The Girls in Blue

by Fenella J Miller

  He carried her out and then, holding her steady with one hand, he pulled the door closed and relocked it. Then he retraced his steps. The two gardeners saw him approaching.

  ‘Miss Hadley has met with an accident. I’m going to take her inside and do what I can but she needs urgent medical attention. Is there a telephone box where one of you could make the necessary phone call?’

  ‘There’s one in the village. I’ve got my bike – I can get there in a jiffy. Dave, you help the gentleman – you know a bit about injuries and such.’

  The speaker dashed off at a creditable speed, leaving him with his companion. ‘I’m Flight Lieutenant Stanton. I was sent to reclaim Miss Hadley. Reinforcements will be arriving to arrest the Hadleys.’

  ‘I’m Jimmy Roberts. Me and Dave have worked here this past five years taking care of the grounds for Mrs DeVere. I’ve never met the new owner.’

  Jimmy removed the dust sheet from a sofa. ‘This is clean enough. I know where there’s a first-aid box. I’ll fetch it and then find some blankets.’

  Oscar was surprised no further questions were asked. Jane had drifted off again. He placed her down carefully and was horrified when he removed his hand to find it bloodstained. He needed to stem the flow immediately.

  His handkerchief would serve but only as a temporary solution. She was too still, too cold, and he feared for her life. He sent up a fervent prayer asking that the Man upstairs would spare her. Jimmy came back with a well-stocked box. With his able assistance Oscar bandaged the gash and was satisfied there would be no further bleeding.

  ‘That cut isn’t deep enough to have done much damage. There must be something else causing her to remain unconscious,’ he said as he examined her head for further injury.

  ‘Sod me, that’s a nasty bruise,’ Jimmy said quietly. ‘I’m going to get some blankets from upstairs.’

  ‘This is a serious injury. I pray to God that there’s no permanent damage been done.’

  ‘So do I, sir, so do I.’ The gardener clattered off, his outdoor boots loud on the wooden floor in the hall.

  Someone came into the room and he spoke without looking round. ‘Good, that was quick…’

  ‘My poor girl – I never meant this to happen.’

  He shot to his feet and turned to face the speaker. This must be Mrs Hadley. As far as he was concerned, she was as guilty as her husband. Her very presence here made her culpable.

  ‘Too late for regret, madam – you will both answer to the authorities for what’s happened today.’

  Belatedly he remembered there had been four people involved in the abduction. Where were the two detectives?

  ‘Where are Hadley’s henchmen?’

  The wretched woman sniffed and dabbed her eyes. ‘One of them was hurt when I inadvertently ran the car into a ditch. Sydney abandoned them on the side of the road. Where is my husband?’

  ‘I dealt with him and he’s unconscious in the shed your daughter was locked in.’

  ‘I hope you killed him. I don’t care what happens to me as long as he can never harm Jane again.’

  Maybe this woman wasn’t quite as evil as her husband after all. Jimmy returned before he could comment and Oscar forgot about her. When they had finished tucking Jane up in a cocoon of warm blankets Mrs Hadley had vanished.

  Had she gone to let her husband out? Then the welcome rattle of crockery on a tray told him his fears were baseless. It didn’t seem right to be drinking tea whilst Jane remained in a stupor. Her mother returned with a basin of hot water and clean cloths.

  She wanted to minister to Jane herself but he didn’t want that woman anywhere near his precious girl. Dave had just returned when the two cars eventually arrived.

  By the time he’d explained to the senior chap, the ambulance had turned up. The drivers were accompanied by a medic. The doctor checked Jane’s vitals and straightened without speaking. Oscar clenched his fists at the man’s grim expression.

  ‘Miss Hadley has a serious head injury. Her pulse is weak. This could go either way.’

  ‘She didn’t recognise Hadley or me.’

  ‘Retrograde amnesia is a common side effect of such an injury. It can be temporary or permanent. Only time will tell.’

