pervaded the small oak-beamed room and Jill sniffed the air appreciatively. “ I adore the smell of coffee; it ’ s a pity so few places know how to make it properly. ”
“ I think my olfactory organs must be frozen, I ’ m too cold either to smell or feel anything. ” Philip stretched his legs out towards the comforting blaze and rubbed his hands vigorously against each other, then, reaching o ut, he took Jill ’ s hands between his own and rubbed hers too until they tingled pleasantly. “ Good idea of yours to come here. I hadn ’ t realized that I was becoming an iceberg. ”
Jill withdrew her hands and loosened her coat. “ I ’ m full of good ideas, aren ’ t I? ”
“ The best idea you ever had was coming to St. Joseph ’ s. ” He looked at her searchingly. “ You really are happy there, aren ’ t you? I ’ m so glad those silly rumours about your leaving weren ’ t true. ”
“ Don ’ t let ’ s talk ‘ shop ’ , I want to forget St. Joseph ’ s for the time being. ”
“ If you want to forget it, then there ’ s something unpleasant about it. ” He paused to drink his coffee, then added thoughtfully, “ I suppose that McRey is the fly in the ointment? ”
Jill laughed gaily. “ I don ’ t think that Dr. McRey can be likened to a fly! But I must admit that he doesn ’ t add to the enjoyment of my work ... nor does Brenda Malling , for that matter. ”
“ Oh, Brenda, she doesn ’ t really count. ” He dismissed her airily. “ She ’ s a moody girl, anyway, and given to fits of pique . I ’ m in her bad books at present for daring to renew my friendship with you, but it doesn ’ t amount to anything that really matters. She ’ ll forget all about it soon and we shall both be forgiven. That ’ s one trouble disposed of! ”
“ Well, you won ’ t be able to dispose of Dr. McRey as easily as that! ”
“ I don ’ t see why not. He ’ s far too unsociable to be popular with any of the staff, but we ’ re all used to that by now and leave him to his own devices. He ’ s darned good at his job, which is the main thing, and the only person who ever manages to get him away from the precious book he ’ s compiling is Harriet Laine, and I take off my hat to her f o r that. ”
“ Yes, I must admit that Harriet seems to have a go o d effect on him, but that doesn ’ t help the rest of us. ”
“ That ’ s the worst of you girls, you make a personal issue of it. What does it matter if he is curt and supercritical? Keeps some of you up to the mark. ”
“ Makes us more pleased to see that nice Dr. Traven, ” J ill mocked. “ That ’ s what you really mean. ”
“ I don ’ t personally hold with all that he-man stuff. I find I get equally good results by being a bit affable. ”
“ You wouldn ’ t know how to be, anything else! ”
Philip gave a mock bow. “ Thank you, Jill, I accept that as a compliment, but if you take my advice, you ’ ll stand up to the dour Duncan. I feel he has more respect for those who show some spirit. ”
“ ‘ To take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them ’ , ” Jill quoted meditatively. ‘ That ’ s your idea, isn ’ t it? ”
“ Yes, and you ’ ll find I ’ m right. None of you nurses know how to handle him. ”
“ Maybe. Anyway, I ’ m not going to argue with you. ” The striking of an old-fashioned clock on the mantelpiece caused Jill to look up in surprise. “ Good heavens, it ’ s twelve already; we ’ ve been here ages. If we don ’ t get a move on we shall be late for lunch, and that would be stepping off with the wrong foot. ”
They settled their bill and hurried out into the cold air, which blew in angry gusts into their faces. With a sigh of relief Jill settled back in the car. They were on familiar ground now, and she knew every bend and sharp corner, and as each mile passed her pleasure at her approaching homecoming increased.
Philip glanced down at her smilingly. “ You look
“ I think my olfactory organs must be frozen, I ’ m too cold either to smell or feel anything. ” Philip stretched his legs out towards the comforting blaze and rubbed his hands vigorously against each other, then, reaching o ut, he took Jill ’ s hands between his own and rubbed hers too until they tingled pleasantly. “ Good idea of yours to come here. I hadn ’ t realized that I was becoming an iceberg. ”
Jill withdrew her hands and loosened her coat. “ I ’ m full of good ideas, aren ’ t I? ”
“ The best idea you ever had was coming to St. Joseph ’ s. ” He looked at her searchingly. “ You really are happy there, aren ’ t you? I ’ m so glad those silly rumours about your leaving weren ’ t true. ”
“ Don ’ t let ’ s talk ‘ shop ’ , I want to forget St. Joseph ’ s for the time being. ”
“ If you want to forget it, then there ’ s something unpleasant about it. ” He paused to drink his coffee, then added thoughtfully, “ I suppose that McRey is the fly in the ointment? ”
Jill laughed gaily. “ I don ’ t think that Dr. McRey can be likened to a fly! But I must admit that he doesn ’ t add to the enjoyment of my work ... nor does Brenda Malling , for that matter. ”
“ Oh, Brenda, she doesn ’ t really count. ” He dismissed her airily. “ She ’ s a moody girl, anyway, and given to fits of pique . I ’ m in her bad books at present for daring to renew my friendship with you, but it doesn ’ t amount to anything that really matters. She ’ ll forget all about it soon and we shall both be forgiven. That ’ s one trouble disposed of! ”
“ Well, you won ’ t be able to dispose of Dr. McRey as easily as that! ”
“ I don ’ t see why not. He ’ s far too unsociable to be popular with any of the staff, but we ’ re all used to that by now and leave him to his own devices. He ’ s darned good at his job, which is the main thing, and the only person who ever manages to get him away from the precious book he ’ s compiling is Harriet Laine, and I take off my hat to her f o r that. ”
“ Yes, I must admit that Harriet seems to have a go o d effect on him, but that doesn ’ t help the rest of us. ”
“ That ’ s the worst of you girls, you make a personal issue of it. What does it matter if he is curt and supercritical? Keeps some of you up to the mark. ”
“ Makes us more pleased to see that nice Dr. Traven, ” J ill mocked. “ That ’ s what you really mean. ”
“ I don ’ t personally hold with all that he-man stuff. I find I get equally good results by being a bit affable. ”
“ You wouldn ’ t know how to be, anything else! ”
Philip gave a mock bow. “ Thank you, Jill, I accept that as a compliment, but if you take my advice, you ’ ll stand up to the dour Duncan. I feel he has more respect for those who show some spirit. ”
“ ‘ To take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them ’ , ” Jill quoted meditatively. ‘ That ’ s your idea, isn ’ t it? ”
“ Yes, and you ’ ll find I ’ m right. None of you nurses know how to handle him. ”
“ Maybe. Anyway, I ’ m not going to argue with you. ” The striking of an old-fashioned clock on the mantelpiece caused Jill to look up in surprise. “ Good heavens, it ’ s twelve already; we ’ ve been here ages. If we don ’ t get a move on we shall be late for lunch, and that would be stepping off with the wrong foot. ”
They settled their bill and hurried out into the cold air, which blew in angry gusts into their faces. With a sigh of relief Jill settled back in the car. They were on familiar ground now, and she knew every bend and sharp corner, and as each mile passed her pleasure at her approaching homecoming increased.
Philip glanced down at her smilingly. “ You look
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