The Nightingale Christmas Show

by Donna Douglas

  ‘Baker?’

  Rose’s calm, clear voice was the last thing she had expected to hear.

  ‘Trent?’ she whispered. ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘Carroll told me what she’d done. I thought I’d come and find you.’

  Daisy was confused. ‘I don’t understand … She told me Sister wanted me to fetch a drip stand …’

  ‘She was playing a trick on you. I daresay Philips egged her on to do it.’

  ‘A trick?’ Daisy could hardly believe it.

  ‘A very cruel trick,’ Rose said. ‘I know how scared you are of the dark.’ She took her arm gently. ‘Come on, let’s get out of here.’

  Just at that moment there was a crash, and they were plunged into darkness.

  ‘Someone’s shut the door!’ Daisy whimpered. ‘We’ll never find our way out now!’

  ‘Of course we will.’ Rose released Daisy’s arm and fumbled in her pocket. A moment later there was a click and a narrow beam of light illuminated her friend’s face.

  ‘You brought a torch!’ Daisy cried. ‘I didn’t think of that.’

  ‘No,’ Rose said. ‘I didn’t think you would. Come on, I think the door’s this way …’

  They trailed up and down the narrow aisles, Rose leading the way with her torch. Even with its beam to light the way, they kept blundering into cupboards in the darkness. Once a pile of boxes toppled over and Daisy cried out in fear.

  Rose sighed. ‘For heaven’s sake, it’s only a cardboard box!’

  ‘You don’t understand,’ Daisy whimpered. ‘I – saw something.’

  ‘What? What did you see?’

  ‘It was back there.’ Daisy pointed a shaking finger. ‘A body, hanging from the beams.’

  ‘Let me see—’ Rose started towards it, but Daisy held her back.

  ‘Are you mad?’ she said. ‘Don’t go near it.’

  But Rose had already extricated herself and was making her way towards the far end of the basement. ‘This way, did you say?’

  ‘Let’s get out of here, please …’ Daisy begged.

  ‘Just a minute, I want to see—’ Rose stopped in her tracks and pointed her torch upwards. ‘Oh!’

  ‘What? What is it? Can you see her?’

  ‘Come and see for yourself.’

  ‘No, I don’t want to, it’s too terrifying—’ Daisy said, but Rose reached for her sleeve, yanking her back to her side.

  ‘Look,’ she said.

  Slowly, gingerly, Daisy forced her gaze upwards. There, dangling from the beams, its head lolling limply on its bony shoulders, was a skeleton similar to the one that graced the corner of their classroom for anatomy lessons.

  Rose laughed. ‘Oh Baker, imagine you being scared of that!’

  ‘I didn’t know, did I?’ Daisy turned on her furiously. ‘It’s all right for you, you’ve got no imagination!’

  ‘And you’ve got no common sense!’ Rose snapped back.

  They stared at each other, hostile in the darkness. Daisy couldn’t see Rose’s face, but she knew she was struggling to keep her temper.

  ‘Let’s get out of here,’ she muttered.

  ‘That’s the first sensible idea you’ve had,’ Rose replied.

  They finally made their way to the door. But when they tried it, they realised it was stuck fast.

  ‘It’s locked.’ Panic assailed Daisy. ‘Someone must have locked us in.’

  ‘Don’t be silly, I expect it’s just a bit stuck. Here, let me try …’ Rose shouldered her to one side and tried the door. Daisy was half pleased that it wouldn’t budge for her.

  ‘You see?’ she said. ‘It’s locked.’

  ‘Perhaps it was one of the porters,’ Rose said.

  ‘Or perhaps it was one of your friends?’

  Rose turned on her. ‘I hope you’re not suggesting I had anything to do with this?’

  ‘I’m not suggesting anything,’ Daisy shrugged.

  ‘Yes, you are. You’re making out this was all a big plan on my part to trap you down here.’

  ‘Isn’t it?’

  ‘Come off it, Baker. Why on earth would I want to be locked down here with you, of all people?’ Rose turned and started hammering on the door. ‘Hello?’ she called out. ‘Hello, can anyone hear me?’

  Daisy ignored her, too stung by her friend’s comment to reply.

  ‘They can’t hear me,’ Rose gave up in defeat. ‘The door’s too thick.’

  ‘What do we do now?’ Daisy asked.

