Nurse Trudie is Engaged (18 page)

“
They get along all right.
”
Trudie wrinkled her brow in thought.
“
But Malcolm
’
s is one scalp she hasn
’
t been able to add to her belt as yet,
”
she said, surprising herself by the sudden vicious little speech and coloring as she realized what she had said. On the other hand, Dora appeared to take the remark for granted and nodded understandingly as she replied.

“
I noticed that on the night we had the dinner to celebrate your engagement and her arrival,
”
she said cryptically,
“
and I can
’
t say I was surprised. Malcolm is extremely self-contained and far-seeing, and he has a logical head on his shoulders
...
more logical than average, I
’
d say.
”
She refrained from adding that was one reason why she was worried on Malcolm
’
s behalf, since she had also noticed that night how piqued Veronica was by Malcolm
’
s obvious indifference to her wiles.

Malcolm drove steadily and carefully to keep his appointment with the wealthy old lady who was so worried about which of her numerous relatives were the most deserving, but his mind was not on his client. He was thinking instead of his sister
’
s face when she had answered his question;
“
Do you love him ... really love him?
”

There was no doubt about it, he reflected. Whatever the situation between them, Philip undoubtedly had the whole of Trudie
’
s love, and, so far as Malcolm could see, the only person likely to spoil things for them was the lovely, enigmatic stranger, his late brother
’
s wife, Veronica.

“
There
’
s only one way for her to be permanently out of Trudie and Philip
’
s life as a menace,
”
he told himself seriously,
“
and that would be to have her safely remarried to someone she loved as much as Trudie loves Philip.
”
His frown deepened, for his observations of his sister-in-law had led him to believe she had not by any means loved her late husband with any thing like that degree of feeling. Malcolm thought of Garth: impulsive, over-emotional, given to excesses of affection just as Trudie was, and his soul cringed for his late brother
’
s feelings if Veronica had, in the days of their marriage, reacted to every man she met as she did nowadays.

“
And, she would,
”
Malcolm thought,
“
unless she loved her husband so deeply that all thoughts of anyone else were excluded
...
and I doubt if she loved poor old Garth in that way.
”

A glance at his watch told him he was 15 minutes early and impulsively he turned into a leafy lane, halted the car and lit a cigarette. He needed time to think; that was one of the reasons he had decided to share the apartment with Chambers for a time. The other reason, and he was honest enough not to disguise the fact to himself, was that he felt it necessary to get away from Veronica
’
s compelling presence for a time.

Philip was by no means the only member of the fam
il
y who had felt the impact of Veronica
’
s strange attraction. Malcolm was well versed by this time in the peculiar quirks to which human nature is addicted. He had studied this attraction, his own reactions to it, the reasons for it, from all angles with the sa
m
e studious care he gave to every problem.

So far as he was concerned it was not only her beauty and her vivacity that attracted him. It was something in Veronica herself, something of the essential woman hiding behind this bright facade she presented to the world.

“
I
’
m positive she isn
’
t happy,
”
he told himself now for at least the hundredth time.
“
She doesn
’
t behave like a happy woman, but I think
I
could make her happy
... but I
’
d have to be sure.
”

It was only the previous evening when he had finally concluded that he himself was deeply and sincerely in love with Veronica; that it would not make any difference to him when her beauty faded and advancing years had slowed down some of that amazingly attractive zest for life which, he realized, was partly what drew people to her like a magnet. No, he had decided, none of that would make any difference. He would only need to be sure he could win and hold her love, not her fleeting desire, and in his heart he was convinced that such a love once won would be well worth the winning and the holding.

“
But could I hold her?
”
he asked himself again, and again he did not know the answer. All he knew was that, so far in her life, Veronica had put herself and her desires and emotions before those of anyone else. Before he would seriously involve himself Malcolm knew he would have to be certain that his happiness, desires and emotions would take first place in her life, and not be elbowed out by any of the will-o
’
-the-wisp attractions that she followed now so easily and lightly.

But how to be sure? The question had been revolving in his brain for days and was still revolving. He had decided that the only thing to do was to remove himself from her vicinity for a while and see what happened when he returned; for he knew that, short of setting up a home for himself, nothing would remove him from The Cedars for any length of time. Yet he could stay there no longer and hold his tongue while Veronica attempted to flirt first with Philip, then with himself. Geoff, he smiled to himself, she had left severely alone after her first skirmish with Ursula, who had made it plain there was a
“
hands off
’
notice up so far as her intended
fianc
é
was concerned. Judging by the way Ursula was advancing her beloved along the paths she had decided he ought to follow, it would not be long before he was well up his chosen tree. The two of them would set up their own establishment which, in every possible way, would come under the personal supervision of Ursula herself. Veronica and others like her would be welcome only as invited guests, not as nuisance intruders.

