To Please the Doctor by Marjorie Moore Read Free Book Online

building. She was naturally adaptable and was quickly settling down, but how much easier it would have been if her Staff Nurse had only been more helpful. Brenda Malling was not only withholding her help, but in some ways Jill felt she was deliberately proving obstructive, and in spite of all Jill ’ s attempts at friendliness the position was not improving.
    Duncan McRey was a formidable factor too, but at least Jill felt she had been forewarned about him, and had managed to avoid much direct contact by allowing Brenda to deputize for her, a concession pleasing to her Staff Nurse, but Jill knew that by shelving her responsibility she was also lowering her own prestige, which with a girl like Brenda Malling she could not allow to continue.
    Since Brenda had vouchsafed no useful information regarding the Honorary ’ s likes and dislikes, Jill had found it incumbent upon herself to watch and learn, but this afternoon Jill had every intention of relieving her Staff Nurse of further responsibility and taking on the round with Dr. McRey herself. Brenda Malling wouldn ’ t be too pleased about that, but since she had persistently refused her co-operation, Jill now decided to manage without it.
    Even clearing her own room had proved a problem, and she had been fully aware of the scornful glances of her Staff Nurse as she had piled all the litter willy-nilly into a cupboard and ruthlessly destroyed anything she had considered unwanted. As she sat writing up her notes at her now tidied desk, she was conscious of Brenda Malling ’ s angry snorts behind her as she searched frantically in the cupboard, making a quite unnecessary clatter.
    “ Looking for something, Nurse? ” Jill asked with a disarming smile, directed over her shoulder.
    “ Those X-rays of Mary ’ s ... Dr. McRey is sure to want them this afternoon. Mr. Fahr is coming for a consultation. Where in heaven ’ s name are they? ”
    “ Filed in the X-ray department—where they should be, ” Jill returned, a trifle too sweetly for the other girl ’ s patience.
    “ Why file them when you knew we ’ d want them? ” Brenda Malling pushed back the tumbled pile of documents and slammed the cupboard door as she turned away.
    “ Just a moment, Nurse. ” Jill halted her as she reached the door. “ All notes and X-rays should be filed until they are actually wanted—but, as a matter of interest, I didn ’ t know they would be required this afternoon, I knew nothing of any consultation. Why didn ’ t you tell me? ”
    Brenda Malling had the grace to flush. “ I didn ’ t think it mattered. Dr. McRey asked me yesterday. It ’ s Mr. Fahr ’ s day here, and he asked me to get him over, I arranged for him to meet Dr. McRey here at three. ”
    “ You know perfectly well that I should have been told. ” Jill paused, then added: “I k n ow you are trying to make things as difficult for me as you can. You resent my appointment here and you don ’ t try to hide it. Why go on like this? It ’ s rather childish, isn ’ t it? ”
    “ I don ’ t know what you mean, ” Brenda Malling retorted sulkily. “ I ’ ve done all you have asked me; you suggested yourself that I should keep on with the ward round until you were more settled. I didn ’ t want to bother you with details. I ’ ve tried to help, that ’ s all. ”
    “ I see. ” Jill met Brenda ’ s ga ze unflinchingly. “ Well, thanks. From this afternoon, I ’ ll take over myself. Is there any other information you should give me, any further requests of Dr. McRey ’ s which I should know? ”
    “ No, nothing. ” Brenda turned towards the door and with her hand resting on the handle, spoke again. “ Do you want me to accompany you on the round? ”
    “ Yes, I ’ m sure you ’ ll be a help. ” Jill bent over her desk to hide the smile which accompanied her words, but it quickly died from her lips as she heard the door close . There really wasn ’ t anything to smile about, she was too