Episode
1/12 You can't hurry love

Review
Jill gives Gordon his answer. A young girl with amnesia is admitted but later disappears leaving people worried about her safety and a mysterious smell assails the hospital. The first in the brand new series of the rural 60's medical drama

Cast list
Robert Daws, Amy Robbins, Linda Armstrong, Paul Fox, Polly Maberly, John Axon, Ian Carmichael, Wendy Craig, Michael Starke, Andy Wear Daniel Feltham and Sophie Foster

Jill is looking at Gordon in complete shock, of all the things he could have said, he said that. It wasn't that she hadn't been expecting it, he had tried to ask her before, but he hadn't actually asked. She could see the apprehension in his eyes, he thought that she would say yes, expected it even but there was always that doubt. Perhaps he had taken the last time to be a refusal, it hadn't been, it was just complicated.

"Jill, will you marry me?" Gordon repeated, it had seemed to him like an eternity since he'd asked before, yet it couldn't have been that long as the kid's were still chasing Henry's car down the road.

"Oh Gordon, don't you think it's a bit soon eh?" Jill said softly. Gordon looked at her, why was she saying that? They'd been together a fair while now, they lived together, marriage would just cement their relationship, make it more permanent, though Gordon had no doubts about it lasting, did she? Is that why?

"There's nothing to stand in our way anymore, nothing. Everyone excepts us, even Henry." Gordon gestured down the drive in the direction Henry had gone. "It would just cement it, make it more permanent, not that it needs it. I have no doubts about us lasting, do you?" Jill thought about what he'd just said, it made a lot of sense, she knew deep down this was going to last, why did she always have to be so damned careful? "The kids love you," Gordon continued "I know you don't want to take the place of their mother, but you won't, I promise you. Will you marry me?" Gordon paused, he didn't know what else to say. Jill knew that he'd said quite enough, that she should have listened to her heart instead of head.

"Yes, everything you . ." Jill got cut off because Gordon kissed her.

"You had me worried there for a minute," Gordon smiled, 'Dring, dring. Dring, dring' the telephone rang from inside the house. Gordon groaned "We're not late, I'm not due in until 9.30 and you have house calls."

"It might not be the hospital" Jill suggested

"Want to bet? Omerod. Hi Lizzie," Gordon greeted turning to give Jill a 'I told you so' look, "okay I'll be there as soon as I can. Jeff got called on an emergency and a young girl just turned up in casualty and collapsed. See you later." Gordon kissed Jill goodbye and picked up his bag, "bye kids." he shouted at Tom and Katie, they were playing in the garden chasing each other around, what a sight to see.

By the time Gordon got to the royal Jeff had arrived back, he was more than pleased to see Gordon though because he was stumped. He couldn't find any reason through examination for why the girl had collapsed nor why she was still unconscious. What annoyed him even more was the fact that Lucy Kline was watching his every move, he knew he'd messed up with that postnatal depression case, but everyone makes mistakes, she just couldn't except that and seemed sure he was going to make another. It pleased him when Gordon announced that he couldn't see any reason either, Jeff had already taken some blood and sent it for analysis. It would be a case of wait a see, but she was still unconscious.

"Lucy, come and have a look at this please will you?" Gordon asked making Jeff scowl darkly, "Neither Jeff nor myself can see any reason for her to be unconscious at all, let alone still, it's been what 15 minutes now. We've sent for a blood test but that'll take awhile, any suggestions."

"Have you got a name?" Lucy asked, examining the girl.

"No, no ID, she can't be more than 15 so it probably won't be long. We've informed the police." Gordon replied, "Any ideas?" Lucy was about to answer when the girl stirred slightly, a minute later and she was conscious.

"Hello, I'm Dr Goodwin, you're at the royal. Can you tell me your name please?" Jeff asked, the girl looked blankly back at him, "Your name?" Jeff asked this time louder, you never know, she might be deaf. The reply came then but it was so quiet no-one caught it, the girl soon repeated it though.

"I don't know."

The kid without a name was put on Fawcett ward, Sister Bridget was asked to keep a special eye on her. Gordon, Jeff and Lucy went to reception and got some coffee, while they discussed the case.

"Amnesia, it's got to be." Jeff commented

"I disagree," Lucy began, "She had no head injury. Yes I guess you could say at some level she has amnesia but it's got to be more complicated."

