While Bronwyn is taken care of by Margaret’s nursing friends at Hereford General, she travels to the Midland Bank in Ludlow to retrieve the contents of the safety-deposit box that Philip has left for Bronwyn.
Inside is a small intricately inlaid walnut box containing a large collection of jewellery – rings, brooches, pearls and earrings – a few gold coins, which Margaret thinks must be Greek or Roman, and a roll of crisp white £5 notes, worth £150 in total. By the look of the cache, Bronwyn is not going to be immensely rich, but she is certainly no longer poor.
There is also a letter. It has no envelope and bears no date.
Darling Bron,
That you are opening this box means one very sad truth – my demise has come to pass. Perhaps it is for the best! I sincerely hope that my end has been swift and relatively painless.
Rushing off to the Welch Fusiliers and leaving you behind was the worst day of my life, but at least we had that last magical afternoon together. I hope you remember it as fondly as I do. Contained herein are a few things that I hope will allow you to pursue the life you deserve to enjoy. I’m sorry about Tom. He’s a good man and I hope he finds happiness with someone else. As for you, please choose your men carefully. Few will be worthy of you.
Finally, I have a confession to make about those drawings that seemed to add so much excitement to our time together. You often said that you felt guilty about initiating our relationship and that you weren’t sure that a ‘decent’ girl should enjoy the feelings you experienced.
First of all, I must tell you that I was the seducer. I deliberately left those so-called lewd images around in the hope that they would entice you. I wove the web that entangled you. I have no regrets; it brought me the greatest pleasure of my life. I hope the same is true for you.
As for your feelings, the fact that you feel them so readily and in such abundance is not a sign that you are not a ‘decent’ woman, but that you are a real woman. Always remember that. And during your long and undoubtedly successful life, think of me from time to time.
With all my love for ever and a day,
Philip
♥
At the bottom of the box, there is a small lithograph signed with Philip’s initials and a short message: ‘Remember me, x’.
When Margaret looks at the print, she is shocked at the explicitness of the image. She immediately understands the intensity of the relationship between Philip and Bronwyn, and why the girl now feels so tormented by guilt.
When Margaret returns to Hereford General, she finds Bronwyn looking much better. She has been well taken care of by the nurses and has been seen by a consultant venereologist, who has begun a course of treatment for her. Thankfully, she does not have syphilis. He has also confirmed that she has recently suffered a miscarriage.
Margaret now has a dilemma. She needs to complete her recruitment drive around the hospitals of the West Country. Even more importantly, she needs to return to France to continue to care for the thousands of dying and wounded young men on the battlefield. However, Bronwyn has had almost no time to regain her health, to come to terms with her guilt or to regain her self-confidence.
That evening, they discuss the problem together. It causes Bronwyn immediate distress.
‘Please don’t leave me, Margaret! I don’t have anywhere to go. And I’m not strong enough to get by on my own yet.’
Margaret knows that Bronwyn is right. She also knows that she cannot ask the Hereford nurses to take care of the girl indefinitely. She is at a loss for a solution, until Bronwyn makes an audacious plea.
‘Take me to France with you. I’ll scrub floors, make beds, mop up the blood; anythin’ you want me to do.’
It is a radical suggestion. But Margaret knows that so dire is the situation in France, no one will care where Margaret’s recruits come from.
‘Bron, you will see terrible things; you can’t imagine how distressing it will be for you, especially on top of your own problems.’
‘But it will help me! I won’t have time to think about my own worries.’
Margaret is unsure. She needs time to consider.
‘Let me think about it. We can talk in the morning.’
‘How much is what Philip left me worth?’
‘Well, there’s the money, and probably the same again in jewels and coins, if not more.’
‘Then I can make my own way to France.’
Margaret smiles. Bronwyn is finding her feet already.
‘You could, but you should really put it in the bank. Bron, please let me think about it. I’m an army nurse, with professional responsibilities.’
Sensing that Margaret is not prepared to discuss the matter further, Bronwyn abruptly changes the subject.
‘Did you see the drawin’ Philip left for me?’
‘Yes.’
‘Do you think I’m wicked?’
‘No, you’re just a woman, like the rest of us. We all have secrets and dark thoughts.’
‘Is that really true, Margaret?’
‘It is for those of us who are prepared to admit to them.’
‘It’s really important for me to know that.’
‘Don’t worry, you are no more wicked than the rest of us –’
‘So have you done things you regret?’
‘Of course.’
‘Can I ask you about them?’
‘Not yet; maybe one day, but not yet. Who knows, when we get to France …’
Bronwyn’s eyes light up. Her face glows, and she beams like a child.
‘Does that mean you’re going to take me?’
Margaret smiles. She can see why Philip could not resist this young girl; she is adorable.
‘Yes, but don’t let me down.’
‘I won’t, I promise.’
‘I have three more hospitals to visit, one of them in Birmingham. I think we should sell the jewels and coins there and open a bank account for you.’
‘Thank you, Margaret, I’m so grateful.’
‘One more thing, Bron.’
‘Whatever you want.’
‘Let’s burn that print. You need to bury that part of your past.’
Bronwyn smiles before taking a last look at one of the images that led to the agony and ecstasy of recent months.
She then folds it neatly and throws it on to the fire.