Pips arrived back at the unit, now back at Brandhoek once more, late at night. There had been disruptions and delays at every part of her journey. Troops going home on leave, new troops arriving on their way to the front. She travelled on one such train and was pleased she was not wearing her nurse’s uniform. It didn’t do to remind those going to the front – especially those on their way for the first time – that a nurse’s services would be required. For the final part of her journey, she begged a lift on a London bus taking soldiers to Ypres. They were all surprisingly jolly and she joined in their raucous rendition of ‘It’s a Long Way to Tipperary’.
All was quiet at the post. No sound of guns or shellfire. The ambulances were parked side by side and no one seemed to be about. She went to the tent she now shared with Rose, but she wasn’t there either. She hesitated to go to the men’s tent in case they were taking a well-earned rest. It was gone ten and the stretcher bearers often retired early after long, hard days. Even though there didn’t seem to be fighting going on, there was always illness and disease to contend with.
She stood listening, but could hear no sound from anywhere. Where was everyone? Had they gone into Pop to Talbot House for an evening of entertainment? Then she saw a glimmer of light coming from the large tent where the operations took place. Maybe Giles was working late. Her heart leapt at the thought of seeing him. She strode across the grass and quietly lifted the tent flap.
There was no operation in progress, but there were two figures in the shadows at the rear, locked in each other’s arms and kissing passionately. Thinking it was William and Brigitta, Pips was about to turn away when she realized with a shock that it was Giles and Rose. She stared at them, unable to believe what she was seeing. She gripped the side of the tent flap until her knuckles were white and hung onto it as her legs threatened to give way.
They must have heard her gasp for they both looked up and then sprang guiltily apart. For what seemed a long moment, the three of them just stood staring at each other, their faces shocked.
With a supreme effort, Pips pulled in a steadying breath, but her knees were still trembling, her heart pounding. Her forehead felt clammy as if at any minute she might faint. She couldn’t, at this moment, confront them, so she let the flap fall and turned away, stumbling blindly towards the sleeping tent, but then she veered away from it. She couldn’t bear to share a tent with Rose, not now.
And then she began to run and run, not knowing or caring where she went . . .
It was the early hours of the morning before George Allender found her, huddled near the canal bank, some distance from the post.
‘What – are – you – doing – here?’ she asked, shivering with cold.
‘My battalion – like your unit – seems to keep coming back to Ypres. Thank goodness we did.’ He was carrying a blanket and wrapped it round her at once. He sat down next to her and put his arms around her, holding her close and rubbing her back to warm her.
‘How – did – you – know – where I was?’ she asked through chattering teeth.
‘I didn’t. When the word spread that you were missing, we got search parties out scouring the countryside for you. It’s just luck that I’m the one to find you.’ He laughed wryly. ‘Even the Germans are looking for you, though we didn’t think you’d go across no-man’s-land.’
‘The – the Germans?’
‘Oh yes. You see, they don’t regard you as an enemy. You’re a nurse. Now, let’s get you back to the warmth.’
‘I can’t go back there.’
‘Yes, you can. It’s them that are in the wrong, not you.’
‘You – you know?’ She looked up at him. In the darkness, she couldn’t see him properly and was thankful that he couldn’t see her tear-ravaged face. Pips, who rarely cried, had given way to a storm of weeping such as she could never remember having experienced before, not even when she had received the news about Midnight.
‘I do. William told just me, but not the rest of my company. The men don’t know. They were just told you’d gone for a walk in the dark and must have got lost.’ His tone was grim as he added, ‘Dr Giles Kendall should be horsewhipped.’
She was silent for a moment and then she said quietly, ‘No, I’m glad I’ve found out, though it was a shock. It shows his feelings for me weren’t deep enough. But,’ she hiccuped miserably, ‘I didn’t know something like this would actually hurt physically. There’s such a pain’ – she touched her chest – ‘here.’
‘I know.’ Gently, he touched her hair with his lips and held her even closer.
Then Pips began to laugh, a little hysterically, but she was laughing between her tears. ‘And to think he was jealous of my friendship with you.’
Quietly, George said drily, ‘Was he now?’
They sat a few moments longer before he said, ‘Come on, we must get you back to the unit, or at least to the trenches. You need a hot drink and somewhere to rest.’
‘The trenches. Please. They must all know at the unit, and I need a little longer before I can face them.’
‘Very well. I’ll get one of my men to take word to them that you’ve been found.’
‘Thank you,’ she said in a small voice. ‘I’m sorry if I’ve caused you trouble. I didn’t mean to.’
‘Don’t mention it. It’s given the lads something to do, though I have to say we were all scared witless.’
As he helped her to her feet, she asked, ‘How did the Germans hear about it?’
‘There’s a section where our trenches are only yards apart and one of our lads shouted across and told them that one of our nurses was missing. They were out of their trenches in a flash, completely unarmed and offering to help look for you. They were the ones who searched no-man’s-land.’
‘Isn’t all this ridiculous, George? Why, oh why can’t those in authority see this wretched war for what it is? Just a waste of young lives on both sides. And look at the ravaged land. However are the poor French and Belgians ever going to rebuild their shattered lives?’
They were walking back towards the trenches as a figure loomed out of the darkness. ‘That you, sir?’
‘It is indeed, Corporal Brown. I have Nurse Maitland here, safe and sound. Will you run to the first-aid post and inform her colleagues that she is all right and will return in the morning? We’ll find her a nice cosy dugout for the night.’
‘Right away, sir.’ He paused only briefly to say, ‘Are you really all right, nurse?’
‘I’m fine, thank you. I’m sorry if I’ve been a nuisance.’
‘No bother, nurse. Just glad you’re safe. I’ll shout to Fritz when I get back, sir. Let them know, an’ all.’
And he was gone, disappearing into the darkness.
Slowly, with his arm about her, not caring who might see, George led her to the support trench and into a deep dugout. The sides and floor were covered with hessian and the ‘door’ was a blanket. She curled up on his camp bed, drawing her knees up to her chest and fell into a fitful sleep. He covered her with a rough blanket and stood looking down at her for several moments. Gently, he smoothed a stray strand of her lovely hair from her forehead.
‘We’re a casualty of war, you and I,’ he murmured.
Then he pulled up a battered chair and sat beside her where he remained for the rest of the night.