To Please the Doctor by Marjorie Moore Read Free Book Online Page B

emaciated body of the child. The ribs showed all too clearly through the stretched skin, her face against the pillow was almost transparent in its pallor, and the soft fair curls clung damply to her head. A feeling of pity and concern filled Jill ’ s heart. Custom had, in part, lessened that emotion, but there was something in the ethereal beauty of Mary Miles as she lay motionless against her pillow, which tugged at Jill ’ s heart. For a fleeting second she caught Duncan McRey ’ s glance; she suspected that his eyes reflected her own emotion, but she must have been mistaken, she told herself. Surely there could be no room for sentiment in his life, no room for anything but his own ruthless needs.
    Mr. Fahr ’ s arrival and the consultation which followed wiped all further speculations from Jill ’ s mind. Richard Fahr was the antithesis of Dr. McRey; he seemed to be endowed with all the charm and social graces which the physic i an lacked, and Jill couldn ’ t resist a momentary wish that Harriet had found her a post on the Surgical rather than the Medical side of St. Joseph ’ s.
    Although Jill had always believed children to be instinctive judges of character, Mr. Fahr certainly made no favourable impression on Mary Miles. She screamed lustily before he could even touch her, and clung desperately to Duncan McRey for protection—there must have been some source of strength she sensed beneath his unpolished manner. Jill suppressed a smile; it was beyond her understanding. She couldn ’ t believe that even as a child she could have turned to Duncan McRey for consolation.
    Jill listened with intelligent interest while the two men and Harriet discussed the case; at times the surgeon addressed her, bringing her into the discussion. “T hen it ’ s decided, McRey, you ’ ll carry on treatment. I a dmit I ’ m reluctant to resort to surgery at the moment . You ’ ve had such excellent results before, I feel it ’ s well worth waiting for a bit. ” He turned again to Jill. “ You are from Baldwin ’ s, aren ’ t you?—a splendid hospital, must have given you plenty of experience. Well, I hope you are going to like it here. ” He gave her an encouraging smile. “ I am confident you will find it interesting working with Dr. McRey .”
    Jill smiled her thanks. She ’ d certainly find it interesting, she agreed. Then she gave her full attention to the discussion regarding treatment. Then, as the surgeon disappeared through the swing doors at the end of, the long ward, Duncan McRey turned to her. “ You heard Mr. Fahr ’ s opinion; for the time being we continue as before. ” He leaned over Mary ’ s bed, exploring the thin chest with gentle fingers, then, addressing Harriet, he added, “ We ’ ll have to get rid of this fluid. ”
    Jill quickly prepared a syringe and waited as Duncan McRey soothed the frightened child. Mary scarcely appeared to feel the prick. She turned her head, but only to give the doctor a trusting smile. “ All right? ” Again that tender smile transformed his whole expression, then, still chatting to distract Mary ’ s attention, he proceeded swiftly with the operation.
    Jill was holding out the dish for the syringe when it happened—she felt her elbow deliberately jerked, the syringe flew from her hand and clattered to the floor. In numbed astonishment she saw the splintered glass at her feet and the trickle of fluid, a dark stain on the polished wood ... She heard Duncan McRey ’ s smothered exclamation of annoyance and Nurse Malling ’ s twitter of regret ... Still dazed, she looked up to meet his scathing glance, his undisguised expression of annoyance. Even Harriet showed ill-concealed surprise, and that was the last straw. Jill could barely contain her own rising anger.
    “ Oh, dear, what an awful mess! I ’ ll get Nurse Fenn to clear it up. ” Brenda Malling spoke with such an air of cool detachment that it only served to fan the flame of Jill ’ s smouldering