Kit Cavendish-Private Nurse Read Online Free

Baylis has a coronary thrombosis. He collapsed at the beginning of November and fractured his left tibia. It was a simple fracture, which in normal circumstances would have presented no complications. The ruling factor, however, has of c ourse been the heart condition. That means rest. The fractured leg, on the other hand, demands activity. On no account must Mr. Baylis be allowed to become bedridden—or even chair-ridden. That means that both Mr. and Mrs. Baylis are right and wrong in the view they hold. The difficulty is to find a compromise they will both accept, one that at the same time will satisfy Heathfield and myself. And that is going to be all the more tricky because Mr. Baylis has admitted that this is not his first attack. He had one when he was away from home some six months ago. He kept quiet about it, simply taking life easy for a bit. Then, as there was no repetition, he convinced himself he had nothing to worry about. On the other hand, Mrs. Baylis is not unnaturally alarmed because of her husband’s earlier reticence.”
    “Yes, of course,” Kit agreed gravely.
    “Well, that’s how things are,” Dr. Grainger went on. “It’s a pity Mr. Baylis wasn’t willing to stay on in the hospital where it would have been simple to see to it that he toed the line and that there was no outside interference. But he preferred to come home and really it was not feasible to object. In any case, when Dr. Heathfield insisted on a qualified nurse being engaged, his decision was accepted unhesitatingly. But we are dealing with two exceptionally strong-willed people, and of the two, I would say that Mrs. Baylis is the more dominant personality.” He looked inquiringly at Kit.
    “I’ve hardly been here long enough... ” Kit said discreetly, although privately she agreed with the doctor.
    “No?” He smiled faintly. “Well, that is my reading of the situation and, I may say, of Heathfield’s as well. Now, you understand, Nurse, that of course there must be no interference in the prescribed treatment and naturally you will be given explicit instructions. Nonetheless, I’m afraid you will not always find it easy to do your job, particularly as you must carry out your orders with as little friction as possible for the sake of the patient. You understand?”
    “Yes, I do,” Kit said seriously, frowning in perplexity.
    “Something on your mind?” Dr. Grainger asked kindly. “Out with it!”
    “It’s just this,” Kit explained. “I’m not a stranger to Ravenslea, you know. I used to live here. And it is, so I’ve learned since I arrived, no coincidence that I was called in on this case.”
    “No?”
    “No. You see, although I have never met Mr. and Mrs. Baylis before, I used to know Mr. Wrinch quite well. He is responsible for my being here.”
    “Wrinch?” Dr. Grainger repeated. “Wrinch? Oh, the accountant chap. Now what’s at the back of that, I’d like to know? Anything personal?”
    “Perhaps,” Kit admitted, coloring. “But the point is, I’ve never before agreed to nurse anyone where relationship or friendship is concerned.”
    “Quite right,” the doctor agreed briskly. “They always expect concessions, and when you don’t give them, there’s trouble.”
    “Mr. Wrinch knows nothing at all of my capabilities as a nurse,” Kit said quietly. “In the past four years we’ve been completely out of touch with one another.”
    “Hm.” Dr. Grainger rubbed his hand thoughtfully over his chin. “Well, I shall pass that particular buck to Heathfield! He’ll be here tomorrow.”
    Ignoring the fact that her heart surely missed a beat, Kit looked him straight in the face.
    “Dr. Heathfield knows something more of me ... as a nurse,” she said steadily. “He was at St. Magnus’s during my first two years.”
    “Good, that should help,” Dr. Grainger said cheerfully. “And now let’s go and see our patient, shall we?”
    Kit’s first glimpse of Jason was from the window of Mr.