Free (12/20) No Holly for Miss Quinn by Miss Read Page A

that she doesn't wake up."
    At this point, Sister arrived, and asked Eileen if the children would like to see the Christmas tree in the children's ward. They departed happily.
    "By the way," said Miriam, "did you know that Hazel has tumbled to Father Christmas?"
    "Yes. I hope she won't tell Jenny yet."
    Miriam explained what had happened.
    "Always problems," said Eileen. "And with some you will be wrong whatever you do. I thought this when Lovell and I were invited out together, the other evening. He was suddenly taken ill. Of course I rang our hostess, and she said: 'Will you feel like coming?'
    "What do you do? Say 'Yes' and be branded as callous to one's husband's sufferings, and probably greedy to boot, or say 'No' and let down the hostess?"
    "Insoluble," agreed Miriam. "Or, worse still, wondering whether to pull the lavatory chain in the dead of night in someone else's house. If you do, you can imagine the startled hostess saying: 'You'd think she would have more sense than to rouse the whole household!' On the other hand, one is liable to be branded a perfect slattern if the hostess visits the loo first in the morning!"
    They laughed together, and Miriam, for the first time, felt completely at ease in Eileen's presence.
    "But tell me about yourself," she said. "Are they getting things right?"
    "I think so. They couldn't be kinder, and once the results of the tests are through I may be able to come home. Strict diet, and all that, and weekly checkups, but I've a strong suspicion it won't come to surgery."
    "Thank God for that!" said Miriam.
    "You must be longing to get back to Fairacre," said Eileen. "The vicarage is such a barn of a place. But Lovell is terribly grateful to you for coming up so quickly, and so am I, as you know. We should have foundered without you. Ah, here comes Sister."
    The children had been given a chocolate toy from the tree, and were starry-eyed with pleasure.
    "Shall I unwrap your presents while you're here?" asked Eileen.
    "Yes, yes. Do it now!" they clamored.
    With great care, she undid the wrappings, read the lopsided cards covered in kiss-crosses, and finally displayed a canvas bookmark embroidered in lazy-daisy stitch by Hazel and a thimble in a walnut-shell case from Jenny.
    "Perfect!" smiled Eileen, putting the thimble on her finger, and the bookmark in the novel by her bed. "Now Christmas has really begun!"
    Miriam looked at her watch.
    "I must take them back. Lovell has to be off again by four. He'll be in tomorrow, and I'll come again after that."
    "Dear Miriam," murmured Eileen, as they kissed. "No wonder Lovell adores you. You are an absolute tower of strength."
    Miriam called into Sister's room as they went out, to thank her for the children's presents, and to enquire after Eileen's progress.
    "She's doing very well. We couldn't have a better patient, and a real help to the others in the ward."
    "She says you are all very good to her."
    "That's nothing to Mr. Quinn's kindness to my old mother," said Sister, with energy. "You don't forget help like that when you're in trouble. He lives by his beliefs, that brother of yours."
    "He tries to, I know," replied Miriam, much moved.
    "Come on, Aunt Miriam, we've got to get our things ready for Father Christmas," urged the girls.
    "First things first," called Sister, as they left the hospital.
    ***
    The wind had become a vicious howling gale by the time they reached home. The sleet slanted across the headlights, and a wicked draft blew from the east under the vicarage doors. Water was blowing onto the landing from a window which took the brunt of the weather, and Miriam searched for something to staunch the flow.
    "Mummy just leaves it," said Jenny, faintly surprised at so much fuss over some intruding rain. "It always dries up after a bit."
    Exhausted as she was, Miriam began to sympathize with this laissez faire attitude, although it was against all her principles. She rammed a shabby towel against the crack, and hoped for the best.
    Lovell