A Nightingale Christmas Wish by Donna Douglas Read Free Book Online Page B

face of his blistering anger. ‘I
am
in charge.’
    ‘Are you? You could have fooled me. Perhaps if you started acting like a real sister instead of a glorified probationer, we wouldn’t have situations like this.’
    With one final, quick scowl at Helen, he was gone. She heard the door to his consulting room slam, sending a shudder through her.
    She looked around. Penny Willard, the students and a line of patients were all staring back at her. Seeing their shocked expressions was almost too much for Helen. She could almost feel herself shrinking before their eyes, becoming diminished and insignificant. A creature to be pitied, not respected.
    She roused herself, squaring her shoulders and drawing herself to her full height. She would not, could not, allow herself to be treated in such a way, not in front of her nurses. If she lost their respect, she would lose everything.
    She turned to little Nurse Perkins. ‘Perkins, you may take five minutes off to gather yourself. Nurse Willard, will you take over, please?’
    Helen didn’t wait for a reply before she marched off to Dr McKay’s consulting room.
    She was so fired up with anger she walked straight in without knocking. Dr McKay looked up at her in surprise.
    ‘What the—’
    But before he could begin his sentence, Helen got in first. ‘How dare you speak to me like that in front of my nurses?’ she snapped. ‘I realise you were upset over the death of a patient, but you were rude and disrespectful, and I won’t stand for it. Would you ever have spoken to Sister Percival like that? I doubt it.’ She saw his eyes narrow, but she was too angry to care. ‘I know you don’t like or approve of me, Doctor, but nevertheless I have been given a job to do, and I intend to do it to the best of my abilities,’ she continued. ‘I would appreciate it if you could refrain from trying to humiliate me in front of my nurses, and treat me with the respect and courtesy I deserve!’
    Without waiting for a reply, she left the room. Her legs were shaking so much she could hardly walk.
    Rather than go back and face the other nurses, Helen sought refuge in the Plaster Room to give herself time to calm down. As her anger abated, she began to realise what a foolish thing she’d done. Had she really just given a senior doctor a dressing down? Even if Dr McKay had deserved it, it was a shocking thing to do. It would probably also spell the end of her short career as a ward sister. Once he told Matron what she’d said, that would be it for her.
    Not that she really cared. She couldn’t go on working for Dr McKay the way things were. He had been spoiling for a fight for the past week, ever since she’d arrived.
    Perhaps this was what he’d wanted all along, she thought. Perhaps he’d been deliberately goading her, trying to make her lose her temper so he could have her removed? If so, she’d played right into his hands.
    She jumped guiltily when the door opened and Dr Adler stuck his head round. ‘Is this a bad time?’ he asked.
    ‘No, not at all.’ Helen hurriedly turned away, smoothing down her apron. ‘I’m sorry, Doctor, did you need me?’
    Dr Adler smiled. ‘I came to see if you were all right.’
    His kind face almost undid her composure completely. ‘I’m quite all right, Doctor. Thank you,’ she said.
    ‘I also came to apologise for Dr McKay. He shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.’
    ‘I’m afraid I was rather rude to him in return,’ Helen said.
    ‘So I understand.’ Dr Adler looked more amused than angry.
    Helen bit her lip. ‘Is he going to tell Matron?’
    ‘Not if I can help it.’ Dr Adler grinned at her. ‘Don’t look so worried, Sister. Dr McKay isn’t one to bear a grudge, I assure you.’
    All the same, Helen knew she hadn’t made things better between them.
    ‘He had every right to be angry,’ she said. ‘A man died because of my negligence.’
    ‘If it’s any consolation, he would have died anyway,’ Dr Adler said. ‘We’ve