Scarlet smiled, thankful for the offer. ‘Yes, please. It would be heavenly.’
She hoped she hadn’t offended Sister Florence with talk of heaven, but the idea of a bath of any kind, even merely a splash of gorgeous hot water for her face and neck, was the most glorious thing she’d been offered in weeks.
‘Are there many other convents assisting the wounded?’ Scarlet asked.
‘Yes. Every convent still standing will open its doors to injured soldiers. We all do what we can.’
Scarlet tried not to let hope creep into her voice, to fill her mind when she should be focused only on the men in the room. ‘So they could have soldiers still in their care from some time ago? Since well before this battle?’
Sister Florence had wide blue eyes, and as Scarlet looked up into them she nodded. ‘Yes, of course. We would keep any person safe within our walls for as long as need be in times such as these.’
Thomas. Her thoughts were always turning back to Thomas, even if James was in her head, too. ‘I lost contact with my fiancé,’ she shared, wanting to be direct rather than keeping it to herself, at the very least so Sister Florence understood why she was asking. ‘He was last heard from in France, and I keep hoping, praying, that he’s still alive somewhere.’
Sister Florence placed a hand on her shoulder. ‘We see horrible things every day, but there is always hope. There are miracles that God gives us every day, even in wartime.’
Scarlet hoped she was right, that Thomas could be one of those miracles. ‘I hope he has found his way to a sister like you,’ she said honestly.
‘So do I.’
She felt lighter simply from admitting her hopes and fears, and continued quickly around the room. The men were in various states of injury, and when she lifted one blanket back to find a bandaged leg on a soldier that needed to be amputated, she quietly put the covers back and moved him to the top of her list for immediate evacuation.
‘Do you know how long you’ll be in Rys?’ Sister Florence asked.
‘Not much longer, I believe. We’re soon to set up our field hospital, once the site has been taken.’
‘God bless you, Scarlet,’ the sister said, touching her shoulder.
It was one thing for an ordinary person to say those words, but another entirely to hear them from a nun. For some reason, it made them feel more meaningful to her.
‘Thank you,’ she said quietly.
‘Don’t let the horrors we are facing right now affect your belief in God. He is with us every day, and I believe women like you are evidence of that.’
It was as if Sister Florence could read her mind: the way she was feeling, the doubts she’d had. All she could do was make it through one day at a time. The hope she held for finding Thomas was helping her to put one foot in front of the other, day after day. Not to mention the prayers she was saying for James every morning and night. She had no idea where he was, but she was certain it would be far too close to the front line for her liking.
It had been a long day, and returning to their temporary lodgings was her least favourite part of it. She’d bathed at the convent, feeling terribly guilty over having access to hot water when her friends didn’t, and the lovely clean feeling was with her still. Now she was back, bone-tired and dragging her feet, she doubted she’d be allowed to sneak off to bed without having to do more time in the clearance station, but at least she could enjoy the memory of her bath.
‘Scarlet, do you have a minute?’
She hadn’t been expecting a man to call her name, but when she looked up she saw an anxious Spencer standing near the entrance to their tent hospital. She walked over to him. He was back with them now, and it was nice for Ellie to have him near.
‘Is there something I can do for you?’
He shook his head. ‘Not in there.’ Spencer cleared his throat, indicating that they should walk. ‘It’s hell in there; there’s no other word for it.’
She sighed. ‘It is.’
‘I’m worried about Ellie. She comes across as if she’s coping, that she can do it, but I worry for her. She looks like she’s going to faint at any moment. That . . .’ His voice trailed off. ‘I feel like something isn’t right with her. I might not have known her for all that long, but the spark she always had – I feel that it’s fading.’
Scarlet agreed, but she didn’t want to side with Spencer and get Ellie into trouble. ‘We’re all struggling, it’s true. I don’t think any of us were built for this type of work, to have to see so many injured men.’ A number of women were finding it hard to keep going, and some had fallen so ill recently they were unable to work. This had left them even worse off than before, with fewer nurses to cover shifts.
‘Scarlet, I’m not trying to get Ellie into trouble, far from it. I would just like your help to try to find more, well, suitable jobs for her. If I can.’
She thought about her response, chose her words carefully. ‘Doctor Black, I was under the impression that she was still to assist you with your surgeries and cases, as your personal nurse.’
He smiled. ‘That was my intention, but now I think you might be more suited for that role. At least for now. I’ll have more authority when we take over our field hospital, but I don’t want to push her.’
‘This won’t affect her position here? I mean, she won’t be in trouble at all?’
He spoke quietly now, his eyes downcast. ‘I care a great deal for Ellie, and I only want what’s best for her.’
Scarlet was certain he was being truthful, and wasn’t so worried about speaking freely now that he’d admitted his feelings for her friend. ‘I was working at the convent today, and it crossed my mind to see if Ellie could take my place tomorrow, if there was some way of getting her on to that service. It was the nicest day I’ve had in a long while.’
‘If I have your consent, then I’ll make the change to the roster myself if I can. It won’t take much for me to take charge of it.’
‘I’m pleased she has you looking out for her,’ Scarlet told him.
‘As I am pleased she has a friend like you.’
She watched as Spencer started to walk away and hoped for Ellie’s sake that something happened between them. Ellie deserved someone like him, someone whose eyes lit up every time he saw her and went out of his way to make her smile. Spencer was a great doctor, but there was something nicer about him than the other doctors, something about his manner that was almost boyish sometimes instead of the usual flippant and rude behaviour so many of the nurses were accustomed to. He’d made it very clear that he’d patch up anyone no matter who they were, that he’d become a doctor to do whatever he could to end the suffering of others, and it had made Scarlet warm to him even more.
‘Excuse me.’
Scarlet turned slowly and came face to face with a nurse in uniform, her blue eyes bright, blonde hair neatly pulled back from her face. She was pretty and looked calm and collected despite the conditions.