The Beekeeper's War, page 6
‘Thank you, Captain. I’m glad to see you back here again.’ She glanced at Monty and noticed he was giving Jack a questioning look. ‘Major Ashbury is happy to have you back here again with us too, aren’t you, Major?’
‘I certainly am, Nurse. I was beginning to think he had forgotten me.’
Jack laughed. It was a deep baritone that made her pulse race. ‘I can’t imagine that ever happening, even if I wanted it to.’
She gave him one last smile and then wheeled the trolley out of the ward, leaving them to their reunion.
Later, as she was sorting clean kidney bowls in the sluice room, the door opened behind her. Thinking it was one of her fellow nurses, she joked, ‘I spend so much time in here I’m beginning to think I should have chosen a different occupation as my contribution to the war effort.’
‘And what might you have chosen instead?’ Jack asked.
Shocked to hear his voice behind her, Pru dropped the bowl into the porcelain sink. The clatter was so loud she was frightened Matron or one of the nursing sisters might hear and feel the need to come in and check on her. She spun on her heels to face him.
‘Captain? What are you doing here? This room is out of bounds to visitors.’
He stepped back into the hallway. ‘I’m sorry, I should have realised. I didn’t mean to startle you.’ He raised his hands to calm her. ‘I’ll go.’ He turned to leave.
Panicked that he might leave and be gone for another few months, Pru hurriedly wiped her hands on a nearby towel. ‘No. Wait. Please don’t go yet.’
He immediately stilled and turned back to her, eyebrows raised. ‘You’re happy for me to stay?’
She stepped past him and peered out into the hall, looking both ways. ‘You’d better come in,’ she said, taking hold of his sleeve and pulling him gently inside. Flustered to be alone with him, yet not daring to let him leave before he had shared what he had come to tell her, Pru worried that she had acted against her better judgement. Still, she closed the door quietly behind her.
He seemed bemused by her behaviour and she wasn’t at all surprised. What was wrong with her? Ever since she had met this man, her mind seemed to falter when she was in his presence.
She cleared her throat and thought she’d better try to rectify the situation. ‘You shouldn’t be in here, but I’m curious to know what you’ve come to tell me.’
‘I see.’ He didn’t speak for a few seconds and she wondered if maybe after witnessing her acting so foolishly he had changed his mind about talking to her.
‘Captain?’
‘Right. I, er, was hoping to speak to you alone.’
‘You were?’
He opened his mouth to reply when Pru heard footsteps and voices and raised a finger to his mouth, instantly wishing she hadn’t when the touch of his lips against her skin sent shivers through her. They were firm but soft and she was mesmerised by them. She realised she had startled him, and was again relieved when his expression softened and his eyes glinted in amusement.
They stood in a still, apprehensive silence. Pru listened, her finger still resting on his lips, and their eyes locked. She willed whoever was in the hallway to keep walking and not enter the room. She was aware that being alone in a small room like this with a man she barely knew, or even one she did know, simply wasn’t something that would be tolerated. She would almost certainly lose her job if she was caught.
The footsteps kept going and Pru exhaled slowly. ‘Thank heavens for that,’ she said breathlessly as she lowered her hand from his face.
‘Are you all right, Nurse?’
‘I will be once I gather myself,’ she said, aware that her erratic behaviour was brought about mostly by his presence rather than the thought of being in trouble. ‘That was a bit scary.’
He frowned. ‘I’m a fool for coming after you like this. I should have known it wasn’t the way to go about things. I’m sorry for putting you in this difficult position.’
‘It’s perfectly fine,’ she said, excited by the strange and unexpected experience of being alone with him. ‘Now, maybe you should tell me what it is that’s on your mind and I can check the hallway again to make sure it’s completely clear before you go on your way.’
He rubbed his hands together and for the first time seemed unsure of himself. The difference in him made Pru want to smile, but she didn’t dare put him off speaking. ‘I was hoping to talk to you about something.’
‘Go on.’ She watched him as he thought through what he wanted to say.
‘I wondered if you might agree to come out to dinner with me.’ He looked down at his feet and then back into her eyes. ‘Sometime soon.’
