
”
tomorrow night so as to spend a week-end
with you? I
’
m going to help Nurse look after you.
”
She gave a low, musical laugh.
“
I
’
ll let her do all the real nursing but it
’
s my turn now to hold the patient
’
s hand, stroke his forehead and do all those pleasant little things I
’
ve been barred from all the time you
’
ve been in hospital.
”

“
I assure you those are not a part of Nurse Dene s duties,
”
Guy Brenton interposed dryly.
“
Or if they were, then she must have failed lamentably in that part of her nursing.
”

It was fortunate that the conversation was brought to an abrupt close by their arrival at the entrance of the Fettle Studios. Alaine slipped from the driving seat and with a promise not to be long, hurried through the tall, iron gates. It was not until she had disappeared from view behind one of the many buildings comprising the studios, that Guy Brenton, leaning his elbow on the back of his seat, twisted round to address Felicity.

“
I hope you are comfortable there, that suit-case isn
’
t in your way, is it?
”

“
Gracious, no,
”
Felicity
a
ssured him,
“
The seat is wide enough for three, I
’
ve loads of room.
”

As he twisted back again to his former position, Felicity was aware of a
slowness in his movements and her brief view of his features had shown her a weariness which had not been present for some days now. That recent air of buoyancy had gone, he was slumped in his seat and following his conventional query to her comfort, had immediately reverted to his former silence. Of course it was his first outing, naturally he must be feeling the strain, perhaps she had been right, the familiarity of his own car had evoked memories—how much better if he had travelled as he had arranged. Felicity bit her lips with exasperation. The whole thing was wrong, deplorably wrong. He shouldn
’
t be waiting about here, miles off his route, but should have travelled direct and with the least possible delay.

It was, in fact, fully half an hour before Alaine reappeared, her script under her arm and brimming over with apologies.
“
I
’
m sorry—was I very long?—you know what it is—once I get into the place I
’
m just besieged with people—would I like this done or that?
”
She babbled on as she turned the car towards her ultimate destination.

Even the arterial road was left behind now and despite the misgivings which filled Felicity, she could feel joy flood her whole being as the sweeping fields flashed by on either
side and on the horizon she could already see the rise and fall of the Chiltern Hills, purple in the distance.

“
Let
’
s stop here for a cup of tea.
”
Without awaiting a reply, Alaine braked the car outside an attractive-looking road-house.
“
I don
’
t know about you people but I
’
m just parched, couldn
’
t go another yard without refreshment.
”

Felicity
’
s objection was spontaneous, she hadn
’
t even paused to think.
“
Oh, no!—we should go straight on, it would be so much less tiring for Mr. Brenton.
”

“
It
’
s past four, Miss Jason certainly needs her tea—and I think I told you I will not tolerate any fussing.
”
Guy Brenton had already alighted and was now opening the car door for Alaine. The brief glimpse she had of his firmly set jaw gave her no encouragement to venture any further protest, she felt chilled at the undeserved rebuke and had no alternative but to follow the other two through the swing door into the tea lounge.

As they seated themselves she could not resist a surreptitious glance at her patient from beneath her curled lashes. He definitely looked drawn and tired, and although he was responding to Alaine
’
s ceaseless chatter it was obviously costing him some effort. Well, she
’
d been snubbed once and she wasn
’
t going to risk it again, so with a resigned shrug of indifference, Felicity peeled off her suede gloves and accepted the menu which Alaine was handing her.

“
Just tea, please.
”

“
I
’
m having home-made scones, what about you Guy, darling? I
’
m sure you
’
ve been half-starved in hospital, better start making up now.
”
She turned to the waiter with one of her most cajoling smiles.
“
Tea please, and scones—nice and hot with lots and lots of butter—oh, and jam too,
”
she called after him as he turned to execute the order.
“
There now, it
’
s restful enough here, isn
’
t it? I don
’
t think driving without a stop is good for anyone—and you a nurse, too, why, I thought all nurses lived on cups of tea.
”