Across the Mersey - Annie Groves [13]
‘I hope not, Alice,’ was all Grace could say, but she couldn’t help dwelling on the concern she had seen in her parents’ eyes over tea and her father’s keenness to listen to the BBC news, and the heaviness she had heard in her father’s voice earlier when he had told her about the developments in Russia.
‘If there is then I don’t know about you but I’m going to make sure I do my bit. I’ve got a cousin who’s thinking of joining the WRNS and I’m considering going along with her. They’ve got the best uniform of the lot, she reckons, and she should know, her dad being in the navy. You’ve got a brother, haven’t you? What service is he going for?’
‘Luke’s going into the Salvage Corps, like our dad,’ Grace told her automatically and then flushed. There was something in the other girl’s expression that made her feel defensive and protective on her brother’s behalf, although Alice hadn’t come out and said anything.
‘It’s every bit as dangerous as joining up,’ she felt obliged to say.
‘I dare say it is,’ the other girl agreed but she didn’t meet Grace’s gaze, and Grace noticed how, as soon as their patient was back up on her feet and the bandages and splint had been returned to their correct places, Alice didn’t linger to chat, going instead to join some of the other girls.
‘Campion, I’d like a word.’
Grace looked apprehensively at Sister Harris. Was she too going to quiz her about her Luke’s plans?
However, when Sister Harris had drawn her into a quiet corner of the hall what she did have to say was so surprising that it drove all thoughts of Alice’s comments out of Grace’s head.
‘You’ll have heard the news about Russia, no doubt,’ Sister Harris began, barely waiting for Grace to nod before continuing. ‘No one wants war but since it looks like we’re going to have it, it makes sense to be prepared. Captain Allen tells me that you work in Lewis’s?’
‘Yes, Sister.’ Captain Allen was the retired army captain in charge of their St John Ambulance Brigade unit.
‘Have you ever thought of enrolling to train as a full-time nurse?’
Hearing Sister Harris saying those words, and so matter-of-factly, was such a shock that Grace couldn’t speak. But then she managed to overcome her feelings to say as calmly as she could, ‘I did think I’d like to do nursing when I was growing up but …’ She hesitated, unwilling to say to someone who plainly had come from a family that had been able to afford her training that she hadn’t wanted to burden her parents with that kind of cost.
‘Well, maybe now is the time to think of it again,’ Sister Harris told her firmly, without waiting for a full explanation. ‘You’re an excellent first aider, quick to learn and good at doing what you should when you have learned. The nursing profession needs girls like you, Campion, especially now. I happen to know that the Government is very keen to get new nurses trained up, and in fact we have been asked to put forward the names of young women who we think might be suitable candidates for such training.’
Was Sister Harris actually saying that she felt she was good enough for her to recommend? Grace could hardly believe it. Her chest felt tight as her heart swelled with pride and delight.
‘So I’ll put forward your name, shall I? It will mean a lot of hard work but I’m sure we all want to do our duty and give what assistance we can to the Government.’
‘Well, I …’ Now Grace could feel her heart lurching sickening downwards as her excitement came up hard against the reality of her situation. She could see that Sister Harris was looking irritated and impatient. Flustered and embarrassed she burst out, ‘I’d love to, really I would, Sister, but it’s my family.’
‘You mean that your parents wouldn’t give their permission?’ Sister was frowning now. ‘I find that very hard to believe under the present circumstances, Campion – not to say positively unpatriotic.’
Horrified, Grace blurted, ‘Oh, no, I mean … well, the truth is, Sister, that …’ Her voice dropped and she looked over