Delighted, she had to force herself to think. ‘How soon exactly?’
‘Tonight? Tomorrow, if you’d prefer?’ He shrugged. ‘Whenever suits you best, I guess.’
Her mind raced. He wanted her to go out with him? Alone? She would have loved to see him that night but knew it would be wrong to act too eager. ‘I’m busy tonight,’ she said, aware that the only thing she would be doing was washing her hair, finishing her mending or catching up with overdue correspondence to her parents. Not wishing to miss out on the opportunity or give him a chance to change his mind, she thought quickly. ‘I can be free tomorrow evening though.’
His shoulders relaxed and for the first time she noticed he had been tense. Surely he wasn’t as flustered in her presence as she was in his? Could he be? ‘That’s great. I have something I wish to discuss with you. Shall I collect you at seven?’
What could he possibly need to speak to her about, she wondered. She supposed she would have to wait and see. At least if he met her at seven she would have enough time after her shift to wash, change and do a little something with her hair. ‘That’s perfect,’ she said, trying her best to sound as if this wasn’t the enormous event that it was to her. She wished she had a newer dress to wear than the one hanging in her locker, but unfortunately she didn’t have room for anything other than the essentials in her small sleeping area, and one dress was all they could reasonably fit in with their outer clothes and uniforms.
‘Good.’
‘Right.’ She realised she should show him out of the small room. ‘I’d better have a peek in the hallway so you can leave without anyone catching you. It would be more than my life is worth for Matron to catch you in here with me.’
‘Yes, I’m sorry again about putting you in this predicament.’
‘Please, don’t worry.’ She opened the door and seeing Milly and another nurse crossing from one room to the other to the right of her, stepped back and hurriedly closed the sluice room door as quietly as she could once again. ‘The coast isn’t quite clear yet.’
‘This would be fun if there wasn’t the chance you might get into trouble,’ he whispered, smiling at her.
‘It would,’ she admitted, her body tingling with excitement. ‘Do you have an idea where you’ll be taking me tomorrow?’ she whispered, unable to help herself.
He tapped the side of his nose with a finger. ‘I’m not certain yet, but I have an idea.’
‘That sounds delightful,’ she said, knowing she would be happy with anywhere he chose. She opened the door to check the hallway a second time and leaned out slightly, unsure if she was relieved or not to find it was clear. ‘It’s fine,’ she said, moving back slightly to give him space to leave. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow at seven.’
He gave her a brief smile. ‘See you then.’ He left the room with a backward glance and Pru closed the door quietly behind him.
She leaned against the closed door and willed her racing heart to calm down. What on earth had just happened? She rubbed her face with her hands. Then, remembering she was supposed to be washing out the kidney bowls, she reached out and turned on the hot tap to fill the sink. She lowered her hands into the warm water and exhaled sharply. She was going out on a date with Captain Garland. Could it be possible that he liked her as much as she did him? She certainly hoped so.
Seven
Pru
June 1917
‘Are you certain I look smart enough?’ Pru asked, crouching slightly in front of the small mirror they had propped up on a bookcase and checking that her hair looked as neat as possible. Standing up straight again, she twisted to the left, looking over her shoulder at how the dress gathered at her lower back.
‘Yes.’ Jean handed Pru her jacket. ‘Here, borrow this.’
‘Are you sure? You love this jacket.’ Pru draped the dark blue jacket over her bare shoulders.
‘You look perfect. Anyway, where am I going to be able to wear this? One of us may as well get the benefit of it.’
Pru smoothed down the front of the thin woollen jacket. ‘It’s lovely, Jean. Thank you ever so much. I’ll take very good care of it.’
Jean laughed as she picked up Pru’s bag and handed it to her. ‘You’d better. Now, get a move on otherwise he’ll think you’ve changed your mind and aren’t coming. I’ll see you later.’ She pointed at Pru. ‘If I’m asleep, make sure you wake me. I want to know everything.’
Pru laughed. ‘I’ll do no such thing. You need your sleep. I’ll speak to you in the morning.’
