‘Crikey, that Dr Parkin is gorgeous, isn’t he?’ Angela sighed when the meal was over and they were heading back to their cabin.
Holly remained tight-lipped but it didn’t really matter. Angela was clearly so besotted with the handsome doctor that she didn’t even notice.
‘I thought you were feeling queasy?’ Holly said and Angela giggled.
‘I was but he’s so handsome I reckon he’s taken my mind off it. But what time do we set off?’
‘Should be any time now,’ Holly answered, happy to get off the subject of Richard.
‘In that case I think I’ll try to get some sleep.’ Angela yawned, tired after the long train journey. ‘I’m going to keep my clothes on though.’
Despite the fact they had both wanted to come, they were painfully aware that many of the British military ships were being targeted out at sea and they were both feeling rather apprehensive. Angela had even written a letter, which she had hidden in her bag, to be delivered to her mother if she died – although she hadn’t told Holly this. They removed their capes and crept under the blankets fully dressed and surprisingly they both dropped off to sleep in no time. The sudden movement of the ship brought Angela springing awake some time later and her face instantly turned a sickly shade of green.
‘I reckon we’re moving,’ she squeaked.
‘W-what?’ Holly was awake now too, conscious of the ship rolling as it set out to sea.
‘I don’t feel well,’ Angela bleated and Holly hurriedly fetched a bowl from by the sink and handed it to her. It was just as well she did because seconds later Angela brought up everything she had eaten that day.
‘Oh Lord, I’m dying,’ she groaned and Holly couldn’t help but smile.
‘No, you’re not dying, you’re just a bit seasick that’s all. Once we get out to sea and the ship stops rolling so much you’ll probably be fine.’
Holly took back her words when halfway across the Channel they sailed into a storm and suddenly the boat was pitching dangerously from side to side. They had to grip the sides of their bunks to prevent themselves from being thrown over the edge and Angela was almost hysterical.
‘If the bloody Germans don’t sink us this storm surely will,’ she wailed. Her eyes were huge with terror in her pale face but Holly couldn’t even manage to stand to comfort her without being thrown about the cabin like a rag doll.
‘The crew are very experienced,’ she said weakly. ‘And the storm’s bound to blow over soon.’ But Angela didn’t hear a word she said. She was too busy retching and moaning over the bowl.
Which was probably just as well, because though she’d tried to sound confident, Holly was just as frightened as Angela and the constant pitching and rolling was making her feel sick as well. Each time the ship crested the treacherous waves it would then drop like a stone and whenever it did this, both girls felt as if they had left their stomachs up in the air.
They were within sight of the French harbour early the next morning when the storm died away as quickly as it had started but by then both girls were exhausted and looking far from well.
Holly tentatively rolled to the edge of the bunk and placed her foot on the floor, relieved to find that she could stand again, albeit on very wobbly legs, without being thrown about.
When the ship’s foghorn sounded she breathed a sigh of relief. ‘We must be nearly there,’ she told Angela but the girl was still feeling too sick to care. ‘Let’s go up and see if there’s any sign of Harry and Richard on deck,’ she suggested, feeling the need to feel fresh air on her face, but Angela shook her head.
‘No you go … I’ll stay here.’
‘Are you sure you’ll be all right?’ When Angela nodded Holly snatched up her cape and headed for the steep, narrow wooden stairs that led to the deck. If anything the fog was even denser than it had been the day before and she suddenly had the eerie feeling that she was the only person left on board. Warily she felt for the rails and peered ahead with narrowed eyes but she could see no more than a few feet in front of her. In addition to this, the wind was icy so after a few minutes she turned to go back to the comparative warmth of the cabin only to find Richard standing just a few feet away from her.
‘Oh … I didn’t see you there.’ Her heart was thumping wildly and she hoped that he wouldn’t be able to hear it. ‘That was some storm, wasn’t it? Angela’s been ill for most of the way.’
‘And yourself?’
‘I’m all right, thank you.’ She stifled the urge to reach out and touch him before saying, ‘I, er … ought to get back to check she’s all right though.’
‘Of course.’ He stood aside and made no attempt to stop her as she scuttled past like a rat with its tail on fire. I’ve got to stop behaving like this every time I see him, she scolded herself, but she had the feeling that it was going to be easier said than done.
Angela was sitting on the side of the bunk looking slightly better when Holly arrived back at the cabin. ‘Perhaps some tea would settle your stomach a little. Would you like me to fetch you a cup?’ Holly suggested.
‘No, thanks.’
‘Then in that case we’d better get ready to go ashore. I don’t think we’re far off now.’
Sure enough, half an hour later a small tug guided the military ship into the harbour and soon they heard the engine stop, followed by the sounds of the crew manhandling the gangplank into position.
‘Thank goodness for that,’ Angela said. ‘I can’t wait to feel my feet on solid ground again and one thing’s for sure, when this damned war is over I won’t be putting my name down for any cruises. How anyone could derive any pleasure from being at sea is totally beyond me.’
There was a tap on the door and one of the crew called that they were to report up on deck.
Angela followed Holly on legs that felt like jelly and when they arrived they found Harry waiting for them, although Holly was both relieved and dismayed to find that there was no sign of Richard.
‘I reckon Richard might be being posted to another hospital,’ Harry informed her as he saw her glancing about and she had the uncanny feeling that he could read her mind.