"Perhaps the X-rays will show something," Jeff argued,

"Yes they might, but I doubt it. After all she walked in here and then collapsed, that in itself should mean something." Lucy argued back, Gordon for the moment was silent.

"She might have had a headache that wouldn't go away, came in to get help and then collapsed. Old head injuries do sometimes do that."

"Well we'll see won't we," Gordon butted in, "Now if you'll excuse me I have to be in theatre."

"Yes and I have surgery" Jeff left quickly leaving Lucy to think, the whole case was peculiar, oh well, the X-rays would prove it one way or the other, in the meantime they would just have to wait and see.

The X-rays were ready by lunchtime, the reason why they hadn't been ready before was because the machine that did the developing was broken but Ken had performed some magic and had got it working again. Gordon, Jill and Lucy were in the reception room having more coffee when Jeff arrived, he didn't like Lucy being associated on the case but he knew it was necessary, if she criticised him though there would be hell to pay.

"I heard the X-rays were ready." Jeff started, pouring himself some of the coffee, he sipped it, it was incredibly strong, burning the back of his throat.

"Yes both Dr Rose and I have looked at them, no head injury Jeff." Gordon told him,

"What else could it be?" Jill asked "Lucy, you got any ideas?"

"Mental exhaustion could account for the unconsciousness, as for the amnesia, I'd say she's trying to block something out. It's a defence mechanism, there's something she doesn't want to remember, so she blocks it out." Lucy replied

"Oh right ok, She doesn't want to remember something, that stop her remembering anything?" asked Jeff, he knew he was trying to poke holes, he just couldn't believe he'd been proved wrong again.

"It depends what she's trying to forget." Lucy replied,

"Is there anyway we can well do something about it?" Gordon asked looking at Lucy, Jeff realised grudgingly he was being unfair, Lucy after all was the expert here, he hadn't done anything wrong either, eliminating physical problems always came before the mental.

"We can talk to her, it would help if we knew who she was obviously. But there's not much we can do, either a person remembers or they don't."

A funny smell was around the hospital, it had started in reception and rapidly spread throughout the hospital. Mr Harper smelled it on his way in, he at first put it down to the fact that it was the country but by lunchtime when it hadn't gone away, in fact it had got worse., he decided to do something about it.

"Hopkirk," he called, he'd spied Ken halfway down a corridor, he wasn't hard to miss as he was on a step ladder replacing a light bulb. On hearing Mr Harper's voice, Ken's shoulders sagged, his expression read 'what do you want now?' Mr Harper had been nit-picking for over a week, over this and that, he probably wanted to do another stock check Ken thought.

"What can I do for you Mr Harper?" Ken asked, trying to keep his face and tone free of his true feelings, put it this way he wouldn't have won best actor at any awards ceremony.

"There's a . . a smell in reception. Investigate!" Mr Harper ordered, Ken nodded sagely.

"I know, I smelt it this morning. It's probably come off the fields, it often smells a little this time of year." Ken replied, hoping he would leave it at that, he didn't.

"I think it could be the drains, sort it." Mr Harper then turned abruptly and went off to do whatever it is that he does.

"Fan-bloody-tastic." Ken muttered glaring at Mr Harper's retreating back.

That night Jeff was working late, he had a truckload of paperwork to do, most of it was courtesy of everyone's best friend Mr Harper, though in all fairness to the man he was just doing his job like he was. Lucy was also working late, she too was doing the dreaded paperwork. Both Jeff and Lucy were disturbed when a scream rent through the air, it was quickly followed by more. Both Jeff and Lucy immediately went to the source of the commotion, it was fawcett ward. There they found almost the entire nursing staff, 4 nurses were around one bed while the rest of them circulated claming down the patients whose sleep had been interrupted.

"What's happened, what's going on?" Jeff asked, he'd come at a run and was slightly out of breath.

"Our mystery patient had a nightmare." Sister Bridget explained. Lucy overheard that and walked over to the bed, the nurses made way for her.

"Hello, I'm Dr Kline, you just had a nightmare, do you want to tell me what it was about?" Lucy asked softly. The patient was lying on her back staring at the ceiling, she didn't acknowledge even that Lucy had spoken. "You ever heard of a problem shared a problem halved? Talk to me, I can help you." Suddenly the girl turned over and faced Lucy, her eyes weren't at all what Lucy would have thought, instead of being scared or unhappy they were blazing with anger.

