The Seaside Angel

by Evie Grace

  The following day, Ruby agreed to volunteer at the infirmary, but her enthusiasm was short-lived. She insisted that children enjoyed being frightened, but boys like Charlie and Samuel didn’t want to hear talk of dying when they were trying to get better. They needed tales with happy endings, not to listen to the terrible fate of the gingerbread man crossing the river, only to be eaten by a fox. When Ruby decided after three hours of reading that she wouldn’t continue, Hannah had to admit that she was relieved. Perhaps now Ruby would relish the solitude she had when she was alone at home, rather than make a fuss about it.

  Having decided to dine with her sister later to make up for her long absences, Hannah called in on Alice before leaving the house that evening.

  ‘Doctor Clifton said that my pulse was steadier and my chest much improved today,’ Alice said.

  ‘I’m glad to hear it. Have you heard from Mr Fry?’

  ‘I think his letters must have got lost in the post.’

  ‘He knows you’re here – he could have come to see you.’

  ‘Oh, stop this. Why do you always doubt him?’

  Hannah shrugged, knowing that any explanation would only hurt Alice’s feelings further. Everything felt wrong: the way they’d met; the way they’d had to enlist her in their secret meetings; his claims that he was too busy feathering their future nest to consider an engagement. Six months to a year was more than long enough to wait, in her opinion.

  ‘Write to him again and tell him to come immediately.’ These things were not best left. Better to foment them, apply heat to bring the poison of doubt and uncertainty bursting to the surface, then Alice’s heart could heal – with or without Mr Fry.

  Alice changed the subject. ‘I keep meaning to ask – have you changed your mind on marriage?’

  ‘Oh no. Matron’s raised my hopes for promotion, but I’m not going to let myself think too much of it in case it doesn’t work out.’ It was a fib because she’d thought of little else since her last meeting with Mrs Knowles. ‘Alice, I have a confession to make. I haven’t told anyone, not Charlotte, nor Ruby.’

  Alice smoothed the bedsheet with the palm of one hand. ‘Your secrets are safe with me.’

  Hannah lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘Doctor Clifton asked me to marry him and I turned him down.’

  Alice’s eyes widened. ‘Are you sure you weren’t being too hasty? He’s a wonderful man – he’s been so kind. He’s no ordinary doctor.’

  ‘I know, I know. I was torn, but I’ve made the right decision. I haven’t worked this hard only to give up nursing for the restrictions of marriage.’

  ‘I think you’ve made a mistake,’ Alice maintained.

  ‘Nursing is my life.’

  ‘What about love?’

  ‘I love my work.’ She had to clear her throat before she could continue. ‘I love Doctor Clifton as well, but I can’t have both. It’s a cross that we women have to bear.’

  ‘How does he feel about this?’

  ‘Hurt and upset, but he understands my situation. He will recover, I’m sure, and eventually he’ll find happiness with someone else.’

  ‘What about you?’

  ‘I look upon this as a test of my resolve. I’m fortunate that I find joy on the ward with my young patients – it was enough for me before I met him, and it can and will be again.’ She forced a smile. ‘When I’m matron of a great hospital, I’ll look back without regret. Now, I mustn’t tire you. I’ll leave you to write that letter.’

  Hannah hurried home to find Ruby sitting on the chaise, reading a library book.

  ‘Have you done anything in the way of housework today?’ she said, aggrieved as she looked from the basket of rumpled laundry on its side on the floor to the dirty plate on the mantelpiece.

  ‘I’m tired. I’ve been volunteering all day.’

  ‘Only for a couple of hours,’ Hannah pointed out. ‘Are you unwell?’

  ‘No …’

  ‘Then you must pull yourself together and put your best foot forward each and every day. It’s wonderful, when you’re feeling a little under the weather, how a change of scene or some physical exertion can take your mind off it.’

  ‘It isn’t as simple as that …’

  She was determined to shake Ruby out of her low mood. Her sister needed jollying along.

  ‘It’s bound to take you a while to recover from what Pa did to you—’

  ‘Don’t mention it,’ Ruby said sharply.

  ‘All right. I’m sorry. You’re bound to feel homesick – I was when I came to Margate.’

  ‘What do you know about anything anyway?’ Ruby flared up. ‘You’re just a nurse.’

