A Nightingale Christmas Promise

by Donna Douglas

  ‘Oh, yes. Sorry about that.’ He was smiling as he said it. Kate fought the urge to smack his smug face.

  ‘I’m sure you are,’ she said sweetly.

  ‘Still, I’m sure it won’t make much difference to you,’ Rufus said. ‘You don’t strike me as the type to enjoy a drink.’

  ‘I intend to appeal,’ Kate said.

  ‘Indeed?’ Rufus’ brows rose. ‘Well, you’ll be wasting your time. The vote was unanimous. No one wants you,’ he added, as if she didn’t quite understand.

  Charlie Latimer laughed awkwardly. ‘No need to be quite so blunt, old chap.’

  ‘All the same, I will appeal,’ Kate insisted.

  ‘If you must.’ Rufus shrugged. ‘You can stamp your little foot all you like, but you can’t have everything your own way.’ His mouth twisted. ‘Although I suppose you could always run off to your father and complain?’

  ‘Now that’s enough.’ Charlie Latimer stepped in before Kate could reply. ‘Really, French, you might remember your manners when you’re speaking to a lady.’

  Rufus sent him a sideways look. ‘I leave the charm to you.’

  He turned on his heel and walked off, leaving Charlie with Kate.

  ‘Pay no attention to him,’ Charlie said.

  ‘I don’t,’ Kate replied coldly, her eyes still fixed on him as he disappeared around a corner.

  ‘I did think it was a bad show by the committee,’ Charlie went on. ‘If I’d been there I would have voted against it.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘French was wrong, you know,’ Charlie said quietly. ‘About no one wanting you. I for one am glad you’re here.’

  Kate glanced sideways at him. He stared back at her in a curiously intent way. She had noticed him looking at her like that before, as if there was some kind of secret message he wanted to convey. She knew she was supposed to understand, but it only confused her.

  ‘He’s right about one thing, though,’ Charlie said. ‘There’s no point trying to win over the committee. French has them all firmly under his control.’

  Kate looked back at him. ‘Then I shall have to think of something else, won’t I?’ she said.

  Chapter Sixteen

  ‘You must be joking!’

  Rufus glared at his friend. He should have known better than to expect any sympathy from Charlie Latimer. ‘I am not. She went to see the Dean.’

  Charlie roared with laughter. ‘Good for her,’ he said. ‘I didn’t think she’d take it lying down. Oh, don’t look so sour, old man. You should never have tried to ban her in the first place.’

  ‘The Students’ Union committee voted,’ Rufus insisted. ‘We were unanimous.’ He had tried to make the same point to the Dean, but the old man wouldn’t listen. Rufus was still stinging from their encounter in his office. The Dean had humiliated him, treated him as if he were some foolish first-year student. ‘Now she’s come along and made him overturn our decision.’

  ‘And why not?’ Charlie shrugged. ‘If you have friends in high places, why not use them?’

  ‘That’s the difference, isn’t it? She has special privileges. Can you imagine what would happen if I went whining to the Dean every time things didn’t go my way? He’d throw me out of his office!’

  ‘That’s because you’re not pretty enough.’ Charlie grinned at him.

  ‘Or because my name isn’t Carlyle,’ Rufus said bitterly. ‘Well, this isn’t the end of it. It’s unconstitutional, and I’m going to fight it.’

  Charlie Latimer sighed. ‘Must you? Personally, I’m rather bored with the whole matter. And I’m sure the rest of the committee will agree with me. They only voted against because you got so hot under the collar about it.’

  ‘That’s not the point!’

  ‘No, the point is you have a personal grudge against the girl and you’re dragging everyone else in to it.’ Charlie patted Rufus on the shoulder. ‘You’ve already lost the battle, so why not just give in gracefully? You’ll never win with all those big guns ranged against you, anyway.’

  ‘All the more reason to go on fighting,’ Rufus muttered.

  Charlie gave him a pitying smile. ‘Look, I understand,’ he said. ‘She’s made a fool of you. But if you carry on like this you’re going to make an even bigger fool of yourself. Why not just let the whole thing drop?’

  Rufus stared back at his friend. Infuriating as it was, he knew it was right. He was waging a personal war that he could never win.

  But that was what chafed so painfully at Rufus. He would never win against the likes of the Carlyles. They could do as they pleased, all doors automatically open to them. And when someone like Rufus French tried to close one, all they had to do was call on their big guns, as Charlie called them.

