Sweet Sanctuary (15 page)

Then she pulled herself together. Jimmy! A smile of relief touched her mouth and she ran to the telephone again.

Jimmy was, luckily, in the house when she rang, and when she explained her dilemma was cheerfully willing to do whatever he could to help.

"Glad to do anything! I'll be there in five minutes. Keep cheerful!" He rang off, and she stood for a second longer, feeling the relief welling up inside her chest.

She ran upstairs to check on Mrs. Butler's condition, and was delighted to find her sleeping deeply. Her face was very flushed, her breathing choked, but after Kate's recent alarms the old lady's real condition was in a way a faint relief. Kate had been imagining her to be much worse than this, and although she was still very anxious, she now felt more confident as she returned to the kitchen to wait for Jimmy. She made a large jug of cold lemonade, added ice and a packet of straws and put them all on a tray, to take them upstairs to Mrs. Butler later.

Jimmy arrived soon after she had completed these preparations. She gave him the prescription, thanking him again for his help.

"Think nothing of it! I'm glad to do anything I can. What are neighbours for, after all? When she's better, you can come over and cook a meal for Dad and myself. That will make the old man really happy. He asked me to tell you that if you need a sick nurse he's willing to come over and sit with Mrs. Butler for a few hours. He says it's quite respectable because he's known her for so long."

"That was very kind of him," she smiled. "I'm sure Mrs. Butler would be touched if she knew."

Jimmy looked at her soberly. "Is she very ill? I can't believe it! Aunt Elaine has always seemed so strong —I can't remember her having a day's illness before."

"She looks ill," Kate said slowly. "But I can't be sure just how bad it is—the doctor is very noncommittal. You know what they can be like. He says very little, but I thought he looked worried when he was here last. At her age it's so hard to say. It's the same with children. They can look as if they're at death's door, yet be up and about in twenty-four hours."

Jimmy watched her closely. "Does Aunt Elaine look as if she's at death's door?"

Kate hesitated, then nodded in silence. Jimmy, equally silently, patted her shoulder.

"I'll be back with this prescription in half an hour or so. I'll have to drive into town to pick it up. The only dispensing chemist for miles around, you know. Disgraceful, isn't it?"

When he had gone, Kate went upstairs to the bedroom with her tray. She had made herself a cup of coffee. She sat down beside Aunt Elaine, settled herself and drank her coffee slowly. Once she had made certain that the old lady was still deeply asleep, she began to read the book she had brought up, a collection of short stories. Her mind could not concentrate, however. Her thoughts kept wandering. Each tiny alteration in her companion's breathing made her sit up, alert and anxious. Mrs. Butler appeared to be slowly getting worse. Or, she wondered, was that only her anxiety playing tricks on her?

If only I knew more about nursing, Kate thought unhappily, She had nursed her aunt, but that had been a totally different illness, a long, unchanging condition which had given her no sudden crisis to cope with.

Once the congested lungs brought about a fit of violent coughing. Kate hurriedly helped Mrs. Butler to sit up, supporting her gently. Then she gave her some lemonade to sip, once the coughing had stopped, and Mrs. Butler drank thirstily.

As Kate laid her down again, propped up on pillows, the fragile lids rose and the blue eyes flashed into focus.

"Kate…" The thready voice was almost inaudible, and she bent to catch the words. "Kate, thank you…" Husky, panted out, the words brought tears to her eyes.

Kate smiled, "Silly!"

Mrs. Butler sketched an answering smile, weak, wavering, full of affection.

The pattern was laid down. When Jimmy came quietly up the stairs and brought the medicine prescribed by the doctor, he found Kate again supporting the old lady, offering her another drink of lemonade. Jimmy stood, watching them in silence. When Kate had laid Mrs. Butler down again, she turned her head to smile at him.

"You were quicker than I'd dared hope!"

He came across the room and gave her the package. "How is she? She looks terrible." He spoke softly, so as not to disturb the patient, but Kate looked at her in alarm, then shook her head at Jimmy in warning.

She tiptoed across the room, and he followed her. On the landing she smiled at him.

"Sorry, but I don't want to frighten her. Confidence can be very important in an illness."

"I'm sorry," he corrected her. "It was a dumb thing to say. I just assumed that she was past hearing me. She looks as if only a bomb would bring her out of it."