  ‘I can arrange for you to see one of the doctors if you wish.’

  ‘I don’t need a doctor and I don’t need you to keep going on at me. I need to rest, that’s all.’

  It was like they were eight and five again, and arguing over their dolls and the pram, and Nanny would come and separate them and tell them to behave with decorum as young ladies should, not fight like alley cats. Hannah wanted to shout at her little sister and point out that it was her who’d been on her feet for fourteen hours that day, but she took a deep breath and kept her temper.

  ‘I’ll do the laundry tomorrow, I promise,’ Ruby said.

  ‘Did you go to the market on your way back from the infirmary?’

  Ruby shook her head.

  ‘There is nothing for supper?’ Hannah’s stomach growled as she looked in the meat safe, the tiny larder with the grille across the front where they kept their staples away from the rats and mice. It was empty, apart from a morsel of hard cheese wrapped in waxed paper. ‘Is there any milk or bread?’

  ‘I thought we’d go and buy something from one of the stalls, or dine out,’ Ruby said, her expression brightening.

  ‘I’m not made of money. Where’s my purse?’

  ‘I’m afraid I don’t know.’

  ‘I left it here this morning.’

  ‘I’ve … I seem to have mislaid it.’

  ‘You’ve been out again then?’

  Ruby nodded, her cheeks reddening. ‘After I got back, I went out to take the air – I thought you’d be pleased that I’m looking after my health.’

  ‘You’ve lost my purse!’ Hannah exclaimed, her blood hot with anger. ‘How could you be so careless as to lose my hard-earned money?’

  ‘I didn’t do it on purpose.’

  ‘Did you retrace your steps to see if you could find it?’

  ‘I had a look, but someone must have picked it up.’ Tears began to roll down Ruby’s cheeks. ‘Please, don’t send me back to Canterbury. Pa will lock me up again.’

  At the sight of her remorse, Hannah’s fury began to melt away.

  ‘What am I going to do with you?’

  ‘I’ll make it up to you,’ Ruby sobbed. ‘I’ll go out to work, so I can pay you back.’

  ‘You’ll have to stick at it, not give up on the first day like you did with the volunteering. I’ll ask at the infirmary – you could apply for a position as a maid.’

  ‘I don’t want to be a scrubber,’ Ruby said, aghast.

  ‘What about nursing, then?’

  ‘You’re at work even when you’re at home, worrying about your patients. You do as much as a doctor, yet you aren’t paid like they are. How can Doctor Clifton afford that lovely house while we sit here in rented rooms?’ Ruby’s words stung like a swarm of angry wasps.

  ‘Doctor Clifton has nothing to do with this. What about teaching, or nannying? You were always good with Christopher and—’ Hannah broke off.

  ‘I’ll enquire at the Hall by the Sea and the hotels along the front.’

  ‘I’m not sure about that. You’d meet all sorts at those places.’

  ‘I know how to behave, if that’s what you mean. Don’t you trust me?’

  ‘I do, but I don’t want to talk about this any further tonight. I’m dead on my feet – I’m going to bed.’

  ‘It’s early yet.’


  ‘Goodnight, Ruby,’ Hannah said firmly before making her way into the room they shared. She sank down on to the mattress and closed her eyes for a moment, wondering if she was going to regret having her sister to live with her. She was being harsh, she thought. They were both weary.

  Tomorrow was a new day and they would feel better in the morning.

  Chapter Twelve

  The Summer Fête

  ‘Ruby?’ Hannah wasn’t sure if she should wake her or not, she was sleeping so soundly with a small frown on her face. ‘I have to go now …’

  Her sister opened one eye.

  ‘I was dreaming,’ she sighed.

  ‘Will you come to the fête today?’ Hannah asked. It was almost the end of July, and a week had passed since Ruby had lost her purse. They still hadn’t found it, but she’d been paid since then, so they’d just about managed to stay afloat.

  ‘Oh, I’m not sure.’

  ‘The other day, you said you were looking forward to it.’

  ‘I was, but I think I’d prefer to stay in bed – I need the sleep for my complexion.’

  ‘How have you become so vain?’ Hannah couldn’t help grinning, thinking back to the incident with the carbolic and lard: she still had freckles, but the dreaded wrinkles had failed to materialise, for which she was greatly relieved. To her surprise, though, Ruby burst into tears.

  ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.’

  ‘You haven’t. It’s me. I don’t feel like doing anything.’

  ‘Oh? That’s a shame.’

  ‘I don’t know what it is, but sometimes I feel … empty … hopeless … I can’t describe it. I don’t see any point in going out when I know I won’t take any pleasure from it.’

  ‘I wish there was something I could do to help,’ Hannah said sadly. ‘I hate to see you like this. Let me give you a few shillings for the shopping, in case you feel up to going out later. I’ll hope to see you this afternoon – there’s plenty of entertainment, food and drink, and tours of the infirmary. There’ll be lots of people about: the great and good of Margate; Mr Fforde, Borough Surgeon …’

  Ruby pulled a handkerchief from under her pillow and wiped her eyes. ‘Will Doctor Clifton be there? I’m yet to meet him.’

  ‘I expect he’ll be busy seeing his private patients at the clinic. Sister Trim is going to let us leave the ward to run our stall: guess the number of sweets in the jar. Of course, we might be called away to an emergency. According to Charlotte, last year one of the ladies had to be carted off on a trolley from the splint room in a faint, after watching Mr Brightside demonstrate how to saw through a plaster cast.’

  ‘Do you think Mr Milani will bring the lion cubs?’

  ‘I don’t see why he should – he’ll be entertaining visitors to the Hall by the Sea today anyway. What a strange thing to say.’

  ‘Not really. I’m sure he’d raise a lot of money, if people paid to pet them.’

  ‘I suppose so. Look, I must hurry.’ Hannah said farewell before leaving the house. It had been raining when she’d risen from her bed, but by seven, the clouds had evaporated, the sun was up, and the streets and beach were washed clean. By eight, she had a ward full of excitable children to get ready for the big day.

  ‘This is worse than when the animals came,’ Charlotte said, joining Hannah as she arranged fresh roses in a vase to brighten the place up. Their fragrance made her sneeze.

  ‘Bless you,’ Charlotte exclaimed.

  ‘Watch out! Nurse Bentley’s caught the scrofula,’ Charlie chuckled. He was out of bed with one of the other boys – thirteen-year-old Beckett from Deal, who was suffering from a bowed spine.

  ‘Let’s have none of your cheek,’ Charlotte said. ‘Everyone is to be on their best behaviour for Mr Fforde.’

  ‘Who’s ’e when ’e’s at ’ome?’

  ‘He’s our visiting surgeon, here to inspect every patient before he opens the fête.’

  ‘We don’t want any nonsense, or we’ll lose our places,’ Hannah warned.

  Charlotte flashed her a glance of amusement as Charlie fell silent.

  At ten, the doctors made their entrance: an entourage led by the Borough Surgeon, followed by Mr Anthony and Doctor Clifton, Doctor Pyle, then Mr Hunter and his medical student friends. They looked on as Mr Fforde made his examinations and held prolonged discussions over each patient. Hannah noticed that they were all smartly dressed – Doctor Clifton had made a special effort, wearing a new jacket and polished shoes, and she fancied that he was wearing a different cologne than usual.

  As the doctors progressed slowly along the ward, another one appeared.

  ‘That’s Mr Piper,’ Hannah whispered aside to Charlotte as Sister Trim walked across to greet him. Two boys – one being pushed in a bath chair by one of the porters, and the other walking with a stick – followed him, and behind them came a woman wearing a stained blue dress with a frayed brown shawl over her head. She stopped and pulled it back to reveal her face, the glint of brown hair, and bare shoulders.

  ‘Ma!’ Charlie screeched. ‘It’s you! I can’t believe my eyes.’

  ‘My darlin’ boy.’ The woman hastened over and threw her arms around him. ‘I didn’t think I’d see yer again.’

  A lump formed in Hannah’s throat as Charlie’s mother stroked his hair and cuddled him to her breast. He was crying. His ma was crying. Hannah noticed a tear rolling down Charlotte’s cheek.

  ‘How did you get ’ere?’ Charlie said between sobs.

  ‘Mr Piper said that somebody – out of the goodness of their ’eart – ’ad bought me a train ticket. I’ve never been on a train before – its joltin’ and rattlin’ put me in a fair state of petrification, but I’m ’ere now, safe an’ sound.’ Charlie’s ma gave a toothless smile.

