Free Nurse Saxon's Patient by Marjorie Norrell

out a helping hand to this boy she loved as if he were her own, but she watched with pride as, accepting Julie ’ s hand to help his injured ones, he descended from the car and went up the steps to meet his aunt and to press a kiss on the delicately tinted cheek.
    ‘ Safe and sound, you see, ’ he joked. ‘ Bailey ’ s a careful driver. You knew I ’ d arrive all right. ’
    ‘ And luncheon is just ready, ’ Mrs. Andy smiled. ‘ Just a quick drink and a freshen up and then we ’ ll eat. ’
    Julie found herself conducted by a pleasant-faced maid to a beautifully-proportioned room at the head of the stairs.
    ‘Mrs. Crossman put you in here, ’ the girl told her, ‘ because Mr. Garth is next door, and there ’ s a small communicating dressing-room if you should have to attend to him during the night. ’
    ‘ That was very thoughtful, ’ Julie said. ‘ I still have to help him dress, shave and so on, you know. ’
    The girl laid out a dress for Julie, but the nurse shook her head.
    ‘ I ’ m here on duty, ’ she said quietly. ‘ I only brought a dress because Mrs. Crossman said she couldn ’ t face a uniform over the dinner table. ’ They smiled at each other, united in respect for and admiration of the mistress of the house. By the time Julie was ready to go down she and Edna, as she discovered the girl ’ s name to be, were quite good friends.
    Julie felt a little shy on entering the huge dining-room, but Andrew Crossman came to meet her, carrying a glass.
    ‘ Sherry ?’ he asked pleasantly. ‘ My wife ’ s choice for you ... if it doesn ’ t suit —’
    ‘ That will be perfect, ’ Julie assured him, accepting the glass and allowing him to conduct her to the wide window seat where they chatted amiably about the journey, the garden and all manner of such topics until the low-toned gong sounded and Lavinia rose, placing her hand on Garth ’ s arm.
    And ‘ perfect ’ , Julie thought later that evening, was the key word for the entire evening. If only the remainder of her stay at Woodlands would be the same ?

 
    CHAPTER VI
    When Julie awoke on the Thursday morning her first feeling was one of indefinable relief. She lay for a moment, ‘ wondering why, after days of tense anxiety about Garth, she should suddenly have this sensation of freedom, this lightness of heart, and then laughed aloud, softly, at herself.
    It ’ s because of this place, she thought, and the whole atmosphere here. It ’ s made a difference to me ... and I kn o w it will to him. He ’ ll begin to get really well again now, he can ’ t help himself, and Mr. and Mrs. Andy are anxious to do everything and anything to help.
    She hurried through her dressing and went to see what she could do to assist Garth. She found him in high spirits, exclaiming about the song of the birds under his window at dawn that morning and the lovely scents of the garden which had greeted him on waking.
    ‘ I feel much better already, ’ he confided as they were ready to go down for breakfast. ‘ If you really meant what you said about helping me with my work I suggest we take some notepaper and things down to the summerhouse and start work before lunch. ’
    ‘ That will be fine, ’ Julie assured him, ‘ but you must take things steadily at first. ’
    ‘ You ’ re the nurse, ’ he laughed, ‘ and I promise I ’ ll abide by whatever pace you set !’
    The summer-house, Julie discovered, was a pleasant, well-built rotating little arbour by the side of the small ornamental lake. It did not take them long to settle down, and soon the pencil was flying in Julie ’ s fingers as Garth ’ s quick brain detailed all the ideas which had been piling up in his mind during his enforced spell of inactivity.
    They worked until Edna came to tell them that lunch was about to be served. As they entered the dining-room Mrs. Andy ’ s face lit up with pleasure as she saw the bright, alert gaze of her favourite nephew, the new lightness to his step,