inexperienced in the art of babbling.”
There was enough bitterness in his voice to warn Sonia not to make any further comment. She lapsed into a comfortable silence, and the sound of voices around her made no demands on her attention. They were speaking German and she was far too sleepy to remember a single word ...
“ Wake up, Sonia! We’re home.”
Michael’s voice seemed to be a long way off, and she felt herself being half lifted to her feet.
“Sorry ... I must have fallen asleep.” Sonia stumbled down the steps.
“Asleep and snoring you were,” Michael said cheerfully.
“Oh, I wasn’t!” Sonia began and then stopped. “You shouldn’t tease.”
“You shouldn’t believe me so readily.” He was quite unabashed. The garden flowers smelled cool and sweet as they walked across the grass toward the nurses’ entrance.
Michael stopped at the door. “Can you remember your way? I don’t think your roommates will approve if I come any farther.”
Sonia nodded. “Yes, I think so. It’s the second turn on the left. Don’t be silly ... I haven’t any roommates.”
“Careful! You’ll make it sound like an invitation.”
She flushed. “Why do you always have to spoil things? You know I didn’t mean that,” she said in a low tone.
“Perhaps I did know. I’m out of the habit of considering other people’s feelings, I suppose.” His voice sounded puzzled.
“Then why do you look after me so nicely?”
“Do I? I hadn’t noticed. Perhaps it’s because you’re so young and so helpless. Don’t get angry, it’s one of the nice things about you. I must go, if you’re sure you’re all right, or I’ll miss the tram back.”
“Back? I thought you lived in.”
“So I do, but Greta and Stefan will be expecting me ... I think.”
Sonia tried to concentrate. “But isn’t it late? I mean, will the trams still be running?” Had Michael come back on her account? “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spoil your evening” she said apologetically.
He put a hand under her chin and tilted her face up so that she was looking into his eyes; eyes that told her nothing and were gently mocking.
“You didn’t. Off you go to bed. Sleep tight.” He ruffled her hair gently, but there was no mistaking the casual unconcern of his expression.
“Thank you, Michael, for bringing me home.” Her voice felt muffled, and she left him quickly before he could see the tears of weariness springing into her eyes.
Her room leaped into brightness as she pressed the switch, and how inviting her bed seemed. Thank goodness she had had her bath earlier. All she had to do was to climb in...
“Sonia! Wake up!”
Sonia snuggled deeper under her covers. That couldn’t have been anyone calling on her ... Heavens! She was supposed to be on duty, wasn’t she? She struggled up onto one elbow just as Greta put out a hand to shake her.
“So you are awake? It is time to be ready for breakfast. If you are quick I will wait. Okay?”
Sonia scrambled out of bed. “Sorry! I didn’t realize ... I won’t be long. Should I put on uniform?”
Greta shrugged her shoulders. “I do not know whether the Herr Direktor wishes to see you this morning. It is better if you come to the ward with me. Sister Therese will have instructions, I am sure. I come back in ten minutes, so... ”
Sonia fumbled her way into her uniform with the speed of long practice, and she was adjusting her cap when Greta came back.
The other girl surveyed her critically. "Your uniform is like ours, yet there is somehow a difference. I like your cap. It has the air ... how do you say it ... it is chic.”
Sonia laughed. “How extraordinary! I like your cap better than mine. It’s so simple and yet it has chic. Too bad we can’t swop.”
“Swop? That word sounds German, yet I do not know it. What does it mean?”
“It means to exchange ... I take your cap and you give me yours.”
Greta looked startled. “We cannot! Oh! I understand...” She started
There was enough bitterness in his voice to warn Sonia not to make any further comment. She lapsed into a comfortable silence, and the sound of voices around her made no demands on her attention. They were speaking German and she was far too sleepy to remember a single word ...
“ Wake up, Sonia! We’re home.”
Michael’s voice seemed to be a long way off, and she felt herself being half lifted to her feet.
“Sorry ... I must have fallen asleep.” Sonia stumbled down the steps.
“Asleep and snoring you were,” Michael said cheerfully.
“Oh, I wasn’t!” Sonia began and then stopped. “You shouldn’t tease.”
“You shouldn’t believe me so readily.” He was quite unabashed. The garden flowers smelled cool and sweet as they walked across the grass toward the nurses’ entrance.
Michael stopped at the door. “Can you remember your way? I don’t think your roommates will approve if I come any farther.”
Sonia nodded. “Yes, I think so. It’s the second turn on the left. Don’t be silly ... I haven’t any roommates.”
“Careful! You’ll make it sound like an invitation.”
She flushed. “Why do you always have to spoil things? You know I didn’t mean that,” she said in a low tone.
“Perhaps I did know. I’m out of the habit of considering other people’s feelings, I suppose.” His voice sounded puzzled.
“Then why do you look after me so nicely?”
“Do I? I hadn’t noticed. Perhaps it’s because you’re so young and so helpless. Don’t get angry, it’s one of the nice things about you. I must go, if you’re sure you’re all right, or I’ll miss the tram back.”
“Back? I thought you lived in.”
“So I do, but Greta and Stefan will be expecting me ... I think.”
Sonia tried to concentrate. “But isn’t it late? I mean, will the trams still be running?” Had Michael come back on her account? “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to spoil your evening” she said apologetically.
He put a hand under her chin and tilted her face up so that she was looking into his eyes; eyes that told her nothing and were gently mocking.
“You didn’t. Off you go to bed. Sleep tight.” He ruffled her hair gently, but there was no mistaking the casual unconcern of his expression.
“Thank you, Michael, for bringing me home.” Her voice felt muffled, and she left him quickly before he could see the tears of weariness springing into her eyes.
Her room leaped into brightness as she pressed the switch, and how inviting her bed seemed. Thank goodness she had had her bath earlier. All she had to do was to climb in...
“Sonia! Wake up!”
Sonia snuggled deeper under her covers. That couldn’t have been anyone calling on her ... Heavens! She was supposed to be on duty, wasn’t she? She struggled up onto one elbow just as Greta put out a hand to shake her.
“So you are awake? It is time to be ready for breakfast. If you are quick I will wait. Okay?”
Sonia scrambled out of bed. “Sorry! I didn’t realize ... I won’t be long. Should I put on uniform?”
Greta shrugged her shoulders. “I do not know whether the Herr Direktor wishes to see you this morning. It is better if you come to the ward with me. Sister Therese will have instructions, I am sure. I come back in ten minutes, so... ”
Sonia fumbled her way into her uniform with the speed of long practice, and she was adjusting her cap when Greta came back.
The other girl surveyed her critically. "Your uniform is like ours, yet there is somehow a difference. I like your cap. It has the air ... how do you say it ... it is chic.”
Sonia laughed. “How extraordinary! I like your cap better than mine. It’s so simple and yet it has chic. Too bad we can’t swop.”
“Swop? That word sounds German, yet I do not know it. What does it mean?”
“It means to exchange ... I take your cap and you give me yours.”
Greta looked startled. “We cannot! Oh! I understand...” She started
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