The Seaside Angel

by Evie Grace

  ‘Thank you.’ Ruby brightened. ‘For your sake and that of the little children who are suffering, I give you my blessing,’ she said bravely. ‘Shall I help you carry your boxes?’

  ‘No. Go down to dinner as usual. Tell them I’m indisposed. I’ll speak to Grandma when I get there – perhaps she’ll arrange to have my belongings sent on later.’

  ‘You don’t think Pa will come after you?’

  Hannah shook her head, recalling one of his favourite sayings: boys are a blessing sent from Heaven, while girls are the devil’s spawn. ‘You know how it is – he’s always been too busy to bother with us. I don’t think he’ll waste his time trying to persuade me to return.’

  As soon as she’d uttered these words, the door banged open, rattling the window, and Pa came striding in.

  ‘You can both go to bed without dinner,’ he thundered. ‘I’ll decide what to do with the pair of you in the morning. I heard you plotting against me.’

  ‘Ruby has nothing to do with this,’ Hannah said protectively.

  ‘I have no doubt that it’s six of one and half a dozen of the other – you’re your mother’s daughters.’

  ‘Promise me you won’t punish her. This is all my doing,’ Hannah insisted, getting up at the same time as her sister.

  ‘Run along, Ruby.’ Pa gestured to her to leave the room, which she did after glancing at Hannah who nodded, praying that this meant that Ruby would escape uncensured. ‘Now I can deal with you, you insolent and disrespectful young woman,’ Pa said when she had gone.

  ‘I wish to leave this house,’ Hannah said.

  ‘You aren’t stepping outside this room until your engagement to Mr Edison has been announced in the newspapers. You’ll be kept under constant supervision until it’s recorded in black and white for all to see.’

  Hannah tried to push her way past him, but he grabbed her by the wrist, holding it so tightly that her hand turned white from lack of blood. With great effort, she tore herself away, and having dodged past him, she ran down the stairs with the sound of her breathing harsh in her ears, and his heavy footsteps in close pursuit.

  She raced out on to the steps down to the street, turning and slamming the door in his face, before heading towards the centre of Canterbury, running along the pavements and cutting left and right, hardly knowing where she was going, but intent on getting away. Having turned a corner, she ducked into an archway where she stopped, pressing herself against the wall with pain searing through her lungs, and her limbs frozen to the bone.

  ‘Show yourself!’ she heard her father bellow. ‘I’m losing my patience with you!’

  Without moving a muscle, she waited for him to go, his shadow retreating along the dark street to the corner where a gaslight briefly illuminated his figure in the falling rain before he disappeared.

  Although her satin slippers were wet through and she had only a shawl for warmth, she remained in her hiding place until the cathedral bell tolled eleven o’clock. Only then did she hasten across the bridge over the stinking black waters of the Stour and past the looming Westgate. Having reached her grandmother’s house in St Dunstan’s, she hammered on the door.

  ‘Let me in!’ she begged when her grandmother’s maid opened it. ‘It’s me. Hannah.’

  The maid frowned. ‘I di’n’t recognise you.’

  ‘Who is it calling at this time of night?’ her grandmother said, hurrying across the hall in her nightgown.

  ‘It’s Miss Bentley, lookin’ like a drowned rat.’

  ‘Oh? Come in, quickly. You’ll catch your death.’

  ‘I’m sorry for bringing trouble to your door,’ Hannah stuttered, her lips numb with cold, as she stepped inside. ‘I didn’t know where else to go.’

  ‘Don’t worry, my dear,’ Grandma said. ‘Let’s find you some dry clothes and brandy. Elsie, stoke the fire in the parlour. Hannah, you can tell me exactly what’s going on.’

  ‘I’m afraid he’ll come after me.’ Hannah glanced back at the door where the maid was turning the key in the lock. ‘It’s Father … He’s in such a temper.’

  ‘You’re safe here and welcome to stay for as long as you need.’

  ‘He’ll drag me home and keep me locked up until I agree to marry his friend, Mr Edison.’

  ‘Over my dead body! I won’t let him make you do anything. That man won’t dare cross me, not after what he did to my daughter … your blameless and loving mother.’ Her grandmother wiped a tear from her eye as she led Hannah into the parlour.