  Oscar stood aside as the ambulance drivers transferred her to a stretcher and then, accompanied by the doctor, they carried her out to the waiting vehicle. She was being taken to the hospital in Guildford and as soon as he had petrol for his motorbike, he would follow her there.

  ‘This is a bad business, Flight Lieutenant; even if the poor girl makes it, she’ll be of no further use to us without her memory,’ the Wing Commander said.

  For a moment Oscar was at a loss for words. How could a senior officer say something so crass? He had to be careful what he said next or he would be no use to them either as he would be in the glasshouse for striking an officer.

  ‘What about Hadley and his wife and the two so-called detectives he employed?’

  ‘Another ambulance is on its way to collect Hadley. The local constabulary will take the wife into custody. God knows where exactly the other two were dumped. I’ve got men looking for them now.’

  ‘I don’t suppose either of the cars have a spare can of petrol in the boot, do they, sir?’

  ‘My driver has taken care of that, Stanton. You’ll be required to make a statement in due course. Don’t worry if Hadley dies – there’ll be no charges.’

  ‘I have a week’s furlough and will remain with Miss Hadley at the hospital. Would you be kind enough to let my CO, Squadron Leader Riley at Kenley, know my whereabouts in case I’m needed back before then?’

  ‘Will do, happy to oblige. Means a lot to you, this young lady?’

  ‘Yes, she does. If she’s forgotten me, I’ll just have to start again. I won’t give up on her.’

  ‘Good man. Mind you, could be tricky if her father dies. If she doesn’t recall the circumstances, she might not take too kindly to the man who killed him.’

  Oscar turned his back on the idiot and marched out. The motorbike was now on its stand outside the front of the house. He pulled on his greatcoat, gloves and goggles, kicked the bike into life and roared off.

  He refused to even contemplate the idea that Jane might die. She would recover – she had been concussed before and got over it. The bike swerved and he almost pitched headfirst over the handlebars. They didn’t know she’d had a previous head injury a few months ago. This knowledge might well be crucial.

  He increased his speed and was at the hospital not long after the ambulance. He made his way to the emergency department and found a man in a white coat. He told him about Jane’s previous accident and the medic nodded gravely.

  ‘Thank you, that would explain why a relatively mild blow to the head has put her into a coma. I’m afraid there’s nothing we can do apart from wait and pray.’

  Oscar had to hang about for an hour or more before he was allowed into the side room where she’d been put. She was breathing without assistance, but remained deeply unconscious. She was receiving a blood transfusion, which hopefully would replace what she’d lost.

  He’d only been allowed to sit with her when he’d lied and said that he was her fiancé. She was on the critical list and only family members were allowed to visit. She had no family. He would take care of her in future, if she would allow him to. If he told her they were really engaged would she believe him? He couldn’t be so underhand – he’d never lie to her.

  Time dragged. He’d never prayed so much and so enthusiastically in his life. He would ring his father and ask him to get the congregation to add her to the prayer list for Sunday. The more the Almighty heard her name the better.

  Nurses came and went and checked her vitals and then the consultant arrived and he was turfed out. He visited the bog and then went in search of the public telephone. His mother answered and when he explained she assured him Jane would have their prayers.

  ‘My dear, how are you? It must be so hard for you.’ />
  ‘It is, but despite the odds being against her I somehow know that she’ll recover.’

  He replaced the receiver, stacked up another pile of coins and rang the Sanctuary, the hotel where he and Roy had booked. With any luck his friend would have returned there and be waiting for news.

  The concierge had been expecting his call and moments later Roy was on the line.

  ‘Thank God. Charlotte’s here as well waiting for news.’

  When he’d finished explaining what had happened Roy was shocked and sympathetic. ‘She won’t have anywhere to go as the WAAF don’t want her if she can’t remember who she is or what her duties were.’

  ‘I can’t believe they’d abandon her like that. She’s one of us now; they have to take care of her until she’s well enough to either be demobbed or go back to work.’

  ‘More to the point, Oscar, old mate, how are you going to play this?’

