by Deborah Carr
Alice nodded, unable to hide her disappointment. “Thank you, Matron,” she said, more miserable than she could recall being since the start of the war.
Matron took a breath to speak, but before she could utter a word, shouting from the yard interrupted her. She immediately stood, handing Alice the dockets, which she slipped it in her apron pocket. She opened the office door, holding it back for Matron to hurry through.
“What’s going on?” Alice heard Matron demand as she closed the door and joined her.
“In Ward Three, Matron.” An ashen-faced probationer pointed in the direction of the ward.
“I know the way,” Matron snapped, pushing past the girl’s arm and going to the ward.
Hearing screams and scuffling coming from inside, Alice peered into the tent. Staring momentarily at the chaos inside the large tent, she gasped as Ed and Corporal Healy were struggling to restrain one of the newer patients. Alice spotted a nurse lying on the floor in between two upturned beds, holding the side of her face. She recognized her as another volunteer.
Matron helped with the hysterical patient and Alice rushed over to the prone nurse.
“Are you all right?” she asked crouching next to her. When the stunned girl didn’t reply, Alice took hold of her wrist and carefully pulled her hand away from her cheek. Her face had been cut, she was horrified to notice, and quite badly. “Quick, over here,” she shouted at the probationer who had run up behind her. “Help me.”
Alice could hear Matron telling another nurse to bring a sedative to calm the struggling man. Alice glanced up at him. His eyes bulged, and he was baring his teeth using every ounce of strength he had left trying to pull away from the men restraining him. As Matron tried to restore order, Alice assisted the nurse, helping her to her feet. She wobbled for a moment, probably from shock, Alice assumed.
“Come with me,” she said. “We’ll go somewhere quiet and I’ll fetch you a cup of tea.”
She could feel the girl’s body trembling. “Bring me a blanket,” she whispered to the young probationer. “I’ll fetch disinfectant.”
“I’ll take her to the dining tent. We need to give her a little time to gather herself and check any damage she’s sustained.”
They walked slowly with her along the wooden walkway to a large tent where they all congregated for meals.
“Here,” Alice said, pulling back a chair at the table closest to the entrance. “Take a seat.” She asked a probationer to bring the nurse some tea and then sit with her. I’ll fetch disinfectant and a dressing.”
The wound wasn’t as deep as she had first feared, Alice was relieved to note as she cleaned it carefully with antiseptic. “Sorry, it does sting, doesn’t it?”
The nurse nodded. “Like the devil.”
Alice then covered the cut with a dressing. She was pretty sure the poor girl would need stitches and resolved to speak to Doctor Sullivan as soon as she had the opportunity. Alice hoped he’d agree to tidy the edges of the cut to leave the nurse with as little scaring as possible.
“What happened?” Alice asked.
“He went berserk,” the nurse mumbled after a few mouthfuls of the tepid tea. “I thought he was going to kill me.” Her voice cracked as she spoke. She wiped tears from her undamaged cheek. “I only went to take his temperature.” She hesitated and shivered. “He grabbed a pair of scissors and lashed out at me, screaming for me to leave him alone. I swear I didn’t do anything I shouldn’t have.”
“I’m sure you didn’t,” Alice soothed. “You’re in shock, and it’s not surprising.”
She empathised with her. Alice had witnessed several attacks on nurses since her arrival, narrowly missing being the target of one on her second day.
“He probably wasn’t aware that he was attacking a nurse,” she said. “He might have thought he was back in the trenches and defending himself.” She had heard it happen before and was not surprised if this was the case. Mostly, Alice did not want the girl to blame herself for the attack.
“If it wasn’t for Captain Woodhall and Corporal Healy, I daren’t imagine what would have happened.”
Alice watched the nurse’s tears flow harder. “There, there,” she said. “It’s all over now.” Except it wasn’t. They both knew that she would probably come across the patient again at some point in her working day. “He’s being sedated and will have to be watched, so he doesn’t hurt someone else.”