  ‘What exactly did he do?’ Hannah muttered.

  ‘He treated her most cruelly, but that’s all I wish to say on the matter for now. You’ve been through more than enough for one day.’ Grandma took the woollen shawl from Hannah’s shoulders and placed it on the fireguard where it left a gleaming puddle on the floor. ‘All I will say is that it will give me great pleasure to tell your father that you’re staying with me from now on.’

  Hannah hardly slept that night. She was up at dawn when she heard the knock at the door announcing her father’s arrival, raised voices and harsh words.

  ‘If she doesn’t come back with me, I’ll sever all ties. Mr Edison won’t want her when he finds out she’s a wayward, disobedient and foolish young woman, just like her mother.’

  ‘You know what you did to my daughter – you drove her to it,’ Grandma said angrily, ‘and I won’t stand by and let history repeat itself.’

  ‘Then tell Hannah that she’s cooked her goose. As far as I’m concerned, I no longer consider her my daughter. She’s on her own, and good luck to her. I hope she has plenty of time to dwell on the consequences of her stupidity.’

  Staring down at the bruises on her wrist, Hannah realised then what her father was capable of, and that she couldn’t possibly turn back from the path she had chosen. She didn’t have much idea about what being a nurse involved, but she was certain it couldn’t be worse than continuing to live under the same roof as her father.

  It was her grandmother and Miss Russell who had given her the chance to experience life on the wards.

  ‘I seem to have caught you by surprise. Are you listening to me, Nurse Bentley?’

  ‘Yes. Yes, of course,’ Hannah said quickly, remembering where she was.

  ‘There are others whom I could put forward, but I’m asking you first.’ Miss Russell gave her a hard stare, making it clear that turning the offer down wasn’t what she wanted to hear.

  In a way, Hannah felt obligated to the woman who’d admitted her for training at a younger age than was customary. It was certainly an honour to have been chosen, and one of those chances of a lifetime that should be grasped with both hands. She pictured herself as ward sister, then – though it seemed an impossible dream – matron. She had a long way to go, but, having found her calling, it was no time to sit back.

  ‘I’m very grateful for your consideration,’ she said. ‘I’d be delighted—’

  ‘That’s excellent. I would have made the same decision if I were in your shoes. You will leave tomorrow morning.’

  ‘That soon?’ Hannah suppressed a gasp of shock.

  ‘I’ve been notified of two poor boys who have been chosen by the governors – under the instructions of Mr Piper, medical officer at St Pancras, and Mr Willis, our resident surgeon – to spend time at the infirmary. Usually one of our volunteers escorts them on the journey, but there’s no one available. I thought that this would kill two birds with one stone: the boys will be safely delivered, and you’ll be in Margate, ready to start work. You have time to pack what you need and say your goodbyes. I’ll arrange for the rest of your belongings to be sent after you. Is that clear?’

  ‘Yes, thank you.’

  ‘The infirmary helps the incurables and long-term sick, the old and young, and those in between, using thalassotherapy to treat chronic diseases like scrofula. They have several children’s wards and they’re short of trained nurses. I wouldn’t have suggested it otherwise, knowing how good you are with the little ones.
You’ll like Margate – I spent a few days there last summer.’ Miss Russell put on her pince-nez and opened a ledger on her desk. ‘That is all. You are dismissed.’

  Hannah walked back to the ward with a spring in her step and joy in her heart because it seemed that her conviction and dedication to duty had been vindicated. There had been times when she’d had doubts about whether she was really suited to be a nurse, but Miss Russell’s recommendation proved that she had made the right decision.

  She’d soon realised after starting work that a nurse’s wage wouldn’t provide food and lodgings for her and Ruby, but she hadn’t forgotten her promise. She had saved every penny she could and put the small inheritance she’d received when her grandmother passed away to one side, but it still wasn’t enough. If she was promoted to ward sister – which seemed more likely now – she would help Ruby get away from their father and any plans he might have to marry her off. She resolved to write to let her know about her move to Margate, as soon as she could.

