Six weeks later, Ella was startled when Connie burst into the ward where she was working. ‘It’s over! It’s over!’
‘What?’ Ella looked up from the dressing she was administering. A cheer filled her ears, as men all around her expressed their joy. The feeling surged through her. Can it really be over? Please God.
Connie stood just inside the tent doing a jig, a piece of paper held aloft in her hand. ‘A communication came through. Yesterday, at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month, an armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany, in Compiègne. All hostilities are to cease. Oh, Ella . . . at last!’
Again the men cheered.
‘But, Connie, I can still hear the guns and explosions.’
‘I know. There are some German soldiers who won’t give up. Foolish pride, which may cost even more unnecessary lives.’
‘But how will they stop them? They must be made to stop. They must!’
‘I’m sure our officers will find a way. But, Ella, it is over – over.’ Connie slumped down onto an empty bed and buried her head in her hands.
‘Oh, Connie, I—’ Ella couldn’t finish what she was saying, as the young man whose arm she was dressing suddenly put his other arm around her and drew her down onto his knee, then planted a kiss on her cheek.
‘Ha, I didn’t expect that; you took advantage, Joshua Hardcastle!’
‘Eeh, sorry, Nurse, forgive me, but I felt such a gush of happiness go through me that I wasn’t responsible. I’m safe! I’m going home. By, me little lass is waiting for me, and me bairns, too. I’m so happy.’
Laughing with him, Ella realized that he had probably left home four years previously to do his bit for his country. Standing up, she told him, ‘I salute you, Joshua Hardcastle, and thank you.’
‘Naw, it’s for us to thank you, and all the doctors – you saved our lives. And you fixed me broken bone up good and proper. I hope you’ve someone to go home to, Nurse.’
Ella simply smiled and moved over to Connie. ‘I assume they are tears of joy, Connie?’
‘A mixture, Ella. I am so glad it’s all over, but will it mean parting with the man I love?’
‘Why should it?’
‘Oh, I’m being silly, but he has a family, and although I know Alan loves me, will he want to take it further, now that the time to part is upon us? Look at me, I’m a frump. Who would want to take me home with them?’
It was hard to hear Connie over all the cheering that was going on, both inside the tent and outside, but Ella had caught most of it. ‘You’re not a frump, and he does—’
An excited Alan came through the door. ‘There you are, Connie, I’ve been looking for you. Sorry, Ella, but I need to speak to Connie. There is something that convention, up till now, has prevented me from expressing.’
Ella’s heart warmed at the look on Connie’s face. ‘She’s all yours, Alan.’ But then she was surprised as Alan grabbed her, and not Connie. ‘Give me a hug first, dear girl. We’ve been through so much together.’
His arms held her tightly, but only for a moment, as he turned and grabbed Connie. ‘Our hug needs to be in private, if we can find somewhere. Will you come with me, my darling Connie?’
The term ‘catching flies’ had never been more apt. Connie’s mouth was wide open in shock. Ella could understand it, as she herself felt as though a sudden whirlwind had taken her and transported her to a world full of happiness that had drastically changed the people she knew, as this was a very different side of Alan that she was seeing.
It was four weeks before their work was done. Some of the happiness had been tarnished by ambulances bringing in the wounded from skirmishes that should never have taken place after the armistice, but at last they were heading home.
The train carrying them all came to a halt at a station near Calais. Alan stood up and pulled Connie to her feet. ‘This is where I fell in love with you, darling, when we came over to France.’
Ella’s heart warmed. Daniel looked up at her and his face blushed red.
‘Oh, never mind them, Daniel – they deserve this time together. And, who knows, we may get an invite to the wedding!’
Daniel laughed. His laugh had a feminine sound, and Ella hoped, as she had done before about this young man she’d come to love like a brother, that he would find someone like himself to love, and would be safe in that love.
‘Yes, you will, both of you. I am even going to ask you to be my bridesmaid, Ella. I hope you will agree.’
‘Oh, I would love that. So you have popped the question then, Alan?’ How quickly they had fallen into this relaxed way with each other, a lot of which could be put down to Matron Polly. Ella would never forget her.
‘The moment I got the chance. All I need now is to hear that my boys are safe, and my world will be complete.’
There was a moment’s silence. Connie broke it. ‘Just as soon as we get to London we will contact the War Office. My father has some influential friends in government. We’ll find out, darling. And I know the news will be good—’
‘Is that yourself, Connie?’
The unmistakable voice made both Ella and Connie smile. ‘Paddy! How lovely to see you.’
‘And you, too. And before it is that we say any more, I have something for you, Ella.’
Ella stared at the letter that Paddy held out to her.
‘It’s from Officer Paulo Rennaise. I’m for thinking you made an impression on that young man. I am knowing that for a fact, as I helped him write this to you. Lucky you. He’s for being the most handsome of all those I ever treated. I fell in love with him meself, so I did.’
‘Oh?’
‘Sure, I’m just kidding. But I have a feeling in me that you two fell head over heels in a split second of time. So romantic.’
‘H – how is he? And where is he?’
‘He’s doing well, though his lungs are not recovering well. I’m powerful sorry, Ella. But as for where it is that he’s at, I’m not for knowing. It was chaos, so it was. Most of those from Dieppe hospital, where I landed, were being shipped to England – French, Germans and English alike. The French hospitals had so little room and so few supplies. Now, how about all of you? How is it that you faired on the front line?’
