Nurse Trudie is Engaged (20 page)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

When Trudie had finished speaking to Malcolm over the telephone she hurried to accompany Philip into the new and ultra-modern operating room equipped with all the latest instruments and aids to surgery that modern science could devise. She was greeted by a grim-faced Philip, already busy preparing himself for work.

“
Three of them,
”
he announced.
“
Pilot, navigator and passenger. The pilot is beyond help from us or anyone else. He was dead when they pulled him from the wreckage. The navigator
’
s in pretty poor shape. He
’
s the one we
’
re going to have to work hard to save.
”

“
And the passenger?
”
Trudie asked as he paused. Philip gave her an enigmatic glance.

“
The passenger—and owner of the aircraft—is badly shaken, somewhat bruised and very angry,
”
he said succinctly.
“
Mr. Barry Vetch himself. He insists that what happened was the pilot
’
s fault, but the airport official who came with the ambulance
says that in his opinion this was a case of mental fatigue. Only an inquiry will prove him right or wrong. In the meantime Mr. Vetch is resting in a side ward, and we
’
re going to work on navigator Mannering.
”

They worked in silence except for Philip
’
s request for the various instruments as he needed them. Somehow Trudie was grateful for the reassuring presence of John Broadly, who had also elected to join Philip at the extension. She watched Philip
’
s strong, clever fingers as he worked trying to shut from her mind all thought of Malcolm
’
s agitated voice over the telephone and to stop herself wondering what on earth had possessed her sister-in-law to head for the river bank, leaving an occasion that was so obviously giving her delight.

At last Philip straightened up and inserted the last stitches. He nodded to John
’
s assistant, who wheeled away the still, bandaged figure, then he turned to Trudie with a weary smile.
“
I
’
ll get rid of all this,
”
he gesticulated toward his white gown, mask and other regalia,
“
then we
’
ll have a look at Mr. Vetch before we go in search of the cup that cheers.
”

“
All right,
”
Trudie agreed,
“
but there
’
s something else
...”
But before she had time to say any more Philip was called to the telephone.

“
That was your father,
”
he said a few moments later, a puzzled frown on his handsome face.
“
I don
’
t know whether I understood him correctly or not. He said something about his car being missing and he
’
s wanted out at a farm, and could I throw any light onto the subject of Veronica
’
s disappearance. I last saw her signing autographs.
”

“
Yes, but when we arrived here Malcolm was waiting to speak with me on the telephone.
”
Trudie told him, the sense of urgency rushing over her again as she recalled her brother
’
s agitated tones.
“
He said she left the
f
e
te
and went off
...
in Dad
’
s car. That he—Malcolm—had followed in his own car. She was going down River Bank Lane. Philip, there
’
s nothing down there but the river, and a footbridge over it. She knows there isn
’
t a through road for cars.
”

“
What did Malcolm expect you to do?
”
Philip demanded, knowing the other would not telephone without some specific plan of action.

“
Get there as soon as possible,
”
Trudie told him and was almost whirled off her feet as he swung her around and down the corridor.

“
Then let
’
s go,
”
he said crisply.
“
What are we waiting for?
”
Trudie had been driven fast before, and indeed, had ventured now and then to
“
put her foot down
”
when her father had allowed her the use of his car; but this was fast driving such as she had never previously experienced. She clenched her hands in her lap and stared at the road ahead as the powerful car surged forward, but she was not afraid. Phil
i
p was driving with control—of himself as well as of the car—as well as with speed, and she was only thankful that he had wasted no time in fruitless conjecture, but turned at once to see what he could do to help.

They reached Malcolm
’
s parked car as he was beginning to run. He was only a little way ahead of them and just around the bend. Philip braked to a halt and gave a tiny blast of the horn to let Malcolm know they were there, but not loud or long enough to startle Veronica who, by this time, was climbing onto the coping stones that topped the dry-stone wall.