  He reached out and traced the lines on her face. ‘How are my sisters?’

  ‘They’re the same as ever. June ’as a babe on the way, Ellie’s got married over a broomstick for a third time, and Nancy is back in the … I don’t mind. I can keep a better eye on ’er in there. I’m workin’ ’ard in the laundry.’

  ‘I can tell – look at your poor ’ands.’

  ‘At least they stays clean.’ She chuckled, then grew serious again. ‘I wish I could make enough of a livin’ to make an ’ome for us, no matter ’ow ‘umble, but there we go. I’m goin’ back with Mr Piper later today, so I won’t be stoppin’ long. When are you comin’ back to London?’

  ‘Doctor Clifton says it will be quite soon. I’m much stronger, and me knees don’t ’urt like they used to.’

  Hannah suggested that they sit out on the balcony while they waited for the fête to begin.

  Sister Trim came across to her and Charlotte. ‘Mrs Merry will be here at any minute to watch the ones who are confined to bed. Nurse Bentley, you’re in charge of the Lettsom’s stall.’

  Hannah fetched the jar they’d kept hidden in the sluice and carried it outside. It was filled to the brim with sweets: humbugs; pear drops; barley sugar; liquorice and aniseed balls. She put it on the end of one of the trestle tables which someone had labelled ‘Lettsom’, and waited with some slips of paper, pencils and a hat. It wasn’t long before Beckett turned up and offered to help.

  ‘It’s “Guess the number of sweets in the jar”,’ she explained. ‘It’s a penny a go.’

  ‘I wish I had a penny.’

  ‘If you help me, you can have a free turn.’ Beckett was one of Nurse Finch’s patients, but Hannah had got to know him well over the past two weeks. He was quite a character with his dimpled smile, green eyes and wayward ginger hair, and he’d sold several pennyworth of guesses even before Mr Fforde declared that the day’s entertainments could begin.

  Hannah looked along the row of stalls: a coconut shy; a ‘test your strength’ game; food and drink stands selling jams, cakes and biscuits, mineral waters from the local factory, coffee and tea, and sausage rolls from the hospital kitchens. The aromas of hot doughnuts and fresh seafood made her s
tomach growl.

  ‘Trimmie’s let me go,’ she heard Charlotte saying from beside her. ‘She said I could help you here, so we can take turns looking after the sweets. Have you heard? Mr Hunter has volunteered to be put into the stocks. I’m going to enjoy this.’

  ‘And then you will forgive him?’ Hannah asked, smiling.

  ‘No …’ Charlotte said hesitantly.

  ‘Oh, you will,’ Hannah laughed. ‘I can see right through you – you’re in love with him.’

  ‘I’m not.’

  ‘If you weren’t, you wouldn’t be in the slightest bit bothered about what he gets up to.’

  ‘Well, maybe. All right,’ Charlotte confessed. ‘He has a kind heart, much like his cousin, and he’s good with the patients. I think he’ll make an excellent physician in time. There he is.’

  Hannah could see the stocks from where she stood guard over the sweets with Beckett. A stampede of people came to watch as Mr Hunter took off his waistcoat and tie and handed them to his friend, before kneeling behind the stocks and allowing a helper to trap his wrists.

  ‘Roll up! Roll up! All monies received to be donated towards the work of this great house!’ he shouted.

  Mr Hunter’s friends threw the first wet sponges at him, then Charlotte picked one from the bucket and aimed it at his head, sending rainbow showers of water through the air.

  ‘You could have wrung it out first, Nurse Finch,’ he bellowed, but he was grinning from ear to ear.

  ‘Nurse Bentley, I thought it was you.’ Mrs Clovis came up to the stand and beamed at her.

  ‘How are you?’ she said.

  ‘Not so bad. My joints are creaking a little, but I’m bearing up. I’d hoped I might have a word with Doctor Clifton if he’s here.’

  ‘I haven’t seen him since ward rounds,’ Hannah said.

  ‘Would you like to guess the number of sweets?’ Beckett interrupted. ‘I’ve been trying to count them, but there’s more in that jar than there are fish in the sea. It’s only a penny a go, and it’s all in a good cause.’