The Poppy Field

by Deborah Carr

  “Right, ladies,” the driver said, pulling over in front of the town square. “I will be back ‘ere at five on the dot. If you’re ‘ere I’ll give yer a lift back to the ‘ospital. If not, then that’s yer look out.”

  He seemed rather aggressive to Alice, but the smile on his face made her think that maybe it was just his way. The women got out of the ambulance and thanked him.

  “We’ll be here,” Mary said. “Goodbye.”

  “Enjoy yerselves.”

  They watched him drive away and scanned the area around them. “Look,” Alice said, the fluttering in her stomach going into overdrive, as she pointed. “There’s the Hotel du Nord.”

  “Are you all right?” Mary asked quietly. “You’ve gone awfully pale.”

  Alice took a deep breath. “To tell you the truth, I’m terrified,” she admitted, pushing her shoulders back and checking her hat was on straight. “Do I look presentable?”

  Mary reached out and smoothed down one side of Alice’s coat collar. “There, you look perfect.”

  “Thank you,” Alice said, looking across the square at the clock on the church spire. “It’s nearly time to meet him.” She shivered. “I’m relieved you’re here. I can’t think what I’m going to say.”

  “You’ll forget your nerves when you see him,” Mary assured her as they walked in silence to the hotel entrance. Inside, Mary gave Alice a gentle nudge. “Just remember that this is Ed, the man you’ve seen at death’s door. He isn’t a stranger you’re trying to impress. He knows you and has seen you in many stressful situations.”

  She was right, Alice realised. This was Ed. The same man who she had given bed baths to and who had shielded her body with his own, being grazed by a shard of wood that would have otherwise caught her. There was nothing to be frightened about.

  Alice took a calming breath and smiled. “Let’s go and see if he’s inside, shall we?”

  Happy muted voices could be heard leading them to the dining room without them having to ask the way. They reached the doorway and Alice looked around the light-filled room, smiling in anticipation of seeing Ed for the first time in months.

  It was difficult to make him out in the sea of faces, but then Mary coughed quietly to get her attention. “There he is,” she murmured.

  Alice looked in the direction of Mary’s gaze and saw Ed and another man stand up. Ed beamed at her and unable to help herself, Alice returned his smile. He looked thin and pale, she decided, giving him a little wave. Trying to retain her decorum, Alice led the way passed a seemingly endless line of chairs to the table where the uniformed men stood.

  Their eyes locked. Alice looked at him properly for the first time, relieved when she noted that he seemed as delighted to see her as she knew she was to be with him again. Her heart raced. She hadn’t seen him in his uniform before, not standing up and looking so immaculate.

  “Good afternoon, Mary,” he said giving her a slight nod. Then turning to address Alice, he took her hand and lifting it to his mouth gave it a gentle kiss. “Alice. I’ve been looking forward to this afternoon since you left for Jersey.” He indicated the dark-haired officer standing next to him. “This is Lieutenant Peter Conway.”

  Alice and Mary gazed at the handsome man, but Alice was certain their reasons for staring at him were very different.

  “Lieutenant Conway,” Alice said extending her arm to shake his hand. “I believe you’re my cousin. Thank you for inviting me to afternoon tea.”

  “Please, call me Peter,” he said. “It was my pleasure, cousin Alice.”

  “This is my friend and fellow VAD, Nurse Mary Jones,” Alice said unable to help smiling when she saw how wide Mary’s eyes were, as she stared at the man in front of her.

  “I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance Nurse Jones,” he said.

  “Please,” Ed said, grinning. “Take a seat.”

  They sat down. Alice, aware that they only had two and a half hours before having to meet the auto ambulance, decided that she was not going to waste any of her afternoon by being coy.

  “It was very clever of you to arrange this meeting, Ed,” she said allowing him to take her hand under the small table. It felt soothing to have his hand holding hers. “And kind of you, Peter.”

  “Were you confused at all?” Peter asked. “Or, did you know immediately that my friend here had come up with the idea?”

