Wartime Blues for the Harpers Girls

by Rosie Clarke

  Nurse Mann’s face creased with sorrow. ‘I wish I was there. I’ve only just passed my first exams and they sent me here. I asked to be sent out, but they said I was needed here…’

  ‘We can’t all go over there,’ Maggie told her. ‘You are needed here and perhaps your chance to nurse abroad will come. I think they are looking for qualified nurses now rather than volunteers. I got in at the start and learned on the wards. I’ve never taken any exams, but before I was ill, I was doing everything the nurses did.’

  ‘Sister Andrews told me all about you. She says you’ve been awarded a medal—’ She pressed her hand to her mouth. ‘I wasn’t supposed to say that—’

  ‘Don’t worry, Veronica. A friend of mine at the hospital told me I’d been put in for a medal of honour, but I don’t deserve it. I just did my job…’

  ‘Under fire a few times,’ Veronica said and looked awed. ‘It must have been so exciting…’

  ‘No, not exciting, just worrying about your patients and doing what you were told,’ Maggie said and smiled. ‘Wait until you’ve experienced the dirt and the fleas and the smells and then you’ll wish yourself back here again.’

  ‘Yes, perhaps,’ Veronica looked doubtful. ‘You missed the official tea time, but I can get you a sandwich or a piece of cake and a cup of tea if you’d like?’

  ‘Yes, please – a small piece of cake and a cup of tea. I’m not very hungry yet.’

  ‘You soon will be here – it’s the fresh air and the tranquillity. That’s what the men say.’

  Maggie nodded. ‘Can the patients go where they like?’

  ‘Yes, of course. The gardens are lovely and there is a lake – I like it there when I have a break. I’ll take you when you feel up to it.’

  ‘Tomorrow,’ Maggie said. ‘The journey was tiring. I’d like to explore tomorrow.’

  ‘Yes, of course. I’ll fetch your tea. Your things came earlier. I’ve unpacked them for you and if you want to rest, I’ll help you into bed.’

  ‘Just push me to the window so I can look out at the garden please,’ Maggie said. She smiled as the young nurse obliged. ‘That’s just right, thank you. It’s such a lovely view from here.’

  ‘I’m glad you like it,’ Veronica said. ‘When they were wondering where to put you, I suggested it. The men have plenty of rooms to frequent and this wasn’t often used – it is so peaceful here.’

  ‘Yes, it is,’ Maggie agreed.

  When the young nurse had gone, she got up and walked a little unsteadily to gaze out of the window. It looked over a rose garden and then a lawn in the distance. Several men were sitting or standing about talking. And then she noticed a man in a basket chair wheeling himself out from under the rose arch. He waved at her imperiously, indicating what she saw was a glass door out to the garden. Walking unsteadily towards it, she found it opened wide enough to allow his chair through, into what she’d been told was her room.

  ‘You’re new here,’ the young man said gruffly. ‘Why aren’t you in uniform?’ His blue eyes were cold and hostile and Maggie knew that he resented what had happened to him.

  She was saved from answering, however, by a booming voice from behind her. ‘Now then, Captain Morgan, what are you doing here? You were told the annexe was no longer in use.’

  The young officer – probably no more than twenty-four – shot a suspicious look at Maggie and then smiled sweetly at the senior nurse. ‘I forgot,’ he said. ‘Are you cross with me, Sister Jane?’

  ‘I am Sister Foster to you, Captain, as well you know. You’re in Miss Gibbs’ room – perhaps you would like to apologise and leave?’

  The cold blue eyes fastened on Maggie. ‘I apologise. I took you for a nurse—’

  ‘I am – or I was,’ Maggie said and smiled at him. He wasn’t really so fierce – just frightened and angry at finding himself in a wheelchair.

  ‘This is one of your angels from over there,’ Sister Foster said and turned her formidable gaze on Maggie. ‘You shouldn’t be standing here. You should be in bed. Where is that wretched nurse?’

  Right on cue, Veronica opened the door bearing a tray with a piece of Victoria sandwich and a pot of tea, but the smile on her face vanished as she saw Sister Foster glaring at her.