The nurse looked up at Alice, her eyes filled with concern. “Is my face terribly bad?”
“No,” Alice assured her. “It’s slightly swollen now, so will look worse than it is for a while, but I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“I’ll have a scar though, won’t I?”
She would. Alice didn’t want to alarm her, but couldn’t lie, not to a fellow professional who knew as much as she did. All the nurse had to do was quietly check her face in the mirror later to know how bad it was.
“A little one,” Alice said. “I can speak to one of the doctors, if you like? Maybe he can use smaller stitches to close the wound.”
The nurse began crying again. Her body trembled violently, and Alice knew it was the shock coming out of her system. It was a good thing, so she simply pulled the blanket tighter around the nurse’s shoulders.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” the nurse cried. “I can handle this.” Her teeth chattered as she tried to speak.
“It’s the shock. Don’t fight it,” Alice said, aware that the nurse would be saying the same words to her if she had been the one to be attacked. “I’ll stay here with you for as long as you need me to.”
They sat together, the only sound coming from voices passing along the walkway outside.
“You’re in here,” Ed said, entering the tent. He walked up to them. “I just wanted to check you’re all right,” he said to the nurse. She gave a little sob and nodded. “You’re not to concern yourself. Everything is under control now. The private has been sedated and taken to a smaller ward away from here. He’s being watched by one of the orderlies, so you needn’t worry.”
“Thank you,” Alice said. She studied his handsome face, wishing she didn’t have to leave just when they were becoming closer. Alice couldn’t believe the change in her attitude, allowing herself to become involved with a patient. Before the war, she had always followed the rules, but she liked how it felt to be bold and make her own choices - it was liberating.
He caught Alice’s eye as he looked from the nurse. “How are you?” he mouthed.
Could he tell that something had happened causing her to return home, she wondered? “Speak later?”
Ed nodded, the concern on his face deepening. “If you don’t need me for anything, I’d better return to the ward. I don’t want Matron on the war path. She wasn’t happy when it all erupted back there.”
Alice could imagine.
Ed went to leave the tent, just as Matron marched in. He stood back to let her pass.
“Return to your bed now, Captain, if you please,” she said glancing from him to the nurse. “Ah, there you are. I’m relieved to see Nurse Le Breton has been tending to you.”
Carefully pulling the dressing back from the nurse’s face, Matron Bleasdale examined the injury. “Ah, Doctor Sullivan,” she said, holding her hand up for him to see her. “This nurse has been injured by one of the patients.”
He glanced at Alice, then bent to inspect the nurse’s face.
Matron turned to Alice, seemingly oblivious that Ed was still standing at the doorway and checked her watch. “Nurse Le Breton, if you haven’t already packed, I suggest you do so now. The ambulance will be leaving for the docks in half an hour. If you miss your lift, there isn’t another one today. Now, hurry along.”
Alice noticed Ed’s eyes widen in surprise. He left the tent and her heart dipped. “Yes, Matron.”
“You’re leaving us?” Doctor Sullivan asked without looking up from what he was doing.
Taken aback by his interest, Alice cleared her thr
oat. “Yes, doctor, my mother is unwell.”
“I hope we see you back here in the not too distant future then nurse,” he said. “Hand me those tweezers, Matron?”
Matron glared at Alice, so she hurried outside, glancing to her right towards the ward to see if she could see Ed. She couldn’t bear to leave without saying goodbye to him. Disappointed and aware she didn’t have much time, she ran in the direction of her tent. Turning the corner after the last ward, she slammed into him.
“Oof, sorry,” she said, winded slightly after being stopped by his muscular chest.
He didn’t speak but took her hand and led her a little way into the woods. Looking around to check they were alone, he stared at her. “You’re leaving? You didn’t say.”
“Yes, my mother’s ill. Matron has given me two weeks’ leave.”