  She shook her head and gave Ed’s hand a squeeze. “I have to admit that when Matron called me in to see her and told me about my cousin Peter writing to me, it took a couple of seconds to work out what must be happening. I was excited to think that Ed might be behind the letter in some way, but hardly dared hope his plan would work.”

  It felt surreal being in the same room with him, and when Alice turned her attention to Ed she saw him gazing back at her. They stared at each other in silence.

  “I’ve missed you,” he said. “Very much.”

  Alice could only imagine how horrified her mother would be right now to witness her forwardness with a man she barely knew. “I missed you, too,” she said, vaguely aware that Mary was talking to Peter to give them some semblance of privacy. “I was devastated when I arrived back at the CCS and discovered that you had returned to your unit.”

  Ed nodded. “It came a little out of the blue,” he said. “They needed the numbers and I was just about fit enough to go back, so off I went.”

  “If only I hadn’t let the doctor persuade me to delay my return by a week,” she said, wondering when her resentment towards her mother would diminish. “I knew she wasn’t ill, almost as soon as I arrived home in Jersey.”

  “She’s your mother,” he said squeezing her hand. “She loves you. I can understand her wanting to find a way to spend time with you.”

  “You can?” She thought he was being rather noble and generous with his feelings towards the woman whose selfishness had kept them apart.

  “Naturally,” he said, smiling at her. “Isn’t that what I’ve done, by roping in Peter to pretend to be your cousin?”

  Alice mused over his sentiments. Her irritation with her mother softened. “I hadn’t thought of it like that. Poor Mother. I’m so desperate to make my own decisions from now on, that I suppose I’ve been the selfish one in this instant.”

  “Let’s not concern ourselves with unpleasantness. How about we order tea and then I thought we could take a stroll by the river.”

  “That sounds heavenly,” Alice said, nodding. She hadn’t walked along the River Authie before but had heard it was very pretty. “I’m famished.”

  They ordered a tier of home-made pastries and it occurred to Alice as she sipped at the weak tea that this wasn’t the British tea she had initially expected. What a fool to expect this to be something different. She asked the others what they thought about it.

  “I think,” Peter said quietly. “That there’s someone running this hotel who has very good business acumen. They are trying to accommodate us, I’m not so sure we would be so generous if it was the other way around.”

  “What better way to ensure the British soldiers stationed nearby come and frequent this establishment though,” Ed said, his fingers grazing Alice’s. “Mind you, the tea is pretty dire.”

  “It’s near enough for me,” Mary said, refilling their cups with the weak amber liquid. “And anything is welcome in this heat.”

  “It certainly is,” Ed agreed.

  “We’ve been desperate to try these pastries,” Mary added. “We’ve heard the baker is the best in the area.”

  “Yes,” Ed said, drawing his gaze reluctantly from Alice’s face. “I’ve heard the same thing said about this place.” He looked from one to the other. “You both seem well. Matron not running you ragged then?”

  “We’re surviving,” Mary joked. “It’s great to get away from the place though, especially Sister Brown.”

  Alice was aware that she needed to snap out of her dreamlike state and nodded. “Yes, it’s a relief to have some time away.�
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  “No more issues with the Hun flying over recently?” Ed asked, frowning.

  “No, thankfully. How about you two? Or do you not wish to discuss it?” Alice added after she spotted Peter glance at Ed.

  “The usual organised chaos,” Peter scowled. “I do wonder if—”

  “I think we change the subject to more brighter topics,” Ed suggested giving his friend a pat on the back.

  “Absolutely.” Peter smiled at Mary and Alice apologetically.

  “How is Corporal Healy?” Ed asked. “When I was discharged they were about to send him back to Blighty to be looked after by his family for a few months.”

  “He’s gone home,” Alice said. “He was so excited to see that baby girl of his. It was all he talked about.” She laughed at the thought of the man with the lovely Irish lilt telling stories to anyone who would listen about his family. “Her and his strapping boys, he was so proud of them all.”

  “Good, I’m glad,” Ed said. “He was a fine chap and I’m pleased to hear he is home with his family.”

