An Unsuitable Mother. Sheelagh Kelly

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ style="font-size:15px;">      But, ‘It’s the poor little kids I feel sorry for,’ said her auburn-haired friend, for once unable to defend the indefensible. ‘There’s enough illegitimate babies being produced in the so-called normal world, what with lasses throwing themselves at soldiers, without having to put up with it in there too. I’d keep her locked up permanently if it were up to me. It makes me boiling mad.’

      ‘La pauvre imbecile,’ murmured a dissident voice from further along the bench.

      ‘Well, you’d expect that from her,’ muttered Joyson under her breath. ‘The French are always at it.’

      Nell was examining her sandwiches without much enthusiasm, when she noticed her mentor frown and hold the miniature suitcase containing her own lunch to her ear.

      ‘What’s up, Killie?’

      ‘I’m sure I can hear – why, it’s like scratching.’ Looking puzzled, Beata opened the case in cautious fashion, to reveal a seething mass of ants. With a yell of disgust, she threw it to the ground, the ants in a panic as they continued to swarm over the jam sandwiches.

      ‘Well, that’s my dinner down the swanny,’ came her dismal utterance.

      ‘No it isn’t, you can share mine!’ Nell offered them brightly.

      ‘Nay, I’m not depriving you,’ Beata tried to refuse.

      But Nell exerted friendly pressure. ‘Honestly, there are too many here for me. They’re meat paste. I don’t even feel like eating any of them, the stench in there has made me feel so queasy.’

      ‘Oui it eez very, er, pongy,’ agreed Madame, pinching her nose and making the others laugh with affection.

      Despite her own geniality, Nell’s face remained wan, and it seemed all she could do to nibble on her sandwich. ‘I swear I’ve not felt right since I entered that blessed place.’

      Grateful to be fed, Beata shifted from one plump buttock to the other. ‘I wonder when those luncheon vouchers will make an appearance.’ They had been promised some at the outset.

      ‘To be honest,’ said Joyson, viewing her own sandwich distastefully, ‘I couldn’t even stomach roast beef and Yorkshire pud, having seen the dirty habits of those old folk.’

      Nell’s face buckled in laughter. ‘Yes, did you see what that old chap did with his business?’

      ‘Ah, non!’ Frenchy begged her not to elaborate.

      ‘They can’t help it.’ Beata assumed her usual virtuous character, addressing herself mainly to Nell. ‘You’ll be old yourself one day. Just thank your lucky stars your family isn’t impoverished and you won’t end up in here. It’s not very nice having to put your nearest and dearest into an institution.’

      Nell looked chastened. ‘Is someone you know in the Infirmary?’ she tendered.

      ‘My Aunt Lizzie. She went senile, started being a hazard to herself, so we had no choice …’

      Having contributed to the mockery, Nell felt ashamed and silly, and innocent. ‘Of course, I’m sorry if we offended you, Killie. My grandmother went a similar way, but we were able to nurse her at home.’

      ‘Then she was lucky,’ announced Beata, taking another bite of her sandwich.

      Nell nodded thoughtfully over her own abandoned lunch. ‘I’d never imagined there were people so unfortunate until today.’

      ‘Aye, well, it’s one thing to be forced to end your days in the Infirmary, another to have been born there, like Cissie’s children. I don’t know which is worse. But you can’t allow your feelings to show in our job. If we treat them all with equal respect, then at least we can leave them with a bit of dignity. I always put meself in their position – the old folk, not the unmarried mothers,’ she added hastily with a chuckle, then was serious again. ‘I just think how I’d like to be treated. You know how you were mentioning the other week about not talking down to people just because they’re younger than you – I hate people who treat the elderly like little children.’ As Joyson rose to wander about the grounds to enjoy a crafty cigarette, Beata leaned towards Nell and muttered pungently, ‘She’s a bugger for doing that, I’ve noticed – pardon my cursing,’ she added at Nell’s sparkle. ‘It just makes me mad.’

      ‘You’re very wise,’ admired Nell. ‘I think if I stick by you I won’t go far wrong.’

      Whilst the others went for a stroll around the compact gardens, she was to remain with Beata, who was obviously keen to rest her leg.

      Having had her earlier questions answered as to the cause of Beata’s swollen ankle, and many more personal ones besides during their three weeks together, Nell decided to chance another.

      ‘I noticed when Matron asked us why we only wanted to be auxiliaries, you gave a similar answer to mine …’

      ‘That I was too skint to go on the register?’ Beata nodded. ‘Well, I could hardly tell her the real reason.’

      Insatiably curious, Nell sat up. ‘What was that?’

      ‘I wanted to join the WAAF but they wouldn’t have me – I failed the medical.’

      ‘Why, you surprise me! I think you’ll make an exemplary nurse.’

      Beata shook her head in self-doubt. ‘I fought against it for years, and now look where I am.’

      ‘But why?’ pressed Nell.

      ‘You’re a nosey little bugger, aren’t you?’ But when Beata turned to her, the small blue eyes were twinkling.

      ‘Sorry.’ Nell formed a regretful smile. ‘It’s just that I’m interested in other people’s lives – especially people I like.’

      ‘Well,’ her friend looked upon her warmly as she explained, ‘I can’t think it’ll be all that scintillating, but if you really want to know …’ And she proceeded to reveal how, throughout her life, from the age of ten, she had always seemed to be nursing one relative or another. ‘Whenever anybody fell ill, it was always, “Send for our Beat”. I got a bit sick of it at times, you know …’

      Nell commiserated. ‘But still, it’s a shame you couldn’t afford to go on the register and be a proper nurse.’

      ‘Oh, I daresay I could’ve done the same as one of my sisters. She put herself into domestic service so’s to be able to save up for her true vocation. My money always seemed to be frittered away – anyway, what constitutes a proper nurse? I might not have the right qualifications, the right uniform, but nobody could care more about a patient’s welfare than I do – and I reckon you’re the same type, that’s why you’re still here after seeing all those poor demented souls in there.’ Her auburn head made a gesture at the Infirmary.

      Pleased to be so well regarded, Nell thought she now saw the reason for Beata’s unmarried state at such ripe age: she had been too busy caring for others to make a life for herself. But she did not press for verification, for it was a question too far, and much too personal, and she had no wish to point out that that was where she and her friend differed.

      So, СКАЧАТЬ