Read To Please the Doctor for Free Online

were ample, too, but the whole room looked such a complete muddle that for a moment she was entirely bereft of speech. Those adequate cupboards must surely be quite empty, otherwise how could one account for the piles of books on the window-sill, the armchair stacked high with white coats and the miscellaneous collection of articles which lay strewn on the desk. Unconsciously she closed her eyes and visualized Sister ’ s Office at her last post, the orderliness, the businesslike arrangement of every item. She could never, never work in this mess! Without even considering her words, she found herself expressing her thoughts. “ What an awful pigsty! Is it always like this? Surely Sister Wilks didn ’ t tolerate this muddle? ”
    “ She seemed quite satisfied, ” Brenda Malling announced shortly. “ I haven ’ t used the place at all; it hardly seemed worthwhile , as I only deputized for a week. ”
    “ Of course, I realize that it ’ s not your fault, ” Jill hastened to soften her words as she advanced further into the room. “ I expect it can all be cleared a bit, but there isn ’ t room to move. ” She pointed to the coats, some folded and one or two thrown carelessly over the back of the chair. “ To whom do these belong? Isn ’ t there a proper place for staff coats? ”
    “ Dr. McRey always puts his there; he never bothers with the linen cupboard in the passage. ”
    “ And all this litter? ” Jill indicated an untidy pile of notes on the desk.
    “ Oh, they are his too. ” There was a note of malicious enjoyment in Brenda Malling ’ s voice which didn ’ t escape her companion. “ I ’ d better leave you to sort things out, they ’ ll be here for the round soon, so I ’ ll get along to the ward. ”
    Jill was in no mood to “ sort things out, ” as her senior nurse had put it. She felt she ’ d need to take a few deep breaths before she ’ d even know where to start, but before she had time to get unduly concerned, Nurse Malling reappeared in the doorway.
    “ Sister Fernley—here is our Resident M.O., Dr. Traven. He has come over to meet you. ” Jill was surprised to see how her smile, when she turned to usher the young doctor into the room, transformed her whole face, the sullenness had entirely gone and her expression was one of delightful animation. “ Here, sir, come in, this is our new Sister —”
    The rest of her sentence was abr u ptly interrupted as the young doctor advanced towards Jill with a beaming smile, his hand outstretched in welcome. “ Well—I ’ m jiggered! If it isn ’ t Jill Fernley ! This is marvellous, gosh! I am glad to see you. ”
    While Jill felt her hand wrung with more enthusiasm than consideration for flesh and bone, she was deeply conscious of Brenda Malling ’ s obvious surprise; it wasn ’ t pleasurable surprise either, and taken unaware, she had done nothing to conceal the resentment she must have felt at this friendly meeting. Of course it was absurd, Jill argued. There was surely nothing to resent in th e fact that she and Philip Traven were already well known to, one another.
    “ What ages since we met! ” Philip Traven went on eagerly, quite unaware of Jill ’ s conflicting thoughts or of Nurse Malling ’ s obvious resentment. “ I was still a student, wasn ’ t I? I know you were a pro. What good times we had in those days. It ’ s grand seeing you again, you must tell me all about everything, the old gang. Do you ever hear anything of them these days? ” he went on eagerly, scarcely giving Jill time to get her breath or to attempt any reply. “ So you are a full-blown Sister now. How does it feel? I ’ ve been qualified quite a time, but I have never forgotten all the fun I had as a student. ”
    “ It certainly is odd seeing you again. ” Jill managed at last to get a word in. “ With hundreds of strange faces around, I must admit it ’ s nice to find an old friend. ”
    “ You ’ ve said it! ” he retorted with enthusias