  A shadow crossed his face and he looked down at his half-eaten cake. Alice didn’t like to see him sad. “One of these days, we’ll look back at this time differently, I suppose.”

  Ed looked at her. “I’ll remember my time at the CCS fondly. How could I not when it was how I met you.”

  “Me, too,” she said, not caring that she was blushing.

  “Eat up Captain,” Mary said putting on her best nursing voice. “We don’t want to miss out on our stroll, do we?”

  Ed laughed. “No, we don’t.”

  Alice watched as he finished his cake. He was still very thin, and she had a feeling that something was worrying him. Was it the big push that they were preparing for? She hoped not. The thought of Ed going over the top terrified her. She shivered.

  Ed noticed. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine,” she lied. “I just wish I didn’t have to say goodbye to you today, that’s all.”

  “Me, too,” he said. He glanced at Peter and Mary as he put the last forkful of cake into his mouth and chewed. Swallowing, he dabbed his mouth with his napkin and placed it down on the table. “Finished, Nurse Jones,” he joked. “I’ll go and settle this and we can go for our walk.”

  “Thank you,” Alice said, wishing that she could stay with Ed and never leave him.

  Alice and Mary excused themselves and went to the bathroom to freshen up before their walk.

  “He’s jolly nice, isn’t he?” Mary said, grinning at Alice.

  “I assume you’re referring to Peter,” Alice teased, brushing her hair and pinching her cheeks to ensure she looked healthy. “Yes, he is. It makes this afternoon so much more fun now that you have someone to accompany you, especially as you like him.”

  Mary straightened her hat and grinned at her reflection. “My tummy is all fluttery,” she whispered, glancing to check they were still alone in the small room. “I like him rather more than I probably should do, having only met him today.”

  Alice straightened her hat and linked arms with her friend. “This is turning out to be a treat of an afternoon,” she said, thinking that it was far more than that for both of them.

  They left the bathroom. “I shan’t be a moment,” Alice said realising she had forgotten her handkerchief on the wash stand. “I’ll catch up with you. You go ahead, I’ll only be a moment,” she giggled, going back and grabbing it. Alice stuffed it into her small clutch bag and pushed opened the door. Fastening the clip on her bag, she rushed out into the hallway without looking and slammed straight into Doctor Sullivan’s chest.

  Shocked she gasped. “I’m so sorry, Doctor. I wasn’t looking where I was going.”

  “Please don’t concern yourself,” he said, looking her up and down. “No harm done?”

  “No, I’m fine, thank you,” she said certain she must have hurt him.

  “I noticed you across the dining hall earlier,” he said.

  He seemed cold and less friendly than usual. Alice didn’t like the steely glint in his dark eyes. “Yes, I, well—”

  He glanced over his shoulder towards the entrance and lowering his voice, said, “I don’t wish to presume anything about your situation, Nurse Le Breton, but I recognised Captain Woodhall. Matron mentioned that you were meeting your cousin? I don’t know the other gentleman accompanying you and Nurse Jones, so I’ll assume that must be he,” he said.

  Alice could see he was not fooled by their charade but was giving her a way out of being discovered deceiving Matron. Why had she and Ed ever thought they could get away with this, she wondered?

  “We met for afternoon tea,” she said, stating the obvious but unhappy to think that the doctor might think the worst of her, or Mary. “We’re going for a stroll before going back.”

  He nodded slowly. “It’s a perfect day for a walk,” he said. “Mind you’re both on time for your lift.” he said. Alice nodded and stepped forward to leave. “Alice,” he said, quietly.

  Stunned to hear him use her first name, she spun round. “Yes, Doctor?”

  “I had hoped,” he cleared his throat. “That is to say, I—” He hesitated and smiled. “No, it’s nothing. Please, take no notice of me.”

  Alice was unsure what to make of his change of heart. What was he trying to tell her? He seemed so unsure of himself. It was the first time she had seen him like this. “Are you sure?”

  He frowned. “I just wish for you to be careful, that’s all.”

