Chapter 76

Victoria was fed and watered. Her bed was made. Jerry Stephens had been right. The food was definitely not cordon bleu but it was wholesome. She realised how hungry she had been because she ate every scrap with one hand -- because she never let go of Mark's with her other.

It was late and Victoria was nodding off to sleep and then jerking awake again when the nurse who had fixed her meal and bed came in again.

"Now then, Mrs Bowers, it's time for you to get some sleep."

"Oh, I'm all right and please call me Victoria. What's your name?"

"Sue, but I'm quite serious about you getting some sleep. I've been watching you through the window in the door and have seen you nodding off. Please would you lend me your husband's hand? I don't have anything else to do and will call you immediately if he needs you."

"Thanks, Sue. Now you've pointed it out I do feel pretty bushed. Is there somewhere I can wash my face and clean my teeth?"

"Yes. Turn left and it's on the left just opposite the nurses' station."

"Thanks."

Victoria got up and Sue took her place. Mark would never have felt the changeover of hands. Victoria returned a few minutes later refreshed by her wash. She changed into her nighty and went round to the other side of Mark's bed. She carefully found her way through the drip tubes and kissed him gently.

"Goodnight, my precious darling," she whispered. "Sue's standing in for me while I get some sleep. Call me if you want me."

She disengaged herself and stood at the end of the bed. "Thank you, Sue," she said softly. "Give him my love." She turned and went to her bed.

Sue stared after her in stupefaction. It had sounded as though she was giving a farewell instruction. In fact it meant a very great deal more. It meant that she, Sue, could not sit and hold Mark's hand while reading a book, which she had intended to do, but will him with all the affection she could muster to recover. She had never been given such a task. She had been taught to give patience and sympathy but now, by this pint-sized little blonde, she had been told to give love. She was stunned and affronted. "Who is this girl to tell me how to treat a patient?" And then it hit her. This 'girl' had had the confidence to entrust her with her husband's recovery: not practically but spiritually. Sue was not a spiritual person and she had yet to fall in love but it suddenly hit her. These two were very much in love and Victoria had entrusted her with continuing to give her love to her husband. Her grip on Mark's hand tightened slightly. "Victoria," she thought. "Pump your love through me." She repeated it to herself again and again. She felt her hand warm, not just through contact with Mark's, and an affection develop for him.

"You poor man," she thought. "Crippled in the prime of your life. Not for ever, I hope. You're good looking too so I can see one reason she loves you but there must be more than that. She talks so lovingly to you. Is that how you talk together? Sleep with love surrounding you and heal."

She never picked up her book but continued to will Mark to recover.

Mark slept throughout the night even when Sue had to leave him to visit her other patients. He stirred slightly as she let go of his hand. Victoria, Sue noticed, tossed in sympathy but never woke up.

Morning came and Sue woke Victoria. "I go off duty in half an hour. Would you like to go and have a wash? My relief will sort out breakfast for you both."

Victoria smiled groggily at her, picked up her spongebag and tottered off to the bathroom. She was back a few minutes later and dressed quickly.

"You must have so much to do, Sue," she said. "Thanks a million for looking after him and letting me sleep. Did he behave?"

"Yes, Victoria, he slept the whole night through so when he wakes I hope he'll be feeling a lot better."

Victoria reached out and hugged her. "Thank you so much," she said and kissed her cheek. Sue blushed and fled. She had never experienced such natural affection and gratitude.

Victoria resumed her position and started talking softly to Mark.

"Good morning, my darling. I'm glad you slept so well. I hope you're going to feel a bit less groggy this morning. I hope you don't mind me leaving you in someone else's hands overnight. She did well though because I slept like a log and didn't feel you were unhappy. Her name is Sue and she's a very kind compassionate person."

She squeezed his hand. "You ought to wake up, my sweet, and have some breakfast. Are you hungry?"

Mark's eyelids flickered and she bent forward to kiss him. "Good morning, darling," she said again.

