by Nancy M Bell
“She’ll be along. It’s only quarter to.” Sarie consulted her watch.
“I’m going to miss you ever so much,” Bella said suddenly.
“And I, you. But this is what you want. Your dream, Bella.” Sarie’s voice came out of the darkness.
“I know. It’s just scarier than I thought it would be. You know, leaving Penzance, and you, and Raven,” Bella said softly.
“You can still change your mind and go home and have it out with your da,” Sarie suggested.
Bella shook her head empathetically. “It’s not home anymore, Sarie. Not ever. I won’t ever forgive Da for offering me to Daniel like some prize mare.”
Sarie looked over Bella’s shoulder and saw the dim head lamps of a car creeping along the narrow lane. Holding her breath and praying that it was her mum, Sarie pulled Bella deeper into the hedge.
“It’s your mum, innit?” Bella hissed.
“I’m not sure yet, they’ll stop if it’s her,” Sarie whispered back.
As the car neared, an old stone marker half hidden in the undergrowth it slowed to a halt and the head lamps went out. Bella and Sarie held their breath as they heard the creak of the driver’s door as it swung open. Bella clamped her teeth on her lower lip and nervous sweat broke out on the back of her neck. Her fingers clenched and unclenched on Raven’s bridle. She had come too far to have it all be for naught now. Please let it be Mrs. Waters, Bella prayed under her breath.
“Sarie! Sarie, where are you then, girl?” Mrs. Waters’ voice was hushed as she peered into the gloom.
“Here Mum!” Sarie’s relief was evident in her voice.
“Well, it’s fine and foggy this morning, just like your friends promised,” Mrs. Waters observed.
“Just stow your things in the back seat, Bella and let’s be off before something stops us,” Mrs. Waters sounded worried.
“Has Da found out then?” Bella said as she hurriedly threw her bag into the car.
“I don’t think so, my love. But let’s not take any chances.” Mrs. Waters handed Raven’s reins up to Sarie who was already on Tristan’s back.
Bella laid her hand on Sarie’s leg and squeezed. “I’ll write as soon as I can and tell you how things are going. Say goodbye to Vear and Gwin for me again. And thank them for the fog,” Bella finished on a shaky laugh.
“I will. Now get your tail in the car and get to the train. Remember to keep your hood over your face and try to walk like me,” Sarie told her.
Bella climbed into the passenger seat and barely had the door shut before Mrs. Waters was letting out the clutch and bumping along the lane.
“Has Da been out to the farm then?” Bella asked tentatively.
“Ah, that he has. He’s convinced I know something, but he has no proof,” Mrs. Waters said cheerfully.
“I turn twenty-one soon. Da can’t make me do anything after that, I’ll be my own woman,” Bella said mutinously.
“Are you sure that King’s College is what you really want, Bella. You’re not just looking for a bit of adventure?” Mrs. Waters asked casually.
“The nursing school at King’s College is exactly what I want. I want to be a nurse. I don’t want to teach school or marry some local boy and raise a passel of kids,” Bella said stoutly.
“Well then, my love. It’s off to the train to smuggle you to London!” Mrs. Waters laughed and pointed the nose of the little car in the direction of the train station whose lights were only dimly visible through the thickening fog.
Bella and Mrs. Waters had a compartment to themselves and Bella pulled the shade down over the window in the door. Mrs. Waters wedged one of their bags against the door and smiled at Bella.
“I’m glad we’re not driving up England in this mist,” Mrs. Waters said as she looked out the window.
“I just wish the darn thing would get moving.” Bella fidgeted.
“It should be any minute now.” Mrs. Waters consulted her watch. “Ah, there we go!” She smiled as the train lurched forward and headed north for London.
Bella leaned her head back on the seat cushion and watched the pearly fog swirl past the carriage window. Her heart hammered against her ribs as the train gathered speed and very soon the dim lights of the Penzance station faded in the thick damp mist. Bella smiled softly.
“Thanks for the fog, Vear,” Bella murmured quietly.