  As Hannah entered the ward, Alice looked up from where she was attending to one of their patients: a boy with a shock of red curls and more freckles than Hannah. Alice raised her eyebrows in question. Hannah shook her head. It would have to wait until they found a quiet moment out of earshot. But it wasn’t to be, because the General sent Alice to assist on another ward for the rest of their shift.

  ‘What did Miss Russell want with you? I’ve been on tenterhooks all day.’ Alice fastened her cape as they headed to the district home in the twilight of the cool May evening. ‘Are you in trouble?’

  ‘It’s quite the opposite. She’s sending me to Margate.’

  ‘It’s a little early for a summer holiday, isn’t it?’ Alice smiled. ‘How long will you be away for?’

  Hannah’s throat tightened. ‘I’m afraid it’s permanent – there’s a position available there.’

  ‘You’re going to take it without a second thought?’

  ‘Miss Russell’s recommended me to the matron at the Royal Sea Bathing Infirmary where they treat their patients with thala-something. Oh dear, I was too overwhelmed to ask her what it was.’

  ‘Thalassotherapy,’ Alice finished for her. ‘Saltwater treatment.’

  ‘Thank you. I don’t want to leave you behind, but Ruby’s seventeen. It won’t be long before my father finds her some old man for a husband, like he tried to do with me.’ Hannah had felt uneasy about her situation ever since she’d left home. It was more precarious now because with their grandmother gone, Ruby had nowhere to run to. Their uncle – Ma’s brother – would offer her a place to stay for a while if life at home became unbearable, but it wouldn’t be permanent as he had a large family of his own living under the one roof at the maltings.

  ‘You don’t have to explain,’ Alice said. ‘This brings you one step closer to freeing your sister from your father’s control – as long as it’s what she really wants. I’m not trying to stop you going to Margate, but Ruby may have changed her mind by now.’

  ‘It’s true that she doesn’t complain about her lot – her letters are filled with stories of how she and our stepmother spend their time together. However, when I see her – which isn’t often – she always begs me to take her back to London with me. Pa is the same – mean and bad-tempered – a leopard doesn’t change its spots.’

  ‘Then I wish you all the best. Oh, I don’t know what else to say, except that you deserve it. Congratulations! But I’m going to miss you.’ Alice put her arm through Hannah’s. ‘You’re my best friend, my confidante …’

  ‘I’ll miss you too. We’ve been through a lot together. Do you remember our first day on the wards?’

  ‘How could I forget? You caught me when I fainted – I thought that Miss Russell was going to send me packing because I couldn’t stand the sight of blood, but you asked her to give me a second chance.’

  ‘She would have done anyway,’ Hannah said. ‘She’s very sharp – she recognises potential when she sees it.’

  ‘You know, I envy you in a way. I’d love to spend some time at the seaside – my lungs do suffer so in the smog – but I don’t think my Tom would like it if I suddenly upped sticks.’

  It was no secret that Alice planned to give up nursing when she got married, not that her sweetheart, a banker who was rising through the ranks, had made any suggestion of it, even though they’d been walking out together for several months.

  ‘There’s no sign of an engagement yet?’ Hannah wasn’t sure about Mr Fry being a gentleman – they weren’t well acquainted.

  ‘There’s no hurry, and besides, he’s working all the hours God sends to make his mark, which means he doesn’t make any fuss about the time I spend at the hospital. He’s thoughtful and handsome …’

  He wasn’t quite as wonderful as Alice made out, in Hannah’s opinion. She pictured the skinny young man with his sparse, curly beard, the rash on his neck and his badly cut coat. They had first met him while walking along Regent Street on a rare free afternoon, entering into conversation with him when he saw off a scoundrel who’d had the audacity to follow them into a milliner’s shop and make an ill-judged remark on Alice’s voluptuous appearance.

  ‘Leave these young ladies alone or I’ll turn you into a skinful o’ bones,’ he’d said, and the miscreant had backed down at the sight of this unlikely hero, while Alice had fallen in love with him.

  ‘Every cloud has a silver lining – I reckon your leaving will inspire him to offer his hand,’ Alice said.