She was going to be late if she didn’t do as Jean suggested and hurry. She leaned forward and gave Jean a kiss on the cheek. ‘Thanks again for helping me get ready. I think my nerves would have got the better of me if I’d done it alone.’
‘You look gorgeous and that’s all you need to think about.’ Jean opened their door. ‘Now, go!’
Pru took a steadying breath as she hurried along the corridor and down the back stairs. Her excitement gave way to nerves as she wondered what she might talk to him about. Then she remembered he had said he wanted to speak to her about something. But what? Maybe it was something to do with Monty? Her stomach seemed filled with butterflies at the thought of running out of conversation and boring Jack. She would simply have to do her best.
Pru had forgotten just how long it took her to get from her dormitory to the opposite side of the large manor house, and when she reached the side door she stopped to let her breathing calm slightly. She patted her hair, which Jean had helped her put up with quite a few pins. Pru wished she had the courage to cut her long hair into a bob as Milly had recently done with her bright chestnut hair. Several other nurses had already copied her and Pru thought they all looked stunning. She was sure it must be easier to keep short hair; it would certainly be quicker to wash and dry it.
She stared at the door and tried to relax. Hopefully he was already waiting for her. The thought of being in his presence again excited her and unnerved her at the same time. He was unlike anyone else she had ever met and she couldn’t help feeling a little shocked by the strength of her attraction to him. All she needed to do, she told herself, was to try and not show how daunted she was by him. She had spoken to Jack several times now and he had always been pleasant, but this time they were spending an entire evening alone. She took a calming breath, opened the door and stepped outside.
She had expected to have to walk round to the front of the house, where she presumed Jack would be waiting, but he was right in front of her near the side door steps. Seeing him took her aback slightly. ‘Oh.’
‘I didn’t mean to surprise you,’ he said apologetically. ‘It’s a dark night and I thought I’d do the gentlemanly thing and come to greet you and accompany you to the car.’
She stepped forward and immediately slipped on a small stone. Jack was next to her in a moment and, grabbing hold of her arm, stopped her from falling. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Yes, thank you.’ She could sense her cheeks reddening at the embarrassing display, and was relieved it was too dark for him to notice. ‘It seems you were right to come and fetch me. I haven’t worn heels for such a long time, I think I must have lost the knack.’
‘Then I’m glad I did.’ They walked for a few steps. ‘I have no idea how you ladies manage in those shoes; they can’t be easy to get used to.’
‘These aren’t too high, thankfully,’ she said, relaxing slightly. ‘I think they’re probably my limit though.’
Once they reached his car, he opened the door and, taking her hand, helped her up into the vehicle. Pru stroked the soft blood-red leather seat and pulled the collar of the jacket tighter around her neck. She hadn’t expected it to be as cool as it was this evening after the warm day.
‘This is a lovely motor car,’ she said, starting to feel less intimidated by him now that their evening was underway.
‘It’s not mine, unfortunately. I’ve borrowed it from a friend,’ he said from the front of the vehicle before bending to turn a handle and crank the motor. He quickly got into the driver’s seat, let off the handbrake and they began moving down the driveway. ‘Enjoying yourself yet?’
‘Very much so.’
‘I wasn’t sure if you’d agree to accompany me tonight, but I’m glad you did.’
‘Thank you. It’s rather nice being out, for once,’ she admitted. ‘I usually spend my evenings with Jean and Milly. We share a room.’
‘That sounds like fun.’ He changed gears and smiled at her. ‘Are you enjoying living and working at Ashbury Manor?’
‘I am,’ she admitted, wishing the vehicle was a little warmer. ‘Very much. In fact, I think we all are.’
‘I can sense a but.’
There was. ‘It’s exciting living away from home but I do miss my family sometimes.’ She didn’t want him to get the wrong impression and think she didn’t appreciate Monty’s family home. ‘I love Ashbury Manor though. It’s very beautiful, don’t you think?’
‘I know what you mean about missing family; I do too. I would love for my mother to be able to visit,’ he said. ‘I’m certain she’d be enchanted by Ashbury Manor. She’s a huge fan of history and loves reading British historical fiction.’
