Promise the Doctor Read Online Free Page A

moment. We’re crowded too, but a number of patients will be leaving the women’s medical tomorrow, I understand, and you’ll probably be taken over there. I see you’re here for observation,’ she added gently.
    ‘That’s what I understood,’ Miss Paling said fretfully. ‘Now I’m not so sure. But if you are sure, Sister, would it be any trouble if I asked to be allowed to stay here with you? Whoever is observing me or whatever you call it can surely do it just as well with me lying here in your ward as the one I saw down the corridor, can’t they?’
    ‘We’ll see,’ Joy smiled again, moving away, ‘but the beds in here will all be required for our new intake on Wednesday, you know. That’s the official day for admission to surgical wards here, unless it happens to be an urgent case, an emergency of some sort.’
    ‘Well, see what you can do, please, Sister. I’m funny in some ways, I know, but I sort of feel I can trust your face, and you can’t say that about the face of everybody you meet, can you?’
    ‘Not exactly.’ She knew what the woman meant, and was glad she had inspired the confidence that it is the duty of all nurses to inspire in their patients, but there was every possibility that Miss Paling would be transferred, and she must do her best to make certain the little lady was not upset by the change. ‘You’ll like Sister Kelly, too,’ she said confidently. ‘She’s a great friend of mine.’
    ‘But I couldn’t talk to her about Jackie,’ Miss Paling persisted. ‘She might not understand, and I feel sure that you would.’
    ‘And I’m equally certain Sister Kelly would be just as understanding,’ Joy told her soothingly. ‘Tell me about Jackie, and I’ll see if there’s anything I can do.’
    ‘Jackie’s my companion,’ Miss Paling’s thin fingers were plucking nervously at the sheet over her too thin body. ‘He’s a Minah bird, and he’s a darling. I’ve left him with a neighbour for the present, but they’re going away very soon, I don’t know quite when, and I’m worried about what’s going to become of Jackie until I get home.’
    ‘I’ll have a word with the Almoner and get her to come and have a chat with you. I’m certain she’ll be able to think of some means of coping with Jackie’s welfare until you are able to take care of him yourself.’
    ‘Thank you, Sister,’ Miss Paling blinked away the ready tears of weakness and smiled up at her gratefully.
    ‘You don’t know just how much you’ve put my mind at rest. Jackie’s a darling, but at a time like this he’s quite a responsibility, you know. And I love him ... so much you might think I’m crazy.’
    ‘I don’t think you’re in the least crazy,’ Joy assured her gravely. ‘I think Jackie is a very lucky Minah bird to have such a thoughtful and understanding owner. Don’t worry any more about him. You can take my word that Miss Stanningley, the Lady Almoner, will find some way of taking care of him for you.’
    Leaving Miss Paling still saying how grateful she was—and how much more settled she would be in herself once she knew Jackie was going to be all right, Joy went across to the young girl who had been brought in as the emergency appendix. With one thing and another there was absolutely no possibility of a quiet moment in which she could even open the flap of Miss Barnes’ letter and gain just a hint as to what she might find herself having pledged to look after ... whether it turned out to be another Minah bird, an aged parrot, a family of cats or whatever it was ... but after her conversation with Miss Paling she had begun to feel a little bit apprehensive, and she knew her uneasiness would remain until the letter had been read.

 
    CHAPTER III
    ‘I should read it anyway.’ Marcia had stepped into Sister’s office for a moment. ‘I couldn’t bear to wait until the afternoon tea break. It’s hours away yet!’
    ‘Not really,’ Joy smiled at her friend’s enthusiasm,