The Brave Daughters by Mary Wood

Author:Mary Wood
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pan Macmillan

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Singapore

Daisy and Florrie

Daisy hurried down the ward. Most of the men were restless.

‘Sister!’

‘What is it, Captain Vincent?’ She tried to keep her voice steady, although fear pulsated through her. Fear for Florrie; fear for Alex; and fear for these men, not to mention her colleagues and friends.

‘Is this it?’

Daisy didn’t have to ask what he meant. She took his hand. ‘I’m sorry. I – I . . . look, there’s every chance they’ll take you prisoner.’ It was a stupid supposition, which she didn’t believe. The Japanese were so close, and the British were on the verge of surrender. When the island was conquered – and with all the hospital staff gone – these men didn’t stand a chance. The ruthlessness of the Japs was well known. They wouldn’t take as prisoners dying men, or men with missing limbs. And she doubted they’d even take those who were on the mend. Although she couldn’t bear the thought, she knew that the fate of all of these men for whom she’d cared was certain death.

‘We both know that’s not so. Are you all being shipped out? Surely there’s some plan in place?’

Daisy nodded.

‘And no wounded are going?’

Daisy couldn’t speak.

‘Don’t cry, Sister. As many of us as possible have to survive this. You must go. Don’t ever look back with guilt. You are just a small cog, as I am; and these men are part of the greater aim that we’re all fighting for. All that each of us can do is our best, but in the end we have to accept our fate.’

A voice from two beds down shook the feelings of acceptance that Captain Vincent had given her. ‘Don’t leave us, Sister – don’t leave us! No. No! I don’t want to die.’

Running to him, Daisy held him as best she could. ‘Eeh, Corporal Lessings, try to calm yourself, lad.’ But as she said the words, she knew they were futile. ‘I won’t leave. I’ll stay with you.’

‘No, Sister.’ Captain Vincent was raised up on his elbow, looking over at them. The effort to lift himself must have cost him dearly, as he was very weak. ‘You must go. All who have a chance of surviving must do so. Corporal Lessing, we’ll all do what we can for each other. We’ve been in this together from the start, and we’ll see it through till the end.’

‘Aye, and so will I. I’m not going anywhere.’ Daisy’s heart thumped in her chest at this decision, but she knew it was the right one for her. Taking a deep breath, she went to the medicine cabinet and unlocked it. She would carry on as normal. Some of the patients were due their medication, while others needed their dressings changed. Then, if no orderlies appeared with breakfast, she’d go to the kitchen and cook it herself! But as she thought this, she realized the hopelessness of the situation. She couldn’t look after the whole hospital.

The door to her office was flung open. ‘Daisy darling, what are you doing?’

‘Oh, Alex, I can’t leave.

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