  ‘I don’t see why that will make any difference.’

  ‘Well, of course it does! It changes everything. We won’t be able to meet without you.’

  It was true. Without a chaperone, Alice would find it much harder, if not impossible, to meet her beau. If they became engaged, they’d be permitted to walk out together, but as soon as she found out, Miss Russell would encourage them to wed as soon as possible, and Alice would have to leave the hospital. Nursing and marriage were not compatible bedfellows. When a nurse married, she was obliged to leave her post and turn her hand to motherhood and running her household, as society expected. Hannah felt it wasn’t entirely fair that a man could continue his career when he married, while a woman was condemned to make a choice.

  ‘Write to me,’ Alice went on.

  ‘I will. I promise.’

  ‘And you’ll come back to visit us, and one day, my husband and I will come to see you in Margate.’

  Hannah smiled ruefully. She knew very well that Alice would use her precious annual week’s holiday to visit her mother, while she would stay with her uncle in Canterbury, where Ruby would join her for a few days. With the hours they worked, they couldn’t often get home to their families, even if they wished to. Eating cake was their only vice. They took little alcohol, had to behave in the way expected of refined young ladies, and were forbidden to have visiting gentlemen – not that Hannah had any interest in the male sex, thanks to her father’s domineering ways.

  They had walked in Hyde Park where they’d stopped to stare at the statue of the Iron Duke, hero of a hundred fights. They had skated on the frozen Serpentine while the men employed by the Royal Humane Society and the Met Police had stood watching, waiting with hooks and ropes. They had seen the Queen and her carriage, and waved flags at the Boat Race. They had shared laughter and tears, joys and sadness. They had kept each other going, and now it was over.

  ‘Don’t look so downcast, Hannah. The next time we meet, I’ll be Mrs Thomas Fry, you’ll be Sister Bentley, and Ruby will be safe and happy, living with you in a cosy house beside the sea. Everything will work out. You’ll see.’

  Chapter Two

  The Margate Hoy

  Having packed the essentials in a small carpet bag and said farewell to Alice and her patients on the ward early the following morning, Hannah went to meet the two poor boys whom she was taking to Margate. They were waiting in the hospital entrance hall where the porter was already directing a stream of visitors to the outpatients’ departme
nt.

  ‘’Ere, miss. They’re all yours,’ the young man standing with them said roughly. ‘I’ll be glad to get ’em off my ’ands. I didn’t know what I was lettin’ myself in for when I offered to bring ’em ’ere.’

  Hannah knew that boys were troublesome creatures, but she couldn’t see either of them having the strength to say boo to a goose. They appeared very similar, no more than ten or eleven years old, and dressed in tatty caps, dirty brown shirts and shoes that were falling off their feet. She was sorry to see how sickly they looked.

  ‘Have you brought their paperwork and boxes with you?’ she asked.

  ‘The medical officer at St Pancras gave me this.’ He pulled a wad of papers from his jacket pocket. ‘They don’t ’ave much, not even a change of socks – they’re carryin’ all their worldly goods about their persons. I ’ave to go.’ He spun on his heels and hurried away.

  ‘Oh, wait,’ she called after him, but he was already halfway through the door.

  ‘You’re too late, Nurse Bentley,’ the porter observed. ‘’E’s gone.’

  ‘Mr Glanvill don’t like us,’ one of the boys piped up. He prodded the other boy who muttered in agreement. ‘We’re nothin’ to ’im. Can we get goin’ now? I’m lookin’ forward to seein’ the sea.’

  ‘Be patient – I need to check our instructions.’ Hannah opened the paperwork and read the letters of recommendation from their sponsor, and the doctor who’d examined them.

  Dear Doctor Clifton,

  I have here two boys with tickets for the Royal Sea Bathing Infirmary. Both are of poor families condemned to the St Pancras poorhouse who have no means of paying for their treatments.

  Peter Herring, aged 11 (approximately), is suffering from scrofulous glands in the neck, general malaise and a worrying reluctance to eat.

  Charlie Swift, aged 10, is suffering from scrofula of the knee joints.

  In my opinion, both boys would benefit from a stay at your establishment.