  Irritated with him for telling her what to do, Alice took a deep breath and straightening her shoulders she looked at him with as much dignity as she could muster. “Are you going to report me, Doctor Sullivan?” she asked wishing to be prepared, in case that was what he was intending.

  His eyes widened and then hurt registered on his face. “No. Forgive me, I didn’t mean to sound threatening. I only wish for you to be careful, Nurse Le Breton. Nothing more.”

  She nodded, feeling guilty for upsetting him. “I see,” she said, still confused by his behaviour. “I hope you enjoy your afternoon.”

  She walked as calmly as she could manage outside to meet the others. Mary was talking animatedly to Ed and Peter. Alice focused on hiding how shaken she was from her confrontation with the doctor as she went to join them.

  “Sorry for taking so long,” she said, keeping her voice as level as she could manage. “I’ve just bumped into Doctor Sullivan, quite literally.”

  Ed’s eyebrows knitted together. “Let’s set off,” he said, as the four of them walked along the pavement and away from the hotel.

  Alice was relieved to see that a few white clouds were masking the intense heat of the sunshine. She tried to push all thoughts of Doctor Sullivan to one side. He was usually so confident and in control but had seemed rather discombobulated earlier. But nothing was going to get in the way of her enjoyment of being with Ed today, she determined, linking arms with him.

  Alice was relieved when Peter invited Mary to walk with him, and he seemed to reciprocate Mary’s feelings, she was relieved to note. How perfect it would be, Alice mused, if her friend and Ed’s friend began courting too. Ed held back a little and Alice slowed her steps to keep in line with his.

  “Is everything all right?” he asked quietly. “If you wish, I’m happy to speak to Doctor Sullivan about today. I wouldn’t want him causing trouble for you, not on my account.”

  Alice shook her head. “No, I don’t think he will. He knew I had said I was meeting my cousin and remembers you, so knows you aren’t a relative of mine.”

  “Did he assume Peter was your cousin then?”

  Alice thought it would be better to be honest and said, “He said he did, but I think he was saying that so that I didn’t worry.”

  They walked on in silence for a few steps. “He seemed a decent enough fellow, when I met him those times at the hospital,” he said. “I doubt he’d cause you trouble by reporting you to Matron.”

  “I thought the same,” she agre
ed, relieved to hear Ed echo her own thoughts and reassure her that it wasn’t simply wishful thinking that had brought her to the conclusion that Doctor Sullivan was merely looking out for her as a colleague.

  Ed smiled at her and began whistling.

  “May I ask you something?” Alice said, unsure whether she should.

  He smiled. “Anything, sweetheart.”

  “It may be an odd thing to say.”

  Ed laughed. “I’m fairly sure it won’t be. Ask me.”

  “I was wondering about the stamps on your letters.” She stared down at the ground. “Mary suspected you might be sending me coded messages by sticking them on the envelope in different ways.”

  “She was right,” Ed said. “Some call it the language of stamps.”

  Alice beamed, delighted to hear that his letters meant even more to him than what was written on the paper inside.

  “How you place them on the envelope gives a different meaning.” They walked on again. “My first letter to you, my message was, ‘I am longing to see you’.”

  Delighted that her instincts had been right to nag at her. “And the second?”

  He stopped, checking that no one was looking, before pulling her into the shade of a tree. “It said, ‘I love you truly’.”

  Alice could not hide her delight that he had taken such trouble to tell her how he felt. “And do you?” she asked, confident of his answer.

  “Yes, to both.” He took her in his arms and smiled down at her. “And, what would your message be to me?”

  Without hesitation, she said, “It would say that I love you, too and that I wish we didn’t have to part again.”

  His smile vanished, and he hugged her tightly to him. She could feel his breath on her hair. “Dearest darling, I wish this war had ended. More than anything I want to spend the time together that we crave. However, for now, at least, we must do our best to carry on. It won’t be forever.”

  “No,” she said, unsure if he was right to be so certain. “It won’t.” Not wishing to waste a precious moment with him, she changed the subject.

  He kissed the top of her head, eventually letting go of her.