After a hug, the girls sat down and chatted about where their roles had taken them, though Ella’s mind was on the letter from Paulo. She longed to know where he was and only half-listened to what was being said, until Paddy spoke again.
‘The cases of influenza sickened me. To think these lads had survived the trenches, and a virus was taking them down – it broke me heart.’
The silence that fell held all their anguish at this.
‘To be sure, we had our successes, but be mindful to take care when you get home. For isn’t it that the epidemic has hit England already?’
There were no words to express how Ella felt; it was as if some force was intent on killing them all.
When Paddy saw Alan and Connie holding hands, her cheer lifted them all and a spark of hope for their future was rekindled.
‘Let’s go and have a cup of tea to celebrate,’ said Connie. ‘That’s if the canteen truck we are pulling has such a delicacy.’
Everyone agreed.
As they entered the canteen, Paddy took Ella’s hand. ‘How is it that you have been? I have thought of you often. And I wish it was that I could put your mind at rest, but I’ve told you all I know.’
‘I have been all right. Keeping busy has helped, though everything visits me in the night.’
‘So no sickness has visited your mornings, and it is that your monthly is on time?’
Ella blushed, but knew that Paddy was speaking out of concern for her. ‘No sickness, but as for my monthlies, they’ve always been erratic, so I’m not sure. Most of my prayers are begging God not to let me be pregnant. Then I can put the whole thing behind me. I know that is the only way. But, Paddy, I’m more concerned for Paulo than for myself. When you say that his lungs are not healing, how bad is he?’
‘Oh, Ella, I shouldn’t have told you the truth of it, but I wasn’t for realizing the depth of your feeling. For sure you only met for a wee while.’
‘I know, but it was long enough to seal a lifetime’s love. I know that sounds strange, but . . . well, I have known love at first sight to happen before.’
‘So have I. Sure, didn’t it be happening to meself? I fell for Bobby at first glance, and it’s agony not having any news of him since he left to go back to the fighting.’
‘I’m sorry, Paddy. It’s a funny feeling, isn’t it? It’s as if you have an attachment to a complete stranger, but one you know better than anyone else in the world. I really hope your Bobby is all right.’
‘I couldn’t be for putting it better meself, though I did have more time than you had to get to know my Bobby. And I’m powerful sorry for you, as it is that I have no idea where they dispatched Paulo to. I only had time to write the letter, and to be putting his mind at rest that I would get it to you, though I did tell him how he could contact you. He tells you in his letter.’
‘Oh, Paddy, that’s wonderful. Thank you for thinking of that.’
‘It is though that I can only give you bad news on his condition. Paulo may recover to enjoy some life, but he won’t be for a long life. Not unless it is a miracle that happens. His lungs are damaged, to the extent that breathing is difficult for him. And his back gives him pain and prevents him from walking. I would say that he will be placed in one of the many convalescent homes for officers in England, until the time comes when he can be shipped back home to France.’
‘Yes, as soon as I get a minute to myself, I’ll read what he has to say. Oh, Paddy, I can’t believe that love can strike so painfully. But my pain is twofold, with the separation and the news you have given me.’
‘I know. To be sure, everything will be fine. Just look at Connie – everything has worked out for her. And it’s glad I am that Matron didn’t get a hint of anything between the two of them. She was a stickler, that one.’
‘Oh, I don’t know, she did have a soft centre at times. What happened to her?’
‘I’m not for knowing, but if it was as she went to a hospital that already had a matron, sure I’d have liked to have seen the clash that would have taken place.’
They both laughed at this.
‘Now, away into the lavatory to read your letter.’
Paulo’s letter both warmed and saddened Ella. It was very short, and yet it held all she needed to know:
Dear Ella,
I hope you don’t mind me writing, but I think you know why I am compelled to. At least I am hoping that you do.
Though it seems strange to admit it, after we only knew each other for a short time, I feel that I cannot live without you in my life. Is that possible? Are you feeling the same way about me? I ask myself that every hour.
I want to meet up with you after the war is over and I am well again . . .
Ella closed her eyes. Poor Paulo, they couldn’t have told him that he will not get well. Her heart cried out in pain at the truth of this. I must find him and take care of him. The rest of the letter wasn’t much help:
I cannot give you an address, because our village of Fleury-devant-Douaumont in north-east France suffered badly in many German attacks and is no more. It is with great sadness that I tell you that my family were all killed and there is nothing left of our house.
We weren’t a rich family. My father was a farm labourer, and I, not wanting to follow in his footsteps, joined the army as a young boy. I rose through the ranks on merit, and not on commission. The war helped, as many of my standing were elevated far above the position they would have attained.
There is nothing left of my family’s possessions for me to claim, and I feel that I will be pensioned out of the army, now that I am injured.
Nurse Paddy has told me that I will be able to contact you through the Red Cross in London. I will try to do that, once I know where I will be. I hope that, if I manage to, you will want to see me, as I cannot get you out of my mind.
I am yours, with love, Paulo Rennaise x
Holding the letter to her breast, Ella allowed the tears to tumble down her cheeks. Yes, yes, yes! I do want to see you, my Paulo. And I cannot wait until your next letter arrives for me.