The Country Doctor's Choice by Maggie Bennett

pubs,’ Mark Bolt remarked with a grin.
    A woman representative of the Everham Park Hospital Management Committee met them and said she would guide them to the designated areas where they had permission to sing, starting with the children’s ward, with a caution not to make too much noise, as some of the children would be asleep. The ward was quiet at first, and Cyril drew a few deep breaths, ready to sing ‘Patapan’; but Jeremy quickly decided against the too-ra-loo-ra-loos and pat-a-pat-pans as being too loud and too unfamiliar. He chose instead ‘The RockingCarol’, two verses only, sung very softly. An older boy was fascinated and started to join in, as did a girl with a leg suspended in plaster. These two had no inhibitions, and belted out with gusto,
    ‘We will rock you, rock you, rock you,
We will
ROCK
you,
ROCK
you,
ROCK
you,

Coat of fur to keep you warm,

SNUGLY ROUND YOUR TINY FORM
!’
    The nurse in charge of the ward glared at the visitors who had sung so quietly that they had been drowned out by the rowdy boy and girl, and now hastily left the ward, followed by yells demanding their return. They were next led through men’s and women’s surgical wards, then men’s and women’s medical, where the older patients were mainly appreciative, some tearfully so, while others ignored them. Finally they climbed the stairs to Maternity, there being too many of them to crowd into the lift.
    ‘Now for “Patapan”,’ said Cyril confidently as they approached the unit with some trepidation; they were led first into the antenatal ward where the women greeted them with smiles. They sang ‘Once in Royal David’s City’ and were applauded, so Jeremy ordered ‘While Shepherds Watched’, also applauded. There were only seven patients in postnatal, one recovering from a Caesarean section, but theysmiled and listened to ‘Away in a Manger’, with a few accompaniments from the five cradles beside the beds, the other two babies being in the nursery. Their guide then led them to the annexe which served the Delivery Unit and Theatre.
    ‘I don’t expect they’ll want you in the Delivery Unit,’ she said, ‘but I’ll go and see what’s happening there. Wait here, please.’
    She returned to say that a baby girl had been born ten minutes ago in Delivery Room Four. Dr Hammond had been sent for to put in stitches, and meanwhile the new mother had no objection at all to the carol singers, and asked for something nice and soothing for the baby. They moved up the annexe to the open door of Delivery Room Four, and Jeremy was about to begin ‘Silent Night’ when Dr Hammond breezed in.
    ‘Good heavens, what’s going on here?’ she asked. ‘What are you thinking of, Nurse Burns, letting these people into a sterile area? They must leave at once!’
    By now the lady singers were at the door and smiling at the new mother, sitting up on the delivery bed, her baby in her arms. Mrs Coulter exclaimed, ‘Mrs Peacock! Mrs Peacock, the new Methodist minister’s wife! I knew you were expecting soon, but I didn’t realise it was today!’
    Another, heavier footstep was heard entering the annexe, and Dr McDowall appeared.
    ‘I’ve heard a lot of disturbance going on here,’he said with mock severity, ‘and I’ve come to make some arrests. Who are these intruders, Marie Burns?’
    ‘They’re the carol singers, doctor, and Dr Hammond says they’ve got to go,’ said Staff Midwife Burns clearly for all to hear. ‘Mrs Peacock wants them to sing a carol for the baby. They’re Methodists,’ she added.
    ‘Well, then they must stay, we’ve heard nothing detrimental about Methodists, have we?’ he said, moving through the singers to the Delivery Room, where Dr Hammond stood waiting impatiently.
    ‘Dr Shelagh, what a lovely surprise! A baby on Christmas Eve!’
    ‘I’m simply waiting to suture an episiotomy,’ she answered, trying not to show her irritation. ‘And I’ve asked them to leave the department at