A Nurse's Duty by Maggie Hope Read Free Book Online Page A

aisle, Karen on Da’s arm and Kezia, as matron of honour, behind them. And Karen forgot about the music as Da released her arm and stepped back and she was looking up into Dave’s face.
    Oh, dear, she thought, I’m not ready for this. She felt a great urge to turn tail and run. Dave looked like a stranger to her suddenly. What was she doing, putting her life in this man’s hands? She glanced at the Minister and he smiled back – an understanding smile, but she knew he didn’t understand. How could he? He was too young, he wasn’t Mr Richardson. She had a sudden longing for the old Minister and his son; Robert would have helped her. She looked again at Dave and forced the panic down, deep into the pit of her stomach. She had to go on with it now, she had to make it the right thing.
    The organ was playing the introduction and the music of Charles Wesley’s lovely hymn of praise swelled up and filled the Chapel. Karen could hear her father’s baritone booming out behind her:
    Love divine, all loves excelling
,
    Joy of heaven to earth come down
    Fix in us thy humble dwelling
    All thy faithful mercies crown
    She was overwhelmed by a sense of unreality, hardly hearing the Minister as he spoke to Dave. And then it was her turn.
    ‘Karen, wilt thou take this man for thy lawful wedded husband?’
    Dave nudged her and she looked up at the Minister, startled. What had he said? But of course there could only have been one thing.
    ‘I will,’ she mumbled, and beside her she felt Dave relax.
    Afterwards, they went into the schoolroom for the wedding break fast, Dave holding on to her arm. The feeling of unreality gradually faded and she took a sip of tea. It tasted funny. She didn’t know what it tasted like, she couldn’t think, it was all hot in her throat and made her cough. She turned to Mrs Mitchell who was sitting on her left to ask her about it but Dave caught hold of her arm and pulled her over to him.
    ‘Ssh!’
    ‘But the tea tastes funny,’ protested Karen. ‘I was just going to ask her what she thought of it.’
    ‘Hers’ll taste all right,’ said Dave, and winked broadly. ‘I didn’t put anything in Mam’s tea.’
    ‘Dave!’ Karen was horrified. She looked over to the Minister but thankfully he wasn’t taking any notice, too deep in conversation with her father. Glancing round at the chattering guests, she lifted the cup as though she was going to take a sip and sniffed. Rum! That’s what it was. She’d smelt it before, coming from the open door of the Vulcan Inn.
    Karen looked at her new husband. She couldn’t believe he had brought strong drink into the Chapel schoolroom.
    ‘The Minister will smell it, Dave! And what about Da?’ Dear Lord, Da would never be able to hold his head up in Chapel again if this came to light.
    Dave grinned. ‘They won’t smell it, pet. Eat some ham and it will take the smell away. Aw, howay, lass, I just thought we’d liven things up a bit, what’s a sip of rum?’
    Karen was in a panic. Desperately she swallowed what was left in her cup to get rid of it and hastily ate up her ham and salad. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dave put his hand in his pocket.
    ‘I don’t want any more, Dave,’ she said urgently, ‘nor you neither.’
    He laughed and slipped the bottle back. ‘All right, all right. But you’ll have to make it up to me later on, mind. We’ll see if we can get away early, eh?’
    ‘If you like, Dave,’ said Karen, who was willing to agree to anything if he drank no more rum, not in the schoolroom.
    The rest of the reception was spoiled for her. She kept her head down all the time in case anyone smelled the rum on her breath and mumbled her thank yous through almost closed lips when the guests offered their good wishes. All she could think of was getting away into the fresh air. It was the first time she had tasted alcohol and she couldn’t understand how anyone could drink it for pleasure. She felt sick and her head was beginning to thump