Nurse Saxon's Patient Read Free Page A

him she would always like and admire him.
    ‘ It ’ s all very difficult, ’ she told herself as she checked her patient ’ s pulse. ‘ But I ’ m sure a girl must know when it ’ s really love ...’
    There was little to do but to watch and wait, and Julie found herself thinking of the young man who lay so still and silent in the neat hospital bed. It seemed strange to see him thus, when her memory of him was vibrant with his quick, enthusiastic voice, the passionate zeal with which he had expounded his theories. How tragic if all that inspiration for a dream community were silenced for ever!
    ‘ I ’ m getting morbid, ’ she thought grimly, busying herself in checking his temperature. ‘ We ’ ll save him—and his hands. We ’ ve had worse cases than this, by a long chalk. Worse cases, yes, but Garth wouldn ’ t want simply ‘ saving ’ ; unless he could carry on with the work he loved he was the sort of person who would wish he had never been brought back to life. It was a relief when Nurse Stephenson came quietly into the room and announced that she was ready to relieve Julie for a brief spell.
    ‘ Mrs. Andy ’ s arrived with her daily load of produce, ’ she told Julie, ‘ and she wants to see the nurse who ’ s specialling Mr. Holroyd ’ s case. I think Mr. Greensmith has been talking to her, ’ she added.
    Julie nodded. Ian would have been putting forward his suggestion that she should be the nurse who accompanied Garth Holroyd to Woodlands, the Crossman estate just outside the town. Andrew Crossman manufactured agricultural machinery, and most of the small township had more than one member of the family in his firm ’ s employ. Woodlands was the focal point. From its hothouses and extensive home farm, produce was sent daily to the hospital, the children ’ s home and, in small baskets, to those whom it would benefit the most. Andrew was a ve r y good man, but everyone knew it was Mrs. Andy who sought out the most needy cases and decided what could and should be done about them ... and did it.
    Julie went along to Matron ’ s room where, Nurse Stephenson said, Mrs. Andy was waiting for her. She tapped on the door and entered. Matron smiled at her, murmured a few words and was about to leave them when Mrs. Andy, a small plump figure with silver hair and the rose-petal complexion everyone admired, waved her cigarette in its long holder.
    ‘ Don ’ t go, Matron, please, ‘ she said quickly. ‘ There ’ s no necessity. I simply wanted to see Nurse for a moment. ’ Her blue-grey eyes regarded the girl keenly. ‘ Aren ’ t you the nurse who specialled the Braithwaite children ?’ she asked.
    That was a case she would never forget, Julie thought, as she agreed she was. The Braithwaite twins had been trapped in their caravan home when a lamp had been overturned and the van had become a blazing inferno within a matter of seconds. The children had been saved, but were badly burned and, now Julie remembered, it was the near-tragedy of that event which had aroused Mrs. Crossman ’ s interest and activity in the Civic Development Scheme. In a roundabout way it was the same incident which had sponsored Garth ’ s present position as prizewinner in the competition which had been thrown open to all qualified architects within a range of one hundred miles.
    ‘ And the case of Jack Porter? ’ Mrs. Crossman persisted.
    ‘ Yes, that too. ’ Julie smiled. Jack Porter had been an employee of Andrew Crossman ’ s, trapped when testing one of the newest machines. Something had gone wrong, and the machine proved unsafe.
    The old lady nodded.
    ‘ A sound and reliable girl, ’ she told Matron, who gave her customary smile and agreed. ‘Mr. Greensmith, ’ Mrs. Andy went on, speaking directly now to Julie, ‘ suggests that when Garth— Mr. Holroyd—is ready to convalesce, you accompany him to Woodlands. I shall be happy to have you. We must have a chat about the requirements and so on before that