He had no time for further reflection just now, however. It was time to turn into Mrs. Sanderson
’
s drive and present himself at her door, and also time for the Mayor of Fellfield to declare the new hospital building open for the service of mankind.

“
I wonder how they
’
re all faring,
”
he thought as he rang the old-fashioned bell and waited for Mrs. Sanderson
’
s elderly maid, Janet, to appear.
“
And how Veronica is managing, with only Mrs. Emma for company today.
”

He need not have worried about the members of his family who were present at the opening ceremony. Dr. Hislop was beaming with pride that Philip had been chosen to become the superintendent of this magnificent building, and Trudie shared his delight. Dora
’
s anxious eye sought the glances of those members of the hospital management committee she knew to be most directly concerned with the proposed addition of her own unit. Altogether everyone was in a happy and contented frame of mind.

Veronica, on the other hand, was lonely, miserable and bored. She had not been invited to the opening, neither had Geoff, but he was away at Arcpo, busy in his laboratory. Anyway he would receive a graphic description of all that had taken place from Ursula who was, naturally, one of the important figures at the opening
... she was attending with her uncle.

“
I
’
m bored, bored, bored,
”
she told herself, viciously punching a cushion.
“
What anyone finds to do in a hole like this day after day
I
really can
’
t imagine.
”
But when Mrs. Emma came in and asked if she would care to shell a bowl of early peas that Mr. Parkinson had just delivered, she received the suggestion with scorn.

“
I
’
d help if you were pushed for time,
”
she told the housekeeper but without conviction,
“
but you
’
re not, and it would ruin my nails. I
’
ve never done such work in my life!
”

“
You might have been a more contented woman if you had,
”
was Mrs. Emma
’
s only comment, but she removed the bowl of peas without any sense of grievance. She had not really expected Veronica to help with the task that would have delighted Trudie, but she had felt the woman would be better with something to do than sitting there alone, with no one else in the house but Mrs. Emma. Some time later she saw Veronica swinging out of the gates and down the road to the village.

Veronica did not come back until a few minutes before she knew dinner would be ready. She had barely vanished inside the door when Dr. Hislop
’
s car drew up, followed by Dora
’
s. The telephone was ringing as Veronica entered the hall, and calling to Mrs. Emma that the others were back she answered the phone. To her surprise it was Malcolm at the other end of the line, and even to herself she would not admit how her heart leaped when she heard his voice. In tones so cool that he would never have guessed she was in the least disturbe
d, she asked what he wanted and
informed him that the others had just driven up and that dinner was ready to be served.

“
I know,
”
Malcolm said easily,
“
that
’
s why I rang just now. Ask Mrs. Emma not to keep anything for me, will you? I
’
m dining with Mrs. Sanderson and playing chess with her afterward.
”
He gave a little chuckle.
“
The last time I did this it was nearly two in the morning before she decided she had had enough, but we try to humor her if we can.
”

“
Shall I ask Mrs. Emma to leave you some coffee and sandwiches, then?
”
Veronica surprised him by the question. He had somehow not expected her to be so thoughtful.

“
If you will, please,
”
he said now.
“
Tell Dad I have my key and I
’
ll see to the lights and whatnot. No need for him to worry.
”

Veronica promised and hung up, but her eyes were thoughtful as she related both messages to Dr. Hislop and to Mrs. Emma. Then she lapsed into silence, listening while the others discussed their day and Philip and Trudie talked of the morrow when they would both be on duty in their new surroundings for the very first time.

It was late when the household retired for the night, Veronica being the first to stifle her yawns and to make her excuses. When first Dora and then Philip had gone, Dr. Hislop locked up the house, switched off the lights and: went upstairs with Geoff.

Dr. Hislop was never certain what woke him, but when he glanced at his watch he saw it was ten minutes past two. A look through his bedroom window told him precisely nothing, but common sense told him that if the sound he had heard, or imagined, was Malcolm returning, then he would have put his car in the garage and be drinking the coffee left for him, and would then be coming upstairs to bed.

