anger.
“ You ’ ll do nothing of the kind, clear it up yourself! ” Jill would have recalled her words the moment they were spoken, but it was too late, the expression of scorn and anger in Brenda Malling ’ s glance sent an icy chill to her heart.
“ That ’ s the last case, isn ’ t it? ” Harriet ’ s question broke in on Jill ’ s chaotic thoughts and, glancing up to reply, she was aware of the unspoken sympathy in her friend ’ s glan ce.
“ Yes, that is all. ” Jill spoke with all the calm she could muster, then slowly followed Dr. McRey and Harriet towards the swing doors. She watched them as they left the ward and entered her office and found herself marvelling at the ease with which Harriet conducted the conversation. Certainly Harriet had managed to break down the barrier of Duncan McRey ’ s reserve. Jill couldn ’ t resist a pang of envy; not that she really cared, she assured herself, but there was no denying the fact that not only would it make her job far easier, but it would be something in the nature of an achievement.
“ I ’ d like to have stayed, ” Harriet was saying as Jill followed them into the office, “ but I ’ ve got to get back and give Dr. Traven a hand. He ’ ll never get through singlehanded. ” She turned towards the door and, as Jill stood back to let her pass, she added quietly: “ Don ’ t worry, it was just an accident ... Try not to antagonize Nurse Malling too much, it isn ’ t a wise policy you know. ”
Jill was scarcely aware of Harriet ’ s words. There was only one thing uppermost in her mind, the knowledge that Harriet was leaving—leaving her alone to face Duncan McRey in the confined space of her tiny office. There was nothing she could do but acknowledge Harriet ’ s words with a wan smile. Then, aware that the door had closed behind her friend, she had no option but to turn and face her companion.
“ Well, are my other cases ready? ” He spoke with a hint of impatience, which became even more marked as Jill remained silent, blankly returning his gaze. “ My cases for the clinic, are they ready? ”
“ I ’ ll see. ... I mean I didn ’ t know that you saw outpatients here, ” Jill stammered uneasily, as she turned towards the door.
“ I always have a clinic after my round on Wednesdays—surely you knew that? ” There was no mistaking his rising anger. “ I ’ m too busy to be kept hanging about. Better call Nurse Malling , she ’ ll know about it. ”
Jill felt her cheeks flush with anger at the implication. How true it was. Brenda Malling had everything at her finger-tips. Did he really expect her so far to humiliate herself as to recall Brenda Malling from the task she had set her, the task which Jill alone knew she had so well merited. Choking back her anger, she spoke. “ I ’ m sorry everything isn ’ t ready for you—it ’ s difficult at first, there is so much to learn... ”
“ I ’ ve no time to teach, ” Duncan McRey broke in shortly. “ Call Nurse Malling and let me get on with my work .”
With unsteady fingers Jill turned the handle of the door and was at least relieved to find that Brenda, her undignified job completed, was advancing down the corridor from the ward. “ Nurse Malling , Dr. McRey tells me he has a clinic today—why didn ’ t you tell me about it? ” Jill asked quietly.
“ He only has a few discharged cases up for occasional X-ray or screening: children he wants to keep an eye on, ” Brenda explained. “ Anyway, I thought you knew. ”
“ How could I know, you tell me nothing ... Where does he hold the cl inic, how many cases are there for today? ”
“ None, ” Brenda announced sourly, then with exaggerated kindliness added, “ I should, of course, have told you had there been any waiting. ”
Biting back the angry words which sprang to her lips, Jill turned round and re-entered her office. “ I have asked Nurse Malling , there are no cases today. ” Then, quite
“ You ’ ll do nothing of the kind, clear it up yourself! ” Jill would have recalled her words the moment they were spoken, but it was too late, the expression of scorn and anger in Brenda Malling ’ s glance sent an icy chill to her heart.
“ That ’ s the last case, isn ’ t it? ” Harriet ’ s question broke in on Jill ’ s chaotic thoughts and, glancing up to reply, she was aware of the unspoken sympathy in her friend ’ s glan ce.
“ Yes, that is all. ” Jill spoke with all the calm she could muster, then slowly followed Dr. McRey and Harriet towards the swing doors. She watched them as they left the ward and entered her office and found herself marvelling at the ease with which Harriet conducted the conversation. Certainly Harriet had managed to break down the barrier of Duncan McRey ’ s reserve. Jill couldn ’ t resist a pang of envy; not that she really cared, she assured herself, but there was no denying the fact that not only would it make her job far easier, but it would be something in the nature of an achievement.
“ I ’ d like to have stayed, ” Harriet was saying as Jill followed them into the office, “ but I ’ ve got to get back and give Dr. Traven a hand. He ’ ll never get through singlehanded. ” She turned towards the door and, as Jill stood back to let her pass, she added quietly: “ Don ’ t worry, it was just an accident ... Try not to antagonize Nurse Malling too much, it isn ’ t a wise policy you know. ”
Jill was scarcely aware of Harriet ’ s words. There was only one thing uppermost in her mind, the knowledge that Harriet was leaving—leaving her alone to face Duncan McRey in the confined space of her tiny office. There was nothing she could do but acknowledge Harriet ’ s words with a wan smile. Then, aware that the door had closed behind her friend, she had no option but to turn and face her companion.
“ Well, are my other cases ready? ” He spoke with a hint of impatience, which became even more marked as Jill remained silent, blankly returning his gaze. “ My cases for the clinic, are they ready? ”
“ I ’ ll see. ... I mean I didn ’ t know that you saw outpatients here, ” Jill stammered uneasily, as she turned towards the door.
“ I always have a clinic after my round on Wednesdays—surely you knew that? ” There was no mistaking his rising anger. “ I ’ m too busy to be kept hanging about. Better call Nurse Malling , she ’ ll know about it. ”
Jill felt her cheeks flush with anger at the implication. How true it was. Brenda Malling had everything at her finger-tips. Did he really expect her so far to humiliate herself as to recall Brenda Malling from the task she had set her, the task which Jill alone knew she had so well merited. Choking back her anger, she spoke. “ I ’ m sorry everything isn ’ t ready for you—it ’ s difficult at first, there is so much to learn... ”
“ I ’ ve no time to teach, ” Duncan McRey broke in shortly. “ Call Nurse Malling and let me get on with my work .”
With unsteady fingers Jill turned the handle of the door and was at least relieved to find that Brenda, her undignified job completed, was advancing down the corridor from the ward. “ Nurse Malling , Dr. McRey tells me he has a clinic today—why didn ’ t you tell me about it? ” Jill asked quietly.
“ He only has a few discharged cases up for occasional X-ray or screening: children he wants to keep an eye on, ” Brenda explained. “ Anyway, I thought you knew. ”
“ How could I know, you tell me nothing ... Where does he hold the cl inic, how many cases are there for today? ”
“ None, ” Brenda announced sourly, then with exaggerated kindliness added, “ I should, of course, have told you had there been any waiting. ”
Biting back the angry words which sprang to her lips, Jill turned round and re-entered her office. “ I have asked Nurse Malling , there are no cases today. ” Then, quite
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