CHAPTER TWENTY SIX: The Nursing Home

On the following morning, when Andrew was about to visit some of his poor patients, Mrs Lawrence telephoned and asked him, in a most friendly manner, to call on Toppy again.

Andrew went straight to the house. Here he met Mr le Roy, who looked at him quickly and said: ‘Listen, Doctor, I’m in a hurry! You’re a clever young man! Well then, cure my girl. Stop all her stupid nonsense – her crying and shouting about nothing! Give her the best treatment. I can afford it. Goodbye.’

When Andrew went upstairs, he found Mrs Lawrence waiting for him outside Toppy’s room.

Every day Frances Lawrence was present at the time of his visit. Her quiet, gentle manner attracted Andrew. Although he did not realize it, she soon began to influence some of his actions.

She suggested that he should buy a car for his work. Andrew made no mention of this to Christine, but he began to ask himself how any doctor could develop a high-class practice without a car. A man in his position must not be seen walking down the street, carrying his own bag! He could not afford to buy a car in one payment; but he could spread out his payments over two or three years. Any garage would agree to that arrangement.

Three weeks later, Andrew drove home in an expensive new car. He ran into the house and called out: ‘Christine! Christine! Come and see something!’

He had meant to surprise her, and he succeeded.

‘Andrew! Is this ours? Oh, what a beauty!’

He smiled at her, ‘Step inside, lady, and I’ll take you for a drive!’

She admired the car again and again as he drove her through the streets. They went out together so rarely now that she made the most of every minute. She said happily: ‘Now perhaps we can drive into the country on Sundays. Oh, that would be so nice!’

The suggestion annoyed Andrew. ‘Oh, all right – I suppose so!’ he answered. ‘But we can’t make a habit of driving into the country. The car is for work – not for pleasure.’

They drove home in silence.

On Thursday, as he was leaving the le Roys’ house, Andrew met Freddie Hamson. ‘Hullo, Hamson,’ he said.

Freddie looked at him in surprise. ‘Why, hullo! What are you doing here?’

‘Patient!’ Andrew answered, pointing towards the house. ‘I’m attending le Roy’s daughter.’

‘Le Roy!’

Delighted at Freddie’s surprise, Andrew proudly put his hand on the door of his new car and asked: ‘Which way are you going? Can I drive you anywhere?’

‘I’m going to Ida Sherrington’s Nursing Home,’ said Freddie. ‘You can drive me there, if you like.’

As they drove to the nursing home, both men were silent. Hamson was thinking. He had given Andrew a warm welcome when he came to London because he had hoped that Manson might occasionally ask for his opinion about a case, for which he would be able to charge the patient three pounds. But now this surprising change in his old friend – his new clothes, the car and his mention of le Roy – gave Hamson reason to believe that Andrew might be more helpful to him than he had expected.

‘Come in and meet Ida,’ he suggested when they reached the nursing home. ‘Her home is one of the worst in London, but she makes a lot of money. She’s a person worth knowing!’

‘Yes?’

‘Come in with me and see my patient – old Mrs Raeburn. Ivory and I are doing a few tests on her. Come and examine her chest. That would please her. And she’d pay you five pounds!’

‘What! You mean …? But what’s the matter with her chest?’

‘Nothing!’ Freddie smiled. ‘Don’t look so surprised! That’s how we work here – Ivory, Deedman and I. You really ought to join up with us. The success of our system would surprise you.’

Andrew got out of the car and looked at the tall, cold building. He then turned his head and listened to the noise of the cars and the buses in the street. He asked himself how any sick person could find peace here. Andrew mentioned this to Hamson as they entered the building.

‘Yes – it is noisy,’ Freddie agreed. ‘But the area is very convenient for us. That’s all that matters.’

He led Andrew into a small office, where a fat woman with a red face sat at a desk.

‘Good morning, Ida,’ Freddie called out. ‘I’ve brought Dr Manson to see you.’

Ida greeted Manson in a friendly manner. After they had talked together for a few minutes, Freddie interrupted them. ‘Take a good look at him,’ he said to Ida. ‘He’ll soon be sending you a lot of patients.’

Hamson laughed, and then led Andrew upstairs to see Mrs Raeburn. She was a woman of about sixty. Freddie sat on her bed and talked to her. He told her that Mr Ivory would call next day to tell her about the result of his important tests; and he asked her to allow Dr Manson, who had made a special study of lungs, to examine her chest. Mrs Raeburn was delighted at the suggestion. She enjoyed the examination. She was a rich woman and liked to spend her money on her health.

‘Heavens!’ Freddie said as they left the room. ‘You’ve no idea how much money we have made from that old woman!’

Andrew did not answer. This place gave him a feeling of disgust. There was nothing wrong with the old lady, and Freddie’s behaviour was shameful. He shook hands with Hamson and drove away.

At the end of the month, when he received a cheque for five pounds from Mrs Raeburn, he decided that he had been foolish to feel as he did. He had given her his services and had earned this payment! He accepted the cheque.