There were so many questions she wanted to ask and she began with, ‘When will we be leaving?’
‘Late tonight, under cover of darkness.’
Holly’s breath caught in her throat. She hadn’t expected it to be so soon, but then if the airman was as critical as they suspected then of course time was of the essence.
‘And how will we get there and where exactly are we going?’
‘Monsieur Le’Fete has a small wagon which he uses to supply us with seasonal vegetables. I am afraid you will have to travel in the back of that beneath sacks. It is the safest way. The enemy are used to seeing him in it so hopefully no questions will be asked. As to where you’re going, I think it’s best if you don’t know. But you must swear to me that you will say nothing of this to anyone. You will be risking your own life and the lives of monsieur’s family if you do.’
Holly nodded. ‘Of course, but what shall I tell the nurses and Angela? They’re bound to notice if I just disappear.’
‘You won’t leave until the rest of the nurses are all asleep then you’ll change into clothes we have ready for you. I shall tell them that I transferred you to another hospital temporarily in the night because of an emergency.’
It seemed that she had thought of everything. ‘Very well,’ Holly agreed.
Richard spoke for the first time since she had entered the room. ‘I’m really not happy about putting Holly’s life at risk,’ he told the sister. ‘Surely I could do this alone?’
Sister Flynn shook her head. ‘It will definitely need two of you to give the airman round-the-clock care. Holly, as soon as everyone in your tent is asleep report to me here. I shall have a change of clothes waiting for you … and thank you, you are a very brave girl. Now go and get some food and a rest. You have a long night ahead of you.’
Holly inclined her head and slipped away hardly able to believe what she had just agreed to, but she had agreed and now she intended to see it through to the bitter end no matter what the outcome. She would rather die than let Richard think she was a coward.
When she got back to the tent, Angela was already in her nightwear ready to hop into bed. So were most of the other nurses who had worked throughout the long day. One by one they snuggled down and dropped off to sleep until at last there was nothing but the sound of their gentle snores to be heard. Very quietly Holly crept out of bed and snatched up her uniform before slipping her feet into her shoes and putting her cape on. It wouldn’t do to leave the uniform there, even if she was to change into civilian clothes, Angela would be suspicious, so she would leave them with the sister. Once outside she gasped as the cold air took her breath away and then she tiptoed across the duckboards in the darkness praying that she wouldn’t slip off them into the mud. At last she reached the hospital and sidled into the sister’s office, very conscious that she was in her nightclothes.
Sister Flynn quietly pointed to a pile of clothes she had laid across a chair for her and Holly scrambled into them as fast as she could, although she had to keep her own shoes on because the ones sister had found her were so big that she was nearly walking out of them.
There was a somewhat shabby skirt, much darned and faded, and a blouse of an indistinguishable colour over which she would wear a thick woollen shawl and a head square. They were not like anything Holly had worn before but were typical of what she had seen the village Frenchwomen dressed in. Once she had scrambled into them Monsieur Le’Fete and Richard appeared and she had to stifle a smile. Richard was also dressed as a French peasant with a beret on his head and worn work clothes.
‘We have decided that as Dr Parkin can speak no French we shall say that he is dumb,’ Monsieur Le’Fete told her in his own tongue and solemn again now, Holly nodded.
‘Now, are there any questions you would like to ask?’ the sister, who had just entered the room behind the men, asked her.
‘How long do you think we will be gone?’ Holly said falteringly. Nerves were kicking in now and she felt faintly dizzy.
Monsieur shrugged his shoulders. ‘There is no way of knowing, mademoiselle. It will depend on how quickly the airman recovers, or even if he survives. He ees in a very bad way.’
Holly nodded. ‘Very well. I’m ready to go.’
Richard surprised her then when he said, ‘I’m really not happy about this. You do realise that you’ll be risking your life, don’t you?’
His concern for her made her heart hammer but her face gave nothing away as she nodded. ‘Yes, I do, but I want to do it.’