  ‘It doesn’t look as if I have much choice,’ he muttered.

  ‘That’s the spirit!’ Charlie looked relieved. ‘I knew you’d see sense in the end, old boy. Tell you what, why don’t I meet you in the bar later to celebrate the end of hostilities?’ He smiled mischievously. ‘Perhaps we could allow Miss Carlyle to buy us a drink, in the interests of equality?’

  He was still chuckling to himself over his joke as he walked off. Rufus watched him go, still simmering with suppressed rage.

  Kate Carlyle had humiliated him. Not just in front of the Dean, but before the rest of the committee, too. He was the one who had pushed hardest for her to be excluded from the SU bar. It had been his idea, and the others had fallen in with it, and now they would all know that she had beaten him.

  Infuriatingly, Kate was the first person he saw when he walked through the double doors on to Everett ward ten minutes later. She was with one of his patients, a bronchiectasis case who had been brought in a week earlier. Staff Nurse Gifford was with her.

  He watched Kate for a moment, dark head bent over her notes. Even the meticulous way she filled them in irked him.

  He took a moment to compose himself, then went over to join her.

  ‘Miss Carlyle.’ He greeted her with a nod.

  ‘Good morning, Dr French.’ If she was crowing over her victory it didn’t show in her cool expression.

  ‘What are you doing?’

  ‘I’ve prescribed an inhalation for this patient.’

  Rufus snatched the notes from her. ‘But I ordered postural drainage?’

  ‘Yes, Doctor. But I checked the sputum levels for the past three days, and the measurement is just the same as it was before the treatment commenced. If you look at the figures—’

  ‘Yes, yes, I see them.’ Rufus wanted to argue with her, but there was nothing to say. He should have checked the sputum levels himself, then he would have known his treatment wasn’t working. As it was, he found himself being corrected by a student. He could feel Staff Nurse Gifford’s steady gaze on him.

  ‘I see you’ve prescribed Iodoform and Eucalyptol?’ he commented.

  ‘That’s right.’

  ‘Not Creosote?’

  ‘I thought I would try this first. Creosote is known to irritate—’

  Rufus ignored her, crossing out her precise little notes to scrawl his own instructions. ‘One part Carbolic Acid, three parts Creosote and six parts Spirit of Chloroform.’ He thrust the notes to Nurse Gifford. ‘And if that doesn’t work, refer back to me.’

  He waited for Kate to argue but she pressed her lips together and said nothing.

  ‘In future you should consult me before you change my patients’ treatment,’ he said.

  ‘I waited for you, but you were late.’

  He looked up at her. Her face was a blank mask. ‘Only ten minutes.’

  ‘How was I to know how long you would be?’

  ‘Nevertheless, you should have waited.’

  ‘Of course, Doctor.’ There was a distinct edge to her voice. ‘In future I will certainly put your needs before those of the patient.’

  As he walked away he noticed Staff Nurse Gifford’s smile. In spite of his efforts, he sensed he hadn’t come off best from the en
counter.

  He found the ward sister behind a screen at the end of the ward, bullying a young student nurse through her first application of leeches. The poor girl was doing her best, but she was obviously nervous. And Miss Sutton wasn’t making it any easier, growling over her shoulder at her.

  ‘No, no, hold it by its end. No, the other end … Now, direct the head … For heaven’s sake, stop shaking, or you’ll never get it in the right place!’

  As Rufus pulled back the screen the girl looked up and promptly dropped the leech. The black, wriggling creature fell with a plop on to the starched white bed cover.

  ‘Now look what you’ve done!’ Miss Sutton sighed. ‘Pick it up and put it back in the jar. And don’t touch anything until I come back.’

  Rufus gave the young student a sympathetic smile as he pulled the screen back around the bed. He knew her name was Sedgewick because he had heard Charlie Latimer mention her several times. Apparently his friend had been trying his luck with her, but she seemed to be one of the few girls who could resist his charms.

  Rufus wasn’t surprised Latimer was interested; she was extraordinarily pretty, with her green eyes and soft blonde curls escaping from beneath her cap.

  ‘Do you have anything for me, Sister?’ Rufus asked.