  ‘Where have you been?’ the senior nurse demanded. ‘Put that tray down and take Captain Morgan through to the day room while I look after Miss Gibbs properly.’

  The reprimand was clear and as Veronica scuttled to obey and wheeled the scowling Captain from the room into the main hospital, Sister Foster picked up the tray and ushered Maggie towards the bedroom.

  ‘You may sit in the chair beside the bed to have your Victoria sandwich,’ she said and placed the tray on a table that she wheeled to the chair.

  Maggie obeyed. Sister Foster was a martinet and it was best not to argue. She had every intention of getting up once the bossy nurse had gone, but, when she’d eaten her cake and drunk her tea, Sister Foster indicated that she should get into the freshly made bed, and, after she’d gone, Maggie suddenly discovered she was very tired.

  She closed her eyes and slept and the next thing she knew Nurse Veronica was in the room drawing back the curtains to let in the daylight.

  ‘Is it morning?’ Maggie asked, sitting up. She felt refreshed and so much better than she had since her return to England. ‘I fell asleep—’

  ‘I know – Sister Jenkins told me you slept all night. She looked in on you several times and said you were peaceful, so she just let you rest.’

  ‘I think that’s the best night I’ve had since I was ill,’ Maggie told her, sitting back against the pillows. ‘I feel wonderful.’

  ‘Would you like breakfast now? You can have bacon, eggs and tomatoes – or just porridge and toast with honey if you wish.’

  ‘I’d like the toast and honey,’ Maggie said, ‘though another day I might like the bacon. I feel utterly spoiled, lying here being waited on. I ought to be up helping all of you with the patients…’

  ‘Sister Foster won’t let you do that for ages yet,’ Veronica said. ‘You’re our special guest and she’s determined to look after you.’

  ‘I’m sorry you were in trouble yesterday because you fetched me that tea…’

  ‘Oh, I’m used to it,’ Veronica told her with a rueful smile. ‘Sister Jenkins is lovely, but most of the others are very strict. I suppose I deserve it. I do get a bit forgetful at times…’

  ‘It’s just getting used to the routine of the hospital,’ Maggie told her with a smile. ‘They threw us in at the deep end over there and I know I made lots of mistakes. Some of the senior nurses were awful to the new girls – but Sister Mayhew was wonderful. Her regime was strict, but she helped you rather than criticised all the time. I know she got me through a bad time. She is the Matron of three field hospitals now.’

  ‘She sounds lovely,’ Veronica said wistfully. ‘I keep hoping they will send me to the Front once I’ve qualified…’

  ‘If you wait for your full training, the war may be over,’ Maggie said thoughtfully. ‘A friend of mine told me he thinks things are going our way at last. He is an important man who knows quite a lot about the situation over there.’

  ‘You know so many people…’ Veronica sighed. ‘Captain Morgan asked me so many questions about you. He wanted to know who you are and why you’d been given the annexe. It was always his favourite place, because not many of the men use it and he likes to be on his own.’

  ‘I thought it might be something like that – he seemed so annoyed to find me here.’

  ‘He thought of it as his room, I’m afraid,’ Veronica told her and then gave a little giggle. ‘I’d better fetch your breakfast or Sister Foster will have my guts for garters.’

  Maggie laughed and the nurse went out. She was feeling so much better that she went into the little room, which had a toilet and a basin, and gave herself a strip wash, before going back to her bedroom to dress. It was sheer luxury to have a toilet and basin to herself! She’d had to boo
k her turn to have a bath at the field hospital and the toilets often had queues outside, which could be difficult if you had a tummy upset, which so many of the girls had when they first got there and were not acclimatised to the food and conditions. The unwritten rule was that if someone was in dire need, you just waved them to the head of the queue and waited your turn. Maggie had known some of the nurses to squat down behind the accommodations huts if they just wanted to pass water.

  When Veronica returned with her breakfast, she offered to give her a bed bath but looked pleased when Maggie told her she had already washed. ‘You can have a bath twice a week, but we’ll have to book your time, because otherwise you’ll have the men banging at the door when you get in. A lot of them just leave it unlocked and the others just barge in!’

  ‘What times do they like to bathe?’