  ‘It’s possible she’ll never recover her early memories but equally possible that things will gradually come back to her over the next few weeks.’ He hadn’t told Roy that Jane’s life hung in the balance. Just saying it out loud made it seem horribly real.

  24

  Jane came round slowly but didn’t open her eyes immediately. She was in hospital. Just the smell was enough to tell her that much. She remembered being tied up in a shed. A terrifying man had come in and threatened to hurt her then she woke up again and a young man in RAF uniform took care of her.

  A slight sound beside her made her open her eyes. The same man was sitting beside her. He looked unkempt, as if he’d slept in his clothes and not shaved for several days. Why was he here?

  ‘Jane, I can’t tell you how pleased I am to see you awake. How do you feel? Do you know who I am?’

  ‘I’ve got a bit of a headache, feel very tired, but apart from that I’m fine. I’m sorry, I don’t know your name but I think you’re the person who rescued me.’ She frowned. ‘I take it my name is Jane – I’m afraid I don’t remember anything about myself or how I came to be here.’

  ‘I’m Oscar Stanton. I had to tell the hospital that we’re engaged or they wouldn’t have allowed me to stay.’

  Now she was even more confused. ‘Why would you want to stay if we’re not engaged or anything? I take it we do know each other quite well.’

  He ran his hand over his bristly chin and smiled sadly. ‘We’ve been out together a few times. You broke it off but I always hoped we’d make a go of it one day.’

  ‘I seem to remember I was wearing a uniform like yours. Am I a WAAF?’ This was all very strange as she seemed to know quite a lot of things but absolutely nothing about herself.

  ‘Yes, you’re a highly trained and skilled member of a secret team. The powers that be are hoping that your amnesia will soon pass so they can have you back at your post.’

  ‘How long have I been here? And where exactly is, here?’

  ‘You’re in Guildford Hospital and you’ve been here four days – which is why I look so dishevelled. I’m going to ring the bell and let the nurses know you’ve come round. Whilst they take care of you, I’m going to see if I can find somewhere to tidy up. I won’t be long.’ He was at the door when he turned back. ‘There are things I’ve got to tell you but they can wait until you’re feeling better.’

  She was prodded and poked by several doctors, asked interminable questions, and then allowed to get up to use the commode. None of these physicians could give her a definitive answer when she asked how long it would be before her memory came back.

  ‘Miss Hadley, would you like a bed bath or can you manage to wash yourself?’ The student nurse looked overeager to wield the flappy flannel in her direction.

  ‘I prefer to do it myself. I don’t suppose anyone thought to bring me in a clean nightie, toothbrush and so on?’

  The girl smiled. ‘That bag arrived two days ago. From the label I think it was forwarded from a London hotel. Would you like me to see if there’s anything useful in it?’

  Whoever had taken the trouble to post the bag would hardly have brought unnecessary items all this way. Half an hour later she was sitting up in bed, in a clean nightgown, drinking tea and eating toast and marmalade.

  There were several important questions she needed to ask her pretending fiancé. The first was why her parents hadn’t come to sit with her but left it to Mr Stanton – no, from his insignia he was a flight lieutenant. She smiled to herself, pleased her brain had retained some information, even if it wasn’t anything about her past and what had happened to her.

  The door had been left open and a clean-shaven and happier looking Flight Lieutenant Stanton strolled in. ‘Excellent – apart from the stitches in your head you look almost back to normal. Thinner and paler of course – but can’t expect anything else after what you’ve been through.’

  He resumed his seat beside her. ‘I’m sure you have questions but I think it might be quicker and easier if I just tell you everything that happened. It’s going to upset you, but you need to know.’

  She listened, hardly able to comprehend what he was telling her. The tea and toast got cold on her lap. When he’d finished he looked so worried on her behalf that some impulse made her reach out and take his hand.

  ‘Oscar, none of this is your fault. In fact, my having lost my memory is a good thing in some ways. If I can’t remember the horrible things that happened to me then I can’t worry about them, can I?’

  ‘Only you could put a positive spin on this. I expect someone from the WAAF will come and see you now you’re awake. I was told they’re going to keep you under observation for another week but then you will be discharged and you need to have somewhere to go to recuperate.’