  ‘I don’t know, do I? I suppose we’ll just have to sit here and wait until someone comes down here and finds us.’

  ‘That could take hours. Or days!’ Panic rose in her throat. ‘Oh God, imagine if we’re stuck down here all Christmas Day. Imagine if we’re never, ever found!’

  ‘Now you’re being overdramatic.’ Rose upturned a box and sat down on it. As Daisy watched, she calmly took out a bar of chocolate and started eating it.

  From above them came the sound of voices and shuffling footsteps. Daisy looked up at the ceiling. ‘What’s that noise?’

  Rose glanced up. ‘The dining hall must be up there. It sounds as if they’re getting ready for the dress rehearsal.’

  ‘If we can hear them, they must be able to hear us. Let’s find something to make some noise …’ Daisy started searching around. She found an old broom handle and started pounding on the brickwork above their heads. ‘Hello?’ she called out. ‘Hello up there!’

  ‘They’ll never hear you,’ Rose said through a mouthful of chocolate. ‘Once the music starts it’ll be far too noisy to hear anyone.’

  No sooner had she said it than they heard the sound of the piano, as Miss Tanner moved her hands swiftly over the keys.

  ‘Hello!’ Daisy called out more desperately. She pounded the ceiling with the broom handle again. She dislodged a chunk of brickwork, bringing down a shower of powder brick and distemper over her face and shoulders.

  ‘You see?’ Rose said, as Daisy wiped her face with her apron. ‘You’re just doing more harm than good.’

  ‘At least I’m doing something!’ Daisy snapped. ‘That’s typical of you, sitting around doing nothing while you wait for someone to rescue you!’

  ‘It’s better than running around like a headless chicken, getting nowhere!’ Rose sighed and pushed a box towards her. ‘For goodness’ sake, sit down.’

  Daisy dragged the box a few feet away from her friend and plonked herself down on it, glaring balefully at the door. Rose offered her some chocolate but she refused out of sheer stubbornness.

  ‘This is all your fault,’ she muttered.

  ‘How do you work that out?’

  ‘If you hadn’t turned everyone against me, they wouldn’t be playing stupid tricks on me.’

  ‘I didn’t turn anyone against you. You did that all by yourself.’

  Daisy hugged herself. ‘I’m cold,’ she complained.

  ‘There are some blankets on one of the shelves. I saw them earlier—’

  ‘Listen!’ Daisy held up her hand. ‘Can you hear that?’

  ‘Hear what?’

  ‘A sort of … scurrying.’

  ‘It’s probably rats,’ Rose said calmly.

  Daisy shot to her feet. ‘Rats!’

  ‘Don’t worry, they won’t come near you. Not unless you fall asleep, that is.’ Rose smiled wickedly.

  ‘I’m glad you find this funny!’ Daisy felt herself growing dangerously near to tears. ‘We could be trapped down here forever. We could die down here …’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous!’

  Daisy slumped back down on her box and turned her back on Rose. For a long time they sat in silence, punctuated only by the scurrying of rats, the sound of Rose unwrapping her chocolate and the faint music coming from upstairs.

  Then, out of nowhere, came the sound of Sister Wren’s high, warbling voice.

  ‘Here she goes,’ Rose sighed. ‘We can’t ever escape from that screeching, can we?’

  ‘Imagine if tha
t was the last sound we ever heard?’ Daisy replied.

  They looked at each other in the gloom, and suddenly they were both laughing.

  ‘Are you sure you wouldn’t like some chocolate?’ Rose said, holding it out to her. ‘It’s Fry’s Five Boys – your favourite.’

  Daisy took a piece and they sat in silence for a while.

  ‘I’m sorry the other girls turned against you,’ Rose said at last. ‘I didn’t want it to happen, honestly.’

  ‘I daresay I deserved it,’ Daisy sighed. ‘I haven’t been very kind to any of them in the past.’ She looked across at Rose. ‘I’m sorry for the horrible things I said. I suppose I just wasn’t used to playing second fiddle to anyone, and it came as a shock.’

  ‘It doesn’t matter now, anyway,’ Rose said. ‘I’ve told Tom I’m not interested.’

  ‘But why? I thought you liked him?’

  ‘I did.’ She smiled sadly. ‘But I’m not sure I’m ready to fall in love with anyone again, not after Laurence. And besides, I didn’t want to lose you as a friend.’ She looked up at her. ‘It’s been awful, not speaking all this time.’