‘She is?’ Pru pictured the row of Jane Austen novels lined up in her small bookcase in her bedroom at home. ‘Does she have a favourite author?’
‘She does.’ He gave her question some thought. ‘That’s right, it’s Jane Austen. She has all her books, and growing up I wasn’t allowed to touch them. Not that I recall ever wishing to do so.’
Intrigued, Pru asked, ‘Does she have a favourite?’
‘Sorry?’
‘A favourite Jane Austen novel.’ Pru knew it probably wasn’t the conversation he had imagined having when he had asked her out, but she was glad to have something to ask him that didn’t show her ignorance about what he did. ‘Which one does she like best, do you know? Mine is Pride and Prejudice, closely followed by Sense and Sensibility.’
He gave her a knowing smile. ‘Ahh, yes. I gather there’s something magical about those books, or so my mother insists each time one of us catches her re-reading one of them.’
Aware that he hadn’t answered her question, and always intrigued to hear the favourites of other Austen fans, Pru asked again. ‘And her favourite?’
‘She does have one in particular.’ He frowned thoughtfully. ‘I can’t recall what it is though. Name some other books by that author.’
‘Mansfield Park.’
‘Not that one.’
‘Northanger Abbey, maybe?’
‘Er, no.’
‘I know. It has to be Persuasion.’
‘No. I think it’s a woman’s name maybe.’
‘Emma,’ she said triumphantly, shivering in the cold. ‘Is it Emma?’
He turned and gave her a beaming smile that made her insides clench and heart race. ‘That’s the one.’
‘It’s a wonderful book. Funny and clever.’
‘I do miss her. My mother, that is.’ He glanced at Pru briefly before turning his attention back to the road. ‘I don’t miss her reading passages from her books to me and my brother though.’ He laughed. ‘You two would get along.’
Pru was delighted he thought so, not that she could ever imagine meeting the woman, she thought sadly. ‘We already have a shared taste in books,’ she said, blushing slightly and thinking that they also both had feelings for Jack, albeit very different ones.
She was getting a little ahead of herself and was happy he didn’t know what she was thinking. They were only going out for something to eat, after all. ‘She must miss you very much,’ she said, attempting to bring the conversation back to a less personal level.
‘She does, but she has my older brother to keep her company. Although now the States has entered this war, I’m almost certain he’ll enlist.’ He slowed and turned into a small car park to the side of a Victorian country house. ‘Here we go. I hope you like the restaurant. The food is superb; at least it was the last time I came here several years ago. I recall they have an excellent fireplace and I’m sure there’ll be a decent fire tonight that should warm us up after that drive.’
‘That sounds perfect,’ she said, trying to keep her teeth from chattering. It was colder than she had expected for a June evening.
He parked the car and together they walked into the smart entrance with high ceilings and a sparkling chandelier.
Thankfully, they were close enough to the roaring fire to be slowly warmed up, and Pru smiled at Jack as they settled into their seats. Her heart skipped a beat and she knew she was in serious danger of falling deeply in love with this handsome man. ‘Thank you for inviting me here tonight. It was very kind of you.’
‘It’s my pleasure,’ he replied, his eyes boring into hers for a few seconds before he seemed to snap out of his reverie. ‘Although,’ he said, looking slightly uncomfortable, ‘I did have a reason for doing so.’ He grimaced, and Pru could see he had realised how insulting that sounded. ‘That came out rather clumsily,’ he said. ‘I did want to take you out for dinner to spend time with you.’
‘But you also had an ulterior motive,’ she added, trying not to mind.
‘I suppose so.’ He closed his eyes and shook his head quickly. ‘Sorry. That didn’t sound how I meant it either.’
Pru wasn’t in the least offended. In fact, his awkwardness calmed her. It reminded her that he might be devastatingly handsome with a deep voice that stirred emotions in her she never knew existed, but he was also only human. She struggled to contain her amusement. ‘It’s fine, truly. You did say you wanted to speak to me about something when we were in the sluice room.’
