Free Nurse in Love by Jane Arbor Page A

wearily. “And anyone who didn’t know then will have been told since—by Thelma.”
    “And are you—well, are you going to mind that Dr . Carter has come back, that you’ll have to meet him again? Won’t it be a bit embarrassing for you both?” asked Sara, with shy curiosity.
    “It needn’t be. We parted friends. And Steven wasn’t—bitter.” Kathryn’s tone was now quiet and assured. And when Sara had gone she went on to reflect how little, really, the truth of her former relationship with Steven Carter had to do with her present unhappiness. For that was caused by Adam Brand’s cruel prejudice and by his closeness to Thelma, who was her enemy and his friend—and perhaps even more than that. Left to themselves, she and Steven could have taken up the threads of their friendship where they had been dropped. But Adam Brand’s bitterness and Thelma’s enmity had already spoiled her own chance of being completely natural with Steven. And had she not, in her heart, given the other man a silent pledge that he should have no further quarrel with her on the score of Steven Carter? He had taunted her first with an unwillingness to meet Steven again, then asked that she should not deliberately seek him out. Well, she would not. But she did not really hope that any attitude of hers would find favour in Adam Brand’s eyes.
    Steven was returning to the Wardrop to take up his former post as registrar to one of the women’s wards, and he and Kathryn did not meet until a fortnight or so after he had begun work. And when they did it was not in hospital, but in the town, when Kathryn was off duty and on her way to see Barbara Thorley.
    “Kathryn! How good to see you again!” When she had noticed him approaching she had thought he looked older, his face more drawn, though it had lighted into pleasure at sight of her.
    “It’s good to see you too. Are you much better now?”
    Some of the light went from his eyes. “Better? Yes, I’m all right, I suppose. But don’t let’s talk about that. If you’re not doing anything particular will you come and have some coffee with me?”
    She looked at her watch. “I can’t, Steven. I’m due at Barbara Thorley’s—you remember Barbara, don’t you?”
    “Yes, of course. She lost her baby, didn’t she?”
    “Yes, but she has someone to care for instead now. I could tell you about that as we go, if you’d come along with me.”
    Steven hesitated. “To Mrs. Thorley’s? I really wanted to talk to you, Kathryn.”
    “Afterwards, if you must, Steven. We needn’t stay long.” There was an intensity in his tone which made her nervous and anxious to put off being alone with him.
    On their way they talked hospital “shop”, and Kathryn was able to give him some items of news he had not yet heard. She knew that he was sure of a welcome from Barbara, for Barbara and Victor Thorley’s house possessed a rare air of extending welcome at any hour of the day or night. Kathryn had often declared laughingly that it would be impossible to arrive on Barbara’s doorstep without doing so to the tune of Barbara’s cheerful: “Come right in !”
    To-day, however, she added with a twinkle: “Well, well—the Wardrop calls en bloc! Are you sure Matron isn’t following on, or that you didn’t pass the Board of Management on the way up?”
    Puzzled, but laughing with her, they followed her into the sitting-room, where, to Kathr y n’s surprise and complete dismay, Adam Brand was sitting by the fire.
    Carol was leaning confidently against the arm of his chair and on his knees lay Edward on his back, staring with button-eyed indifference at the ceiling.
    Carol was saying earnestly: “And you don’t think an operation would be a good thing, Dr . Brand?”
    “I’d advise against it at the moment.” Adam’s tone was equally grave. “I grant you that the abdomen is distended” — he poked an exploring foref inger at Edward’s stuffing — “but bed-rest and diet might improve the