‘There ees no more to be said then.’ The monsieur jammed his hat on and ushered them towards the door. ‘My wagon is parked just outside the hospital,’ he informed them. ‘Once we cross the enemy line you must be very quiet and still. Should they spot me they will think nothing of it. They are used to seeing me delivering food to the hospital but if we should be stopped and they discover you in the back of the wagon you must say nothing. Leave the talking to me, do you understand?’
Richard and Holly nodded and as they left Sister Flynn stopped Holly at the door where she gave her a swift hug. Holly was shocked and touched to see that there were tears in her eyes. ‘May God keep you safe,’ the woman said in a choked voice. ‘You are a very loving and giving young lady, Nurse Farthing. Now go quickly.’
Seconds later they were out in the bitterly cold night and the monsieur pointed to a wagon. An old horse contentedly munching on a nosebag with a blanket thrown across his back was tethered to it and as his master approached he raised his head and whinnied softly.
Holly and Richard quickly scrambled into the back of the cart and the monsieur covered them in thick layers of sacks that smelled of earth, fruit and vegetables.
‘Now be still,’ the elderly man advised them. ‘I shall not speak until we arrive at the farm. You never know who may be listening.’
Richard and Holly were lying so close that she could feel his warm breath fanning her cheek and she was glad of the darkness to hide her blushes. They heard the monsieur talk to the horse before climbing onto the driver’s bench seat and then they were off. It was very uncomfortable and as the wagon rattled across the rough ground they were thrown from side to side but neither of them said a word. Shortly after, the ride became smoother as they went through the streets of the town but then it grew rough again and they knew that now they were in enemy territory. Despite trying to be brave Holly’s heart began to pound with fear and when Richard reached out beneath the sacks to hold her hand and squeeze it reassuringly, she clung to it like a leech, his comforting touch enveloping her. She was all too aware that should the enemy discover them they might well be shot and it was a terrifying thought. However, the wagon rattled on its way for what seemed like an endless time with no one stopping them as they were rolled about all over the place. They had no way of knowing how long they lay there but at last they heard the monsieur speak softly to the horse and it came to a halt. Holly felt stiff and sore but she made no complaint and remained silent until the monsieur whipped the sacks off them. She saw that they were in a large barn and the horse was already cropping at some hay.
‘Well done,’ the monsieur praised them. ‘Now, you must come into the farmhouse to meet my family. They will be relieved that you ’ave arrived safely. Come.’ He helped Holly down from the cart and as she looked down at her skirt and shawl she smiled ruefully. There were bits of straw and dirt all over her but at least they had arrived safely. She and Richard followed the man across a farmyard and entered a kitchen where a plump, middle-aged woman and a very pretty younger girl were waiting for them.
‘Ah, Pierre, at last, I ’ave been so worried.’ The older woman hurried over to throw her arms about her husband and he smiled at them across her shoulder. ‘This is my wife, Claudette, and that is my daughter, Francine.’ Turning his attention back to his wife he told her mock sternly, ‘Come, woman, these people are cold and hungry. Where are your manners? Fetch them some hot soup immediately.’ He patted her ample backside and she skittered off, giggling like a girl. It was clear that they had a very loving relationship. Her dark hair was streaked with grey at the temples but her eyes were kindly and she was still a very attractive woman. Francine, however, was stunningly pretty, Holly thought, as the girl offered her a shy smile. Her long black hair hung down her back like a shimmering cloak and her eyes were a curious mixture of grey and blue. She was tall and slender and placing his arm affectionately about her, the monsieur informed them proudly, ‘Francine is the baby of the family. The rest of our children have grown and flown the nest. But ah, here is some food. Please sit down and eat and then I shall take you to the airman.’
They obediently sat at the large, scrubbed pine table that took up the centre of the room as Claudette placed steaming bowls of soup in front of them. While she was eating, Holly discreetly looked about the room. It was a typical farmhouse kitchen, low-beamed with a flagstone floor and a fire blazing in the inglenook above which shiny copper pans were suspended. Old, much-loved wing chairs covered in colourful cushions stood either side of it and a large pine dresser holding Claudette’s cherished china stood against another wall. Brightly coloured rag rugs were thrown down on the floor and pretty flowered curtains hung at the tiny leaded windows, tightly drawn against the bitter night. It was far from salubrious but very warm and cosy. The soup was delicious too and she emptied her dish in minutes. Now they had arrived safely she was suddenly so tired she could have fallen asleep where she sat but she knew that the real work must begin straight away if they had any chance at all of saving the airman.