"I don't need a shrink." the girl spat, she then turned her back to Lucy. Lucy swallowed hard, this kid was scary, she had clearly been frightened, but now, now she was just angry about it, about her own weakness perhaps. This was a child who'd seen too much and had to grow up in a hurry, farm kids had the same sort of look about them only not as much. She couldn't help this kid, she couldn't help someone who didn't want to be helped, at least not in this case. It was a shame, this kid needed to be wanted really, like all children, but she couldn't stay here at the royal, she would have to be sectioned. That was something Lucy did not want to do, sometimes it was necessary, in this case it probably wasn't but what alternative was left.

"We're going to have to section her," Lucy told Jeff, "There's no other alternative." Jeff nodded in agreement

"We'll do it first thing in the morning, I'd like to talk to Gordon about it first, after all he has been involved from the beginning." Jeff replied

"Ok" Lucy nodded in agreement, she then went back too her office to finish up, Jeff prescribed a mild sedative and then followed suit.

Meanwhile at home oblivious to what was happening at the royal, were Jill and Gordon. That morning because Gordon had had to leave in a hurry they hadn't had a chance to decide when they were going to tell everyone they were engaged. They decided on Saturday after surgery, that would give Gordon enough time to have got a ring and phoned Henry, it was only fair that he should be kept in the picture. The next thing to consider was how they would tell Tom and Katy. It had been hard enough telling them that Jill was going to live with them, how would they feel about their dad getting married again, did they even understand what that was? It would be difficult that was for sure.

"It'll be alright you know," Gordon told Jill, "the kids will understand, even if they don't at first they will soon, everyone knows you can't hurry love." Jill smiled, it would be alright, they had each other, marriage was just the next stage, it wouldn't make much of a difference to their relationship.

"So when shall we tell Tom and Katy?" Jill asked, "Before Saturday obviously."

"How about tomorrow after school?" Gordon suggested

"Ok tomorrow." Jill agreed, her heart sinking at the thought, it couldn't be that bad though could it?

Ken managed to avoid doing anything about the smell problem until the next day. It wasn't that he liked the smell, it was rather unpleasant, it was the fact that he didn't think it was the drains and was therefore reluctant to do anything about it. After he'd had his first thing in the morning cup of tea, he got Alun and some tools together and they made their way out to the front of the hospital where Mr Harper had said the problem had begun. Ken and Alun stood staring at the drain cover for a moment.

"What do we do now?" Alun asked, Ken didn't really no, so he guessed as he went along.

"That cover needs to come off, so go on then." Ken replied convincingly.

"Me!" Alun protested.

"Well who did you think I was looking at." Alun glared at Ken for a moment before picking up a shovel with very bad grace. He inserted the shovel blade into the crack between the cover and the ground and began to lever it. 10 minutes later the cover was off, Alun was sweating it had been difficult. Mr Harper having heard noises had come out to watch which made Ken feel even more unsure of himself and therefore much more confident. The smell had got worse after the cover had been removed, Mr Harper despite feeling rather sick smiled to himself, he'd been right. Mr Middleditch with Matron then appeared on the scene.

"What the devil is going on?" Mr Middleditch demanded.

"What's that awful smell?" Matron asked, covering her face with her handkerchief.

"It's . . ." Ken began

"The drains." Mr Harper cut across him earning himself an icy glare. Mr Middleditch looked between Ken and Mr Harper, Mr Harper was looking quietly satisfied and Ken was looked angry.

"Please continue Ken," Mr Middleditch asked he smiled at Mr Harper who immediately swelled up in anger.

"It needs to be investigated, which me and Alun are doing. I'm pretty certain it isn't the drains." Ken finished,

"Ok fine Ken you look into it, do try and get rid of the smell won't you, it is truly dreadful." Mr Middleditch then went back inside, Matron made to follow until she noticed that Mr Harper hadn't made a move yet.

"Come on Mr Harper, let's leave them to it. I'm sure you have lot's of work you need to be doing." Matron persuaded steering Mr Harper away forcefully, he tried to object but he couldn't, Matron was the boss.

"What did you tell them that for, it probably is the drains. You were meant to get them redone last year and you didn't." Alun accused fighting back for a change.

"I know, I know, I got them checked didn't I. Off the record but the roof needed fixing and you have to prioritise it was for the good of the hospital." Ken answered wearily, "Whatever it is, we better find out and soon. Then fix it before Mr Harper comes back." Alun nodded he agreed with that, they both then started poking into the depths of the drain.