Ed nodded solemnly. “I’m sorry about your mother.”
“I suspect she’s fine. She just wants me back home again. She does this sort of thing to get her own way.” She hated seeing him looking so sad. She ached at the thought of leaving him.
“I’ll miss you, Alice,” he said, putting a finger under her chin and lifting it. He bent his head until his lips were pressing against hers and kissed her, hard.
All the anguish Alice was feeling at being separated from Ed was reflected in his kiss. Saddened to have to leave him so soon, but relieved he was demonstrating how much she meant to him, she flung her arms around his neck and kissed him back.
“I’ll miss you, too,” she whispered when their lips parted. “I tried to argue with Matron about being sent home, but I suppose she feels I ought to go in case my mother really is ill.”
Ed’s face softened. “I’m sure you could do with the break from here. You nurses work immensely hard and for such long hours, it’ll probably do you good.”
Alice swallowed the lump forming in her throat. Why did she have to leave just when she had every reason to stay?
Ed pulled her into a bear hug. “You’ll soon be back.” He patted his hip lightly. “And, I’ll still be here. Doctor Sullivan said it’ll be a few weeks yet before I’m fit enough to resume fighting.”
“But we’ll be spending most of those weeks unable to see each other,” she argued. “I’m fairly positive my mother’s acting, she’s used to demanding and getting her own way.”
He put a finger against her lips to stop her from ranting. “Hush, it’s fine. You’ll do the right thing and I’ll be here, waiting for your return.” He pulled her close again, soothing her with his gentle Scottish lilt. “My father sounds a little like your mother. I remember his brother saying, ‘Stuart the world doesn’t revolve around you and your whims, you know.’”
Alice couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Amused, she looked up to him.
“What?” he asked.
“My grandfather. He was also called Stuart. How odd is that?”
Ed threw his head back and laughed. “I wonder if they were both cantankerous old miseries.”
Alice smiled. “Well, my grandfather wasn’t miserable, but I think he could be a little cantankerous at times.”
She heard Matron’s voice in the distance and remembered what she should be doing. “I have to go. I need to pack my things and change out of this uniform if I’m to make that lift.”
“One more kiss?”
“Yes,” she said, thrilled he had asked. They kissed, each putting their mutual need into their love, until eventually she pulled back. “I really must go. Take care, and do as you’re told,” she said. “I don’t want you damaging that hip while I’m away.”
“Yes, Nurse Le Breton.”
The skin around his dark eyes creased as he smiled. It took all Alice’s will power not to kiss him again. She was late though, and if she didn’t get a move on she would either have to travel without any of her belongings or miss her lift. She ran off towards her tent, turning to see if he was still waiting there, delighted when he smiled and waved.
“I’ll miss you,” she mouthed, glancing around to check that no one was around to see.
Within moments, Alice had changed, roughly packed up the few things she’d need and glanced around her tent. She’d miss this place, even though she was returning to her comfortable bedroom at her parent’s beautiful farm.
“Right, time to go,” she said buttoning up her coat and putting on her hat. Alice lifted her small tan leather suitcase and went to locate the ambulance.
“We’re all loaded up here. Hop in the front with me.” The driver said and Alice did as she was told.
“Don’t look so miserable,” the driver laughed. “Most people would be happy to leave this place and be going home to Blighty.”
Alice forced a smile as he turned the ambulance in the courtyard. She stared out of the window hoping for one last glimpse of Ed and saw him step out of the shadows and give her a discrete wave. He was right. She would be back here soon.
Chapter 12
Gemma
2018
Gemma shivered. She looked up from the flimsy letter in her hand to see that the fire was nothing more than embers. The last one she’d read had saddened her. She hated to think of Alice and Ed having to part from each other. How strange parents could be, she thought ruminating about how her own father had barely bothered about what she was doing to the farmhouse. Like her parents, Alice’s mother seemed to be putting her own feelings first. If I ever have children, Gemma thought, I will make sure I at least take their feelings into account.
