Nurse Trudie is Engaged by Marjorie Norrell Read Free Book Online

Philip, who said with enthusiasm that, of course, he would be delighted.
    “ And I ’ ve a phone call to make. ” Malcolm glanced at his watch. “ It won ’ t take a minute, if you ’ ll excuse me. ”
    Philip and Trudie were left alone for a few moments. When he looked directly at her she smiled—a warm, friendly smile with nothing teasing or flirtatious in its quality. Philip found that strangely reassuring. “ She ’ s like Dora, ” he thought with a flash of insight, “ but younger of course. ” Like Dora, he was certain, Trudie put her work first. It was obvious that she loved every moment of it: the patients, the other nurses, the doctors, the rest of the staff from Matron downward, but with no degree of sentiment. She was what Philip had once heard described as “ a nurse through and through. ” He was certain of it. And what had Dora said?
    “ Surely there must be someone like yourself, ” had been her words, “ someone who is as dedicated to her own calling as you are to yours and who wouldn ’ t want to go rushing off to the altar in a blaze of white satin and glory. ”
    The worst she could do would be to snub him, he reflected, and from what he had seen of her this evening she was hardly the type to do that while entertaining him as a visitor and guest in her own home.
    He flung a desperate glance at the door. Any moment now Dr. Hislop or one of Trudie ’ s brothers might come in. He cleared his throat and moved over to sit beside her, not wanting to speak above a subdued tone of voice.
    “ I ’ m glad you ’ ll be working at the extension, Trudie, ” he began, not even realizing that this time he had dropped the formal “ Nurse Hislop, ” causing Trudie ’ s heart to race faster although she gave no outward sign.
    Instead she said demurely. “ You get the best out of people. I ’ d do anything for you. ”
    It was the opening he needed and, unaware that this was completely out of character for him, Philip took the plunge.
    “ In that case, ” he said slowly and deliberately, “ I have a proposition to put to you that I hope you will seriously consider, It ’ s both personal and private— ” Then the hearty voice of Dr. Hislop greeted them from the door and, for the time being, the moment was gone.
    Dinner at Conrey was always well cooked, excellently served, but, Philip realized, rather a lonely affair. Here at The Cedars the meal was equally well cooked and served, and the conversation was lively and general. Trudie, as both her father and Philip had expected, showed little interest in the good fare put before her by the anxious Mrs. Emma. Both medical men were anxiously watching for any signs of delayed shock, hoping this would be prevented, but prepared to act if she showed any reaction.
    They had reached the coffee stage having discussed a variety of subjects ranging from the out-of-the-ordinary incidents that cropped up in the life of a general practitioner in a large and scattered practice such as Dr. Hislop ’ s to the legal side of the administration of the large, new extension hospital. Geoff, who had contributed little to the last two topics of conversation, looked up suddenly and spoke directly to Philip, his dark eyes alight with tense anxiety.
    “ Do you ever come into contact with Miss Sinclair? ” he asked in a clipped tone of voice as though the words were being forced from him against his will. “ Her uncle is chairman of the board, I believe. ”
    “ You mean Ursula? ” Philip was watching the younger man with close attention. “ We often meet, ” he parried the question. “ We see one another at medical functions—she usually accompanies her uncle—and sometimes she attends the monthly hospital dances. Why? ”
    “ She ’ s a wonderful person, isn ’ t she? ” Geoff countered with another question. “ Seems to have a knowledge of what goes on and where and in connection with what in the medical field. I met her once at an Arcpo function. I ’ ve