by Cathy Sharp
‘Have I been X-rayed yet?’ he asked the nurse and she gave him a scared-rabbit look and shook her head. ‘I’m a doctor, nurse, so you can tell me the truth. I would much prefer you did.’
‘I don’t know, Dr Clark. I’m just a junior. I’ve been told to change these bandages, that’s all.’
‘Then fetch someone who can tell me!’ he barked at her.
‘Now then, doctor,’ a voice he heard in his dreams said in a cool clinical tone that immediately quelled his anger, ‘please do not bully the nurses.’
‘Rose!’ He looked at her and managed a smile even though his head ached like hell. ‘I thought you were with me all last night …’
‘I was most of the time,’ she said and bent to take his pulse. Her calm, clinical manner made him laugh.
‘You never change, do you?’ he said, looking at her hard.
‘Would you wish me to?’ Rose smiled at him. ‘I suppose I should forgive you for standing me up last night – though it was a rather silly thing to do to get out of our dinner.’
‘I couldn’t let her be crippled, Rose. She wouldn’t have survived it,’ Peter said. Rose’s soft, sweet eyes looked into his and he knew what she was asking. ‘Yes, I will survive, whatever. I may hate it – but I’ll fight it every step of the way.’ He strained to sit up but had to flop back against the pillows, exhausted. ‘Sod it!’
Rose laughed and the sound of it was music to his ears. If he hadn’t already adored her, he certainly would have then. ‘Don’t try too hard too soon, Peter. Let the nurses and doctors heal you as much as they can – and then we’ll take it from there.’
‘What do you mean?’ Peter asked frowning.
‘We’ll see what can be done when you come home to Beattie and me,’ Rose said. ‘You live in lodgings, Peter, so it makes sense to let us help you. Beattie is losing Danny and she’ll have time to help you while I’m at work; and when I’m not, I shall help you with the exercises. The stronger your upper body is, the better you’ll manage to get in and out of the chair – should you need it.’
‘I’ll need it,’ he said grimly. ‘I can’t feel my toes and I can’t move my legs.’
‘But you can move your arms and you’re strong,’ Rose said in the calm, practical manner he’d heard her use at the Rosie so many times. ‘I had some experience with this sort of thing a few years ago and I’ll research the latest thinking so that I know just what to do to help you.’
‘And why should you and Beattie do this for me?’ Peter demanded aggressively.
‘I imagine you can pay rent,’ Rose said in her unruffled manner. ‘Beattie can do with a little extra help – and I happen to like you quite a lot.’
Peter looked at her for a long minute. ‘I don’t want sympathy. I could afford to pay for help in a special hospital if I need it.’
‘Yes, of course you could, but why not be in a comfortable home with people who care for you?’
‘Do you care, Rose?’ he asked and waited, holding his breath.
‘Yes, I do,’ she said. ‘I always have – but that doesn’t mean I’ll cry all over you or let you have your own way!’
Peter let out his breath in a burst of laughter that made the other nurse look at him in astonishment. ‘No, you won’t, will you, Sister Rose? And I’ll bet you won’t let me slack or feel sorry for myself.’
‘Why on earth should you feel sorry for yourself?’ she asked. ‘There are children who are born without the proper use of their bodies who never have the chance to live any other way. You’re a strong man, strong enough to live independently in time, should you get tired of us – and if I have my way you will be able to do much of what you did before, even if from a chair. But I promise you, Peter Clark, we will do everything we can to get you back on your feet again.’
‘No quarter given, eh?’ His smile was amused as he relaxed. ‘Well, Rose, I thank you and Beattie for the chance to live in your home – and if I make it out of this damned place, I’ll probably take you up on your offer – just so that I can tell those kids at the Rosie that I know what it is like to be bossed about by Sister Rose.’
‘Good.’ Rose smiled at him. ‘One of the things I like best is your sense of optimism, Dr Clark. I think we should say as soon as you get out of this damned place, don’t you?’
‘Oh yes, anything you say, Sister,’ Peter said. He watched her straighten his bed automatically. Even here, where she had no sway, she was at her practical best. The nurse who had left his bed in a pickle would feel the edge of her tongue if she worked at the Rosie! ‘That feels better, thank you.’