She thought of having a family and realised that the only man who she could envisage having them with was Tom. He’d make a sensational father, she mused. Cross with herself for thinking such fantastic things and aware she needed to get some sleep, she picked up a handful of Alice’s letters and turning off the lights went upstairs to her bedroom. Showered and changed, Gemma got into bed and arranged her pillows against the newly painted metal bedstead. She made herself comfortable, enjoying being in her freshly decorated bedroom. She picked up the last letter she had been reading and carried on. She felt more and more compelled to know what had happened to Alice with each letter.
Their lives seemed connected in many ways, yet they lived a century apart. Gemma was aware that her emotional investment into Alice and Ed’s lives was deeper than she had intended when she first began reading their correspondence. Maybe Tom would find her intrigue a little odd? She doubted it. He seemed so understanding.
Gemma lay back and closed her eyes and pictured Tom. He was nothing like her usual type. He was athletic, muscular and more at home in the outdoors than inside. He didn’t seem very academic either and that was refreshing. A warm feeling came over her. Her guilt at her part in what her ex had done had lessened since confessing all to Tom. She mulled over their conversations and tried to imagine how he saw her. Was he just being friendly? She hoped not. What was she going to do when he finished working here, she wondered? Could she find a way for them to stay in contact? Would she want to, or would it be easier to move on and start again without a reminder of Tom and the time they’d shared during this project? She leant over and placed the letters carefully on her bedside table, before turning off the lamp. Lying in the dark, with rays of moonlight coming through a gap in the top of her curtains, Gemma tried to picture the next owners of the farmhouse. She hoped it would be a couple or a small family — two people in love with one, or maybe two small children. This place would make a perfect home. She was going to miss the farmhouse when the time came for her to leave and return to the real world.
Gemma closed her eyes and pulled her duvet up over her shoulders. What was she going to do after this episode of her life ended? She still couldn’t imagine returning to nursing, but she wasn’t qualified to do anything else. She hadn’t ever wanted to be anything but a nurse. How things changed, she thought as she drifted off to sleep.
The following morning, sunlight had replaced the moon’s rays waking Gemma slowly as it shone into her bedroom. She rubbed her eyes and stre
tched, taking a while for her to wake up. She threw back her duvet and sat up. It was going to be another gloriously sunny day, she thought happily. She got out of bed and pulled back the curtains to look at the view outside. Standing at the open window, she tilted her head back closing her eyes as the sun warmed her face.
“When you’re quite ready,” Tom shouted from outside. “I’ve only been waiting an hour for you to surface.”
She squinted down at him, noticing him trying not to laugh as he tapped the face of his watch with his finger.
“Coming,” she giggled, running down the stairs, pulling on her dressing gown. She unlocked the front door. “Isn’t it a gorgeous morning?”
“It is,” he said walking inside and leaving her taking deep rosemary-filled breaths on the footpath. “It’s Sunday, so I thought I’d come and help you here, if you like?”
“I’ll get us coffees,” Gemma said, pushing her sleeves up her arms as they went into the kitchen.
He leant against the wall and watched as she prepared their drinks. “So, how is the letter reading going? Discovered anything else interesting?”
“Yes, but only because of the little notes on the backs of the letters,” she said, filling a cafetière she had brought for his coffees. “The letters say very little, but the notes tell me much, much more about her daily life. I’m still a little confused about why she’s writing letters to the Lieutenant, when the notes are all about her affection for Ed.”
“Ed?”
“That’s the captain.”
Gemma set the cafetière down on the table and turned on her phone, checking her emails. “I have to take photos for Dad,” she said, reading an email from him. “Apparently, my mother said that if we don’t get a sale this summer, then we should rent out the farmhouse.” Gemma’s heart dipped at the thought of someone else enjoying this place during the summer.
“Couldn’t you live here instead of selling?” Tom asked.