‘Ah, Nurse Farthing,’ Matron raised her eyebrow when she saw that Holly was not in uniform when she entered her office a few days later. ‘Is there a problem?’
‘I’m afraid there is, Matron.’ Holly avoided the woman’s eyes. ‘Unfortunately I find that I must leave the hospital immediately.’ She’d expected Matron’s wrath but instead the woman looked disappointed.
‘Surely not? You are highly valued, nurse, and should you leave you will be missed. Is it a problem that I could help you with?’
Holly shook her head. ‘Regretfully not, Matron. I shall be returning home to the Midlands within the week.’
‘I see, a family matter then.’
Holly didn’t answer. It was far better for her to think that than know the truth.
‘And is there no chance of you at least working a month’s notice?’
‘I’m afraid not. I’m so sorry,’ Holly muttered.
‘Then in that case I shall ensure that any wages owing are sent on to you and wish you luck for the future.’ Matron rose from her desk and shook Holly’s hand warmly. There was nothing left to say and Holly miserably left the hospital for the last time.
Now all that remained was to tell Miss May of her plans and she wasn’t looking forward to that either.
‘Oh no, surely not?’ She too was dismayed when Holly explained that she would be leaving within the week. ‘But you’ve made that little flat up there into a home,’ she said. ‘And what about all the furniture you’ve bought?’
‘Whoever takes the flat is welcome to it,’ Holly said. ‘I’m going home so I shan’t be needing it. But thank you for all you’ve done for me, Miss May. You gave me a job and Ivy and me a place to live and I’m very grateful for that.’
Miss May sniffed. She had never been blessed with a daughter but had she been she would have hoped for one just like Holly.
‘Is there a man involved?’ she asked then, and when Holly lowered her eyes, she sighed. ‘I thought as much. Damn men, we can’t live with them and we can’t live without them. But do at least say that you’ll come and see me from time to time if you visit London?’
‘Of course I shall,’ Holly promised and now the tears she had held back all morning trickled down her cheeks.
Miss May had her arms about her in a trice and her own cheeks were wet as she soothed, ‘There, there now. Nothing can be that bad. Things will come right, you’ll see.’
Holly doubted that very much. How could they in the circumstances? But she didn’t say as much.
‘I suppose I’d better go and start packing my clothes up then,’ she said when she’d managed to pull herself together. ‘But I promise I’ll come and say goodbye before I leave.’
‘You just make sure you do, my girl.’ Miss May wagged a plump finger at her. ‘Now be off with you before you set me off again. I have Lady Hamilton coming for a fitting in a minute and I don’t want to be a blubbering wreck when she arrives.’
As a thought occurred to Holly she asked, ‘Does she still have that young man in tow when she comes?’
Miss May grinned. ‘Well, she has a young man in tow but I think she cleared the last one off. None of them last for long.’
Good, Holly thought as she made her way upstairs. Hopefully Jeremy or Jimmy was out on his ear now and it served him right after what he’d done to Ivy. Although now she came to think about it Ivy had perked up no end since Alice was born, especially when young Marcus Dolby called, which he seemed to do quite frequently. Could it be that they were developing a soft spot for each other? Holly hoped so. Marcus was a very likeable young man and she wanted Ivy to be happy, but she would just have to wait and see what developed. She smiled ruefully then. Hopefully in the not too distant future both her mother and Ivy would find happiness. And I, she thought, pushing all of the painful memories of Richard aside, will devote myself to nursing from now on.
Two days later Holly stood in the sitting room of the little flat and looked around for one last time. She and Ivy had spent some happy times there and she was sad to leave but she knew she had no choice. Staying would have meant having to see Richard at the hospital and she knew that she wouldn’t be able to bear it. Her heart was well and truly broken. Far better to go and make a fresh start elsewhere somehow.
She closed the door and went down to the shop to hand the key back to Miss May and say her goodbyes to everyone. Dora and Enid, the seamstresses, both gave her a hug and a kiss as did Martha, Miss May’s sister, then Miss May slipped an envelope into her hand.
‘What’s this?’ Holly asked.
‘You paid your rent till the end of the month,’ the woman informed her. ‘So I’m giving you some back plus a bit extra to tide you over until you start a new job.’
‘Oh, but you really don’t have to do that,’ Holly objected as colour flamed in her cheeks.
‘Shush now!’ Miss May raised a finger to her lips. ‘Just take it. You’ve been a wonderful tenant, I shall never get another like you. Unless our Martha decides to move in that is. Between you and me I think my Wilfred gets on her nerves a bit.’ She giggled. ‘I suppose it’s understandable. He gets on my nerves at times as well. But now get on with you before I start bleating again and don’t forget where we are. If ever you need anything, I’ll be here for you.’
Holly felt her way to the door through a fog of tears. Over the last days she had convinced herself that she could have no more tears left to cry yet still they kept coming.
Soon after she boarded the train, and within minutes London and Richard were far behind her. One chapter of her life was closed and it was time to start another one. There was no turning back now.
