A Girl in a Million

Sister Crump went back to Mr Spence. She was smiling widely but she rearranged her features into suitable severity as she joined him.

Caroline was pounced upon by Janey on her way to the bath. ‘Where have you been?’ demanded her friend. ‘And who with? And why were you in such a hurry?’

She had been joined by various of Caroline’s friends and one of them added, ‘Have you been out to dinner?’

‘No—just the Bristling Dog.’

There was a concerted gasp. ‘But nurses don’t go there. Whoever took you there and why didn’t you tell him?’

‘Well, I didn’t like to—I suppose he can go where he likes and if I was with him it wouldn’t matter.’

‘Who?’ They hissed at her from all sides.

‘Mr van Houben.’

One of her listeners was doing her six weeks in Theatre. ‘Him? That marvellous man who came specially to give the anaesthetic for Marc? Caroline, how did you do it? We’ve all had a go at him…’

‘He asked me if I was hungry and when I said yes, he said he was too.’

‘Oh, love,’ said Janey, ‘you were wearing that jacket you’ve had for ages, the one that doesn’t fit very well across the shoulders.’

‘He told me to be ready in ten minutes or he’d come and fetch me. I hadn’t time…’

Her friends groaned. ‘What did you eat?’

She told them. ‘And a pot of tea.’ She thought for a bit. ‘And we talked about little Marc and the weather and how flat Holland is…’

‘He won’t even remember you,’ groaned Janey. ‘Why didn’t you tell him that you would like to go out to a splendid meal at the Savoy or something? He might have taken the hint.’

‘I didn’t think of anything like that. I mean, I don’t really think that anyone would want to take me to the Savoy.’ Caroline was quite matter-of-fact about it. ‘Least of all someone like him.’ She hitched up her dressing-gown. ‘I’m on early.’

When she got back to her room there was a note waiting for her telling her to report for duty at ten o’clock instead of half-past seven. A nice surprise, and she switched off her alarm clock and went quite contentedly to sleep.

By the time she arrived on the ward in the morning, Mr van Houben had been to see Marc, bidden goodbye to Sister Crump and left the hospital. He had, for the moment, quite forgotten Caroline.

CHAPTER THREE

LITTLE Marc was restless; Caroline watched with some anxiety as Mr Spence examined him soon after she had taken over from the other nurse. ‘A good sign,’ he pronounced at length. ‘Keep an eye open, Nurse, and try and keep him with us—talk to him…’ He glanced at her. ‘You always held his hand, didn’t you? Quite right too…’

He went away and she was left alone with the little boy and her charts. Presently he began to fidget again, although he quietened when she began to talk to him and then sing. She chose, ‘Sing a song of sixpence’ and sang it in a rather small clear voice. She went through all the verses several times and was rewarded by his sudden reluctant smile and, even better, a fleeting look from his eyes. She had embarked on the song again when Sister Crump came in and he opened his eyes again.

Mr Spence, called by a delighted Sister Crump, rumbled his satisfaction. ‘Sing, did you?’ he asked Caroline. ‘Be good enough to sing again and let us see what happens.’

She went through the first verse of the rhyme again and Marc opened his eyes once more and this time said something which sounded very much like sixpence before dropping off into a refreshing sleep.

‘Well, well,’ said Mr Spence, ‘bar accidents, I do believe we’re out of the wood.’

She was preparing to hand over to the relieving nurse when Marc’s mother arrived, accompanied by a thick-set man with a good-looking, rugged face and Sister Crump. She was quite beautiful, only a little pale. She gave Caroline a quick smile and went to the bedside. ‘He is better?’ she asked softly.

‘Coming along nicely,’ said Sister Crump gruffly. ‘Responded to Nurse singing to him, spoke—only one word, but he spoke.’

The man had his arm round Marc’s mother and they stood together looking down at the sleeping boy. Then she asked, ‘You are the nurse who has been so watchful and kind; my brother-in-law tells me this.’

She had come to stand by Caroline, smiling a little.