“
If he wants me he knows where I
’
ll be,
”
Dr. Hislop told himself and settled down to sleep again. Downstairs in the kitchen, Malcolm sat at the small table and stared as Veronica, clad in her nightdress and filmy negligee, stood in the open doorway and asked casually,
“
Do you mind if I join you? I know there
’
s plenty for two, and I couldn
’
t sleep.
”

CHAPTER
NINE

I
f Veronica hoped to shake Malcolm from his usual composure by her unheralded appearance, she must have been greatly disappointed. Controlling his natural surprise as well as he could and privately congratulating himself that he had controlled it very well indeed, he rose courteously and pulled up another chair.

“
I
’
m sorry you can
’
t sleep,
”
he said calmly.
“
I
’
ll get another cup, although coffee isn
’
t exactly the best sort of nightcap for insomnia.
”

“
I like it,
”
Veronica said,
“
especially the way Mrs. Emma makes it.
”

She watched in silence as he poured out the coffee, proffered first the sugar and then a sandwich, which she refused.
“
I
’
m not hungry,
”
she said quietly, adding pointedly,
“
only for convivial company.
”

“
Then I
’
m afraid you have the wrong companion.
”
Malcolm
’
s pulses were beating at a rate most unusual for him, but he was determined to give no outward sign of inner disturbance. This, he was well aware, was the greater part of his attraction for her.
“
I
’
m tired,
”
he announced inconsequently.
“
And an evening
’
s chess with Mrs. Martha Sanderson is worse than a week of work!
”

“
Part of the job, I suppose,
”
Veronica said uninterestedly. She had not waited, listening for the sound of his returning car, only to discuss this Mrs. Sanderson whom she did not know nor desire to hear about.
“
Malcolm
”
—her husky voice took on a low, intimate and tender note—
“
I
’
m very distressed,
”
she confided.
“
When I came here I thought I was coming as a welcome and wanted part of the family. Now I
’
m wondering if I ought not to go away
... though where I would go I
’
ve no idea ... not that that matters,
”
she added deprecatingly.
“
It
’
s... you ... all of you.
”

“
What sort of nonsense is this?
”
Malcolm kept his tone light with an effort, but her words had indeed given him a shock. The slanting green eyes lifted their glance to meet his own, then the creamy lids came down, fanning the equally creamy cheeks with those fantastic black lashes. When she spoke again her voice was so low as to be barely audible.

“
It isn
’
t nonsense,
”
she said slowly.
“
It was something Father-in-law said. He was upset, of course
... maybe I
’
ve not understood it correctly...

“
What did he say?
”
Malcolm demanded, giving a short, hard laugh of disbelief.
“
I can
’
t imagine him saying anything that would make you feel unwelcome.
”

“
It wasn
’
t that.
”
She looked at him again, fully, challengingly.
“
He said you were going away. Living somewhere else. I had the strangest feeling it was because you don
’
t like me living here. That you feel I
’
m intruding, that in some way I
’
ve spoiled things at home for you.
”

“
Don
’
t be ridiculous.
”
Malcolm set down his cup with a decisive little bang.
“
How could your being here affect me?
”
he demanded.
“
I
’
m scarcely at home, except in the evenings, and not always then.
”
But she still regarded him with that same cool, level look he felt he must wipe from her face by whatever means he could.

“
It
’
s true, though, isn
’
t it?
”
she persisted.
“
You can
’
t settle, with me around the house. You know it, I know it. Why don
’
t you give in, Malcolm?
”
The words were almost whispered.
“
Why don
’
t you admit you
’
re attracted to me, that you
’
re jealous every time I smile at Philip, that you could have struck that poor man in charge of the driving school?
”

With a tremendous effort of will power Malcolm refrained from rising from his chair to take her by the shoulders, to press his mouth on her upturned reddened one, to make her conscious of him as a man and conscious too of his love for her, his need of her. But he kept his emotions under stern control and asked instead,
“
Do you ever think of Garth, Veronica? Do you ever wake in the night wishing he were here, that whatever happened had never been, that you were together again, as you were?
”

“
Stop it! Don
’
t talk like that!
”
The words burst out from her lips as though without her knowledge or will. She rose and faced him, her hands pressed down on the table as though for support.
“
You know nothing of what happened
...
that night. How can you speak of matters of which you know nothing and which are no concern of yours anyway? It
’
s all over and done with. Garth
’
s dead, and no words of yours or mine will ever bring him back.
”

