Beyond the Moon by Catherine Taylor

Author:Catherine Taylor [Taylor, Catherine]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781916093201
Publisher: The Cameo Press Ltd
Published: 2019-06-25T04:00:00+00:00

Louisa awoke with a start. She was still in the wooden bunkroom, but now it was daylight. She was freezing cold, even though she was still wearing the clothes from the night before and someone had laid a blanket over her. Her breath misted in front of her face. Next to her head was a note in pencil: You were sleeping so soundly we didn’t want to wake you. Sister Andrews has requested to see you at 10 a.m. Don’t be late! Flora.

What time was it? The clock on the wall showed it was already nearly nine thirty-five. She flung off the blanket. Where did she find hot water? Or even cold water? There was no sink, only a ewer and basin on a rickety washstand. The stove had gone out and she hadn’t the faintest idea how to relight it. She found a little cold water in a tumbler and used it to rinse out her mouth and wash her hands and face. Then she tried to restore her pinned-up hair to some semblance of order, fumbling with the hairpins that were still digging into her head from the previous evening, and trying to poke back into place the bits of hair that had come down.

Eventually, flustered, she stumbled out of the hut. Outside, the wind and sleet had blown themselves out, leaving everything in a chill, empty stillness. She hurried back along the duckboards, trying to remember the way from the previous evening.

Twice she went the wrong way and had to ask for directions. Then, finally, she knocked on the right door and a sharp voice told her to come in. Sister Andrews glanced up, then turned back to her papers, dipping the nib of her pen into a glass pot of ink. Her headdress was stiffly starched and very white.

‘Miss Ashby,’ she said coolly. ‘I gave specific instructions that you were to conduct yourself here for ten o’clock. It is now almost ten past ten.’

‘I’m very sorry. I got lost.’ Louisa made a move towards the wooden chair opposite the desk, but Sister Andrews frowned. Quite clearly, Louisa was to remain standing.

‘And why are you still in travelling uniform and not your hospital uniform?’ Sister Andrews didn’t wait for a reply. ‘You’re dishevelled. This is a military hospital, Miss Ashby. If you’re unable to follow orders, you’re of no use here. And stand to attention when I am addressing you.’

‘Yes, Sister,’ Louisa said, copying what she’d seen Flora do the previous night, and immediately understanding that any further attempt at explanation would only make things worse.

‘Major Patterson says you’re none the worse for your ordeal, but I think it best that you return to London and recuperate.’

‘No!’

Sister Andrews gave her a stern look.

‘I’m sorry,’ Louisa said. ‘What I mean is, I feel fine. I think my confusion last night was just the result of the cold. I… I remember what happened now. I’d got out of the lorry because… because I wanted to relieve myself,’ she said. ‘It was then that it exploded.

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