  ‘I can see why I went out with you. Why did I break it off?’ For some reason this seemed the most important question she’d asked so far. He was so handsome, charming, intelligent and kind that she couldn’t imagine any reason why she’d want to end the relationship. Had he been unfaithful?

  ‘You told me you were damaged beyond redemption and could never trust a man…’

  ‘Is that all? I don’t believe that now. I know I’ve only known you a short time as far as my brain’s concerned but you seem so familiar somehow. I trust you absolutely. Don’t give up on me whilst I get better, will you?’

  His smile was spectacular. He took her hands and she loved the roughness of his skin against hers. ‘I’m in love with you. I’m not sure you ever felt quite as much for me as I did for you. I’m hoping I can persuade you to fall in love with me if you give me a chance.’

  His eyes darkened, his fingers closed more firmly over her own. She wanted him to kiss her so why was he hesitating? She leaned towards him and this was all the encouragement he needed. When his mouth touched hers it was as if electric shocks travelled from her toes to her head. She didn’t want it to end.

  ‘Miss Hadley, Flight Lieutenant Stanton, you might be engaged but this kind of behaviour is not approved of on my ward,’ the ward sister spoke sharply from behind them.

  He stroked her cheek before sitting back looking quite unrepentant. ‘Sister, I don’t give a damn whether you approve of my kissing my fiancée or not. I’ve sat beside her thinking she might die and by some miracle she is not only awake, but almost better. I intend to kiss her as often as I can.’

  Jane hardly dared to look up but risked a glance and to her surprise saw that the nurse was smiling at them. Not so disapproving after all.

  ‘I think it might be wise to move Miss Hadley into the main ward where I can keep an eye on you both.’

  The thought of being placed among strangers, of not being able to have Oscar beside her all the time, was making her head spin. ‘Please, let me stay here until Oscar has to go back to his base.’ She flopped back on the pillows unable to continue.

  Instantly the nurse was at her side. ‘Take a deep breath, my dear. Too much excitement is bad for you. You need to keep calm. You might feel better, but you’re still seriously ill as far as you
r consultant is concerned.’

  Oscar smoothed her hair back and kissed her gently on the forehead. ‘I’m not going anywhere, darling, until I absolutely have to. Rest, go to sleep; everything’s going to be fine.’

  *

  Obediently Jane closed her eyes and was immediately asleep. Oscar looked up at the ward sister. ‘She is just sleeping, isn’t she?’

  ‘She is. I came to tell you that there’s been a phone call from an officer in the WAAF. They spoke to Miss Hadley’s consultant and Mr Lansley said that your fiancée would receive a letter in the next day or two.’

  She bustled off, her crisply starched apron crackling as she went. He didn’t like the sound of a formal letter being sent instead of someone coming to visit in person. Whilst Jane was asleep he was going in search of this Mr Lansley to find out for himself exactly what had transpired.

  Eventually he tracked the consultant down. He wasn’t condescending or dismissive, but remarkably helpful and pleasant – which made a welcome change.

  ‘I’m going to be blunt, Flight Lieutenant, I can’t see Miss Hadley being fit for duty for weeks, possibly months. Severe head trauma can cause problems for the patient for the rest of their lives.’

  ‘Can, but not for every patient.’

  ‘Of course, Miss Hadley might be one of the lucky ones and make a full and speedy recovery. Her memory might return completely or she might regain some of it. We do not fully understand the brain. However, the fact that she has suffered two traumas in less than six months is a negative indication to recovery.’

  This was hard to assimilate. His hands were clammy. He hardly dared to ask the question. ‘Are you saying that her life remains at risk?’

  Lansley looked at him as if he was an imbecile. ‘I’m saying no such thing. Miss Hadley will be physically fit after a few days’ rest. I cannot be as sanguine about her mental health. I’m sorry this wasn’t the information you were hoping for. To make matters worse I must warn you that Miss Hadley is about to be dismissed from service as unfit for duty.’