Damsel In Green

‘My dear girl, I understand, although your fears were groundless. You are the last person I would accuse of pushing yourself forward.’

She looked relieved. ‘Beatrix didn’t think I had forgotten her?’

‘No,’ he assured her gravely, ‘never that.’

She said goodbye to them then, and went first to Cas, ignoring a furious Gregg to give a brief report to Sister, and then to the dining-room, where, as she so often was, she was the last. She was barely seated at the table before a voice enquired, ‘What’s all this, George—dating handsome consultants in Children’s before eight o’clock in the morning!’

Another voice chimed in, ‘Obviously he likes the early bird.’ There was a shriek of laughter, and Night Super, sitting with her sisters at the other end of the dining-room, raised her eyebrows and smiled. It was tacitly agreed that the night nurses needed to let off steam when they came off duty; she went on with her breakfast, and wished that she was with them, sharing the fun.

Georgina spooned sugar into her tea with a lavish hand. ‘It’s my early morning charm,’ she explained imperturbably, though her cheeks were pink. ‘There’s nothing like a red nose and wispy hair to enhance my type of good looks.’

‘Yes. But why choose Children’s—it’s the least romantic of places,’ asked the Night Staff from that ward. ‘Give us the facts, George.’

Over several slices of toast, lavishly loaded with butter and marmalade, she told them. When she had finished, there was a silence lasting at least ten seconds until someone said, ‘How funny—the other day we were all taking—remember?—and George said she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do, and now it’s all cut and dried. Take some pretty clothes,’ she added.