Scarlet felt a hand on her shoulder as the film ended, saw James’s smile before anything else as he passed by her row, and for a fleeting moment they locked eyes. Swiftly, he bent his head down to her. ‘Meet me by the trees outside your camp.’ Startled, she nodded, but he was gone before she had the chance to say a word, moving away from the rows of seats set up in front of the large screen. A shiver ran through her body – excitement at the thought of a stolen moment alone. She’d tried so hard not to look at him tonight, not to think about him, but something about him kept drawing her in. And what if tonight was the last night she ever saw him? She was tempted, sorely tempted.
‘Tell me about Spencer,’ she said to Ellie, hoping she hadn’t heard their exchange and wanting to make sure her attention was on her friend, not herself.
‘Not until we’re in our tent,’ she said.
‘Ladies, please report to your matrons before lights out. There will be a briefing about your posting,’ an officer announced before they could all disperse.
Scarlet stared at Ellie. ‘Our posting?’
Ellie pulled her closer, mouth close to her ear. ‘It’s happening. Spencer told me we’re going to France.’
Scarlet was numb as she stared back at her friend, trying to digest her words. They were leaving? For France? She’d still been buzzing from their evening, doing something fun for once, but that happy feeling was fading fast.
‘Did he know anything else?’
Ellie shook her head as they leaned into each other and began to walk back to the tent.
‘No. Only that he’d been given some French money and we’d be going very soon. Then he kissed me.’
Ellie’s wide eyes and huge smile made Scarlet laugh.
‘Trust you to put a smile on my face at a time like this!’
‘I know, but he was divine. I could kiss him all night.’ Ellie let out a little squeal. ‘He’s so wonderful, Scarlet. Honestly, he’s just . . .’ Ellie sighed. ‘He’s lovely. I don’t know what else to say.’
Scarlet envied her friend’s great mood. She was already anxious about meeting James, or whether she should meet him, but then finding out they were going . . . Would she ever see him again? Would his unit be travelling with them? Would he end up dead or missing in action? The thought sent a chill through her.
They followed the rest of the nurses, all busy chatting, to their matron’s administration tent. Matron was waiting outside, pen and paper in hand. She ran through their names to check who was present, and after what felt like an age standing in silence, shifting from one foot to the other, she finally told them. Scarlet dug her fingernails into her palms, swallowing hard as she waited to hear their fate.
‘Ladies, we will be leaving the day after tomorrow at 0800 hours and setting sail that day,’ she announced. ‘Please collect your money, seasickness tablets and paper bag for your travels.’
Scarlet looked at the heavy paper bag being held up and hoped that either her stomach was strong enough not to need it or that the seasickness tablets worked.
‘You will need to check your carry bags and ensure you have all the necessary equipment that was originally issued. The trucks will transport us directly to the port and we will be boarding almost immediately.’
Scarlet swapped glances with Ellie and wondered if her friend had the same empty, churning sensation in her stomach.
‘Additional emergency rations to be collected are vitaminised chocolate, tea cubes, oat snacks, four cigarettes, a small French phrase book and four pieces of toilet paper each.’
‘Bloody hell,’ Ellie muttered. ‘That ain’t gonna last long. Four pieces for the whole journey?’
Scarlet didn’t even want to think about it. She didn’t know what was worse, the small amount of food or the fact that they probably wouldn’t be able to shower or wash and only had such a small quantity of sanitary items. She felt nauseous all over again. Home seemed such a long way away, a distant memory, the life she’d known before like a blur that had never really existed.
‘Equipment will be packed tomorrow to enable our field hospital to be operational within forty-eight hours of arrival. Your training is now over; however, you are expected to conduct yourself in an exemplary manner at all times. There will be strict segregation on the ship for this very reason, and nurses will not be permitted to undress or wash whilst aboard.’
Scarlet stifled her groan. Honestly, they couldn’t wash? It seemed ridiculous to her, given the circumstances, that they were so worried about men and women being on the same ship. Although she was certain it would be cool at night on the ship below decks, so they’d likely be happy to remain clothed.
‘You are dismissed. Godspeed, and be prepared for a trying journey ahead.’
Scarlet stayed rooted to the spot, watching as the women around her started to chatter and gossip, some of them crying. Shivers ran the length of her body, made her freeze, her breath coming in short pants, and it wasn’t until Ellie’s hand closed over her shoulder that she started to calm.
‘Scarlet, are you all right?’
She nodded. She had to be all right; there was no other choice. ‘I’ll be fine.’ She was in shock, that was all.
‘It means you’ll be one step closer to finding Thomas, right? This is a good thing.’
Scarlet bit down hard on her lower lip. Of course Ellie had presumed it was thoughts of Thomas upsetting her. She might finally find some answers about what had happened to him, where he could be, but that wasn’t it. Apart from the fear about what they were going into, it was the reality of leaving James, a man she hardly knew but who had made her feel so alive in the couple of times she’d seen him. Her chest ached, her feelings and her guilt weighing hard on her. But deep down she knew what upset her most was her fear of the unknown, and her sadness at not getting to know James better. She should never have thought such things about him anyhow; maybe this was punishment for forgetting she was engaged to be married.
‘Come on,’ Ellie said, nudging her shoulder and starting to walk.
Scarlet caught up with her and kept her head down, not wanting to join in the excited chatter with the other nurses.
‘I promised James that I’d meet him,’ she confessed to Ellie.
‘Where?’
‘The trees just outside of our tents.’ She hoped he’d still be there. Because he’d walked past her so quickly and she hadn’t had time to answer, he might think she’d decided not to come after taking so long.
‘Want me to walk you?’
Scarlet shook her head. ‘I’ll be fine.’