Rose sat down on the chair beside his bed. ‘Just rest for a while now, please. I thought you might like to know that Jessie is doing very well. She is conscious and she knows you saved her and she sends you her love – and will visit you as soon as they “bleedin’ let her”.’
‘It was good of you to visit her,’ Peter said, his eyes never leaving her face. He wondered if she knew how beautiful she was and smiled inwardly. He would never have expected to woo the woman he wanted from a hospital bed, but if it was his only choice, he might as well start now. ‘You look wonderful, Rose. That reddish-golden light in your hair is truly beautiful.’
‘Strange,’ she said, ‘I’ve always wished for dark hair or deep auburn – this colour is neither one thing nor the other.’
‘Oh no, I think it looks like the gold of ripe corn in the sunlight,’ he said and she giggled, her eyes sparkling as she shook her head at him.
‘I always knew you were a flirt,’ she said. ‘I didn’t know you were a poet too!’
Peter closed his eyes, a smile on his face. His head ached and all he wanted to do was sleep but he tried to fight it because Rose was visiting and he so much wanted to be with her. He felt her breath on his face but couldn’t manage to open his eyes as the exhaustion took over.
‘Sleep, my darling,’ she said. ‘If I’m gone when you wake, know I’ll come back as soon as I can and I’ll never leave you …’
Peter gave up the struggle and slipped into the deep, healing sleep his body craved. He dimly felt her hand touching his face and smelled her perfume and then he slept.
‘His spine is badly bruised and crushed in one place,’ the doctor told Rose when she asked. ‘I can’t rule out that it will heal eventually – the human body is a remarkable thing, Sister Rose, but it will be a long job and, if he does eventually recover movement, he will likely have quite a bit of pain to contend with for life. However, I don’t have to tell you that, I know.’
‘I didn’t expect anything else,’ Rose said. ‘I am prepared for the worst, doctor, but I need to know if the damage is permanent?’
‘I can’t say for certain. There is damage to the vertebrae, but as far as I can tell the spinal cord is intact, though it is bruised and damaged. He will not walk or feel movement until that has healed, and it may never do so completely.’
‘Yet there is hope.’ Rose nodded. ‘I want him to have hope, doctor. He will need it to begin the fight that lies ahead. In time he will grow accustomed to his limitations and we’ll teach him how to adapt, but he needs a little hope.’
‘He is a doctor. If I tried to sugar the pill, Sister, he would know immediately.’
She smiled. ‘Of course. So the truth but don’t damn him to the chair without hope. There is a small chance he can recover mobility and I want him to believe it.’
‘You are a determined woman, Sister Rose.’
She smiled and inclined her head as if it were a compliment. ‘Yes, Doctor, I am – and if it is physically possible, I’ll get him on his feet again.’
‘With you to care for him it just may be,’ he said. ‘If ever I’m ill, remind me to send for you.’
Rose smiled. ‘Dr Clark means a lot to me, sir, and I think he deserves whatever we can do to help him.’
‘There’s no doubt of that,’ the spinal consultant replied. ‘He’s done a lot of work for charity – did you know that?’
‘I
’d guessed as much from what Jessie told me,’ Rose said, ‘but he’d never mentioned it to me. I dare say Matron knew but she doesn’t break a confidence.’
‘He has a private income,’ the consultant told her. ‘I’ve no idea what it is but it came from his paternal grandfather and that’s why he gives so much of his time to the free clinics. We employed him two days a week but he devoted his life to the poor of London. He didn’t deserve what happened – even if he was a reckless young fool.’
‘Reckless and brave,’ Rose said and lifted her head. ‘Thank you for telling me about Peter’s condition and his chances. I intend to make as much as possible of that chance and I expect we’ll be seeing you for various appointments in the future, Mr Baker.’
‘Yes, we’ll certainly be keeping an eye out for him,’ Ken Baker told her. ‘I can only say good luck, Sister Rose, and I wish you well in your efforts.’
Rose nodded and left his office. Kenneth Baker was a busy man and she was grateful to him for seeing her. Now all she had to do was to prepare Beattie’s front room for Peter. He would be using that as his bedroom for the foreseeable future, not Danny’s room, but not just yet. The hospital consultants seemed to think that Peter was over the worst but now his long convalescence would begin and they would send him home to her when they judged he was ready for the move.
