Read Online Connie’s Courage by Annie Groves - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Annie Groves
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great deal of thought had been given to the needs of the nursing staff. Thus, the hospital was linked to the nursesâ home by a tunnel, which saved the nurses having to go out in inclement weather. As well as their rooms, the nurses had been provided with a proper dining room, plus a recreation room, which they could use in their off-duty hours.
âAt least they feed us properly here,â Josie commented, as they filed out into the corridor.
âProperly! Is that what you call it? Iâm sick to me stomach of stew and steamed pudding!â Vera announced in disgust. âIâd give half a weekâs wages for a decent pork pie and a glass of porter.â
âWell, weâve all got an evening off on Saturday,â Mavis reminded them, adding with a sigh, âI was hoping we might get the whole afternoon, then I could have taken the tram down to the pier, and got baggage ferry across to New Brighton, to see my mother and my sister.â
âOoh, New Brighton!â Josie exclaimed excitedly. âTheyâve got ever such a good pier there. Me auntie took us once.â
âWell, since weâre all off together, why donât the four of us tek ourselves out for a bit of jollity,â Vera announced.
âWe could go to a music hall! Connie joined in excitedly.
She had never forgotten the magical occasion on which Kieron had taken her to a music hall in the early days of their romance. She had been entranced by everything about the evening; the singing; the comedian, but most of all the excitement and fun of being amongst people who were determined to have a good time.
âOh, yes,â Josie agreed eagerly. âWe could go to the Majestic, Marie Lloyd might be there.
The mention of the famous singer made them all sigh a little enviously.
âWe always go to the Christmas panto at the Royal Court, but Iâve never been to a music hall,â Mavis joined in wistfully.
âYou ll love it, Connie assured her.
âI canât wait, Josie wriggled with anticipation. âWhich one do you think will be best, Vera, the Majestic or the Empire?
âThe Majestic!â Vera pronounced firmly. âThatâs where me mam and dad allus go. They took me with them a few months back, and there was this singer. He was that handsome he made me come over all of a quiver!
The saucy smile Vera gave as she extolled the virtues of the male singer made the other three laugh, and, within minutes, they were excitedly making plans for their evening out.
Looking forward to the fun which lay ahead of them helped to ease the hard work of scrubbingward floors, cleaning the sinks and washrooms, and all the other drudgery that seemed to constitute their daily lives.
Not that they didnât have some contact with the patients. When she heard Josie complaining about the women on her ward, Connie felt pleased that she was working on one of the male wards.
âNot that some of them arenât hard work, if you know what I mean,â she confided darkly to the three, over breakfast one morning. âI overheard Sister telling one of them off for trying to show her his you know what!
Mavis went slightly pink, but a certain earthy heartiness was part and parcel of what they were learning, and even she laughed and admitted that she had heard that some of the male patients liked upsetting the probationers by behaving in an ungentlemanly fashion.
The Saturday of their outing to the music hall, Connie arrived back in their room a few minutes after the others, complaining, âIâve spent all afternoon winding bandages. My fingers feel as though theyâve gone numb!
âYouâd better get a move on, else weâre going to be late, Josie warned her. âWeâre all ready!
Grumbling, Connie hurried through her own toilette, trying not to feel too envious of the smart new dress that Vera was wearing.
âCan I have a spray of your gardenia scent, Vera?â
she
âAt least they feed us properly here,â Josie commented, as they filed out into the corridor.
âProperly! Is that what you call it? Iâm sick to me stomach of stew and steamed pudding!â Vera announced in disgust. âIâd give half a weekâs wages for a decent pork pie and a glass of porter.â
âWell, weâve all got an evening off on Saturday,â Mavis reminded them, adding with a sigh, âI was hoping we might get the whole afternoon, then I could have taken the tram down to the pier, and got baggage ferry across to New Brighton, to see my mother and my sister.â
âOoh, New Brighton!â Josie exclaimed excitedly. âTheyâve got ever such a good pier there. Me auntie took us once.â
âWell, since weâre all off together, why donât the four of us tek ourselves out for a bit of jollity,â Vera announced.
âWe could go to a music hall! Connie joined in excitedly.
She had never forgotten the magical occasion on which Kieron had taken her to a music hall in the early days of their romance. She had been entranced by everything about the evening; the singing; the comedian, but most of all the excitement and fun of being amongst people who were determined to have a good time.
âOh, yes,â Josie agreed eagerly. âWe could go to the Majestic, Marie Lloyd might be there.
The mention of the famous singer made them all sigh a little enviously.
âWe always go to the Christmas panto at the Royal Court, but Iâve never been to a music hall,â Mavis joined in wistfully.
âYou ll love it, Connie assured her.
âI canât wait, Josie wriggled with anticipation. âWhich one do you think will be best, Vera, the Majestic or the Empire?
âThe Majestic!â Vera pronounced firmly. âThatâs where me mam and dad allus go. They took me with them a few months back, and there was this singer. He was that handsome he made me come over all of a quiver!
The saucy smile Vera gave as she extolled the virtues of the male singer made the other three laugh, and, within minutes, they were excitedly making plans for their evening out.
Looking forward to the fun which lay ahead of them helped to ease the hard work of scrubbingward floors, cleaning the sinks and washrooms, and all the other drudgery that seemed to constitute their daily lives.
Not that they didnât have some contact with the patients. When she heard Josie complaining about the women on her ward, Connie felt pleased that she was working on one of the male wards.
âNot that some of them arenât hard work, if you know what I mean,â she confided darkly to the three, over breakfast one morning. âI overheard Sister telling one of them off for trying to show her his you know what!
Mavis went slightly pink, but a certain earthy heartiness was part and parcel of what they were learning, and even she laughed and admitted that she had heard that some of the male patients liked upsetting the probationers by behaving in an ungentlemanly fashion.
The Saturday of their outing to the music hall, Connie arrived back in their room a few minutes after the others, complaining, âIâve spent all afternoon winding bandages. My fingers feel as though theyâve gone numb!
âYouâd better get a move on, else weâre going to be late, Josie warned her. âWeâre all ready!
Grumbling, Connie hurried through her own toilette, trying not to feel too envious of the smart new dress that Vera was wearing.
âCan I have a spray of your gardenia scent, Vera?â
she
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