A vague sense of loss filled her throat with tears when Bella thought about never seeing Vear Du again. But that was nonsense of course. Bella would see Vear when she came back to Penzance on holiday. She would be her own woman soon, she could visit Sarie, and Daniel could go hang. Da, too. Bella wasn’t sure if she would ever forgive her Da. The long ride from the cave and the excitement of running off to London caught up with Bella and she leaned her head on the cool glass of the window and let her eyes close just for a minute.
“Bella, wake up.” Mrs. Waters shook Bella gently.
“Are we in London?’ Bella sat bolt upright and blinked her eyes.
“Only the outskirts. We should be at Denmark Hill station in a few minutes.” Mrs. Waters assured her.
“Will you come with me to King’s College? I have Matron’s directions but I’m not sure I won’t get lost,” Bella pleaded with Mrs. Waters.
“Of course, child. I want to see you safe and settled before I catch the night train back to Penzance.” Mrs. Waters smiled and patted Bella’s hand.
“Thanks.” Bella smiled a watery smile and forced herself to take a huge breath to steady her nerves. Goodness, who would have thought that London would be so confusing. Everywhere Bella looked people were hurrying to be somewhere else, the air smelled oily and stuck in her throat.
Mrs. Waters gathered up their bags and Bella pinned her hat back on as the train lurched to a halt at Denmark Hill station. Mrs. Waters peeked out the door of the compartment and then pulled it open and motioned Bella to follow her. They stepped out into the hallway and joined the crush of people headed for the exit. Bella allowed herself to be jostled along while she kept very close to Sarie’s mum. It was a relief to finally step down onto the platform and take a look around. It had been years since Bella’s mom had brought her to London. They’d gotten off at Charing Cross station that time. Mrs. Waters took a quick look around. Bella followed suit and was relieved not to find Daniel or Barney anywhere in the crowd. The older woman took Bella’s hand and hustled her toward the arched doorway that led to the street.
“Come along, my love. It’s only a short walk to the hospital from here,” Mrs. Waters said cheerfully.
It was damp and foggy in London. The air seemed heavy and stale to Arabella as she hurried to keep up with her companion on the busy sidewalk. There were so many people and they all seemed in a great hurry. Bella was torn between laughter and tears. At last she was in London, the great heart of the country, and she was her own woman now. Soon, Bella thought, she would be wearing her nurse’s uniform and learning all sorts of interesting and important things. The damp fingers of misty rain found their way down Bella’s neck and she shivered. You would never know that Cornwall and London were in the same country, Bella mused. The air felt different and smelled dead; there was no salty tang of the sea mixed in with wet bracken and heather. Just wet pavement, and coal dust, and exhaust. Arabella shook her head and grasped Mrs. Waters’ hand as they crossed an intersection seething with traffic and people. A large imposing building loomed up out of the soft misty rain.
“Well, my love. Here we are then.” Mrs. Waters smiled down at Bella.
“Oh, my stars!” Bella felt the blood drain from her face and thought that she might faint right there on the sidewalk.
“It’s quite large, innit my love?” Mrs. Waters put a reassuring arm around Bella and gave her shoulders a squeeze.
“How will I ever find my way around?” Bella’s voice was thin and high.
“You’ll know your way around in no time,” Mrs. Waters assured Bella.
Mrs. Waters opened the door and motione
d Bella to go in first. The big lobby smelled of antiseptic and was full of the hushed sounds of people coming and going. Mrs. Waters led Bella over to a hospital directory and waited while Bella found which wing of the hospital she needed to get to.
“I think we have to go up those stairs and then along to the left.” Bella pointed to a wide staircase that led up to the second floor of the hospital.
“Well, let’s get on with it, then,” Mrs. Waters said briskly and led the way before Bella could think of a reason to turn tail and run for it.
Bella hurried up the first few steps to catch up with Mrs. Waters. Once they had gained the second floor Bella paused and looked down into the lobby. Everywhere she looked there were the crisp blue and white uniform of the nurses and the stark white coats of the doctors as they strode purposefully through the lobby with their stethoscopes hung over their necks. Bella smiled and squeezed Mrs. Waters hand.