Kate frowned. "She is very ill, yes. I wish I could get hold of Nick."

"Tried his office?"

She looked at him in wry amusement, and he grimaced. "Of course," he said. "Stupid of me! He wasn't there? Didn't they know where he was?"

"They thought he was at Sylvia's, but when I rang, Sylvia said he wasn't there."

"I expect he'll ring as soon as he hears you've been asking for him." Jimmy looked at her sharply. "You think Aunt Elaine is that bad, then? Bad enough for it to be a matter of urgency to find Nick?"

Kate shrugged helplessly. "I can't be certain. The doctor is no help. I can only go on what I feel—and I feel worried."

"I can see you do," Jimmy murmured. "Is there anything else I can do to help? Have you eaten since breakfast?"

She looked at him in complete astonishment. "Eaten?" Then she gasped as he showed her his watch. "Is that the time? Good heavens. I had no idea!"

"You forgot to have lunch?"

"I'd forgotten there was such a meal," she laughed.

"Are you hungry?"

Her stomach answered her, suddenly violently aware of the long gap between meals, and she groaned.

"Starving, it appears."

"Stay with Aunt Elaine. I'll get us both a scratch meal. Do you like omelettes? I can do a decent omelette."

"I love them!"

"Right—two omelettes coming up!" He grinned, patted her cheek and said softly, "Stop looking so anxious. Go back in there and watch her, but look cheerful. If she sees you with a face like that she'll think her days really are numbered."

Kate mustered a smile and obeyed him. By the time he returned to the bedroom with a tray she had fed Aunt Elaine with the cool lemonade several times, and she fancied that there was a faint but distinct change for the better.

"Her temperature seems to be breaking. She's perspired since the last drink I gave her—the liquid and the aspirins are having an effect."

"Have you given her some of the medicine, too?"

She nodded, then took the tray he handed her and admired his handiwork.

He had created a beautifully golden-brown omelette, out of which tomatoes peeped at one side, and had heaped her plate with crisp fresh salad, too. Thin bread and butter, and an apple, with some fresh coffee, completed the meal.

"Jimmy, you've missed your vocation—you're a born cook!" He grinned. "Eat the omelette while it's hot. I'll be downstairs if you want me. I rang my father and told him I'd be here until Nick got back, so don't worry about anything. I'll be permanently on call while you need me."

She looked at him in gratitude. "This is really very sweet of you, Jimmy. I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything. Glad to be of help." He left hurriedly, looking embarrassed.

The long hours dragged by, the afternoon drew towards evening, and still Nick did not come home. Kate once or twice wondered if she should ring his office again, but she hesitated to do so now that Mrs. Butler was showing signs of some improvement. Nick would think she had panicked unnecessarily.

After his brutal remarks about her intentions towards Sanctuary, she certainly did not want to give him any grounds for believing that she was still pursuing him. Her pride stung too bitterly for that. At six o'clock, Jimmy insisted on relieving her at her post for half an hour, at least, and she left him in the bedroom watching Mrs. Butler while she freshened up in the bathroom and then went to the kitchen to prepare an evening meal.

Jimmy had taken care of the animals for her. The dogs surged out from their usual corners to greet her ecstatically as she entered, their greeting more excited than ever after the long quiet day during which they had sensed, with their keen intuition about atmosphere, the strain which had infected the whole house. She could tell from their darting looks at the doors, their little whines of query, that they were disturbed by Mrs. Butler's unusual absence.

"There isn't much we can hide from you, is there?" She rubbed Punch's ears, and he grew dreamy-eyed with pleasure. "Did Jimmy give you your dinner?"

"What's Jimmy doing here?" The terse question made her swing round in astonishment. Nicholas' stood in the doorway, his brow stormy.

"Oh, Nick, there you are!" Relief at the sight of him made her babble. "I wondered when you would get here… I thought you'd disappeared off the face of the earth…"

"I asked you a question. What's Jimmy Whitney doing here? I just saw his face at a window upstairs."

"Mrs. Butler's window, probably," she said, her own tone becoming sharp in response to the harshness in his.

He shot her a dark look. "Aunt Elaine's room?" Then his eyes widened. "What the devil is he doing up there?" His face changed. "Is she worse? What's wrong—why didn't you let me know she was worse? Why didn't you ring me?"