  ‘You’re right,’ Daisy said. ‘I’ve missed you, Rose.’

  ‘I’ve missed you too. Promise we’ll never fall out over a man again?’

  ‘Never!’

  The door flew open with such force it crashed back on its hinges, flooding them with light from the passageway beyond.

  Daisy jumped to her feet. ‘Did you see that?’

  ‘I couldn’t miss it, could I? Someone must have come down and unlocked it.’ Rose stood up and ventured a few steps to the doorway. ‘Hello? Is anyone there?’

  Daisy stood rooted to the spot with fear. ‘Why did it open so suddenly like that?’

  ‘I don’t know … perhaps the wind blew it?’ They both looked at each other. Beyond the door, the air was completely still.

  ‘Or perhaps there really is a ghost?’ Daisy whispered. She bolted for the door, Rose hot on her heels.

  They didn’t stop running until they had reached the end of the passageway. Then they both collapsed against the wall, holding their sides and laughing at their own terror.

  ‘I thought you didn’t believe in ghosts?’ Daisy teased her.

  ‘I didn’t. But now I’m not so sure.’

  ‘Well, if it was a ghost, I reckon it must have been a friendly one,’ Daisy said. ‘It locked us in the basement together until we both came to our senses!’

  ‘True,’ Rose said. They smiled at each other. Daisy knew her friend was as pleased as she was that their friendship was back on track.

  As they walked back to the ward, Daisy said, ‘You know, I really think you should give Tom Armstrong a chance. No, I do,’ she insisted, as Rose sighed. ‘I know you say you’re not ready, but you’ve got to take the plunge sometime. Besides, I’ve seen the way you look at him. You’re smitten with him, and he is with you.’

  ‘I don’t know …’ Rose brushed the cobwebs off her apron. ‘What about you?’

  ‘Oh, don’t worry about me,’ Daisy said. ‘I’ve given up on Tom Armstrong. Besides, there’s a rather handsome new anaesthetist I’ve got my eye on …’

  ‘Typical!’ Rose grinned at her.

  They turned the corner, just as Tom was coming in the opposite direction. He had his head down, consulting some notes he carried in his hand, and he didn’t notice them until they had practically bumped into him.

  ‘Do excuse me, I’m – oh!’ He stopped short when he came face-to-face with Rose. His notes fell from his hand, scattering over the floor.

  ‘Let me help you.’ Rose knelt beside him, gathering up the papers. Daisy looked from one to the other. It was hard to say which of them was blushing the deeper shade of red.

  ‘I’m glad we bumped into you,’ she spoke up. ‘Rose was just saying how much she would like to perform your song in the Christmas show.’

  ‘Oh?’ Tom glanced at Rose. ‘Really? Because I’m game, if you are?’

  ‘Well—’

  ‘She’d love to,’ Daisy said, ignoring her friend’s hard stare. ‘Honestly, she’s talked about nothing else.’

  ‘Well, in that case—’ Tom remembered his manners and looked at Daisy. ‘Will you be joining us?’

  ‘Oh no,’ Daisy said. ‘I think it’s better as a duet than a trio, don’t you think?’

  ‘Yes,’ Tom said, smiling shyly at Rose. ‘Yes, I think it is. I’ll have a word with Miss Davis then, shall I? I’m sure with a bit of judicious begging she’d let us back in.’

  ‘You do that.’

  As he hurried off, his notes tucked under his arm, Rose turned to her. ‘Why did you do that?’ she hissed.

  Daisy grinned at her. ‘Because that’s what friends are for,’ she said.

  Miriam

  25th December 1945

  ‘Merry Christmas, Miriam!’

  The first thing Miriam Trott saw when she stepped out of her room at the sisters’ home on that Christmas morning was Sister Hyde’s smiling face. She very nearly slammed the door on her.

  ‘Merry Christmas,’ she mumbled, even though the last thing she felt was merry. She had spent another night crying into her pillow over Frank.

  ‘And it’s snowed again overnight, too. It was such a beautiful scene when I looked out of my window this morning.’

  Miriam glared at her. Sister Hyde had taken over the Female Chronics ward a year ago. She was young, fresh-faced and so resolutely positive, it was all Miriam could do not to slap her.

  ‘Yes, I can imagine the snow-capped roof of the local glue factory is a sight worthy of a Christmas card,’ she said.