‘Oh, I hadn’t really thought about it,’ she answered nonchalantly but she had the feeling that she hadn’t fooled him one bit. They were surrounded by swarms of nurses and doctors from other hospitals all eager to disembark but Holly noticed that the mood was sombre now that they had all almost reached their destination. It was one thing to feel brave before the event but quite another now that they were faced with the reality of war.
Eventually they were led down the gangplank like a herd of cattle and at the bottom two military men with clipboards asked them for their names. They were then pointed towards the transport that would take them to the various hospitals.
‘Farthing, Dewis, Parkin and Phillips, truck number three,’ the soldier told them and they battled their way through the throngs of people on the dock. Holly’s heart was racing now that she knew Richard was to join them, although outwardly she appeared calm. They clambered awkwardly into the back of the trucks and squatted on the hard wooden benches that ran along either side.
‘Crikey, I hope we don’t go over any bumps if we have to sit here for long,’ Angela grumbled. ‘These seats are as hard as rocks. I bet my bum will be bruised by the time we get wherever we’re going!’
Holly said nothing, she was too intent on trying to get warm but when Richard climbed in and sat beside her suddenly she could feel her cheeks flaming. Harry was sitting the other side of her and she hardly dared turn her head because he was watching her intently. Another couple of Red Cross nurses joined them shortly after and at last they set off. They had no idea where they were going and could see nothing because of the large canvas that covered the back of the truck. Angela moaned and groaned as they bounced up and down on the hard wooden benches and another young nurse was crying softly. Eventually the town roads gave way to what felt like country lanes and they had to cling to the edges of their seats and dig their heels in to prevent themselves being thrown off.
‘Bloody hell, this is torture!’ Angela complained as they rattled along. They seemed to have been going forever when, far off in the distance, above the sound of the engine, Holly heard what sounded like gunshots.
‘We must be getting close to the hospital. It won’t be all that far away from the front,’ Harry told her solemnly. The sound was enough to make even Angela stop moaning as they tried to imagine what it must be like for the people fighting. At last the truck slowed and stopped with a grating of gears and the canvas was drawn aside. It was mid-morning by now but the sky was grey and overcast and a cold drizzle was falling.
‘Nurses’ quarters that way, doctors’ that way,’ a young lieutenant guided them.
Holly and Angela set off, careful to keep to the duckboards that seemed to be floating in a sea of mud. A row of large tents was before them and Holly realised with a sinking feeling that this must be their accommodation.
‘It’s pretty grim, isn’t it?’ Angela hissed and Holly could only nod in agreement. They found a young nurse waiting for them in the first tent and after ticking their names off her list she told them, ‘You’re both in number three. Choose whichever beds you like. You’ll see which are already taken.’
Once again they set off across the duckboards and on entering the tent Angela groaned. It was even worse than she had imagined it would be, completely lacking in comfort save for a stove which stood in the centre of the tent. Its chimney went up through a hole in the roof and there were a number of logs piled at the side of it so she quickly opened the door and threw one on.
‘Looks like we’re responsible for keeping that going,’ she said miserably, making her way to the bed nearest the fire. Even there it had little effect on the cold. They looked about and found a screen in one corner behind which was a jug and bowl and a number of faded towels.
‘And this must be where they expect us to wash,’ Angela snorted in disgust. ‘But what do we do for hot water and how do we take a bath?’
‘I’ve no idea,’ Holly admitted, dropping her bag on the bed next to Angela’s. ‘But let’s go and find where we eat now. I’m hungry after all that jolting about and I’d do anything for a cup of tea.’
Holding their capes closely about them they stepped out of the tent and asked a young soldier who was passing by, ‘Could you tell us where we can get something to eat, please?’
He pointed across a patchwork of duckboards. ‘That’s the mess over there. The cook’s usually got something warm on the go.’
They thanked him and made their way cautiously towards it, very aware of the gunfire in the distance. ‘Blimey, you’re taking your life in your hands trying to get across these things without slipping,’ Angela commented.
‘Hmm, and I wouldn’t fancy our chances if we were to slip into the mud,’ Holly agreed.
The mess, as the young soldier had referred to it, turned out to be another, larger, tent and as they entered, the warmth from the stoves positioned to one side of the tent met them. There were tables and chairs arranged in two lines down the length of the room and weary, filthy men with dull eyes were sitting at some of them sipping hot, sweet tea.
‘Ah, newcomers I presume,’ the cook greeted them, his brown eyes twinkling. He was enormous in both girth and height and seemed friendly.
‘Yes, we are,’ Holly admitted. ‘And we’ve travelled through the night to get here so we’re quite hungry.’
‘Then you’ve come to the right place,’ he told them cheerfully as one particularly loud explosion echoed around the tent, making them start. ‘How about a nice plateful of my cottage pie? There’s nothing like it on a cold day like today.’
Both girls nodded, their eyes huge as they tried to ignore the sounds. Minutes later they were seated at a table with piled plates and steaming mugs of tea in front of them. The food was plain and simple but surprisingly tasty.
‘I wonder what we should do next?’ Angela mused.
Holly wasn’t sure either. ‘I dare say someone will come and tell us, but let’s go back to the tent when we’ve eaten and wait there.’
Some more of the newly recruited nurses were drifting in by now and they all smiled at each other. When the two girls had finished they made their way back along the duckboards and managed to find the right tent eventually. The trouble was they all looked exactly the same from the outside so they wondered how they would find their way back to their own tent in the dark as there didn’t appear to be any lights. They were both beginning to wonder what they had let themselves in for and home suddenly felt like a terribly long way away.