Staff Nurse in the Tyrol (5 page)

CHAPTER THREE

“L
iebling,
what is it? Why do you look so strange?” Stefan’s voice seemed to come from a long way off. Sonia brought her attention back to him.

“Why do you call me
Liebling?
Surely it’s Greta that you love?”

“Greta? That one, she has no time
f
or my love! Perhaps she is right when she says I only care for my country. Greta and I met on holiday, and it was different then. She was not full of the ambition to get away ... she was happy with laughter and sunshine. We did not talk of serious things. Now it is not the same.”

“What happened?” Sonia couldn’t see where Michael had gone. The music had started again and Stefan was guiding her through the dreamy movements of a waltz.

Stefan looked down at the face turned up to his. “You are too young to understand,” he said gently. “You do not know of revolution and of children being shot down in the streets. My sister was no older than you are and died on the barricades, and she was one of the many. Greta says I must forget, must not speak about it. How can I? All that I knew was swept away.”

Sonia’s eyes were troubled. “I’m
sorry...”
How inadequate the words sounded.

Stefan’s arm tightened a little. Then, as the music slowed to a standstill, he led Sonia through the dancers to their table. She was trying to see through the crowd. If only she were taller. She relaxed. Michael
was
there. He was talking to Greta, who was tapping the table with impatient fingers.

Michael stood up as Stefan and Sonia approached. He smiled at her, and she became uneasily aware of the force of his personality. She might be angry with him. She might dislike him. But she would never be completely indifferent to his presence.

“Well, are you enjoying your taste of Austrian night life?”

“Yes, thank you.”

“Come on and sit down, all of you. You can exchange politeness sitting down just as well,” Greta said impatiently.

Michael laughed. “Don’t rush me, Greta! I was going to ask Sonia to dance this next one. May I?” He clicked his heels and made Sonia a very solemn bow.

There seemed to be a curious little silence that made itself felt in spite of the hubbub that was going on all around them. Sonia hesitated as she caught a glimpse of Greta’s face. The other girl seemed to be daring her to refuse, but before Sonia could decide one way or the other, Michael took her by the arm.

“Come on, Sonia. I won’t bite. I’m not like these Austrian wolves, you know.”

She was aware that Greta was staring at her with angry eyes. She saw rather than heard her rebuff Stefan’s invitation to dance, at first impatiently and then with a contemptuous gesture that brought color into his pale face.

“One of these days that young lady will do it once too often.” Michael’s lazy tones broke in on Sonia’s thoughts.

“Why?” She knew it was a stupid question, but Greta’s attitude had shattered her self-confidence.

Michael swung her expertly out of the way of a young couple who were too absorbed in each other to watch where they were going.

“Because she mistakes Stefan’s gentleness for weakness, and it’s nothing of the sort. He’s learned self-control in the hardest school of all, but he still has his breaking point. Greta’s a nice girl,
but...”
He didn’t bother to finish.

“I thought she was a friend of yours,” Sonia ventured.

“A friend? I suppose you could call it that. We work together some of the time. She likes to practise her English on me, and so sometimes we go out together. Are you falling in love with Stefan?”

The question came out with a casualness that left her silent for a few seconds.

“What makes you say that?” she managed to answer.

He chuckled delightedly. “You’re learning! I might have known that it was only a fatherly
gesture ...
or should I say brotherly ...
on his part. You looked as though you liked it. That’s why I wondered. Just remember if you feel the faintest symptom come to your Uncle Michael at once, and he’ll administer the antidote before it’s too late.”

“And what if I don’t want to be cured?” Sonia felt bold enough to smile.

He stopped in the middle of a step, and for a moment she thought he was going to shake her. Then he grasped her very firmly and swung her faster and faster in response to the mad, swirling tune of the fiddles. Laughter, voices, clapping hands, stamping feet, the beat of the music, all were caught up in a merry-go-round of sounds that pounded louder and louder against her eardrums until she felt that her head must burst. Then the whirligig of movement slowed down and finally stopped. Sonia clutched at Michael. The whole room still seemed to be careening wildly around her.

He looked down at the head resting against his shoulder, the flushed little face, the eyes closed now with the shadow of fatigue below them.

“Come on, little one. I’m going to take you home. Traveling all last night and dancing tonight won’t make you a big strong girl.”

Sonia steadied herself with an effort. “What about the others?” He glanced casually back toward the corner table. “A friend of Stefan’s has joined them, and they’re all laughing. I’ll tell the waiter we’ve gone.”

Sonia felt as though she were running away, but she had to admit that she couldn’t have gone on much longer. Even when they emerged into the open air at the top of the steps, she felt that she was walking in a dream. The cool air that brushed against her face had a remoteness about it that wasn’t quite real. The strains of gay Tirolean music that seemed to rush forth from every other doorway that they passed, the laughter, the small groups of teenagers on the street corners, all seemed to belong to another existence. She was only conscious of a strong arm guiding her along, a firm shoulder for her to lean against, and a quiet strength that seemed to make up for her own deficiencies.

