Early the next morning Mrs Sedgewick-Smith came down the hospital drive, hurrying to a long-standing appointment with the elderly padre. Mrs Sedgewick-Smith was the wife of a stockbroker who commanded the local Home Guard, and before the war had filled the vacuum of her life by fussing over the mental patients at Smithers Botham, or as many of them as remained socially presentable. She had organized whist drives, jumble sales, demure dances, and extremely amateur theatricals, invited the inmates for tea or for outings in her Rolls, all of which she bracketed as 'giving the poor things a nice little break'. The war presented even more poor things as targets for her deadly solicitude. She had installed herself as unofficial welfare officer at Smithers Botham, and was beginning to hope the war would go on long enough for somebody to give her a medal for it.
She saw the word.
She was horribly shocked. It was not a word which could possibly appear in print, but she had of course overheard it, from workmen, soldiers, lunatics, and the like. She had always imagined it spelt with a 'ph', like 'phutt'. To see it splashed in black paint across the portico was absolutely outrageous. And on a Sunday morning, too. She would have to find Captain Pile.
Captain Pile occupied a comfortable villa in the grounds, where he managed to live in unmilitary domesticity with his wife and two children. He was in his braces, enjoying his breakfast. He put on his tunic and inspected the word officially. Though he used it frequently himself, he had to affect an air of disgust as pained as his informant's. Mrs Sedgewick-Smith must be humoured at all costs. She was a powerful lady at Smithers Botham, the dispenser of valuable grace and favours, mostly unobtainable off the ration.
When Graham arrived at the annex at nine for an informal Sunday ward-round with his new sister, his spirits fell as he noticed Miss Mills in close conversation at the ward door with Captain Pile. He caught sight of Mrs Sedgewick-Smith, and they dropped further. He had often noticed her fluttering in and out of the Tudor house across the village green, but hearing she was a professional busybody had taken pains to avoid her. Besides, she was thick with Denise Bickley, and probably knew far more about his personal affairs than she deserved.
'Good morning,' Graham greeted the visitors politely. 'Anything I can do for you?'
'I'm afraid a most serious matter has arisen, Mr Trevose,' Captain Pile told him solemnly.
Oh God, this is going to be a bore, Graham thought.
'I expect you've seen the main entrance this morning?' the Captain added.
'No, I came here direct, through the orchard.'
'A word-a most offensive word-has been written across it in paint. Mrs Sedgewick-Smith was most disturbed to see it.'
'I'm sorry about that. But-I know the annex has a bad name-why hold my patients responsible?'
'For the simple reason they were seen by the night-porter. Flight Lieutenant Jardine and some others.'
Graham nodded slowly. That's encouraging, he thought, Bluey's getting enough function in his hands to wield a paint brush. 'Then I can only apologize most sincerely to both you and Mrs Sedgewick-Smith.'
'You realize they'd been drinking?'
'Had they? I don't mind that. I even encourage it,' Graham explained mildly. 'It's a matter of pride to my anaesthetist if they feel capable of taking a few drinks after his attentions.' Seeing the captain's irritated expression he continued, 'You see, I want these men to live a normal life. Or as normal as they can manage. I want them to think of an operation as something as casual as a visit to the, dentist, not the upheaval of a lifetime.'
'That's all very well,' the captain told him testily, 'but you have to maintain discipline-'
'I'll talk to them,' said Graham firmly. 'I promise. Isn't that enough? It won't happen again.'
'No, that is
'Listen, Captain,' said Graham briskly, 'I alone am responsible for these patients. Neither you nor the Army nor anyone else has the first idea how to cope with them. Will you kindly understand that?'
His patience suddenly broke and he felt angry. In peacetime he had been a somebody, the friend of rich and influential men, a doctor with a name almost as familiar to the general public as Lord Horder's. Now he was being lectured by some hack in a uniform which passed as a substitute for intelligence.
