Cherry Ames 24 Companion Nurse Read Online Free PDF

news item in the papers when I arrived in New York, saying I’m on my way to England to do research and visit the celebrated Carewe collection for the next book. I expect the reporter saw that news story, because he called up my publisher to fi nd out where I’m staying in New York. The publisher referred him to me. I said okay to the interview, and told him my fl ight date, hour, and number.”
    “What newspaper is he with?” Cherry asked.
    “This man—Blake or Blakeley, I forget which—is a freelance reporter who writes occasional special-interest stories for the London Evening Times and other newspapers here and abroad. Such reporters are called stringers, aren’t they? Anyway,” Martha said, “they supply local items to out-of-town newspapers, and they hire their own photographers.” Cherry asked what masterpieces in the Carewe collection she particularly wanted to see.
    “Well, this is to be a historical novel,” said Martha,
    “about—” and she named an English nobleman and two ladies, sisters, who had fi gured in his long eventful service to his embattled country. “In the Carewe collection there are portraits of all three of them. Even better, there are two portraits of Henry—one when he was young, and one when much older. I want to see how he changed, in character. I want to study the faces in the portraits for more understanding of those persons.
    I want to see how they stand and sit—whether their bearing is humble or proud or defi ant, or what. And NURSE’S
    VACATION
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    I want to study the details of their dress, because dress reveals character, too. I’m especially interested in a ring of Lady Mary’s that disappeared mysteriously—
    perhaps given as ransom. I’ve heard she wears it in the Carewe-owned portrait.”
    Martha was a scholarly person, without being tire-some about it. The past sprang to life as she talked of ancient places and long-dead personages as if they were old friends of hers. During the holiday weekend Cherry learned a great deal and enjoyed it.
    Tuesday brought people bustling back to work, on regular busy schedules, and it brought Cherry requests from Martha Logan to shop and pack for her. Doing this, in addition to nursing, picking up her passport, consulting with Dr. Merriam one fi nal time, buying travelers’ checks, changing a few dollars into English currency for immediate taxi fares and tips, then going to the hairdresser and doing her own packing, kept Cherry racing until late Wednesday evening. She had to be at the Clarks’ apartment early the next morning in order to help Martha Logan dress and check her over once more.
    That night Cherry said her goodbyes to her Spencer Club friends and telephoned her mother and father to ask, “What presents shall I bring you?” She laid out her nurse’s uniform, cap, and nursing kit for the next morning. When at last she tumbled into bed, she felt too excited to sleep. This time tomorrow she would be in London!

    c h a p t e r i i i
    Flight to London
    the sun shone down on the airport and on the jetliner waiting just outside the terminal. It was nine fi fteen, forty-fi ve minutes before takeoff. Mrs. Clark, who had driven Cherry and her patient to Idlewild, pulled in at the second-fl oor level of the terminal.
    A porter took their baggage, and waited.
    Cherry in her white uniform and an airlines steward helped Mrs. Logan out of the car and into a wheelchair. Cherry had telephoned ahead for the wheelchair. Martha Logan was still stiff from her fall, and Dr. Merriam advised against her walking across the big terminal and then the walkway into the plane.
    “Alison,” Martha Logan said to her friend, “it will be a nuisance for you to park the car and walk back across that huge parking lot, to return to the terminal just to see me off. Let’s say our goodbyes now, my dear. Thank you for everything.” 30

    FLIGHT TO LONDON
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    “Bon voyage,” said Mrs. Clark, and leaned out of the car to kiss her. “Enjoy