  Miss Sutton looked up and down the ward. ‘Not really, Doctor. Miss Carlyle has already seen most of the patients …’ Then, just as Rufus’ irritation began to rise, she added, ‘But there is someone I thought you might want to see yourself. A new admission, sent up from Casualty half an hour ago. Paroxysmal auricular fibrillation, although she seems all right now.’

  ‘It might have just settled down by itself. These things often do. Where is she?’

  ‘Bed twelve.’ Then, as Rufus turned away, Miss Sutton added, ‘You might remember the patient, Doctor? Mrs Hopkins?’

  Rufus looked back at her. ‘Mrs Hopkins? Not the same one who—’

  ‘Yes, Doctor.’ Miss Sutton inclined her head. ‘The very same.’

  Rufus paused for a moment. ‘I’ll tell you what,’ he said. ‘Why don’t we get Miss Carlyle to take a look at her?’

  Sister frowned. ‘Miss Carlyle?’

  ‘Why not? I’d be fascinated to hear her opinion.’

  Miss Sutton’s tiny eyes narrowed. ‘Very well,’ she said. ‘I will tell the nurse to prepare Mrs Hopkins for examination.’

  Kate Carlyle seemed very surprised to be summoned. Rufus watched her as she approached, smoothing down her white coat and tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear.

  ‘You wanted to see me, Doctor?’

  ‘I thought you might like to see the new admission?’

  ‘Me?’

  ‘Why not? Mrs Hopkins is a most interesting case, and I’d like to know what you make of her. I think you could learn something.’

  ‘Thank you, Doctor.’ He saw Kate blush and felt a small stab of guilt. Then he remembered her visit to the Dean.

  Mrs Hopkins was waiting for them behind the screen. She was in her forties, her plump face topped by a crown of brown curls. She looked at Kate, her face clouded with suspicion.

  ‘Is this her? The student?’

  ‘This is Miss Carlyle. As I explained, I’d like her to take a look at you.’

  Mrs Hopkins looked at Kate dubiously. ‘You didn’t tell me she was a woman. Are you sure she knows what she’s doing?’

  Rufus saw Kate bristle out of the corner of his eye. ‘Yes, indeed. Miss Carlyle is a very able student. And I’ve asked her to look at you specifically because you’re such an interesting case.’

  This appealed to Mrs Hopkins, as he knew it would. She smiled, pleased with herself.

  ‘Well, in that case …’ She preened herself, smoothing down the ruffled neckline of her nightdress. ‘You carry on, love.’

  Rufus turned to Kate. ‘Proceed, Miss Carlyle.’

  He was aware of Miss Sutton frowning at him from the other side of the bed as Kate Carlyle set about her examination. He had to admit she was very thorough, reading through the notes several times, taking the patient’s pulse, checking her breathing and listening to her heart before reading through the notes again.

  Finally she pulled her stethoscope from her ears. ‘I can’t find any sign of a fluttering heart now,’ she declared.

  ‘It’s been on and off all day,’ Mrs Hopkins said irritably.

  ‘Any ideas, Miss Carlyle?’ Rufus prompted her.

  ‘I’m not sure …’ Kate hesitated, looking thoughtful. ‘I might have said thyrotoxicosis, but I’ve checked her throat and there’s no sign of a goitre …’ She consulted the notes again. ‘I don’t see any history of heart disease, either.’ She looked up at Mrs Hopkins. ‘Have you had any pain recently? Across here?’ She laid her hand on her sternum.

  ‘It’s funny you should say that.’ Mrs Hopkins nodded eagerly. ‘I have been in a bit of pain over the past couple of hours.’

  ‘What kind of pain?’ Kate said. ‘Was it very bad? Did it come and go? Any fainting or dizziness?’

  ‘Well, yes. Now you come to mention it.’

  ‘Which?’

  ‘All of them.’

  It was all Rufus could do not to burst out laughing. He glanced across at Sister Sutton, but her frown had only deepened.

  Rufus read her expression and stifled a sigh. It was time to end the fun.

  He gestured for Kate to follow him through the screens.

  ‘Well?’ he said. ‘What do you think?’

  Kate looked thoughtful. ‘I’m still not sure,’ she said. ‘But I suspect it might be a case of early heart congestive failure.’

  ‘Interesting.’ Rufus nodded thoughtfully. ‘And what would you suggest?’