“Where are we going?” she murmured sleepily.

“To catch the tram, of course. Doctors don’t rise to taxis twice a day in this country, you know.”

“I’m sorry ... I didn’t mean that. The tram’s all right for me as long as we don’t miss it. I don’t think I could walk to St. Anton
twice
in one day.”

“Lucky for you I’m a bit weary myself, or I’d put you to the test.”

“You’d have to carry me, then.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it. Quick! There’s the tram!”

It was already beginning to move as they pelted down the street toward it. Michael made a leap for the step and then hauled Sonia up beside him. Hanging onto her with one arm, he pushed open the door.

The ticket collector shook his head in despair and made some remark in German that Sonia didn’t quite catch, but it made the other passengers laugh.

Sonia struggled to get her breath back. “What did he say?”

Michael made room for her on the seat beside him. “He says I’ll be needing a doctor myself if I run for trams like that.”

“Ein Ant fur ein Arzt!
Sounds silly. Why don’t they just say doctor?”

“Can’t say. I didn’t invent the language. I expect ours came from the French, or did it? I can’t remember. Stop asking big questions at this hour of night. Go to sleep.”

“I can’t. The tram’s wiggling too much,” Sonia protested.

“You mean wriggling, surely?” Michael teased her.

Sonia struggled to keep her eyes open. “We always say wiggling in our family,” she said firmly.

He laughed at that. “So you have a family? I was beginning to think I was entertaining the orphan of the storm.”

“Of course I have a family. I told you!”

“Did you? I don’t remember ... oh yes ... there was something about cruel parents trying to marry you off to a suitable young man. What happened to him, by the way?”

“To who?”

“You should say to whom, but I’ll let you off, considering the hour. The suitable young man, of course.”

“There wasn’t one. I mean they thought he was suitable, but I didn’t.” This was a crazy conversation, but then the past 24 hours had been topsy-turvy, so it didn’t really matter.

“Of course that was most important.
Liebchen,
I hate to disturb you, but we have to change trams here.”

Sonia stood up unsteadily. “Why does it always sound better in German?”

“What does? Oh, you mean words like dear and darling and little love ... it’s your romantic sense. Remember you’re the silly little goose that thinks a cold in the head is romantic when it’s said in German!”

Sonia nearly fell down the steps in her indignation. “Oh! That’s mean! I never
did...”

“Save it. All the passengers think we’re fighting, or are we?” Michael guided her across
the tracks toward the other tram.

Sonia stopped suddenly. “Why do we have to change? I thought the late trams went all the way to Igls.”

Michael gave her a little push. “You’ll find out what happens to people who question things at the wrong moment if you don’t get on that tram. They walk!”

“Oh no! I couldn’t I simply couldn’t!”

They sat down side by side on the narrow seat, and Sonia was very conscious of his shoulder pressing against hers. He turned and smiled at her.

“If I hadn’t seen your nearly full glass of wine on the table I’d be suspecting that you’d partaken of too much sweet drink. You’re beginning to babble.”

“Don’t you ever babble? Do you always have to be sensible, to be right?” Sonia heard her own words with a detached sort of astonishment.

His face became serious for a moment. “I was under the impression that I had been babbling for the past half hour. It seems that I was mistaken. Put it down to the fact that I’m inexperienced in the art of babbling.”

There was enough bitterness in his voice to warn Sonia not to make any further comment. She lapsed into a comfortable silence, and the sound of voices around her made no demands on her attention. They were speaking German and she was far too sleepy to remember a single
word ...

“
Wake up, Sonia! We’re home.”

Michael’s voice seemed to be a long way off, and she felt herself being half lifted to her feet.

“Sorry ... I must have fallen asleep.” Sonia stumbled down the steps.

“Asleep and snoring you were,” Michael said cheerfully.

“Oh, I wasn’t!” Sonia began and then stopped. “You shouldn’t tease.”

“You shouldn’t believe me so readily.” He was quite unabashed. The garden flowers smelled cool and sweet as they walked across the grass toward the nurses’ entrance.

Michael stopped at the door. “Can you remember your way? I don’t think your roommates will approve if I come any farther.”

Sonia nodded. “Yes, I think so. It’s the second turn on the left. Don’t be silly ... I haven’t any roommates.”

“Careful! You’ll make it sound like an invitation.”

She flushed. “Why do you always have to spoil things? You know I didn’t mean that,” she said in a low tone.

“Perhaps I did know. I’m out of the habit of considering other people’s feelings, I suppose.” His voice sounded puzzled.

“Then why do you look after me so nicely?”