The next day was nothing but hell all round, but hell particularly for Jill and Gordon, it was one of those days. It started off with the mystery kid, Jeff and Lucy had told Gordon what they were going to do, he didn't agree with it and tried to talk to the kid himself, he had little success.

"I'm Dr. Omerod, I know you can't remember anything but you can tell me about last night, I've been told you had a nightmare is that true?" Gordon started, the girl just ignored him, her hands were twisting the covers slightly, making Gordon think that perhaps she could remember something. "You're leaving us no choice but to section you, I don't want that and neither do you I'm sure. We want to help you, we can help you." At that the girl turned, her eyes were filled with distrust and disbelief, she did remember something. "If you don't co-operate you'll be transferred this afternoon, you can talk to anybody here." Gordon turned and left, he felt useless, that kid needed help, help he couldn't give.

The morning seemed to drag on forever, Gordon went to fawcett ward hoping against hope that the girl had come to her senses and had talked to someone, he was to be disappointed. With much sadness Gordon gave the order for transport to come and for the girl to be got ready to leave. There was no alternative, if they at least knew what they were up against they could do, they could do something. Sister Bridget got her dressed and ready to leave. She seemed vaguely complacent about the whole thing, acting like it was nothing to do with her. The reason why was discovered 15 minutes later. Sister Bridget had had to leave her for a moment to see to another patient in one of her other wards, while she'd been gone the girl had ran away. This was a case of immediate concern as she was quite possibly suicidal, the police were informed but they could do nothing but keep their eyes peeled for information, after all she could be anywhere.
An hour after beginning the investigation into the smell both Ken and Alun were tired and grimy, but they'd made a breakthrough.

"That's the source of the smell." Ken noted grimly, he was pointing his flashlight and a pole at it. The illuminated mess looked to begin with like a sack, but it was what the sack contained that was important. It contained two dead chickens and a dead pig.

"Well at least it wasn't the drains." Alun said trying to be optimistic.

"Yeah but what the hell is it doing down there? How did it get down there? Where is it from? These are all questions Mr Harper and the health authority will want answered. I mean dead things pose enough of a health hazard but imagine what they died from." Ken replied, Alun grimaced, this wasn't going to be pretty.

The afternoon in comparison to the morning went by in a flash, Jill's thoughts were totally consumed by what was going to happen next, they say animals and kids can smell fear. That certainly may have been the case that afternoon, as things went from bad to worse.

"Tom, Katy. Sit down for a moment I want to talk to you." Gordon began, the kids by now knew how ominous that kid of statement was and exchanged glances, wondering what it was they had done now. Gordon took a deep breath, he didn't quite now how to say it so he decided not to beat around the bush. "Jill and I are going to get married." Tom didn't look too bothered by what Gordon had just announced, in fact he looked bored. Katy's eyes on the other hand narrowed, there could be a problem.

"My friends sister got married," she began, Gordon began holding his breath, he didn't know why, she'd been difficult about it last time. "Then she had a baby, you aren't going to have one right?" Gordon and Jill exchanged a glance, that was something they hadn't discussed. Gordon was loathed to say no because well he didn't want to be proved a liar if that did happen, just because it wasn't on the cards at the moment didn't mean it wouldn't be after they were married or a few years down the line.

"Katy, what would be your objection to a baby? I'm not saying that there will be one, but then again there might be. I'm not going to lie to you. What exactly would be your problem with it?" Katy didn't answer, she was deliberately avoiding looking at Gordon. "Do you think it would make us love you any less?" At that Katy started, she looked up at Gordon, her eyes full of that fear a child gets, the fear a child gets particularly after losing a parent or someone close to them. Their world seems infinitely more fragile, with the ability to disappear or break at any given time without warning. Gordon had hit upon the truth and he knew it. "Come here, you know that's not true." Gordon reassured her, giving her a big hug. Jill just looked on, it hadn't gone as well as it could have but it hadn't gone badly either, now all they had to do was to tell everyone else. That wouldn't be hard though, Gordon had phoned Henry that afternoon, his reaction had been the opposite of what she'd expected, he'd been delighted for them. It didn't really matter what anyone else thought, they would all except them, they had already. For the first time in months Jill knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that her future was secure.