His eyes opened and he looked at her and smiled.

"Thirsty?" she asked.

He nodded. She picked up the glass of water and raised his head. He drank voraciously.

"What's happened?" he asked. "Where are we?"

"RAF El Adem Hospital," she answered. "You got blown up on a mine."

He stared at her in befuddlement and then his eyes cleared. "In the wadi," he said.

She nodded.

"What about the others? Corporal Skinner? Hudson?"

"Corporal Skinner's just badly bruised and a bit cut up. He's here at the hospital too. I'm afraid Hudson was killed."

"Oh God!"

"What about you, darling? How do your legs feel?"

"My right one feels bruised and sore but the left one hurts like hell."

"It's broken, darling, in a number of places and they can't do anything about it here. Someone will be in soon and we'll get them to relieve the pain."

"So what are they going to do about it?"

"They're going to fly you home to the Royal Orthopaedic Hospital later today." She saw the same look of anguish as yesterday come into his eyes. "Don't worry, my darling. I'm coming with you. Under pressure from Peter Instead, your surgeon, Gerry Stephens, arranged it."

Mark relaxed for a moment then tightened up again. "I told the stupid bastard about the mines," he ground out, "but he ordered me to go ahead. And what happens? He kills one of his men."

He was silent for a few minutes. "The CO tasked me with stopping him doing something dangerous," he said, "and I failed. I'm responsible for Hudson's death." He was white with emotion.

"No you're not, darling. I'm quite sure you did everything you could to stop him sending you there."

Mark glared at her. "No I didn't," he said. "I should have told him to get stuffed and faced the consequences but I didn't. I funked it and now Hudson's dead."

At that moment the new duty nurse appeared all freshly pressed and cheerful.

"Ah, you're awake," she said. "How are you feeling?"

"Bloody!" said Mark violently.

"Not surprising," replied the nurse quickly recovering her poise. "How does your head feel?"

"Sore."

"Not surprising either. What about your right leg?"

"Same."

"And the left one?"

"Hurts like hell."

"Again not surprising but we'll deal with that once Wing-Commander Stephens has examined you in about half an hour. Can you wait that long?"

Mark nodded.

"How about some breakfast?"

"No, thanks."

"Yes, please," chipped in Victoria. "For both of us." She put a finger to Mark's lips to stop any further argument. "I'm just going to pop out with the nurse for a moment. Shout if you need me."

She rose and taking the surprised nurse by the arm steered her swiftly out of the room.

"Sorry for being so bossy," she said when they were outside. "The reason he said he was feeling bloody so rudely is that he has got his memory back and is blaming himself for the accident and his driver's death. He feels he should have stood up to his company commander more firmly. I don't know if this is the onset of the neurasthenia that Wing-Commander Stephens said might happen but you might like to mention it to him before he visits Mark."

The nurse smiled at her. "Thank you," she said. "I admit I was a bit taken aback by his outburst. I'll certainly mention it to the Wing-Commander before he sees him."

Breakfast arrived and the head of Mark's bed was cranked up so that he could eat. At first he still refused but Victoria teased him and treated him like a small child: "Open wide. One for Mummy. What a clever boy!" In the end Mark was forced to smile and then gobbled up the rest.

Soon after he finished he was given a bedpan which embarrassed him no end and was then given a blanket wash so that by the time Jerry Stephens arrived he was spick and span but in considerable pain. While Jerry examined him he questioned him.

"Do you remember anything about yesterday now?"

"Too much."

"It must have been terrifying."

"Not really. It all happened in a flash. I felt a terrible pain in my right leg and realised the rover was going over and then banged my head and that was it. No, it was the drive through the minefield that was the worrying bit."

"I gather it was the platoon commander you had with you who saved your life. He stopped you bleeding to death. Tony Something?"

"Thorpe. He's a good chap. I owe him."

"You do but why did you go in there in the first place?"

"I was ordered to by my officer commanding?"

"Didn't you know there were mines there?"