Chapter 38

Sighing heavily Catilin stared across the dinning room towards the payphone. A few minutes after leaving his office SK had called her back to make her promise she wouldn't try contacting anyone again. But she just felt so alone in the room full of disturbed strangers that she wasn't sure how long she'd managed to restrain herself from trying.

'It won't bite y'know lassie,' the nurse from before suddenly appeared beside her. 'Ya can use it ta make as many calls as y'like. Just so long as ye don't hog it all t y'self like youse were before mind.'

'The doctor advised me not to make any calls until I've seen him again,' she pouted and rested her head on the table in front of her. 'He says that it'll just upset people.'

'Ah I see. Well if y'under doctor's order then I guess there's not much youse can do about it.'

'Mm,' she sighed, before turning her attention fully towards the nurse. 'I'm…'

'Jenna,' the nurse interrupted her, 'Jenna Devilin, I know.'

'No,' she shook her head, 'that's not my real name.'

'Aye, it is, but they said y'might say it wasn't.'

'Who said?'

'May bosses,' she chuckled. 'I'm a new one here y'see, just like youse. I've been trained for nigh on ten years and they still don't trust me an inch. Think I'll be too soft on the likes of youse. Y'may be in a madhouse, but I dunnea think any of youse should be treated like maggots.'

'Are there some who don't agree with that?'

'Aye, there are plenty a those who don't lassie. But youse been put intea my care and I ain't gonnea mistreat y'now.'

'I see.'

'I just wanted t apologise if we got off on the wrong foot before. I know youse probably weren't best please at may dragging youse away from the phone like that.'

'Its okay,' she smiled politely up at her, 'it wasn't so bad.'

'Aye, I hoped you'd see it that way. I'm Nurse Guillyham by the way,' she chuckled. 'Bit of a weird name I know, but it really is that.'

'Where are you from,' Catilin frowned for a moment, 'your accent seems a bit of an odd mix.'

'Aye, it is that,' she chuckled some more. 'Truth is I'm from all over the place. My father was a Scotsmen I suppose, with a broad accent, which I inherited from him, then spent half me life watering down.'

'Why?'

'It weren't deliberate lassie, I've just moved around a lot since I've grown up. Accents tend to get diluted down that way. Like youse fur example.'

'I hadn't noticed.'

'I guess ye don't tend t listen t yurself speak too much until someone points it out t ya. With me it t'was may father who pointed it out. He said t me this one time Nancy me lassie, youse losing ye blood. Back then I couldn't have been more horrified, but I've grown t love it since. My mother wasn't Scots I guess yu'd say.'

'What was your mother?'

'She came from many a place that lady,' Nurse Guillyham's face filled with a strange smile, 'but she was born what she died, a proud woman, I can tell y'that.'

'Oh, I see.'

'According t y'notes youse was born a Devonshire lassie.'

'Aye,' she grinned, before giggling slightly, 'it's been a long time since I've been there though.'

'Devon's a bonnie place, youse should get yourself back there some time. Once you're well enough to leave this place of course.'

'It would be nice to take my kids there,' she pressed her lips together thoughtfully.

'Aye and youse still young enough to have those, no fear.'

'But…' Catilin was about to protest, then remembered what SK had also told her about not causing too much of a fuss. 'But what if my husband doesn't want to have children with me after I leave here.'

'I'm sure he will lassie, your husband seem t love ya very much from what I could see.'

'I'm not so sure,' she adverted her gaze.

'Well, we'll just have t find a way of making youse sure then, won't we?'

'And how are we going to do that exactly.'

'We Guillyham's have our ways y'know.'

'I'm sure you do,' Catilin could help but giggle again, 'but first can you… can you do me a favour?'

'Within reason I can lassie.'

'Can you call someone for me? Just to… just so they can let everyone know where I am. I'm not sure… I mean, I'm certain a few of them would like to visit me.'

'Aye lassie,' she nodded, 'I can do that for youse. Now who is it ye be wanting me t call?' As she spoke Nurse Guillyham took out a small notepad from one of her pockets, along with a little blue pencil.

'The number is 01795313234,' Catilin recited flawlessly, 'ask for Tristan.'

'Alright lassie, I'll get onto it, youse wait right here.'

Getting up from the table, Nurse Guillyham made her way out of the room. Catilin's eyes returned to gazing longingly at the payphone. She just had to hope getting the Nurse to make the call for her wouldn't get her or SK into any trouble. A slow five minutes ticked by and eventually Nurse Guillyham returned.

'I'm afraid there was no answer lassie,' she shook her head, 'kept getting the engaged noise. Youse want me to try again a little later?'

'If you would.'

'Aye, I thought that might be y'answer. Now,' she pushed the tray that had been in front of Catilin closer to her, 'youse gonnea eat any of that or am I gonnea have t force feed y'like?'

'I'm just not hungry right now,' she sighed, 'I'll have something a little later.'

'They may not be food fur youse later. Have this now.'

'Okay,' she pulled a face, before picking vacantly at the half cold meal.

'Youse a strange one Jenna, even for this place,' Nurse Guillyham studied her as she ate. 'I dunnea know what it is, but there's something about youse that's…'

'What?'

'Never mind it lassie,' she suddenly appeared distracted, 'I must get going now.'

'But…'

'I'm sorry lassie, but I have other patients needing me; I'll come see youse again as soon as I'm able. And dunnea worry, I'll keep trying that number.'

'Thank you,' Catilin smiled weakly after her, as she hurried away.

There had been something in her reaction which made Catilin suspect…

'There's more to you than meets the eye, isn't there Nurse Guillyham,' she kept her voice low as her brain entered a Calicaccu-like mode. 'Well don't worry, I plan to find out what soon enough. I promise.'