Archie’s mother appeared, wiping her hands on her apron. Her round face settled on her double chin and her eyes fixed Kate’s. Her smile made the creases between her eyebrows flatten and Kate could see that, in her youth, she had probably been quite attractive.
‘Pleased to meet you at long last, Kate,’ she said, extending her hand.
‘Pleased to meet you too, Mrs Mabbs,’ Kate replied.
‘Archie, take Kate into the sitting room while I fetch the tea tray,’ Archie’s mother said.
‘Please make yourself at home.’
Archie’s mother laid on a special tea, neatly cut egg sandwiches, scones and jam and, in pride of place, a Victoria sponge. The tiny sitting room was crowded with furniture but everything was neat and tidy and a smell of polish permeated the air. Kate kept the conversation lively so that worries of Archie’s imminent return would not dampen their spirits. She told them all about Micklewell, describing what a free and untroubled childhood she’d had wandering the country lanes and splashing in the streams. She reminisced about how her brother, Fred, had taught her to swim in the river, and how much she missed seeing her baby brother, Henry, grow.
Mrs Mabbs smiled and smiled all the way through the hour or so she was there and talked of happier days when Archie’s father was still alive.
‘He was a cab driver,’ she said. ‘Loved the horses, he did. Always said that he would move us to the country one day where the air was clean and we could have our own little garden. He would grow vegetables, he said, didn’t he, Archie?’
Archie nodded. He didn’t need to talk much, he told Kate later, ’cos his mum did all the talking for him. He walked her home to Vanburgh House and they said their goodbye. He asked if she would try to look in on his mother occasionally while he was away. Kate said she would.
‘Sh-sh-she’s worried about me, Kate. Y-y-you know, the st-st-st-stutter.’
‘I’ll visit when I can, promise,’ Kate said.
They stood holding onto each other for a long while and Kate kissed him. Now was not the right time to show her doubts. He was going back and, as for every soldier going back, there was no guarantee of a safe return. It did no harm to give him the courage and the hope that he so needed.
‘Look after yourself, Archie,’ she said.
When she looked back he was still standing there. She smiled and waved and went inside.
It would be several weeks before Kate could keep to her promise. The next time she had a Sunday afternoon off Clara asked her to help at the Bethnal Green Hospital, to carry out non-medical duties and so ‘release the nurses to do nurses’ work’, as Clara explained.
‘I’m making a list of women who are prepared to do such work,’ Clara said.
‘Will you help, Kate? I know it’s your only free time but we’re desperate.’
‘Of course, I’ll help,’ Kate replied without hesitation.
She penned a hasty letter to Archie’s mother apologizing and explaining that she’d arrange something as soon as she was ableto and pay her a visit. She hoped that she would understand. Kate was excited about the afternoon with Clara.
‘Now, there are one or two things you need to know before we go, Kate,’ Clara said. ‘Firstly, you must prepare yourself to see some upsetting sights. Some of the men have horrific injuries. There are deep wounds and you will be asked to wash out bloodied clothes and bandages. There are men who have had limbs amputated, some lose their sight. What you are required to do is not to show any signs of fear or disgust. Do you think you can do that? These men have suffered enough without seeing horror mirrored in your eyes. Do you understand me?’
Kate nodded. ‘I quite understand. I can do it. I’m sure I can do it.’
‘Very well then. I will take you for your first introduction to Bethnal Green Hospital this Sunday.’
When Clara said that they would be going on an omnibus to the hospital, Kate felt a little flutter inside. She had never travelled on an omnibus before. They left the house together and boarded the bus. Clara asked Kate if she’d like to travel on the top. Kate was speechless, not just a bus but one that had an upstairs! What an adventure to write home about!
Kate held on to her hat as they began their journey towards Bethnal Green. They were not going so fast that it might have blown away but she wanted to make sure. The lurching movement and the stopping and starting made her hold on to the bar of the seat in front but, once she was settled with both hands securely clamped, she relaxed and took in her surroundings. She hardly spoke to Clara but was amazed at the view from her vantage point, taking in a bird’s eye view of cyclists and pedestrians and seeing across walls into gardens.
‘Bethnal Green Hospital,’ the ticket collector called, and they descended the stairs.
‘Now, Kate,’ Clara explained, ‘I’m not sure what the matron will need you to do but it’s likely that you’ll be asked to do some of the least pleasant tasks. There’ll be bedpans to empty and floors to clean, bed linens to change and sick to clear up.’
‘Not a lot different to what I’m used to then,’ Kate replied.
‘I suppose not.’ Clara smiled.
As they entered the severe looking brick building, she wondered what awaited her and followed Clara silently to the area where the soldiers were being treated.
The Angel of Mercy ward was a long corridor of bed after bed. Nurses were moving amongst the white bundled shapes, under which some men were lying prone and others were sitting up and taking a drink or having their wounds tended to. A strong smell of disinfectant hung in the air, mixed with something sour and unpleasant which was unfamiliar to her. A screen was being pulled across a bed at the far end and there were shouts for assistance. A nurse was placing instruments hurriedly into a tray, a metallic clang accompanying each one.