“I can’t believe I’m actually here!” Bella breathed. “You’ll be sure to tell Sarie all about this, won’t you? How exciting it is, with all the people and the ambulance sirens screaming.”
“You know I will, pet,” Mrs. Waters said gently. “Now let’s find Matron and let her know you’re here.”
Matron’s office was quite smallish in Bella’s estimation, but it did have a window that let in the pale foggy light from outside. Bella twisted her purse strap in her fingers and wished Matron would hurry up and come through the door. Without the reassuring presence of Mrs. Water, who insisted that it was better if she waited outside while Bella talked to Matron, Bella was struggling to defeat the knot of panic in her belly that was threatening to crawl up her throat. Her throat felt tight and dry. Bella hoped she’d be able to get out a croak when Matron finally came to talk to her. After what seemed like hours the severe looking woman came briskly through the door.
Matron settled her long frame into the chair behind her desk and regarded Bella for a moment before consulting the papers on her desk.
“Miss Angarrick, is it?” Matron looked at Bella over her glasses as she spoke.
“Yes, M’am,” Bella managed to squeak out.
“All your paperwork seems to be in order. If you will just sign these forms, I’ll have Nurse Baldwin show you where to pick up your uniforms and where your room is,” Matron spoke quickly.
“Yes, Ma’am,” Bella repeated.
“You are aware of the rules.” Matron made the question a statement of fact. “No young men in the dormitory, even doctors and interns. You must not be late for your shift, or leave early. Failure to comply with the rules will result in your immediate termination and expulsion from the nurse’s training program. Do you understand?” Matron fixed her gimlet eye on Bella.
“Yes, Matron. I read all the requirements. Shall I sign those forms here?” Bella’s voice quivered with excitement despite her best efforts.
“Here you are then.” Matron handed Bella the forms. “Say your goodbyes to your mother and you will find Nurse Baldwin waiting for you in the reception area.”
Bella started to explain that Mrs. Waters wasn’t her mother and then thought better of it. Matron looked up as if she expected Bella to be gone already.
“Classes start tomorrow,” Matron said pointedly and shuffled some papers on her desk loudly.
“Thank you, Matron,” Bella said while backing quickly out the door, the precious forms clutched in her hand.
The first person Bella saw was Mrs. Waters. She grabbed her around the waist in a huge hug.
“It’s done! I’m in! I start class tomorrow. I don’t know whether I want to laugh or cry,” Bella said while doing both. “I didn’t know you could be so happy and scared at the same time.”
“Here’s Nurse Baldwin to show you where you’ll be staying,” the receptionist informed Bella.
“Off you go then, my flower. Good luck, study hard. Write to me often.” Mrs. Waters gave Bella a last hug and hurried towards the stairs.
Mrs. Waters walked as fast as she could. The last train to Penzance left in only forty minutes and she needed to get back and help Sarie cover Bella’s tracks.
Bella watched Mrs. Waters disappear down the stairs and then trotted to catch up with Nurse Baldwin who was already halfway down the hall in the other direction.
“Will I be staying in a dormitory?” Bella asked breathlessly.
“No, you have one of the private rooms. But they’re very tiny, I’m afraid,” Nurse Baldwin replied without slowing down or looking at Bella.
After climbing a dozen staircases and trailing behind the nurse down a confusing number of hallways Bella was near tears. How was she ever going to find her way around this huge rabbit’s warren? All the halls looked the same and she had lost count of what floor they were currently on. Finally, Nurse Baldwin stopped and fitted a key into a door. She swung the door open and stepped back to let Bella enter the room.
“Here you are then. Tea and breakfast is in the cafeteria in the basement, you change your sheets once a week. You have three sets of uniforms—keep them clean and immaculate if you want to survive,” Nurse Baldwin said brusquely.
