Tilly looked around the dance hall. She realised that she had caused quite a scene. The band had stopped playing and the interlopers were being ejected from the hall. Tilly thanked Jonathan and the other young men who had come to her aid. The fight spoiled the dance really and, even after Mather and his gatecrasher friends had left, the atmosphere didn’t return. Tilly and Fliss decided to call it a night and go home. Jonathan and his friend offered to escort them back to the nurses’ home andthey accepted. They felt a bit safer knowing that they weren’t alone. It was a good thing that they did, for they didn’t notice at the time but they were being followed. By following them in that way Mather was trying to make them feel threatened, but one long stare in his direction from Jonathan made him back off.
When she reported for duty the following morning, Tilly had decided to put it all behind her and forget about the incident. She focused on the more enjoyable parts of the evening, dancing with Jonathan Burrows being the highlight. She was surprised, then, when she was called into Matron’s office later in the day and found herself faced with a disciplinary meeting.
‘It has come to my attention that your behaviour at the dance social last night fell short of our expectations from our trainee nurses,’ Matron said, with a stern look on her face. ‘I have been reliably informed that you were in the centre of what can only be described as a bar-room brawl.’ Matron scowled. ‘I must remind you that you are an ambassador for the Royal when you are at any social event outside the hospital. You are confined to the nurses’ quarters for the next two weeks and your conduct will be monitored. If such behaviour is observed again, then you may be at risk of losing your place as a trainee nurse.’
Tilly was furious. She suspected Deirdre may have been the one to report her.
Chapter 13
Ronnie had been reading a letter from Tilly. It was a rambling series of events that involved her best friend, Fliss, who seemed to be leading Tilly astray and encouraging her to do all sorts of things that she described as adventures and he suspected might be distracting her from her studies. There was also mention of an attractive doctor. So, she had made some discoveries about junior doctors after all. But then, who was he to criticise? His relationship with Sarah had taken up a great deal of his time and attention recently too. What with his work and his visits to East Cowes, he realised that he hadn’t spent much time at home. He hadn’t even introduced Dot and Amelia to Sarah yet. They had been extremely restrained in not prying too much and Ronnie had appreciated that, but he thought it was time that they met her. They would then realise how serious he was about their future together.
Ronnie mentioned this the following morning at breakfast and no sooner had the matter been raised than a time was arranged.
‘We thought you’d never get around to it,’ Dot said.
‘Now, I’ll get on and put pen to paper, and then you can pass the invitation on to her. We’ll ask her to come next weekend. How’s that?’ Amelia added.
‘That’s wonderful. Before you meet, though, I should tell you something. Sarah is having a difficult time with her husband. He doesn’t want to give her a divorce. Sarah is frightened of him. He’s heavy-handed and has a short temper. He’s been known to be physically violent towards her,’ Ronnie said.
‘I don’t like the sound of that,’ Dot said. ‘If he finds out about you, Ronnie, that could be extremely difficult, if not dangerous, for both of you.’
Ronnie agreed. ‘That’s why we have to tread very carefully.’
‘But if he’s violent, as you say,’ Dot asked. ‘Surely that’s grounds for divorce?’
‘Thankfully that is now, I believe, the case,’ Amelia explained. ‘The law has changed recently, more in favour of the woman. Sarah might find that the police are readier to listen to the woman’s point of view and domestic violence is now grounds for divorce. What she needs is legal representation.’
‘But that will take time to organise,’ Dot added. ‘Sarah can’t afford to wait. She needs help now and, as far as I see it, the best way we can help her is to remove her from this dreadful situation while something can be done. We need to get her away from him before he hurts her and her son really badly.’
‘And you need help too, Ronnie. You can’t fight him on your own. You need the law on your side,’ Amelia said.
‘But what can we do?’ Ronnie asked.
‘Give us time and I’m sure we can come up with a solution,’ Amelia said.
* * *
As soon as the time could be arranged, Sarah and Anthony were invited for afternoon tea. Ronnie met Sarah and Anthony off the bus and escorted them to the School House. He opened the front door and called out, ‘We’re here.’
Amelia and Dot came rushing through from the kitchen.
‘Welcome, welcome,’ Amelia said. ‘Do come in. Pleased to meet you. I’m Amelia and this is Dot. We’ve heard so much about you, Sarah, and this must be little Anthony.’
‘Not so little. You’re a tall boy, Anthony, for three years old or is it four?’ Dot asked.
‘He’s almost four,’ Sarah replied.
‘Here, let me take your coats. We’ve lit the fire in the lounge; it’s cosy in there.’
Sarah looked nervously at Ronnie, who smiled reassuringly back at her. Sarah glanced around at the well-appointed room and noticed the paintings on the walls and the large mirror above the mantelpiece. A black-and-gold clock ticked away rhythmically beneath it.
Dot invited them to sit down, and offered Anthony a cake and smiled at him.
‘You know the way to get a child’s attention,’ Sarah said. ‘But then, you’re both teachers so you have plenty of experience.’
Amelia brought in the tea tray and poured while Dot passed Sarah the finely cut sandwiches.
‘I’ve made egg and cress for Anthony. I hope he likes that,’ Dot said. ‘Or there’s ham if he would prefer.’