The homecoming was all she could have wished for but she found no joy in it. She had left her heart behind in London and was sure that she would never be happy again. That night she lay in bed thinking how cruel life could be. The chances of meeting and falling in love with your own brother must surely be a million to one and yet it had happened. Added to that she really wasn’t sure who she was any more. If her mother and father had never been legally married, then her true name couldn’t be Farthing. That hadn’t even been his real name so was she Holly Elizabeth Garrett, her father’s legal name, or Holly Elizabeth Mason, her mother’s maiden name? She decided not to pursue that line of thought. The name on her birth certificate was Farthing so it would be easier to stick with that.
She had got used to sleeping in the little bedroom in the flat and it felt strange to be back in her own bed on a permanent basis. Pull yourself together, she silently berated herself. No good can come of feeling sorry for yourself, you just have to get on with things now. And that’s exactly what she intended to do the very next morning when she would apply for a job at the cottage hospital.
The hospital was tiny compared to UCH with only twenty-six beds available for patients. It had been opened in 1900 by Lady Anne Emma Newdigate, the wife of Sir Edward Newdigate who owned Arbury Hall in Stockingford. Over breakfast Holly’s mother informed her that an operating theatre had been funded by donations the year before but now the hospital was struggling for funds because of the miners’ strike that had almost brought the local pits to a standstill some months before.
‘I’ve heard of miners’ families that have had to admit themselves into the Union Workhouse on the Bullring because their children were starving,’ Emma told her gravely. ‘It’s been very hard for them, poor souls. Still, at least the strike is over now so hopefully things will improve for them. But whether there are any nursing jobs going at the hospital I couldn’t say. Why don’t you just have a few days rest before you go looking for a job? You don’t seem yourself.’
‘No, I’d rather be busy,’ Holly answered as she helped herself to a slice of toast, and Emma wisely didn’t say any more.
Soon after Holly set off and once she reached the hospital she was directed to Matron Connor’s office. She was a small, plump woman with a sunny smile and a kindly nature, nothing at all like the strict matron in London who Holly had become accustomed to.
‘You do realise that the staff here are very limited, don’t you?’ she said when Holly told her why she was there. ‘I also have to fill the role of housekeeper as the hospital is run entirely on donations. We have five nurses and one doctor, Dr Nason, who is also the surgeon here. Last year we added two new wards, Victoria Ward and Mary Ward, which is for the children. Luckily for you one of our nurses is due to leave next week so perhaps you could take her place. I would need a reference though.’
‘Oh, that isn’t a problem,’ Holly assured her. ‘The matron at UCH told me that she would be happy to do one for me, or you could speak to her yourself on the telephone if you wish.’
Matron nodded and went on to tell Holly what would be expected of her should she get the position. ‘I’m afraid we are terribly underfunded,’ she admitted with a sigh. ‘And most of the children who are admitted here are beyond our help. The majority of their illnesses stem from poor diet and living conditions but we always try to make their end as peaceful as we possibly can.’ She shook her head. ‘That’s why the mortuary at the back of the hospital is rarely empty. I’m not trying to put you off,’ she added hurriedly when she saw the look of horror on Holly’s face. ‘I’m merely trying to be truthful. Of course we do have a measure of success with some of them, the trouble is when they are better we have to send them home to the slums again. Some of their parents could do with learning some parenting skills. But still, you will see for yourself hopefully. Perhaps you could come and see me again in a couple of days’ time when I’ve had time to speak to your old matron and then we’ll discuss working hours, wages, etc.’
‘Thank you.’ Holly stood up and shook the woman’s hand then quietly left the hospital. Although it sounded very challenging, she had a feeling that she would enjoy working there and all she could do now was wait and hope that the reference the matron back in London gave her was good enough for her to get the job.
‘I’ve no doubt you’ll find it very different to working in a big hospital,’ her mother commented over dinner that day. ‘I can actually remember going to the opening of the place. My father took me along. It was Reginald Stanley’s idea that the town should have a hospital. God bless him, that man has done so much good. He must own half of the businesses in town now but you could never begrudge him his wealth because he is always so generous to worthy causes. And to think that he made his fortune originally in America panning for gold. It was our good luck that he decided to make his home in Nuneaton when he came back.’
‘Doesn’t he own the brickworks in Stockingford?’ Holly asked.
‘Yes, but he also owns engineering firms and pits and employs hundreds of men. He was the one responsible for bringing in an architect from London to design the hospital and he funded a lot of the work on it himself.’
‘Then he must be a gentleman with a big heart.’
‘He certainly is,’ Emma agreed. Alice started to cry then and there was a rush to see who could get to her first to pick her up. The little lady already had everyone in the house dancing to her tune.
When Holly returned to the cottage hospital two days later, as promised, she learned that the matron at UCH had given her a glowing report.
‘So when would you like to start?’ Matron asked her.
‘Tomorrow?’ It couldn’t be soon enough for Holly. She had too much time to think about things at the moment. Matron agreed eagerly, much to Holly’s relief; she could hardly wait to start.