  ‘Complete rest, possibly followed by digitalis treatment later, if the symptoms persist.’

  ‘You’re certain of that? You would prescribe digitalis?’

  ‘If the symptoms continued, yes.’

  ‘What symptoms?’

  Kate frowned uncertainly. ‘You heard what she said—’

  ‘Yes, I did.’ Rufus paused, enjoying his moment. ‘But what if I were to tell you, Miss Carlyle, that this patient also has a history of rheumatism, intestinal obstruction and suspected pleurisy? And this is just in the last six months. Lord only knows what she’s had before that.’

  ‘I – I don’t understand.’

  ‘Miss Carlyle, Irene Hopkins is suffering from nothing more than chronic hypochondria.’

  He saw Kate’s features tighten as realisation dawned. ‘You mean—’

  ‘There is no tachycardia or auricular fibrillation, paroxysmal or otherwise. Mrs Hopkins is quite well, in body at least. But she is a lonely, anxious woman, and she quite enjoys the attention of being in hospital. We usually just give her a night on the ward and a handful of sugar pills, and she’s as right as rain. Until the next time, anyway.’

  But Kate didn’t seem to be listening to him. Two bright spots of colour lit up her cheekbones. ‘And you didn’t see fit to tell me this earlier?’ she snapped.

  ‘I rather hoped you’d have the common sense to work it out for yourself, since you’re supposed to be a doctor,’ Rufus said. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me …’

  He left her standing there, speechless, and went back inside the screens where Mrs Hopkins and Miss Sutton were waiting for him.

  ‘Rather cruel of you, don’t you think, Doctor?’ Miss Sutton murmured as he filled out the prescription for Mrs Hopkins’ sugar pills.

  ‘I don’t see why. Dr Ormerod says that we should teach the new students wherever we can find the opportunity. And I think I’ve taught Miss Carlyle an important lesson today.’

  Even if that lesson was not to try to get the better of him.

  Chapter Seventeen

  On a cold Saturday afternoon in early December, Anna went with her mother and Liesel to visit their father at the internment camp in Holloway.

  As they joined the throng of other women and children waiting at the iron gateway to be searched by
the guards, Liesel burst into tears.

  ‘What an awful place. It’s like a prison,’ she sobbed.

  ‘Pull yourself together,’ Anna hissed. ‘Papa won’t want to see us upset.’

  ‘I can’t help it.’ Liesel fumbled for her handkerchief. ‘I’m not hard-hearted like you.’

  ‘Anna’s right,’ their mother said. ‘We must put on a brave face for your father. Here, take this.’ She handed Liesel her own handkerchief. ‘Now, the guards will want to search our bags. Just be quiet and let me speak for us. And, for heaven’s sake, stop sniffing, Liesel!’

  Beyond the gates lay the camp itself, an old army barracks consisting of rows of featureless single-storey blocks, surrounded by watch towers and high fences strung with barbed wire.

  ‘Oh, God, I can’t bear it!’ Liesel’s blue eyes filled with tears again.

  ‘How do you think Papa feels?’ Anna muttered.

  Ahead of them the prisoners waited, at least two hundred men, watched over by more guards. Even as they stood to attention in their rows, they were craning their necks, looking out for their families.

  Liesel spotted their father first.

  ‘I can see Papa!’ She waved. ‘Papa! Over here! Oh, he looks so thin and ill!’

  Anna barely recognised Friedrich as he hurried towards them, arms outstretched in greeting. He had lost so much weight, his shabby grey uniform hung from his shrunken frame. But she would have known his warm, loving smile anywhere.

  ‘Remember to smile, girls,’ her mother whispered as he came towards them.

  ‘My family!’ The next moment Friedrich was hugging them all fiercely to him. His rough serge uniform smelt of stale tobacco, even though Anna knew her father had never smoked. ‘How wonderful to see you all.’

  ‘We’ve missed you, Papa!’ Liesel immediately burst into tears again, her face pressed into his chest.

  ‘I’ve missed you too. Let me look at you all.’ He released them, standing back to admire them. The brightness of his dark eyes lit up his thin, drawn face. ‘How you’ve all grown!’

  Anna managed a smile. ‘It’s only been a few weeks!’

  ‘It feels like a lifetime.’

  ‘We wanted to come and see you sooner,’ Dorothy spoke up. ‘But they wouldn’t give us the right papers …’