CHAPTER 37
‘Thank you, Ted, these are lovely.’ Beattie accepted the flowers and smelled them. Roses and freesias, gorgeous! ‘They smell wonderful.’ She glanced at the two boys, who were poring over a football magazine that Ted had given them. ‘Will you have a cup of tea and a slice of my fruitcake? I know you’re partial to fruitcake.’
‘Yes, I like the way you make it with cherries and not dark like most,’ Ted said. ‘You can really taste the fruit like this and it’s fresh and lovely.’
‘I make a dark rich fruitcake at Christmas but I like this sort for everyday and so does Rose.’
Ted nodded and glanced at the boys. At that moment they got up and went racing up the stairs to Danny’s room.
‘Danny has some new football kit for school,’ Beattie told him. She took a deep breath. ‘I suppose you’ll be taking him this weekend?’
‘After Sunday lunch,’ Ted agreed, hesitated, then, ‘It doesn’t have to be forever, though, Beattie. I wondered – if, when you get to know me better, you might consider being my wife?’
Beattie closed her eyes for a moment. It was what she’d wanted for weeks now, had dreamed of, but things were altered now. ‘I might like that, Ted,’ she said slowly, ‘but it couldn’t be while Rose needs me to help her.’
He looked at her and nodded. ‘I thought you might say that.’ He frowned and then said, ‘It wouldn’t be you if you let her down, Beattie, and I know I can’t expect you to put me first because you hardly know me. And I first thought of it because of Ron and Danny, believing it would make things better for the four of us. But the truth is, Beattie, it’s because of the way I feel about you. I-I’m very fond of you …’
‘And I’m fond of you, Ted,’ Beattie admitted. ‘Very fond. If it hadn’t been for Dr Clark’s accident, I would have been happy to marry you right now. And I hope you understand that I can’t let Rose down. She’s like a sister to me, you see.’ Her eyes glistened with tears. ‘Oh Ted, you won’t stop coming over, will you?’
‘No, no I shan’t do that, Beattie,’ Ted said. ‘I’m disappointed – because I’d hoped we could all be together sooner rather than later, but I shall still come over every Saturday and Sunday unless I take the boys out somewhere and, if I do, we’ll come another night to make up for it.’
‘Oh, you’re a good man, Ted Phillips!’ Beattie said and he got up and put his arms around her, kissing her softly on the lips. She blushed and gave him a little push away. ‘Go on with you, we’re not wed yet …’
‘No, but that was for being the lovely woman you are,’ Ted told her and kissed her again. ‘Right, Ron and I had best be getting home …’ He went to the foot of the stairs and called out and both boys came running down. ‘Time to go, Ron. You’ll be coming home with us on Sunday after tea, Danny, so get your things packed before then.’
‘Yes, Uncle Ted.’ Danny smiled as Ted ruffled his hair. ‘Thanks.’
‘Goodnight, then – say goodnight to Beattie, Ron. She’s given us a tin of stuff to take home with us.’
‘Thank you, Beattie,’ Ron said. ‘Your last cake was the best ever!’
‘You like pear-upside-down cake, do you?’ Beattie smiled. ‘Then I’ll make it on Sunday and you boys can take it home with you.’
After Ted and Ron had gone, Beattie made cocoa for herself and Danny and sent him off to bed. Rose was visiting Dr Clark and Beattie felt sadness descend for a moment. She would have liked to have given Ted her promise and she knew her home wouldn’t be quite the same once Dr Clark was here, either. She thought the boys might have to be quieter if he was sleeping next door and wondered how it would work, yet she didn’t regret giving her word to Rose.
‘Beautiful flowers,’ Rose remarked when she saw the roses and freesias in a vase on the hall table. ‘Ted brought them, I suppose?’
‘Yes, he did,’ Beattie said. ‘His house is ready now and he’ll be taking Danny with him on Sunday after tea.’
‘I see …’ Rose looked at her with sympathy. ‘I’m so sorry, Beattie. We knew it was coming but it is very hard, especially for you.’