I wonder where he is? she thought to herself. Surely the Le’Fetes would not be foolish enough to have him staying in their home? If they did and the enemy discovered him there they would be signing their own death warrants. And then her unspoken question was answered when Monsieur Le’Fete dragged the table to one side and folded back the carpet beneath it to reveal a trapdoor, and when he opened it, Holly could see a flight of steps leading down into darkness. ‘Put the table back until I knock, just in case,’ he said to his wife as he lit an oil lamp so he could show them the way. He knew that he could never be too careful.
Richard followed Monsieur Le’Fete with Holly behind negotiating a very steep, wooden staircase. When they reached the bottom of it she was shocked to see how huge the cellar was. It must have run the whole length of the cottage and although it could never be classed as warm it was nowhere near as cold as she had expected it to be.
She noticed the beds then, four in a row along one wall, all with iron frames and gaily coloured patchwork quilts on them. There was also a table and chairs and various other bits of furniture dotted about including a small screen with a bucket standing behind it that they could use should it not be safe for them to use the toilet outside. The Le’Fetes had clearly gone to a lot of trouble to make the room as comfortable as they possibly could. On the end bed they saw the patient. He looked to be somewhere in his mid- to late twenties and his face was beaded with sweat. His dark hair was also damp and his breathing erratic so Richard wasted no time in hurrying across to him to take his pulse, which was racing dangerously fast.
‘Let’s have a look at this leg then, old chap,’ he said cheerfully, although he suspected that the airman couldn’t hear him. When he turned back the sheets Holly gasped as she stared down at his leg and the vile smell issuing from it hit her full force. It was clearly badly broken just below the knee and she could see a bone poking out of his skin.
‘That’s a really nasty break,’ Richard cursed. ‘Before I do anything else I’m going to have to realign the bone and strap it as best I can. Then we’ll have to see what we can do about the infection, but first the wound must be thoroughly cleaned with hot water. If he had come into the hospital like this I think I would have been tempted to amputate beneath the knee but here we don’t have the facilities.’
Monsieur pointed to a small sink and cooker at the end of the room telling them that they could get the water there and Holly quickly translated for Richard.
‘I am so sorry,’ he apologised. ‘I tend to speak my native tongue without theenking about it but I will try to remember to speak in English in future.’
Holly had already hurried away to boil a kettle and Richard now asked the monsieur, ‘Would you have any sheets that I could tear up and use as bandages? I shall need as many as you can spare.’
The man nodded and mounted the stairs, returning minutes later with three snow-white, if somewhat threadbare, sheets.
Richard quickly crossed to the sink and washed his hands thoroughly while Holly began to tear the sheets into strips.
‘Do you think you’ll be able to save him?’ she asked.
Richard sighed. ‘It’s hard to tell. I’m just praying we don’t end up having to amputate his leg. I only have the equipment I was able to bring in my bag. What we really need to do is get rid of that infection, if we can’t then I fear we’re in trouble.’
The kettle began to gently sing and after bringing a bowlful of water to him she asked, ‘What do you want me to do now?’
‘Get some chloroform out of my bag and soak a rag in it then hold it under his nose. What I’m going to do is going to hurt like hell so it’s best if he’s out of it.’
‘May I go now if you have no need of me?’ Monsieur Le’Fete asked and Richard nodded.
‘Of course.’
‘Please feel free to rest on the beds when you can,’ the monsieur told them. ‘And I will make sure that you have food and drink brought to you first thing in the morning. But please, if you hear anyone other than my family upstairs remain silent, even if you have to gag our friend here. Oh, and from now on please call me Pierre.’
He left them and as the trapdoor closed behind him and Holly heard the table and chairs being dragged back into position she suddenly realised how dangerous what she had agreed to do was and a finger of fear chased up her spine. Even so, she grit her teeth and held the chloroform-soaked rag beneath the airman’s nose. Now that she was here she would do everything she could to help Richard to save him.