Free A Mother's Gift by Maggie Hope Page A

should have been home long ago. It really was too bad of him not to let her know if he was detained elsewhere. The children had gone upstairs hours ago, he hadn’t even seen them today of all days; it was after all, Christmas.
    Mary Anne stood up cautiously and moved to pull the bell rope. She could wait no longer, she had to go to bed. Daisy would bring her a hot drink and she would ask the girl to rub her back. She sagged suddenly against the wall; her weight going on the satin bell rope so that it gave way suddenly and she fell heavily across the brass rail of the fender. When Daisy answered the summons, Mary Anne had rolled on to the hearthrug and was lying with her knees drawn up, moaning loudly.
    ‘There was an emergency admission yesterday evening,’ said Sister. The nurses were lined up in her office as she read the night staff’s report and gave them their orders for the morning. Katie, being the lowest of the probationer nurses, was on the end of the line nearest the door. Which was just as well because she was half a minute late having had a fight with her newly starched cap to get it into the right shape and in the correct position on her head. Sister had noticed of course, she noticed everything. Thankfully she had made do with giving Katie a disapproving look before beginning the report.
    ‘A Mrs Mary Anne Hamilton,’ Sister continued. ‘She is the wife of Mr Matthew Hamilton, the ironmaster. Incomplete abortion. She is in a side ward for the moment; she is to be taken down to theatre this morning at ten. Staff Nurse and I will get her ready for theatre. You, Nurse Benfield will attend us. Perhaps you may learn something.’ Sister’s tone implied that she thought this doubtful.
    ‘Yes Sister.’
    Katie had a small surge of panic at the thought of it. She was sure she would drop something and disgrace herself, her fingers felt all thumbs. But when Staff moved out to lay the trolley she fell in behind her obediently. Mrs Hamilton lay quietly under the covers, the dark circles around her eyes standing out against her white face. She said nothing but ‘yes’ and ‘no’ and ‘thank you’ in a faint voice barely above a whisper as Sister and Staff Nurse dressed her in a theatre gown and tied a white cloth around her head. They douched her with Perchloride of mercury 1-10000, and drew on long white stockings, all handed to them by Katie.
    Mary Anne was drowsy as she had already had her pre-medication and made no objection to anything. But just as they were finished there was a small commotion in the passage outside. It was Matthew’s voice, she thought, and even through the haze the drugs had brought to her mind she felt a twinge of apprehension.
    Katie looked in wonder at Sister, who strode to the door and looked out on to the passage.
    ‘What is happening?’ she asked. She would have said a lot more if it were not for the fact that it was Mr Hobson outside together with Mr Caine and a patient in a wheelchair. A male patient in the corridor of the gynaecological ward! It was unheard of. But Mr Caine was talking.
    ‘I’m sorry, Sister, but Mr Hamilton insisted, and I thought there was no harm—’
    ‘No harm!’ Sister ejaculated. She left them in no doubt as to her feelings on the matter.
    ‘He wants to see his wife for a few minutes,’ Mr Caine continued. ‘You will allow the circumstances are extraordinary.’
    This last was said in appeal to the gynaecologist. He glanced at Sister then back at his colleague.
    ‘Perhaps a few minutes, Sister? The theatre will not be ready for another thirty minutes.’
    Sister had to bow to the surgeon’s wishes; she stood back. ‘If you insist, sir,’ she said. ‘Though I hope the visit does not upset my patient.’
    ‘Indeed. Yet it might be just the thing to settle her down.’
    Matthew looked back impatiently at the orderly who was in charge of his wheelchair. The man was doing his best to show that the argument had nothing to do with him; he was