"I did!" His attitude had hurt, and she snapped back.

He gave her an angry look and moved towards the other door. She caught at his arm.

"You can't go up there looking like a thundercloud. Wait a moment and try to look cheerful."

He looked down at her hand, resting on his arm. "Yes, Sister. Certainly, Sister." His voice had altered, grown lighter, had a tinge of amusement in it. "Very dictatorial all of a sudden, aren't we?"

She let her hand drop, moving back from him. "I'm sorry. I just wanted to make sure you didn't upset her."

"Well, how is she? And if you rang me, why didn't I hear about it?"

"She's been ill today, but she's slightly better now. I rang you earlier because I was rather more worried then, but you were out. I rang Sylvia, but you'd left her, too, apparently. Your office knew I was looking for you, though."

"I wasn't told." His frown boded no good for his secretary. "I was only out for an hour. Why didn't you ring again?"

She flushed. "I would have done, but I thought they would be certain to tell you I'd rung. I explained the situation."

"We had a bit of a flap this afternoon. I suppose it slipped her mind. She's fluffy-headed at the best of times." He gave her a long look. "You're pale yourself. You look exhausted. Have you been run off your feet?"

Kate shook her head. "I've been sitting down all day, watching Mrs. Butler. Her temperature was very high, but it's come down a little now."

"I'll go up now," he said. "Don't worry, I'll be bright and cheerful. I'll send Jimmy down. He came to hold your hand, did he?"

Her face grew suddenly pink. "He came to help in an emergency," she said angrily. "I needed someone to fetch the prescription which the doctor left. That was why I rang you originally. You weren't there, and I had no choice but to ask Jimmy for help." She flung him a furious look. "Which he gave willingly! He's been here ever since. He cooked my lunch and he's taken over with your aunt so that I can have a short break. I'm very grateful to him."

He grimaced. "Noble Jimmy! Don't sound so defiant, Kate. You're quite right—Jimmy has been a Trojan. I'm out of line. I'll remember to thank him, don't worry."

"Don't be so sarcastic," she snapped.

"I wasn't being sarcastic!" Nick looked surprised. "I'm sorry if it sounded like sarcasm."

She eyed him furiously. He gave her a bright, faintly mocking smile and drifted out of the room. She turned her attention to the meal which she had been preparing. A mixed grill would be the easiest meal in the circumstances. She looked into the fridge and found bacon, sausages, some steak. With mushrooms and tomatoes, she thought, that would make a very acceptable meal.

Jimmy appeared, smiling. "I'll shoot off now, if it's all the same to you. You'll have Nick as a backstop now."

"I was just going to make some supper. Will you stay and have a mixed grill?"

He grinned reluctantly. "I'd love to, but the old man will want me to help him with the usual evening jobs. I'll ring you tomorrow. If you need me, just shout." He came and kissed her lightly on the cheek. "You're an angel. Did you know that?"

She smiled. "That makes us twins, then. I was just about to say the same thing to you. I'm very grateful for your help, Jimmy, I don't know what I would have done without you."

He hugged her and went. Kate got on with the cooking. Nicholas came into the kitchen ten minutes later, and lounged in the doorway, watching her. She avoided his gaze, but she was deeply aware of his presence. His stare made her feel uneasy.

At last she glanced at him crossly. "Is Aunt Elaine all right alone? Shall I go up and sit with her?"

"She doesn't need permanent nursing now. She spoke quite rationally to me, and I gave her a large brass bell to keep on her bedside table. If she needs us she's to ring it like mad."

"Do you think we'll hear it down here?" She was rather doubtful. The house was large, and swallowed sound.

"We'll hear it," he assured her. "I think they'll probably hear it in the next county. When I had measles she gave it to me, and she could hear it when she was in the paddock."

She looked up at him, amused. "Measles? When was that?"

He went red. "A couple of years ago."

"Measles?" she teased him. "That's a childish ailment."

His eyes narrowed on her face. "So it is, madam! I caught it late in life, and if you say another word about it I'll demonstrate just how childish I can be!"

Kate began to lay the table. He came, silently, and took the knives and forks from her, and finished the job. She went back to her cooking.