“Do I? I hadn’t noticed. Perhaps it’s because you’re so young and so helpless. Don’t get angry, it’s one of the nice things about you. I must go, if you’re sure you’re all right, or I’ll miss the tram back.”

“Back? I thought you lived in.”

“So I do, but Greta and Stefan will be expecting me ... I think.”

Sonia tried to concentrate. “But isn’t it late? I mean, will the trams still be running?” Had Michael come back on her account? “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spoil your evening” she said apologetically.

He put a hand under her chin and tilted her face up so that she was looking into his eyes; eyes that told her nothing and were gently mocking.

“You didn’t. Off you go to bed. Sleep tight.” He ruffled her hair gently, but there was no mistaking the casual unconcern of his expression.

“Thank you, Michael, for bringing me home.” Her voice felt muffled, and she left him quickly before he could see the tears of weariness springing into her eyes.

Her room leaped into brightness as she pressed the switch, and how inviting her bed seemed. Thank goodness she had had her bath earlier. All she had to do was to climb
in...

“Sonia! Wake up!”

Sonia snuggled deeper under her covers. That couldn’t have been anyone calling on
her ...
Heavens! She was supposed to be on duty, wasn’t she? She struggled up onto one elbow just as Greta put out a hand to shake
her.

“So you are awake? It is time to be ready for breakfast. If you are quick I will wait. Okay?”

Sonia scrambled out of bed. “Sorry! I didn’t realize ... I won’t be long. Should I put on uniform?”

Greta shrugged her shoulders. “I do not know whether the Herr Direktor wishes to see you this morning. It is better if you come to the ward with me. Sister Therese will have instructions, I am sure. I come back in ten minutes,
so...
”

Sonia fumbled her way into her uniform with the speed of long practice, and she was adjusting her cap when Greta came back.

The other girl surveyed her critically. "Your uniform is like ours, yet there is somehow a difference. I like your cap. It has the air ... how do you say
it ...
it is
chic.”

Sonia laughed. “How extraordinary! I like your cap better than mine. It’s so simple and yet it has
chic.
Too bad we can’t swop.”

“Swop? That word sounds German, yet I do not know it. What does it mean?”

“It means to
exchange ...
I take your cap and you give me yours.”

Greta looked startled. “We cannot! Oh!
I understand...” She
started toward the door and then stopped as if remembering something. “You are not ill now? Michael explained that you felt faint last night.”

Sonia saw the suspicion lurking behind the question just in time. “I should have realized that I was too tired. It made me feel dizzy.” She hadn’t lied ... it was true, every word of it, and she couldn’t let Michael down. The thought had formed before she realized its direction. Twenty-four hours ago ... or was it more? ... she had been resenting Michael’s intrusion into her life, and here she was instinctively backing him up.

Greta opened the door. “It was perhaps not wise to take you with us last night. Stefan was concerned about you. He is of the opinion you are too young to stand up to the work here at St. Anton.”

Sonia flared up hotly. “What nonsense! I’ve been a staff nurse for two years. Besides, he has only just met me. How can he know?”

Greta shrugged her shoulders. “Why be angry? You can always return to England if St. Anton is not to your liking.”

Sonia clutched at Greta’s hand beseechingly. “Please! Please don’t even suggest that! I won’t go home ... at least not until I have proved myself here.”

“Proved? What does it mean?” Come along. Sister Therese will not be pleased, nor will there be breakfast left for us.”

Sonia found herself almost running at Greta’s heels along the corridors and up the wide stairs, through door after door, until the sound of childish voices told her she was near her new ward at last. She found herself curious. Would any of the children she had seen earlier in the summer still be there? She saw Greta signing to her to be quiet, and together they tiptoed around the corner and slipped into place behind the little group of nurses who were listening so attentively to the white-robed nun with the gentle face who sat reading the night report.

Sonia was aware of a searching glance from Sister Therese that made her feel that while she could withhold no secrets, the process would be carried out with tenderness. There was a rustle of aprons as the nurses began to disperse to their tasks. She saw Greta approach Sister Therese at a gesture from the older woman. She knew they must be talking about her. If only she knew more German and not just this tantalizing smattering of phrases that left her wondering whether she had understood or not!

Greta came toward her and "then led her to Sister Therese. The nun took her hand, patted it, and smiled a welcome.

“Gruss Got
.”
She turned to Greta and said a few rapid sentences. Greta translated. “Sister Therese is very pleased that you have come to St. Anton. She hopes that you will be happy, very happy. She tells me to take you to breakfast, and then she will show you the ward.”

Sonia smiled gratefully.

Greta tugged at her sleeve. “Come. We must make haste.”

The warm smell of freshly baked rolls and the fragrance of hot coffee greeted them as they went into the almost empty dining room. A few sleepy night nurses had begun to drift in, almost too weary to talk. Sonia followed Greta to the long table where the little nun she had seen yesterday was handing out cups of coffee and plates of rolls and butter.