A Match for Sister Maggy by Betty Neels Page A

eyebrow at the legs, but made no attempt to come into the room. There was a click, as the lamp was switched on.
    â€˜Of course you’ll be going home soon, Mevrouw Doelsma.’ Maggy spoke in a comforting voice. She had heard the slightly wistful note in the little lady’s voice. She slid from under the bed and stood up. For all her size, she was a very graceful young woman; she gave herself a shake, twitched her apron bib straight, smiled at Mevrouw Doelsma, and turned in a leisurely fashion to the door. The sight of the doctor brought her up short. She blushed, to her own annoyance, and said in a rather weak voice. ‘Oh! Have you been there long?’ She looked at him anxiously, but there was nothing to read from his face. Perhaps he had just that minute arrived.
    He smiled briefly and said, ‘I’m early, I believe, Sister. I hope it is not inconvenient?’ He sounded brisk and rather aloof. Just as though, thought Maggy, he had never seen red roses in his life. Well, she could be brisk too.
    â€˜No, sir, it’s not inconvenient. Mevrouw Doelsma is quite ready to see you.’
    She smiled at her patient and slipped through the door, determined to be very busy in the ward for the rest of the day; there were only a couple of hours to go before the night staff came on. She did the medicine round, and waswriting her report at her desk when the doctor knocked and came in.
    He spoke without preamble. ‘Will you spare me five minutes of your time—there is something I want to ask you.’ He pulled up a chair and sat down and smiled at her to make her heart turn over.
    â€˜Mother will be going home to Friesland in ten days or so.’ He paused. ‘Maggy, I’m not giving you much time to make up your mind about this—I want you to come too.’ His voice was urgent.
    Maggy, sitting very upright with her hands folded on her apron, kept her eyes on the desk. She was deafened by the thudding of her heart; her mind a jumble of thoughts and dreams. Before she had time to reply he went on,
    â€˜It will be just for a few weeks; you’re an excellent nurse, and my mother is fond of you. I can trust her to your care, I know. I must confess that we thought of this some time ago, but I was doubtful if you would come.’
    He sat back, looking at her smilingly. Maggy smiled back, pride keeping her mouth steady and her eyes dry. There would be plenty of time later on to call herself the silly romantic fool she undoubtedly was. She thought fleetingly of the red roses—all part of the softening process perhaps, deliberately planned so that she would fall in with his suggestion? When she spoke, her voice was quite steady.
    â€˜I’m flattered by your good opinion of me, sir, but I think that Matron will not allow it.’
    He said with a trace of arrogance, ‘I saw Matron some time ago about this. We—that is, Sir Charles and I—managed to persuade her to agree to you going. Provided you have no objection.’ He looked at her sharply. ‘But you haven’t, of course.’ Again the touch of arrogance.
    She gave him a level glance. ‘Dr Doelsma, I ken finethat there’s many a good nurse here in this hospital, better than I, who would nurse your mother devotedly.’
    He looked at her in amazement. ‘Are you refusing, Maggy?’
    â€˜Aye, sir, I’m refusing.’
    He said in a kind of wonder, ‘Do you not like us?’
    It was her turn to look amazed. ‘Gracious goodness, Doctor, I like you fine—the both of you.’
    â€˜So it is personal reasons which make you refuse?’
    She considered a minute. ‘Yes, I suppose you might say that.’
    He said sharply, ‘Selfish reasons?’
    Maggy sat quite still, looking at the frowning face, then got up slowly. ‘Ye’ve no right to speak to me like that, sir. Now if ye’ll excuse me, I’ll away to my supper.’
    Without a word he stood up,