Home Front Nurse: An emotional first world war saga full of hope. Rosie James

uniform …

      But before that, next week, she must start working at the hotel, and the idea didn’t appeal. It seemed such a waste of time when she could be starting on her proper career. But as Miss Kingston had advised, Angelina must be patient. She was still very young – perhaps too young – for St Thomas’s to take her.

      Angelina narrowed her eyes at her own thoughts. Just you wait, St Thomas’s. However hard you try, you won’t keep Angelina Green away. Not for long.

       Chapter 6

      It was Friday a few weeks later, and at six o’clock the salon was about to close for the day. Angelina was waiting outside to walk back home with Ruby. Angelina’s hours at the hotel varied, and this week, she had finished early each day.

      Presently, Ruby emerged. She ran over to Angelina, and they started walking back home.

      ‘I was given three tips today, Angelina’ Ruby exclaimed. ‘Three! At this rate we are going to be rich!’

      ‘Well, people don’t give tips unless they are pleased with you,’ Angelina said, ‘so you must be doing everything right – as I always knew you would.’

      ‘But I don’t think I’ll be allowed to do any shampooing and setting,’ Ruby said. ‘I mean, I knew I would be expected to sweep up and do chores, but now I speak to clients all the time – and they seem to like talking to me. Often, when I take them their tea, it’s hard to get away! I don’t want Mrs Walker to think I’m wasting time because she is so kind to me. She’s even said she would teach me to do perms if I liked, but I don’t think I will ever be as clever as she is. Imagine cutting hair with those sharp scissors! Whatever would I do if I took too much off! I couldn’t put it back on again, could I!’

      Angelina laughed. ‘That could certainly be difficult,’ she said, ‘but you are doing brilliantly, Ruby, you really are. The best thing is, you are happy there, aren’t you? You do look forward to going to work every day, don’t you?’

      Ruby didn’t hesitate. ‘I never thought I could be as happy as this – being away from the Garfield, I mean. Especially when Mrs Walker’s husband sometimes pops in to bring fresh doughnuts for us to have in our tea break!’

      Angelina looked at Ruby fondly, thinking how different it could have been if things had gone badly at the salon. Ruby’s early life had left her with so many physical and emotional bruises she couldn’t have taken much more.

      ‘And have you had a good day too?’ Ruby enquired.

      Angelina made a face. ‘As good as it will ever get, I think,’ she said. ‘It’s not difficult work, of course, it’s just boring! I’m not learning anything I didn’t know before, and the woman in charge downstairs doesn’t seem to like me one bit. She follows me around, checking up on whatever I’m doing, and it puts me on edge.’ Angelina sighed. ‘It’s a good job that hotel work was only ever going to be a stop-gap until I become a nurse – unless the hospital doesn’t think I’m good enough after all,’ she added.

      It was Ruby’s turn to do the encouraging. ‘Of course they won’t think that, Angelina,’ she said. ‘They’ll see straightaway that you are going to be a wonderful nurse! Look how you took care of me when I had all my funny attacks, and then when you were called to the sick room when some of us were all poorly at the same time! Everyone wanted you, Angelina, you know they did.’