  She set off, Sister Hyde trotting behind her determinedly, in spite of Miriam’s best efforts to shake her off.

  ‘It must be so lovely for you, being on the maternity ward on a day such as this,’ Sister Hyde trilled. ‘I wonder if any Christmas babies will have arrived overnight?’

  ‘Oh, I daresay they will.’ Miriam grimaced at the thought. ‘The nursery will be full of them, all screaming at the top of their lungs while their mothers sleep peacefully. And then their besotted fools of husbands will arrive, and we’ll spend the next hour finding vases for all their wretched flowers!’

  Sister Hyde looked startled. ‘Oh! Well, I suppose I’d never thought of it like that.’

  ‘Yes, well, you should count yourself lucky that your ward is full of dotty old dears who never get any visitors,’ Miriam said. ‘Believe me, they’re more trouble than they’re worth.’

  ‘We still like to make things nice and festive for our patients,’ Sister Hyde huffed. ‘We’ll have a proper Christmas dinner, and a lovely little party—’

  ‘I don’t know why you bother, since most of them don’t even know what day it is!’

  They reached the doors to the hospital, and Miriam barged ahead of Sister Hyde, allowing them to swing back in her face.

  ‘Season’s greetings to you, too!’ she heard the ward sister’s muffled voice through the glass.

  Miriam was right; there had been several Christmas babies born overnight, two of them caesareans, which meant dressings to be changed and all kinds of extra work. But no one else seemed to mind; the nurses were all in a frivolous mood, chattering and laughing excitedly among themselves. Even Baker and Trent, who had been keeping their distance from each other for over a week, seemed to have made up their differences. They were giggling together like a pair of silly schoolgirls as they changed the beds.

  In the middle of the morning, Miriam gathered the nurses together in her sitting room for coffee, as was customary every Christmas. She knew they were expecting her to get out the medicinal brandy as most of the other ward sisters did, and she briefly enjoyed the look of disappointment on their faces when she left it locked in the cupboard. They were even more disappointed when they realised she had not bought them any Christmas gifts.

  Miriam did feel rather mean when they presented her with the tin of lily of the valley talc they had clubbed together
to buy. And she could tell the other nurses were thinking the same.

  ‘It wouldn’t hurt her to get us something,’ she heard Nurse Baker complaining to Nurse Trent. ‘We deserve it, after what we have to put up with.’

  ‘And to think a month ago she was positively angelic,’ Trent agreed. ‘It hardly seems possible, does it?’

  ‘I still think there was a man involved,’ Baker said. ‘Believe me, I know a broken heart when I see one.’

  It was all Miriam could do not to turn round and lash out at her. If she said anything, they would guess the truth and realise what a fool she had been.

  Except she hadn’t been a fool, not really. Frank hadn’t managed to dupe her. Oh no, she was far too clever for him, not like those other foolish women who had fallen for his charm. No one pulled the wool over Miriam Trott’s eyes.

  She had spent the last week telling herself what a lucky escape she’d had. But she didn’t feel very lucky. In fact, part of her wished she had allowed herself to go on believing him, just for a little while longer. At least then perhaps she wouldn’t be feeling so wretched and empty inside.

  Since it was Christmas Day, Matron in her infinite wisdom had declared that there should be a special visiting time that afternoon. She had also lifted the ban on more than two visitors per patient, which meant endless amounts of children running about, getting under everyone’s feet. All the noise and chaos gave Miriam a headache. The only pleasure she had was standing at the door, banning the children from taking their toys on to the ward.

  ‘Toys carry germs,’ she declared, holding a teddy bear at arm’s length by its ear.

  ‘Have a heart, Nurse. It’s brand new!’ the child’s father pointed out. ‘He’s ever so excited to give it to his new baby brother.’

  ‘He’ll have to wait until he goes home, won’t he?’

  She was similarly upset when one of the new fathers turned up with an armful of red carnations.

  Just seeing them nearly brought tears to Miriam’s eyes.

  ‘Take these away.’ She snatched them from the man’s grasp and thrust them at Nurse Baker.

  ‘What shall I do with them, Sister?’

  ‘I don’t know, do I? I don’t really care, as long as I don’t have to look at them. I will not have carnations on my ward!’ She stomped off, ignoring the astonished looks Nurse Baker and the new father were giving her.