Nurse Baldwin handed Bella the key and hurried off back to her duties before Bella could ask the hundreds of questions that wanted to spill out of her. She stood dumbfounded for an instant and then pushed the door shut behind her. With a grunt Bella heaved her suitcase unto the narrow bed. The room was very tiny, maybe eight feet by eight feet. Besides the narrow bed there was a clothes press and a tiny desk. Bella set about unpacking her few belongings and setting her text books and papers on the desk. Inside the clothes press were three beautiful, pristine nurse-in-training uniforms. Bella ran the starchy material through her fingers and smiled. At last, her dreams were starting to come true. Tomorrow she would start to learn all the important things that a nurse should know and soon, only three years from now, Bella would be a full-fledged nurse. Maybe she would do a fourth year as a staff nurse. Or if she did a fifth year of training she’d get to wear one of those huge elaborate caps she’d seen on some of the nurses.
Bella wrapped her arms around herself and squeezed. She was so happy she might actually burst. Bella kneeled on the floor and tried to push her bulky suitcase under the bed, with one final heave it slid uncooperatively under and Bella smoothed the counterpane of the bed as she scrambled to her feet. She had no sooner straightened her skirt when there was a knock at the door. Bella started violently and her heart leapt into her throat. Oh Lord, what if it was Da, or worse, Daniel! The person on the other side knocked again and Bella put out her shaking hand to turn the knob. Before she could turn it, the knob turned of its own accord and the door swung slowly inward. A girl with blonde curly hair and bright green eyes stuck her head in and smiled at Bella.
“You must be the new girl,” she said cheerfully.
Her smiled faded as she saw Bella’s white face and trembling hands.
“Whatever is the matter? Are you all right then?” She moved into the small room and shut the door behind her.
“Oh my stars! You gave me a fright!” Bella forced a laugh past the tightness in her throat and collapsed on the bed.
“Who did you think I was, Jack the Ripper?” The blonde girl perched on the edge of the bed next to Bella.
“I’d rather it was him than my da,” Bella said truthfully and then kicked herself.
“Hmm. It’s me mum that doesn’t agree with me being a nurse.” The blonde girl shook her head. “Oh, I’m Claire by the way.” Claire stuck out her hand and shook Bella’s.
“Bella,” said Bella. “Short for Arabella.”
“So did your da have a suitable gent all picked out for you, then?” Claire smiled.
“Suitable to him!” Bella snorted. “I wouldn’t go near him with a ten-foot pole.”
“Me mum had a suitable son of friend all picked out for me. No matter that he’s as dull as a stick and I haven’t said more than three words to him in me whole life!” Claire snorted in her turn. “At least Dad supp
orted me in my choice to have a career in nursing. I think he’s sure he’s going to get a rich handsome doctor for a son-in-law.” Claire giggled.
“Da just wants me married off and tied down. He was dead set against me coming up England to London,” Bella said mutinously.
“Are you from Cornwall, then?” Claire inquired.
Bella nodded her head.
“Are you starting class tomorrow too?” Bella asked.
“I am!” Claire’s curls bobbed enthusiastically as she nodded.
“Have you met any others yet?” Bella was curious. “Are there many of us?”
“About a score, I think.” Claire wrinkled her forehead.
“Are we all on the same floor, our rooms I mean?” Bella grinned.
“Like ducks in a row!” Claire giggled.
Claire checked the neat little watch pinned to her blouse and stood up, pulling Bella with her.
“C’mon, it’s time for tea. You can meet all the rest of the mob while we eat.” Claire headed for the door.
Bella took the time to grab her change purse and lock her door. Claire seemed to have no trouble finding her way back to the main lobby and then dove down a staircase to the right of the huge lifts that ferried patients and visitors to their respective floors.
They joined the group of laughing student nurses; Claire and Bella found chairs at the large table and Claire introduced Bella. Bella smiled and tried to keep all the names and faces straight in her mind. After the tenth introduction she gave it up and let the conversation wash over her. She sat back and tested herself to see if she could remember any of the names at all. The red-haired girl with the lovely skin was Carolyn, from somewhere in Ireland. The tall girl with the straight blonde hair was Lydia, the shorter dark-haired girl next to her was Colleen, and the girl with the short brownish hair was Ellen. Bella gave up and shook her head; the rest she couldn’t remember to save her life.
“Your room is next to mine,” the girl named Carolyn told Bella. “Claire is on your other side. We set her up to wait for you and bring you down. You’re the last of our class to arrive.”