what this Mr Abbott looks like.’
‘What will we do if we find him?’ Millie asked, as they joined the other party guests. She kept her head down, fearful that she would be spotted by Sister Holmes at any moment. ‘We can’t very well apprehend him in front of everyone, can we?’
‘We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,’ William replied. ‘You have to find him first.’
Millie spotted Staff Nurse Lund in the crowd, beat a hasty retreat – and crashed straight into Helen, coming the other way with a plate of sandwiches.
‘Why are you sneaking around?’ She saw William standing behind Millie and her frown deepened. ‘Oh, it’s you. I might have known you’d be involved.’
‘We’re looking for someone,’ he told her.
‘Oh, yes? Who?’
They glanced at each other. ‘I suppose we should tell her,’ William said. ‘You never know, she might be able to help.’
Helen looked from one to the other, her eyes narrowed. ‘Tell me what?’
‘We’ve lost a patient,’ Millie blurted out.
‘A dangerous convict,’ William added.
‘But he probably won’t get far, because he has a gunshot wound in his leg,’ Millie said.
Helen’s mouth fell open. ‘But why haven’t you told the police? You must warn them at once.’
She thrust the plate of sandwiches into Millie’s hands and started off towards the gate. William held on to her wrist.
‘Don’t,’ he begged. ‘We’re in enough trouble as it is.’
‘You’ll be in a lot more trouble if you allow a wanted man to slip past the police.’ Helen looked around. ‘He could be anywhere!’
‘I know,’ Millie said miserably. ‘You’re right, we should tell the police.’
‘You’ll get fired if you tell them,’ William reminded her.
‘People could get hurt if we don’t,’ Millie said.
Helen looked from one to the other. ‘Oh, for heaven’s sake!’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Wait here. And don’t say a word to anyone until I get back.’
They watched her head off towards the porters’ lodge. ‘What do you think she’s doing?’ Millie asked.
William shrugged. ‘Maybe she’s going to ask Mr Hopkins for help?’
‘She’s wasting her time then. Mr Hopkins is a miserable old man. He’ll report us all to Matron as soon as look at us.’
‘Don’t you believe it,’ said William. ‘Old Hopkins has a soft spot for Helen. She’s like the daughter he never had.’
Sure enough, a moment later she returned from the porters’ lodge. ‘It’s all sorted,’ she said. ‘Mr Hopkins has got his porters on red alert, searching the building. If anyone can find him, they can.’
‘What about us? What should we do?’ Millie asked.
Helen sent her a stern look. ‘Go back to the ward and keep your head down, if you know what’s good for you,’ she advised. ‘And for heaven’s sake, try to stay calm!’
It wasn’t easy. Millie tried to keep her mind on looking after the patients, but she couldn’t stop pacing to the window and looking out over the courtyard.
‘The party’s breaking up,’ she said gloomily. Any minute now Sister Holmes would be returning to the ward. Then all hell would break loose.
‘I don’t know why you’re looking so sorry for yourself, I’ll be in just as much trouble as you,’ Dora reminded her. ‘I went off to the stoke hole and left you by yourself, remember?’
Millie chewed her lip. ‘How bad do you think it will be?’
Dora stared at her. ‘Benedict, we both left the ward and allowed a wanted criminal to escape. You tell me.’
They jumped as the double doors flew open. But instead of Sister Holmes and Staff Nurse Lund, two porters came in, pushing a patient on a trolley. He was covered from head to toe by a thin white sheet.
‘Blimey, he doesn’t look well,’ one of the patients observed, glancing up from his crossword.
‘I know Mr Dwyer’s a good surgeon, but I didn’t think he could raise ’em from the dead,’ said another.
‘There’s been a mistake,’ Millie started to say, ‘we can’t possibly . . .’ Then she saw William bringing up the rear.
‘Take him to bed seven,’ he instructed.
Millie and Dora followed them to where the screens were still pulled around Mr Abbott’s bed. It was only when they were safely concealed that William whisked the sheet off to reveal the craggy-faced criminal sleeping peacefully.
‘But I don’t understand,’ Millie said, as the porters lifted him gently back into bed. ‘How . . .? Where . . .?’
‘Two of the porters found him hiding out in the basement,’ William said. ‘I had to give him a sedative to get him to come quietly.’
Millie clapped her hands with