“
They won
’
t bring him back,
”
Malcolm repeated,
“
that
’
s true. But you are hiding something, Veronica. You
’
ve been hiding some secret all the time you
’
ve been here, and, make no mistake about it, one day I shall find out what it is. What
”
—his tone changed abruptly and she might have been an unwilling witness whom he was challenging—
“
was in that letter you received from the States this morning? More money? If so ... why?
”

“
It wasn
’
t money,
”
Veronica said vehemently,
“
and in any case it
’
s no business of yours. It was a letter from a friend of mine. He may be coming to England soon. That
’
s all.
”

“
You took great pains to destroy it, I remember,
”
Malcolm said dryly. In a more gentle tone he added kindly,
“
Look here, my dear, we
’
re both tired and overwrought. Let
’
s get off to bed like sensible people, and remember,
”
he eyed
her gravely,
“
I know you have a problem, even though I don
’
t know what it is as yet. We are all willing to help you, every one of us.
”

“
Then don
’
t go away to this apartment or whatever it is,
”
she broke in passionately.
“
Stay here, close to me. You
’
re strong. Most men are weak, at least where women are concerned. Stay here, and maybe one day I
’
ll tell you what you want to know.
”

“
One day I
’
ll find out,
”
Malcolm returned, unperturbed.
“
But I am going away for a time, Veronica. I could say it was because you are here, and that would be part of the truth, but not all of it; and I could never hope to make you understand just yet. I
’
m made of less imaginative stuff than either Garth or Geoff. I look at things from a factual point of view, and that
’
s why I
’
m going where I can think things over without any distractions.
”
He gave her his customary slow smile, completely disarming her,
“
I must admit I find you more of a distraction than I care to admit at times.
”

Veronica smiled up at him; it was a wavering smile with a hint of tears behind it, but also with a hint of triumph that Malcolm did not like. Nevertheless she allowed him to take her arm and to propel her toward the stairs.

“
Don
’
t waken anyone,
”
he whispered.
“
They may have wrong ideas,
”
but he was grinning as he spoke and she felt she could have struck him. He left her outside her door with a quiet
“
Sleep well, see you in the morning.
”

When Veronica came down the next day, late as usual, the house was deserted: Trudie at her new hospital, Dr. Hislop out on his rounds and Malcolm
“
away for the day,
”
so Mrs. Emma told her. All the same Veronica was not displeased by the effect of her late-night excursion. As she sipped her coffee after a pleasant lunch shared with her father-in-law her mind was made up. She would go to the new extension and ask to see Trudie on a matter of
“
urgent family business.
”
She might see Philip, and he was far more susceptible than Malcolm. But there was small satisfaction in the thought. Her chase of Philip had lost something of its diverting qualities, whereas Malcolm was a challenge she had never previously encountered.

“
I wonder how sister Trudie would look upon
that
... if I could bring it off?
”
she asked herself as she ran upstairs to change and get ready for her visit.
“
We
’
ll soon find out!
”

It was easier to get into the hospital and to be allowed .to see Trudie than Veronica had ever dreamed possible. Fate was on her side, for someone who had attended the opening on the previous day, and who wished to remain anonymous, had donated a huge check for the very purpose Dora Stacey had been dreaming of ever since the extension was proposed; a pediatric unit was to be built alongside, on condition that the matter was put in hand
“
immediately.
”

All day the hospital offices had thronged with representatives of the Borough of Fellfield, of the hospital management committee, architects, surveyors and other people connected with the unexpected gift. There had been an intake of new patients, and lots of other things that had left Trudie wondering whether she were standing on her head or her heels. When a nurse came to tell her that her sister-in-law was waiting, asking to see her on a matter of
“
urgent family business
”
she first made certain no one had been taken ill or had had an accident, and then asked the girl to give her visitor tea in the nurses
’
staff room. At that moment Dora Stacey came by, her usually severe expression lightened by the knowledge that her private and pet project was at last to be realized.

“
Do you mean Mrs. Garth—Veronica?
”
she asked.

“
Yes,
”
Trudie said briefly.
“
I don
’
t know what she
’
s doing here, but Amison tells me she
’
s waiting to see me.
”

“
Then let me take her up and give her tea in the consultants
’
room,
”
Dora suggested.
“
I could do with a cup myself, and I wanted to see her about something special.
”

“
Very well,
”
Trudie nodded, relieved.
“
If you
’
re sure you don
’
t mind?
”

“
It
’
s something I want to do,
”
Dora said so sincerely that Trudie knew she was speaking the truth.
“
You come and collect us when you
’
re ready. I want to talk to Veronica. Ask her a favor.
”