by Betty Neels
‘I dare say you smoke a great deal,’ observed Caroline in her friendly way.
‘Be the death of me, Nurse,’ said the man cheerfully.
She changed his dressing, gave him some mild advice about his cough, aware that he would take no notice, and he went on his way.
‘I ’opes I gets you next time,’ he observed as he went. ‘Yer don’t nag.’
Caroline was to have the following Saturday and Sunday off and she began to think that they would never come; she was quite sure that once she was away from the hospital she would find it easier to forget Mr van Houben, something she was finding it extremely difficult to do. With all the goodwill in the world she was unable to stop herself from wondering what he was doing, and since this was before she slept, naturally enough she pictured him with a variety of young ladies, handsome creatures, splendidly dressed, with a witty flow of conversation to keep him amused.
‘Oh, well, who cares?’ said Caroline on Thursday evening, climbing into bed. ‘Tomorrow evening I’ll be going home.’ She curled up in bed. ‘I wonder what he’s doing?’
Mr van Houben, a man who believed in getting things done once he had made up his mind to something, was giving his registrar lengthy instructions before booking himself and his car on to a midday hovercraft from Calais. He had discovered from Corinna that Caroline would be free at the weekend and would be going home on the Friday evening and he planned to get to the hospital during the late afternoon. That done to his satisfaction, he picked up the receiver and dialled the hospital, had a lengthy conversation with the SNO and then dialled in turn the various hospital governors. Finally he put the phone down and sat back in his chair.
‘I hope and expect that the future, both yours and mine, Nep, will be an exceedingly happy one. I do not dare to contemplate otherwise.’
Nep gave a small, encouraging bark.
* * *
On Friday afternoon there was still an hour to go before Caroline could go off duty. Sister Moss was in her office and two nurses on duty with her were at the other end of Casualty strapping a sprained ankle. Caroline tidied the cubicles, collected the used linen and began to arrange the clean paper sheets on the couches. She was busy with the last one when she stopped to listen. Someone was coming through Casualty towards her, unhurriedly, and she knew who it was.
She turned round in time to see Mr van Houben draw aside the curtain and then lean negligently against a wall. His, ‘Hello, Caroline,’ was uttered with breezy friendliness.
‘Hello,’ said Caroline and, since she was finding it difficult to speak, she stood staring at him.
Mr van Houben rattled the loose change in his pocket. ‘Ready to go off duty?’ he enquired pleasantly.
She nodded again. Then, as the silence lengthened asked, ‘Shall I fetch Sister?’
‘No,’ he smiled then, a smile of such gentleness and love that she actually took a step towards him and then paused to ask,
‘What do you want?’
‘You,’ said Mr van Houben.
She went a little pale. ‘Oh, no—I mean, I expect I’m just a passing fancy…’
‘My dear, darling girl, most certainly I fancy you, I have indeed fancied you for some time and have no doubt of it, I shall continue to do so for the rest of my life. Moreoever I’m in love with you, and life without you does not bear contemplation.’
For such a big man he moved very swiftly, and she found herself crushed against his waistcoat and told to look up.
She would have to anyway, for she could hardly breathe, her nose buried in clerical grey cloth. ‘That’s better,’ observed Mr van Houben, and after a moment studying her face kissed her gentle mouth. He took his time, pausing just long enough to ask, ‘Will you marry me, my little love?’ before kissing her again.
Presently Caroline said, ‘Yes, Marius, I will, for I love you too. Only I’ve thirteen months’ training to finish.’
He took off her cap and kissed the top of her head. ‘I’ve dealt with that,’ he told her. ‘You can leave as from now, with the blessing of the board of governors and the SNO. We must mention it to Sister Moss as we go.’
‘She’ll never allow me to leave,’ began Caroline.
‘Don’t be a goose, my darling. Put on your cap for the last time and come with me.’
She did as she was told, for there seemed no point in not doing so. She gave a final pat to the paper sheet on the couch and went with him through Casualty to Sister’s office.
Mr van Houben had her by the hand and he made no effort to relinquish it. He met Sister Moss’s astonished face with a bland smile.
‘Nurse Frisby and I are to be married,’ he observed in a voice as bland as his smile. ‘She is leaving as from today, with the full permission of the board of governors.’
Sister Moss rose from her chair, her complexion dangerously puce.
‘I never heard of such a thing…’
‘Well, no, I grant you that it is rather unusual, but the board of governors…’
‘You’re on the board, sir,’ observed Sister Moss awfully.
‘Indeed yes, Sister. You will wish us happy?’
‘I don’t know what the world is coming to. In my day…’ She suddenly looked so forlorn that Caroline leant forward and kissed her cheek. ‘I hope you will come to our wedding,’ she said.
Walking along the gloomy passage which connected Casualty with the rest of the hospital, Caroline said, ‘I hope you don’t mind—my asking Sister Moss to our wedding, I mean.’
He stopped to take her in his arms again. ‘Ask the entire hospital staff if you wish, my love, only don’t waste too much time over it. A week or two…’
‘I’ve nothing to wear—Aunt Meg—and where will we live?’
He brushed away a few untidy wisps of hair and tucked them under her cap. ‘Why, in Amsterdam, of course. I promised Nep I would bring you back as soon as possible. Shall we go and see Aunt Meg and then come back to Chiswick? I’ve an appointment with a rather worthy bishop in the morning—I thought a special licence?’
He smiled down at her. ‘Think of poor Nep waiting so patiently.’
‘You had it all arranged…?’
‘Oh, yes.’
‘Supposing I had said no?’
‘I would have thought of something else.’
She reached up and kissed him. ‘There’s no need for that. I said yes.’
* * * * *
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ISBN: 9781459230606
Copyright © 1993 by Betty Neels
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
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