life utterly and completely if she were ever to know peace of mind and happiness for herself again.
The knowledge had come to her gradually, almost stealing upon her unawares. She had been so completely absorbed in the work he was doing, the ideas he was developing, the pencil in her flying fingers keeping pace with his words which came in full spate once an idea had gripped his mind, that it had come with a sense of shock to realize, watching him one day, that it was the man and not the work which she found so utterly absorbing.
She was interested in his scheme for communal playrooms for the children of the site on wet days, she was as interested as Garth himself in the idea of a nursery where the mothers could leave their children to be cared for while they themselves went out to work; she was impressed by the inclusion of a small but self-sufficient emergency medical unit being included on the site, but it was Garth ’ s enthusiasm which fired her own, Garth ’ s ideas which intrigued her, and his manner of discussing them with her so freely, making her feel a part of it all, which she found so fascinating.
All the time it was because of Garth himself. She made herself face the truth and what it could mean to them both, she as the nurse, he as her patient. When they had looked at the detailed drawings of the well - planned kitchens together, examined in detail the waste disposal units, the air purifiers, the underfloor heating and all the other many conveniences which Garth had felt could improve the lives of ordinary people so much and which could be incorporated so easily into such a scheme as this, she knew now it was because somewhere in her subconscious she had held a mental picture not of some unknown couple sharing such a home, but of herself at the immaculate sink, of Garth relaxing in the pleasant living-room, resting after a day in his office or out on one of the many sites in which he would, very shortly, become immersed.
This won ’ t do, Julie told herself severely. This is carrying the matter of being interested in a patient ’ s welfare a little too far!
Garth Holroyd had a fiancé e, whether he was in love with her or not. It would take some really e arth-shaking event to make him break his pledged word, and now Tansy would see to it that, at least until after they were married, thin gs went more along the lines Garth himself preferred than those which would have been her own natural choice. Studying the girl during these last few weekend visits, Julie could see how often Tansy bit her lip ag ains t a quick retort to one or another of Mrs. Andy ’ s tart observations. She could see how, despite her addiction to the little transistor radio which accompanied her everywhere, Tansy was really trying to be the quiet, homely girl whom she knew instinctively Mrs. Andy would rather see as her godson ’ s fiancé e than herself.
I ’ ve got to get out of here, Julie told herself. It isn ’ t fair to Garth. If ... when he ’ s well, he changes his mind and breaks with Tansy ... if anything happens again such as happened on the night of the accident, he ’ ll be able to find me easily enough through St . Luke ’ s, but this kind of thing is ... wrong.
It was as if, having made up her mind on this point, she could settle to sleep. She turned on her side, fully determined to tell both Garth and Ian when he came that she thought it was time she asked to be relieved from this case, and, her mind made up on this point, she fell suddenly and deeply asleep.
She and Garth were in the garden all morning on the Wednesday. Ian had telephoned that morning and said he hoped to be along shortly after lunch and would take off the plaster from Garth ’ s left hand that afternoon. Once he had received the news there was an air of suppressed excitement about him, and a tension he could barely conceal. In Julie ’ s pocket lay a letter from Roger which had arrived by the midday post, but she felt her own private
The knowledge had come to her gradually, almost stealing upon her unawares. She had been so completely absorbed in the work he was doing, the ideas he was developing, the pencil in her flying fingers keeping pace with his words which came in full spate once an idea had gripped his mind, that it had come with a sense of shock to realize, watching him one day, that it was the man and not the work which she found so utterly absorbing.
She was interested in his scheme for communal playrooms for the children of the site on wet days, she was as interested as Garth himself in the idea of a nursery where the mothers could leave their children to be cared for while they themselves went out to work; she was impressed by the inclusion of a small but self-sufficient emergency medical unit being included on the site, but it was Garth ’ s enthusiasm which fired her own, Garth ’ s ideas which intrigued her, and his manner of discussing them with her so freely, making her feel a part of it all, which she found so fascinating.
All the time it was because of Garth himself. She made herself face the truth and what it could mean to them both, she as the nurse, he as her patient. When they had looked at the detailed drawings of the well - planned kitchens together, examined in detail the waste disposal units, the air purifiers, the underfloor heating and all the other many conveniences which Garth had felt could improve the lives of ordinary people so much and which could be incorporated so easily into such a scheme as this, she knew now it was because somewhere in her subconscious she had held a mental picture not of some unknown couple sharing such a home, but of herself at the immaculate sink, of Garth relaxing in the pleasant living-room, resting after a day in his office or out on one of the many sites in which he would, very shortly, become immersed.
This won ’ t do, Julie told herself severely. This is carrying the matter of being interested in a patient ’ s welfare a little too far!
Garth Holroyd had a fiancé e, whether he was in love with her or not. It would take some really e arth-shaking event to make him break his pledged word, and now Tansy would see to it that, at least until after they were married, thin gs went more along the lines Garth himself preferred than those which would have been her own natural choice. Studying the girl during these last few weekend visits, Julie could see how often Tansy bit her lip ag ains t a quick retort to one or another of Mrs. Andy ’ s tart observations. She could see how, despite her addiction to the little transistor radio which accompanied her everywhere, Tansy was really trying to be the quiet, homely girl whom she knew instinctively Mrs. Andy would rather see as her godson ’ s fiancé e than herself.
I ’ ve got to get out of here, Julie told herself. It isn ’ t fair to Garth. If ... when he ’ s well, he changes his mind and breaks with Tansy ... if anything happens again such as happened on the night of the accident, he ’ ll be able to find me easily enough through St . Luke ’ s, but this kind of thing is ... wrong.
It was as if, having made up her mind on this point, she could settle to sleep. She turned on her side, fully determined to tell both Garth and Ian when he came that she thought it was time she asked to be relieved from this case, and, her mind made up on this point, she fell suddenly and deeply asleep.
She and Garth were in the garden all morning on the Wednesday. Ian had telephoned that morning and said he hoped to be along shortly after lunch and would take off the plaster from Garth ’ s left hand that afternoon. Once he had received the news there was an air of suppressed excitement about him, and a tension he could barely conceal. In Julie ’ s pocket lay a letter from Roger which had arrived by the midday post, but she felt her own private
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