‘Yes, I shall miss him,’ Beattie agreed, ‘but I did know it was coming – and I’ve learned to accept it. They will visit at weekends and Danny will come after school until he leaves, and that must be enough …’ She nearly added ‘for now’ but checked herself in time. If Rose guessed what she’d turned down for her sake she wouldn’t accept it. Beattie couldn’t let her guess or notice anything or she would tell her she would make other arrangements and Beattie would never let her down.
‘Yes, I suppose so,’ Rose said but in a preoccupied way that told Beattie her thoughts were elsewhere. ‘Peter was a bit depressed this evening … I think he’d been trying to exercise and found it harder than he imagined.’
‘How soon do you think they will let him come home?’
‘Perhaps in a month. It gives us time to fix the room up for him but it means some of your things will have to go in the dining room out of the way for now.’ She looked apologetic. ‘It means turning your home upside down, Beattie.’
‘I know and I don’t mind,’ Beattie replied with a smile. ‘I’ll be glad to have him, so don’t feel awkward, Rose. Whatever you need to do, do it.’
‘Thank you – it is so, so kind. I’m not sure I could’ve managed without your help, Beattie. Peter has money and we could have hired a place for us and help, too, but it might not have worked and I wouldn’t want to leave him with just anyone, whereas I know I can trust you.’
‘Bless you for that, Rose.’ Beattie embraced her lovingly. Her regrets over Ted and their immediate future vanished like morning mist. She loved Rose and Rose needed her, so Rose was going to get what she needed.
CHAPTER 38
Lily looked at the post. There were two cards; the first was a view of an English seaside resort and was from Mary Thurston. Matron had surprised everyone by actually going off for a week’s holiday at Lady Rosalie’s cottage in Devon but the message said she was having a lovely time. It would do her the world of good, Lily thought. They could all do with a little break from work in the sunshine. Smiling, Lily put the card on the mantle where Jenny would see it and then looked at the next card. It was a beautiful view of the Swiss mountains and carried a simple message, which made her heart race suddenly with excitement.
Enjoying a break in the sunshine. Wish you were here with me. Think of you always. One day, my love …
The card was not signed but Lily didn’t need it to be. She was well aware it was from Chris and it made her ache with longing. The postmark was Switzerland and so clearly her husband was there again for some reason. She wondered if
he might get home again for a surprise visit and lived in hope for ten days or so but then gave up expecting him. He’d taken the chance to send a postcard but that was all he could manage. She smiled and held it to her heart, as if somehow the hands that had written that message could touch her. If only he could come home and be with her! If only he did a nice safe sensible job in the civil service …
He wouldn’t be Chris if he did, she supposed, and told herself to stop moping. Chris would come when he could, she knew that, so there was no point in wishing for the moon.
After their wedding and brief honeymoon, Lily had wondered if she might fall pregnant, but nothing had happened. She was in her early thirties and knew it was possible she might never have a child but she and Chris had discussed it and she’d said she didn’t want to take precautions.
‘If I have your baby, I’ll be happy and proud,’ she’d told him and he’d kissed her. Unfortunately, it hadn’t happened. Perhaps it never would. Chris had told her all he wanted was her, though if she had a child, he would love it for her sake as well as its own.
‘I don’t mind, darling,’ he’d told her. ‘I love you, and as soon as I can I’ll come back to you and we’ll tell everyone we’re married.’
Lily had smiled, secure in his love. She still felt that security but missed him. It was hard not having him close when she went to bed at night and her body ached for him.
Jenny was dating a young taxi driver at the moment. She’d met him when he’d fetched a patient from the infirmary and he’d come back later to ask her out. Jenny had agreed and he’d taken her dancing twice, to the pictures once, and to a lovely meal. He owned his own taxi and a nice car and earned a reasonable living, which meant he could take Jenny to nice places, which was what Jenny seemed to want from her boyfriends.
Lily worried about her sister sometimes. She wasn’t sure how Jenny felt about Michael Grey. Was she attracted to the man or to the nice car he picked her up in, the places he could afford to take her to? But she seemed happier again and was often in a rush to meet her new friend. The sisters still went out to the pictures together every now and then but Lily spent more time at home alone than Jenny. She preferred to work nights and had volunteered for it when Sister Rose asked if she would take the night shifts and let Rose stay on days.