  ‘Mostly mornings, seven until ten, and evenings, eight until ten.’

  ‘Then I’ll have a bath in the morning about eleven, if that is all right?’

  Veronica nodded. ‘I’ll take you there the first time and show you the ropes.’

  ‘Where else can I go – or is most of it reserved for the men?’

  ‘I think you should stay away from their day and games rooms,’ Veronica said and made a wry face. ‘The language can be pretty… well, fruity, my father would say. It doesn’t shock me because I have four brothers.’

  ‘Oh, lucky you,’ Maggie said and laughed as she saw the nurse’s look. ‘Or not, as the case may be!’

  ‘They bossed me around – I was little sister and they all tried to keep me safe, I suppose…’ Her smile faded. ‘They’re all out there fighting at the Front and my father is worried to death over them. I keep thinking about if they’re wounded…’

  ‘If they are taken to a field hospital, they will get all the care you would give them yourself,’ Maggie told her and pressed her hand sympathetically. ‘Sometimes, we couldn’t save their lives, but we did all we could to make their passing easier.’

  ‘Yes, I know…’ Veronica swallowed hard. ‘Everyone has someone out there – but it would kill Dad if he lost them. My mother is very brave. She says she is proud of them and me, but we have to do whatever we think right.’

  ‘She sounds wonderful,’ Maggie said wistfully. ‘My father was wonderful. I adored him. My mother…’ She shook her head. ‘She wasn’t the same.’

  ‘Oh, poor you,’ Veronica said. ‘I know I’ve been very lucky.’ She smiled. ‘I love this job. You meet such lovely people.’ She had been moving round the room, tidying it as they talked but, now she looked at Maggie and nodded. ‘Someone will come for the tray. I have to help Sister Foster for a while, but you can ring if you need me – oh, and you can go out into the garden, as you’re dressed, but don’t walk too far. I think you have some books to read, but we do have a library. It is just down the hall to your left. There are some newspapers and magazines as well.’

  ‘Thank you – now get off, or you’ll be in trouble.’

  ‘Yes, I shall,’ Nurse Veronica smiled and left Maggie to finish her breakfast.

  It was a nice sunny day and she decided to venture into the rose garden a bit later, but first she would write some letters and then perhaps Nurse Veronica would post them.

  9

  It was Sunday morning and Marion was at home cooking lunch with her sister-in-law, Sarah, and her younger sister Kathy. Sarah had bought a nice plump roasting chicken as a treat for them all and they’d prepared the vegetables and Yorkshire pudding together before she took her son for a walk in his pushchair.

  ‘I’ll be back in time to help you set the table and serve,’ she’d promised, but Kathy had told her she would do the table, because Sarah enjoyed her walks to the small green a few streets away where the council had recently set up a couple of benches and the young mothers would congregate with their children and the little ones could enjoy playing on the grass. There were no swings or slides there, but someone always had a ball or a hoop and the children made their own games.

  Milly, Marion’s youngest sister, had gone next door to Mrs Jackson, who Milly had adopted as her granny. It was convenient living next door to her husband’s family, as they were always on hand to help out with Milly, who loved going there. When she came running into the kitchen, looking excited, Marion knew something nice had happened. She turned in anticipation and the next moment the tall figure of her husband came striding in the kitchen door.

  ‘Reggie’s here!’ Milly announced; she’d obviously been warned not to say anything but was bursting to tell.

  Marion crossed the room in hurried steps and was met in two strides to be swept up in her husband’s arms and soundly kissed.

  ‘You didn’t let us know you were out of hospital,’ Marion said breathlessly as he finally let her go. ‘But I’m so glad you’re here – how are you? Have you been next door?’

  ‘Not yet. I wanted to see my wife.’ He pulled her into his arms hungrily and she knew he was feeling fine. ‘I miss you so much, love…’

  ‘I bet I miss you more,’ Marion said. She called to Kathy, who was pointedly keeping her head down and reading the book she’d borrowed from the library. ‘Watch the dinner, Kathy love. I’m just going to show Reggie something upstairs.’

