The Outback Nurse. Carol Marinelli

seems very nice,’ she answered noncommittally, though she secretly hoped Ruby would elaborate. Olivia didn’t have to wait long!

      ‘Oh he’s golden. He snaps and snarls now and then but I just picture him as a spotty young teenager. I don’t tell him that, mind, I just say “Yes, Clem, no, Clem,” and wait for his mood to pass—it soon does.’

      ‘Everyone has their off days.’

      ‘Of course, but he’s got worse. It’s to be expected, mind, with all he’s been through. He’s far too busy, and now with this new hospital and everything. I just don’t know how he does it. He’s always had a temper, but since Kathy passed on...’ She blew her nose loudly on a hanky she’d fished from somewhere in her very ample bosom. ‘Tragic, there’s no other word for it.’

      Olivia looked on, fascinated. This woman never stopped talking though she was busy all the while. The breakfast dishes were now washed and back in their various cupboards and the bench had been wiped down.

      ‘It must be difficult for him,’ Olivia agreed. ‘He’s very young to be a widower.’

      ‘Whoever said only the good die young wasn’t wrong. A real living angel was Kathy. And he’s not coping. I don’t care how many times he tells me he’s all right—I know he’s not.’

      Olivia tried to steer the conversation. It really was getting too personal. ‘I hear it’s very busy at the surgery.’

      ‘Tragic,’ Ruby muttered, then, blowing her nose again, she stuffed the hanky back into her cleavage. ‘Oh, the surgery’s busy all right. Far too much work for the one doctor. It will be great when we get the hospital. A lot of the locals are opposed to it but they’ll soon come round. They’re just scared of change, and they’ll be wary of you, too,’ she added, ‘with that English accent and your city ways. But youse’ll soon win them over.’

      ‘I hope so,’ Olivia answered glumly.

      ‘Of course you will,’ Ruby reassured her. ‘Now, come on, sweetie, we can’t be here gossiping all day. You don’t want to go making a bad impression.’

      Walking over to the surgery, Ruby linked her arm through Olivia’s. Really, Ruby was getting more maternal by the minute. Of course, just to add to Olivia’s nerves, the waiting room was full. As they entered the chattering stopped and Olivia felt every face turn to her. Smiling tentatively, painfully aware of a deep blush spreading over her cheeks, she wanted to turn and run. Sitting at the desk was a middle-aged, harassed-looking woman with frizzy grey hair that had never seen conditioner.

      ‘Thank goodness you’re here,’ she said as a welcome. ‘I’ll just let the doctor know.’

      ‘Now, just settle a minute, Betty.’ Ruby blocked her desk. ‘There’s always time for an introduction. This is Sister Olivia Morrell and, Sister, this is Betty. She’s the receptionist here and chief cook and bottle-washer.’

      ‘Isn’t that a fact?’ muttered Betty. ‘I’m sorry, Sister. It’s lovely to meet you, and not a moment too soon—the place is fit to burst as usual. Clem’s needed over at the Hudsons. Apparently the old boy had another turn,’ she added in low tones to a very attentive Ruby.

      Olivia was sure that Betty shouldn’t be discussing the patients with the housekeeper, but she was obviously in for a few surprises. The bush telegraph would appear somewhat similar to the hospital grapevine, and that took some beating. Even the switchboard staff had apparently known about Jeremy and Lydia.

      ‘Anyway,’ said Betty with a smile, ‘we’ll get there.’ She nodded as a young woman came out of what appeared to be the consulting room. ‘I’ll take you through to Clem.’

      As Olivia walked in, she noticed how much smarter Clem looked than on their first meeting. He was wearing beige trousers and a navy sports jacket, and a tie was sitting awkwardly on his thick neck. His black curls were smoother and she caught a whiff of cologne as he stood up and once again shook her hand warmly.

      ‘Good morning, Livvy. It’s good to have you on board.’

      Olivia winced but Clem didn’t notice.

      ‘I did want to take some time to show you around but, as you can see from the waiting room, we’re pretty full on.’

      ‘That’s all right, I’ll manage,’ she replied in what she hoped was an enthusiastic voice.

      ‘Good girl.’

      Olivia winced again as he nodded appreciatively. She didn’t have to be a genius to see that Clem wasn’t particularly politically correct.

      ‘I’m sorry to throw you in at the deep end but I see from your résumé that you can suture, which is an absolute luxury for me. I’ve never had a nurse here that can stitch and, frankly, I’ve never had the time to teach them.’

      ‘As long as the wound is examined by you before and after I suture, that’s fine.’

      Clem nodded dismissively. ‘Well, in the treatment room I’ve got Alex Taylor. He’s gashed his hand on some barbed wire while mending a fence. I’ve had a look and there doesn’t appear to be any nerve or tendon damage, but the wound in itself is quite jagged and dirty and will need a lot of cleaning and debriding. If you could get started on him, that would be a great help. Buzz me when you’re finished or if you’ve any concerns.’

      ‘Right...’ Olivia hesitated. ‘I’ll get started, then.’

      ‘Good. He also needs a tetanus shot,’ Clem added, more as an afterthought, then, picking up his fountain pen, started to write on a patient’s file in a huge, untidy scrawl. Olivia stood there, not sure where to go. He hadn’t exactly given her a guided tour of the place.

      ‘Was there anything else?’ he asked, without bothering to look up.

      ‘Er, no,’ she replied hesitantly. He obviously wasn’t going to hold her hand. Perhaps Betty could show her where the treatment room and the equipment was. But back in the waiting room Betty was looking even more harassed than before. The phone was ringing incessantly, while she tried to force an uncooperative piece of paper into the fax machine. Oh, well, she’d just have to find her own way.

      Alex was infinitely patient.

      ‘No worries, Sister,’ he said, adding reassuringly a little later, ‘Take your time, Sister, I’m in no hurry.’

      Olivia bustled about, trying to find suture packs and local anaesthetic. Finally, with her trolley laid out and her hands scrubbed, she was ready to start.

      ‘Right, Alex, I’m with you now.’

      ‘Right you are, Sister.’ The elderly man nodded.

      Olivia examined the wound carefully. Clem was right. It was indeed a nasty cut, very deep with untidy jagged edges and very dirty. After waiting for the local anaesthetic she had injected to take effect, Olivia once again inspected the wound, this time more thoroughly. The tendon and its sheath were visible, but thankfully intact.

      ‘Alex, everything looks all right in there. I’m just going to give it a good clean and then I’ll stitch it up. You shouldn’t feel any pain, but if it does start to hurt you be sure and tell me.’

      ‘Very good, Sister.’

      Olivia was quite sure he wouldn’t. Alex hadn’t even let out a murmur while she’d injected the anaesthetic. ‘Dr Clemson said you were repairing a fence?’

      ‘Yep. The sheep were getting out and wandering off. I was gonna wait for me grandson to fix it, but he’s away at uni till the holidays and I can’t be doing chasing the stupid things. I’m too old for that.’ He went on to tell Olivia about his farm and how his grandson was studying agriculture. She encouraged the conversation to take Alex’s mind off his hand. Anyway, it was interesting to hear what he had to say.

      ‘He’s forever coming back from uni, full of new ideas and notions about what he wants to do with the land.’