Read Online Nightingales at War by Donna Douglas - Free Book Online

But it was enough for Eve to build up a mental picture of her.
    And in her mind, the smiling, dark-haired young woman looked exactly like Jennifer Caldwell.

Chapter Seven
    KATHLEEN FOX AND Veronica Hanley stood motionless side by side in the office, their gaze fixed on the wireless as they listened in silence to the broadcast from Westminster Abbey. The Archbishop of Canterbury’s voice was grave as he intoned the prayers ‘for our soldiers in peril’. It was strange to think that the very same prayer was being said in churches all around the country.
    The broadcast came to a close and Kathleen raised her gaze to look at Miss Hanley. The Assistant Matron’s square-jawed face was rigid.
    ‘Those poor men,’ she murmured.
    ‘Indeed, Miss Hanley.’ For once they were in agreement.
    Up until that morning, they had received little news of what was happening to their troops in France. But then they had woken to find that the Germans had driven the British Expeditionary Force back to the coast of northern France. Thousands of soldiers were now cornered on the beach at Dunkirk, fighting for their lives as they desperately awaited evacuation.
    ‘In peril’ must be putting it mildly, Kathleen thought. She couldn’t imagine what the government was doing about it, but the situation must be hopeless indeed if the King himself was on his knees, praying for their salvation.
    ‘We should prepare ourselves to receive casualties,’ she said.
    ‘But surely they will go to military hospitals, Matron?’
    Kathleen looked at her assistant’s bemused face. Miss Hanley clearly hadn’t grasped the scale of the problem at all. ‘I daresay the military hospitals will take all they can,’ she agreed. ‘But we are talking about thousands of injured men, Miss Hanley. Far beyond the capacity of the military establishments.’
    ‘Surely not, Matron?’ Miss Hanley said briskly. ‘The British forces will prevail. They must!’
    Kathleen wondered if Veronica Hanley had been listening to the radio broadcast at all. She looked so utterly sure of herself as she stood there, bristling with self-righteousness. Had Miss Hanley been on that beach at Dunkirk, Kathleen felt sure she would never have taken shelter or feared for her life. She would have been leading a last, desperate charge against the Germans.
    ‘Nevertheless, I think we should prepare ourselves,’ Kathleen said quietly.
    Before Miss Hanley could reply, there was a knock on the door and James Cooper strode in. Previously a consultant at the hospital, he had taken over as the Nightingale’s Senior Surgical Officer when the war started.
    ‘Have you heard the news?’ he asked.
    Kathleen nodded. ‘We were just discussing it.’
    ‘I’ve just spoken to the Area Medical Officer on the telephone, and he’s asked that we ready ourselves to receive casualties within the next twenty-four hours.’
    Kathleen sent Miss Hanley a sideways glance. ‘How many casualties should we expect?’
    ‘Around forty. Possibly more. We can take them, can’t we?’ Mr Cooper asked.
    Kathleen took a deep breath. ‘Of course,’ she said. ‘We have Holmes and Peel wards standing empty for just such an emergency. All we’ll need to do is reallocate nurses—’
    Miss Hanley cleared her throat loudly. ‘Excuse me, Matron, but have you forgotten Holmes and Peel are both currently being decorated?’ she reminded her.
    Kathleen’s heart sank. Why hadn’t she remembered that? Mr Brewer and his men had moved in on Friday, clattering up the stairs with ladders and paintbrushes.
    ‘Surely they’re not both out of commission at the same time?’ James Cooper looked irritated.
    ‘I’m afraid so, Doctor,’ Miss Hanley said.
    ‘But whose idea was that?’
    Kathleen caught her assistant’s smug look. ‘It was my decision,’ she admitted.
    ‘Matron thought it would save time,’ Miss Hanley added.
    James Cooper sighed. ‘That’s a nuisance, I must say. But we’ll just have to do the best with