  Taking Reggie’s hand, she led him up the stairs, and once alone in the bedroom that was now theirs, she threw herself into his arms and they kissed passionately, before stripping their clothes off feverishly. Their loving was urgent, satisfying and wonderful – and noisy. Marion giggled as she cuddled up to him afterwards.

  ‘I’m sure Milly wonders what on earth is happening,’ she said and stroked the back of his neck. ‘Oh, Reggie, it is so good to have you here. We’ve had hardly any time together since we married. How long have you got – your letter said several weeks?’

  ‘Yes, it’s true.’ Reggie’s smile lit up his face. ‘I’m here for a month at least,’ he said. ‘I’ve done three tours of duty and they’ve sent me home for a rest – and training. I’m not sure what happens when that is over. I think I’ll be here in England for three months at least, but I’ll be away and visiting at weekends after my month’s leave.’

  ‘A whole month,’ Marion sighed with pleasure. ‘I’ve got two weeks holiday due – I’m going to ask if I can take it all now.’

  ‘Yes, do that and we’ll go away for a few days to the sea,’ Reggie said, looking pleased. ‘Your sister-in-law and my mother can manage here and it is time we had a decent holiday together.’

  Marion leaned over and kissed him on the lips. ‘This is the best present I’ve ever had,’ she said. ‘A whole month of having you here with me every night…’

  ‘It’s what I’ve dreamed of,’ Reggie said and kissed her again. He lifted his head from the pillow. ‘I can hear a child screaming. Sarah must be home and they will be wanting their lunch.’

  ‘Yes,’ Marion sighed. ‘I suppose we’d better go down.’

  ‘And I should visit Ma,’ Reggie said and smiled.

  ‘We’ve got plenty of time to be together now, Reggie.’

  ‘We’ll have two weeks at the sea somewhere and then we can stay in bed all morning if we want,’ Reggie promised and pulled her from the bed.

  Marion laughed. She’d never been for a proper holiday before; their honeymoon had been sweet but short and now the future glowed with promise. Reggie home for a whole month and a real holiday; it was almost too good to be true…

  Mrs Bailey smiled and agreed to arrange Marion’s leave from that Friday for two weeks. She said she understood how important and exciting it was for her to be given such a treat and told Marion that she would arrange cover for her.

  ‘Mr Stockbridge will give me one of the girls from the ground floor as a temporary assistant,’ she said. ‘You deserve a treat if anyone does, Mrs Jackson. I am happy for you.’

  Marion thanked her and took her station behind the hat counter. Life was so much better these days. It had started to improve when she got to know Reggie
, but he’d had to join the Army; then Sarah had come along and it was because of her brother’s wife that she could take this holiday alone with her husband.

  ‘Of course, I’ll look after the others,’ she’d said when Marion told her of their plans. ‘I know Reggie’s mother would have Milly, but I can look after things here. Besides, Kathy is a wonderful help.’

  ‘Yes, I know. She wants to leave school this summer and train to be a cook. I think she may as well, because it will be a good job for her – and she’s been told about a job at a small hotel locally. It isn’t much money for a start, but she will learn a craft that will always be of use to her.’

  Sarah had nodded. ‘She still says she will never marry. I’ve tried telling her she’ll meet someone, but she won’t listen.’

  Marion nodded, feeling anxious as she thought about Kathy’s reasons for saying she would never marry. At almost sixteen she was too young to make such a decision buy it was because of the way their father had treated Ma. Kathy had taken her death hard and that worried Marion. Would her younger sister’s future happiness be forever blighted by their father’s cruelty? Kathy insisted that she was going to learn to be a really first-class cook and it was all she wanted of life, but Marion knew she would miss out on so much if she never allowed herself to love or marry. She might lead a busy and fulfilling life for some time, but in the end, she would be lonely.

  Seeing a customer approach, Marion thrust aside her personal concern for her sister.

  The customer was young and wore that bewildered but happy look common to brides searching for their trousseau. If she was not mistaken, this young woman was about to choose a hat for her going-away outfit…

  Rachel watched as Marion Jackson sold three beautiful hats to the young woman and carefully wrapped them. The bride-to-be was glowing with happiness but so was Marion. The pleasure of having her husband home and the prospect of her first real holiday at the sea had lit her up from inside.