“
Veronica!
”
Philip called once as he too began to run, but she gave no sign of having heard, and with her heart pounding like mad, Trudie ran her hardest, keeping pace with Philip. They were almost at the bridge when Veronica suddenly stood upright, a slender figure looking strangely lonely outlined against the blue of the sky. Feeling as though her heart had leaped out of her breast and into her mouth, Trudie saw her elder brother pull himself up beside the girl and put one arm out to her. The next second Veronica had clutched wildly at him, and Trudie could never have said whether the girl was relieved to be rescued or whether she had indeed attempted to push him away. All Trudie saw was a sudden whirl of a dark suit and a white dress; and then two figures apparently intermingled vanished over the wall and into the swirling water below.

The current here was quite strong, as Trudie knew, as the Fell was fed by two fast-moving streams. It was the most dangerous
point in an otherwise fairly safe river. Trudie wasted no time in peering over the wall but rushed down the bankside to where she knew the current would take them.

Malcolm was a good swimmer, as were all the family, but as she reached the bank and saw the two figures moving toward her she knew he was in some kind of trouble. She could also see, thankfully, that he appeared to have matters under control.

“
She
’
s unconscious!
”
His words reached Trudie as he neared the bank, and from where she half-stood, half-crouched, eager to help, she felt a stir of admiration as he supported the limp form of his sister-in-law with powerful movements and brought her in to safety.

“
Let me help!
”
Philip was on his knees, reaching out to help Trudie bring Veronica from Malcolm
’
s grasp and to drag her onto the bank.
“
She must have hit her head,
”
Malcolm panted, refusing Philip
’
s arm with a gesture and pulled himself up beside the unconscious girl.
“
She can
’
t have swallowed much water.
”

“
You reached her almost immediately,
”
Philip commented.
“
Good thing.
”
He was already working on her, trying to remove whatever water she may have swallowed.
“
As soon as we can we
’
ll get her up to the extension.
”

They worked on Veronica for a few minutes before Philip was satisfied they could now attempt to move her. He lifted her carefully, carrying her to his car and placed her limp form on the back seat.

“
I want Trudie back at the hospital with me,
”
he told Malcolm,
“
and your father needs his car. He
’
s wanted on a case, but I expect someone will have driven him there by now. You
’
d better follow in yours, and we
’
ll send someone out for Dr. Hislop
’
s and ask them to take it straight to The Cedars.
”

They went back to the hospital, still driving fast but with by no means the same sort of urgency with which they had started out. Philip
’
s face was grim and he made no comment at all until they neared the extension gates. Then he turned to Trudie and said in a flat, toneless voice,
“
It must tie up somewhere. Barry Vetch said he had only flown down here because at the last minute a friend told him that Veronica Fleet was opening a charity
f
e
te
in the vicinity. But why would she want to do this?
”

“
I don
’
t know, Philip,
”
Trudie said truthfully.
“
Maybe she
’
ll tell us when she recovers. It may explain a number of things, things we
’
ve never understood about Veronica.
”

Philip made no answer, and once at the hospital Veronica was taken to another side ward where Trudie and a nurse prepared her for bed.

Malcolm, striding the corridor, had been busy, bedraggled and wet as he was. He had telephoned for someone to take his father
’
s car to the house, plus the staff at Marley House and was relieved to hear that his father had already been driven to the farm. Now, tense and not knowing what to expect, he waited for Trudie and Philip to join him.

“
We
’
ll have a cup of tea,
”
Philip said.
“
It
’
s already on its way, then you must get a change of clothes, Malcolm, and come back here. We will see how she is when she wakes up. My house is nearer to the hospital than yours. We
’
re about the same size. I
’
ll call Foster and tell him to do his best to rig you out comfortably. You can leave your things with him, he
’
ll attend to them.
”

There wasn
’
t anything else to be done at the time, and they were no nearer an explanation of Veronica
’
s conduct by the time Dr. Hislop had finished his evening rounds and driven over to join them. By the time a nurse came to tell them Veronica was stirring and muttering, Trudie felt she had lived through half a lifetime; there was nothing ahead but nightmares. All the same, she accompanied Philip to Veronica
’
s bedside, thankful for his controlled professional manner. As they took up their positions on either side of the narrow bed their glances met and clung full of sympathy and understanding so tangible that Trudie felt her heart lift with thankfulness even though her eyes filled with tears; the smile on her lips was tremulous.

