‘One of the doctors said that you were responsible for setting up a convent hospital before you came to work with us.’
She nodded. ‘Yes, I was.’ It was one of the reasons she’d been sent to help with the 75th, that and the fact she’d proven herself as a surgical nurse in the field. She liked to get on with her work and do her best, and the last thing she’d wanted was to be paraded around as if she were someone important when she felt anything but, most of the time.
‘So you save soldiers from fires and set up special hospitals?’ Scarlet’s eyebrows were drawn together, her mouth hovering between a frown and a smile. ‘Why have you never told us about it? Is there more about you that we don’t know?’
Lucy wasn’t in a mood to talk about herself, and she certainly didn’t want her friends thinking she was anything other than ordinary. She tried to be brave and do her job well, nothing more, nothing less.
‘There’s not a lot to tell. I did my job,’ she said with a shrug, picking at the edge of the blanket resting over her knees. ‘I don’t need help from anyone, I don’t need special pats on the back, I simply do what I have to do.’
Scarlet stared at her, frowning, and Lucy instantly regretted her words. There had been no need to be so blunt to the women who’d been so kind to her. She was taking it out on Scarlet when she was upset with herself. Letting her guard down with Jack had happened too easily, and the pain at trying to rebuild that wall around her heart was crippling.
‘I’m sorry,’ she muttered.
‘It’s fine,’ Ellie said, her smile kind, and Lucy was certain they both understood how hard she’d found it, saying goodbye to Jack.
‘From what Spencer told me, it’s not me who should be going on this rescue mission to the hill convent,’ Scarlet said. ‘It’s you.’
‘What mission?’ asked Ellie.
Scarlet looked at her, eyes wide, and Lucy forgot all about feeling sorry for herself.
‘You mean the, er, drive to the convent to do a routine patient check?’ Lucy asked, her voice at a higher pitch than usual, trying desperately to save Scarlet. She might have been snappy before, but she wasn’t going to let Scarlet be thrown under the bus.
Ellie had been so fragile for so long, but the last month, after her day away with Spencer, she’d been smiling and so much happier. Lucy didn’t want to do anything to make her lose her smile again. She’d never cared about making friends with the other nurses before, but now she wanted to keep the ones she had.
‘Yes, that’s, ah, right,’ Scarlet said, her shoulders visibly rising then falling.
‘Is Spencer going on this trip? Are you?’ Ellie asked Scarlet. ‘Why is this the first I’ve heard of it, if you both know and Spencer knows?’
Lucy stayed quiet, leaving it to Scarlet to decide what to tell her. She contemplated getting up to scoop a cup of Compo tea from the bucket being passed around, but thought better of it. Her stomach was starting to churn thinking about the wretched taste of it; she preferred the sick feeling of dread over her goodbye to Jack.
‘Ellie, we didn’t want to worry you, but I suppose we were going to have to tell you sooner or later,’ Scarlet admitted. ‘Spencer has had confirmation that we will be travelling to a convent that is at least a day’s drive away. In fact, it could take longer depending on the conditions.’
‘You’re going with him? Both you and Spencer are going?’ Ellie’s voice had raised to a higher pitch now.
‘Yes. I’m going because word has been received that they’ve been hiding and caring for a small number of soldiers. Convents everywhere have. There is a chance Thomas could be among them, although I’m not counting my chickens yet.’
Lucy thought Scarlet sounded more and more as if she were trying to convince herself that she wanted to see Thomas, or maybe that was just her reading too much into it. The poor girl was probably terrified of what state he might be in after all this time.
‘Thomas? Thomas could be there and you kept this from me?’ Ellie shrilled.
Lucy wished she could help Scarlet out, but she didn’t know what to say. She decided to try. ‘Spencer didn’t want to worry you, and neither did Scarlet. I only found out because Spencer had enquired about me joining them. He didn’t get permission to take another nurse, though, so I’m staying put.’
‘Which is why I now know more about Lucy’s time nursing before we met her,’ Scarlet finished.
‘You’re both leaving me?’ Ellie asked in a low voice.
‘I need to do everything I can to find Thomas,’ Scarlet said. ‘You know I do.’
‘I feel sick,’ Ellie complained, pulling her blanket up higher and lying down.
‘Ellie, please,’ Lucy said, reaching for her.
‘No, I mean I actually feel sick. I’ve been nauseous all day and it’s starting to get worse.’
‘I hope you aren’t getting the stomach flu or some awful virus,’ Lucy said, leaning over her to place a hand to her forehead. ‘You’re not burning up, though, which is good.’
‘I haven’t heard of anything going around,’ Scarlet said, before suddenly looking wide-eyed at Lucy.
Lucy mouthed, What? She wasn’t sure what Scarlet was silently trying to tell her. Scarlet dropped a hand to her belly and patted it, but Lucy still had no clue.
‘Um, sweetheart, the afternoon you spent with Spencer . . .’
Lucy sat bolt upright then, knowing exactly what Scarlet had been hinting at. If she hadn’t been so preoccupied with her own thoughts she’d have put two and two together herself.
‘Oh, that’ll make me forget the nasties,’ Ellie said with a giggle.
‘Ellie, I think what Scarlet is trying to say is that, well, you might be . . .’ She looked at Scarlet again. ‘Pregnant.’
Ellie fell silent. She didn’t move. Then she sat up, staring down at her stomach.
‘No!’
Lucy didn’t know whether to laugh or cry for her, so she kept a straight face. This had definitely taken her mind off Jack.
‘Don’t go worrying yet,’ she told her. ‘If you are, well then there’s nothing you can do about it anyway. And if you are?’ She grinned. ‘I’m godmother!’
‘No!’ Scarlet thumped her on the arm. ‘I’m the one who needs a little baby to cuddle and squish. I’m godmother for sure.’
Ellie shook her head, but Lucy could see the little smile hiding on her lips. ‘You really think . . . ?’
Lucy raised her brows and she grinned at Scarlet as they both looked back at Ellie.
Ellie groaned. ‘I’ve been around pregnant women and babies my whole life. How did I not think about this when I started feeling sick this morning? I don’t want to be one of the women sent home for getting pregnant!’