“
Philip?
”
Veronica was speaking almost in her normal voice and her tone had a question.
“
I even bungled this, didn
’
t I?
”
she smiled feebly.
“
Is Malcolm all right?
”

“
He is now,
”
Philip answered.
“
He was very wet!
”

“
I
’
m sorry.
”
There was no answering smile to his attempt at introducing a little lightness into the conversation. She put out one manicured hand and clutched Philip
’
s sleeve, holding on tightly.

“
There
’
s something I have to tell you,
”
she said huskily.
“
You and Trudie, before I see Malcolm again
... or Father-in-law. You
’
ll have to tell me how much I ought to tell them. I want to tell Malcolm everything, but he
’
s so
... not hard, but just. But I don
’
t know about Father-in-law
...”

“
Leave it until you
’
re stronger, Veronica,
”
Trudie was beginning, but the other girl turned her head and smiled at her: a smile so different, so full of affection that Trudie could not believe these were the same lips that had once seemed only to be carrying a smile of superiority for her.

“
I
’
ve been doing that long enough, Trudie dear,
”
she said softly.
“
I thought I could do it forever. But I can
’
t. I have to tell it all now. And when I have perhaps you
’
ll all think Malcolm should have let me sink.
”

Philip nodded as Trudie looked at him questioningly. He took Veronica
’
s slim hand in his own and patted it reassuringly.

“
Get it off your chest,
”
was his unprofessional remark.
“
You
’
ll obviously feel better, and neither Trudie nor
I
will say one word unless you want us to.
”

Veronica stared into Philip
’
s face, green eyes wide open, and was silent so long that Trudie began to think she had changed her mind about telling them whatever it was she thought they ought to know. At last she spoke, and her voice was more normal than when she had first greeted them.

“
How is Barry?
”
she asked at last.
“
It was his plane that crashed, I take it?
”

“
Yes.
”
Philip was speaking professionally now; there was no emotion in his voice other than that of friendly, professional interest. Opposite him Trudie watched his face, then glanced back at the girl on the bed. She felt suddenly a little at a loss herself, knowing that in some way this was tied to the mystery surrounding the death of her twin; instinct urged her to press Veronica for the details common sense told her would appear slowly and gradually.
“
Mr. Vetch was not piloting the plane himself,
”
he said,
“
as I understand he generally does.
”

“
Then he
’
d have Peterson and Mannering with him,
”
Veronica answered, frowning as she recalled the names.
“
That
’
s if they
’
re still with him.
”

“
If Peterson was the pilot, as I take it he was
”
—Philip was watching her closely for any visible reaction—
“
then that was the last flight he
’
ll make for anyone. Mannering will recover, if he
’
s lucky. Mr. Vetch
”
—his scrutiny was more intent now—
“
was badly bruised, a few slight cuts, and shaken. Nothing more. He
’
s very lucky to be alive.
”

“
That
’
s what all his friends call him.
”
Veronica
’
s lips twisted into a sardonic smile that sat oddly on her lovely face.
“
Lucky Vetch. He
’
s had more narrow escapes than the average stunt man, but somebody else involved always manages to be killed instead.
”

She was silent again for a few moments, then she asked, her voice suddenly urgent,
“
Must I see him? I don
’
t want to. Not yet, anyhow.
”

“
Then you need not, at least so long as you are a patient in this hospital,
”
Philip assured her.
“
When you are well, that matter will be out of my hands. But you could always apply for police protection, if you thought it necessary,
”
he added. Both he and Trudie were shocked by Veronica
’
s immediate shrinking from the mere mention of the word
“
police.
”

“
The law has a long arm,
”
she said apparently inconsequently,
“
and works somehow from country to country, but I don
’
t think that will be necessary. Barry won
’
t be here very long; he seldom stays in any one place. By the time I
’
m out of here he
’
ll probably be on his way back to the States, or to Africa on a big game hunt, or to the East in search of anything interesting. If I
’
m ... out of the way ... for a little while he won
’
t be bothered to wait. People like me are not so important where he
’
s concerned, thank goodness. The whim that brought him here will take him somewhere else before I need worry about him any more.
”