Act of Will (8 page)

However, Gwen admired and loved Audra for a variety of other reasons, all of which added to her uniqueness. Audra was a superior young woman in every way, one who was inordinately loyal and loving; she was also the most indomitable person Gwen had ever met.

Yet, despite these commendable traits, Gwen could not help worrying about Audra sometimes. She chiefly worried because Audra was without a family. Gwen knew
more than anyone how much this bothered Audra. She sorely missed her brothers, yearned to
belong
in the way she had when her mother had been alive. This was why Gwen went out of her way to make her best friend feel like a real member of the Thornton clan, to make her truly understand she was as much loved as her baby sister Jenny-Rosalie, and her brothers, Charles, Jeremy and Harry.

Ever since Charlie, the eldest, had shown an interest in Audra, Gwen had been encouraging him, endeavouring to foster a relationship between them, to fan the flames. But from time to time Gwen had had to admit to herself that the interest was a trifle one-sided thus far; and she sometimes wondered if her sweet but rather dull brother was the right match for Audra. Inevitably, Gwen managed to convince herself that he really was ideal. Certainly there was no question in her mind that Charlie was a good catch, since he was such an admirable young man, and one with an assured future, after all. He would not stay a bachelor for very long, once he had qualified as a doctor, and he would make a wonderful husband and father. Gwen had always known in her bones that Charlie was cut out to be a family man.

And in Gwen’s mind, the crucial word was indeed
family
. This was what Audra longed for the most and so she was going to help her dearest friend acquire a family of her very own. And, of course, Charlie was the key.

All of these thoughts, which had frequently preoccupied Gwen during the past few weeks, had started to swirl around in her head again this afternoon.

She and Audra were now strolling through the beautiful Valley Gardens. Both girls were glad to be out in the open air, after being cooped up inside the noisy café.

Gwen cast a glance at Audra as they headed down the
sloping path. She decided she would be very hard pressed indeed to find a sweeter or prettier candidate for a sister-in-law. Audra looked particularly attractive today, wearing a primrose-yellow print dress patterned with primroses, and a straw boater with a yellow silk band and matching ribbons fluttering down at the back. The boater gave her a jaunty air, whilst the simple cut of the frock and its sunny colour were flattering to her.

She might be small, Gwen thought, but she’s quality through and through. And then before she could stop herself she said out loud, ‘Yes, good stuff in a little room.’ Gwen could have bitten her tongue off, instantly regretted repeating this comment Charlie had made about Audra, who hated any reference to her height, or lack of it. She cleared her throat nervously.

Audra said, with a puzzled look, ‘Excuse me, I don’t quite understand what you’re referring to, Gwen.’

Deciding it would be better not to mention Charlie, Gwen explained, ‘Oh it was just something my mother said about you—good stuff in a little room means that a small person often has a lot of wonderful qualities. Haven’t you heard the expression before? It’s very Yorkshire.’

Audra shook her head. ‘No, I haven’t, but it’s a nice compliment.’

‘Yes,’ Gwen said, delighted that she had taken it so well, and tucked her arm through Audra’s companionably. ‘And talking of Mum, she says I can have a party for my birthday, so I hope you’ll come and stay with us at The Meadow, the third weekend in September. There’ll be Charlie, Jem and Harry, of course, and I can invite a
few
friends. But only a few. ’Cos Mum couldn’t cope with a big crowd after her illness. You
will
come, Audra, won’t you? It wouldn’t be the same without you.’

‘Of course I’ll come. It’ll be a lovely treat for me, and I always enjoy staying at your house. Thank you for inviting me.’

Gwen laughed gaily. ‘You’ll get to wear your gorgeous blue dress.
Finally
. Why, Audra, you’ll be the belle of the ball. All the boys will be after you.’ Especially our Charlie, Gwen added to herself, and hoped he wouldn’t be rejected.

Audra glanced up at Gwen, who was a few inches taller, and joined in her laughter. ‘
You’ll
be the belle, after all it’s your birthday party. But I must admit, I am dying to wear my new dress. And what frock are you going to wear, Gwenny?’

‘Oh I don’t know. I’ll find something suitable, I expect. Now, who else do you think I should invite?’ Not giving Audra a chance to reply, Gwen hurried on, ‘I’ll tell you what, let’s go and sit over there on that form and talk about the party. You’re so clever, Audra, I’d like your advice about a few things. You know… such as what kind of food and drinks to serve and your suggestions in general. Come on, lovey.’

Gwen steered Audra in the direction of a park seat positioned under one of the lovely weeping willows which were planted throughout the Valley Gardens. Here the two girls sat themselves down and brought their heads together. They chatted animatedly about Gwen’s twentieth birthday party for the next half hour, covering all the different aspects of it, planning the menu and the guest list.

Finally Gwen said, ‘Thanks Audra, you’ve been a great help, and I appreciate your ideas, I really do. It’ll be a nice party…’ Gwen left her sentence unfinished as she began to fan herself with one hand, then fished around in her fabric shopping bag for her hankie. She patted her
face with it, exclaimed, ‘
Phew
! I am hot. It’s still close even though the sun’s gone down.’

‘There’s no breeze at all.’ Audra lolled back against the seat. She glanced up at the sky, hoped it would not rain.

They fell silent for a while.

Audra turned her attention to the passers-by, thinking how smart some of the women looked, dressed in their finery, and out for a stroll before dinner at one of the swanky hotels. They were obviously from London, judging by their clothes, and visiting Harrogate to ‘take the cure’. It had been a renowned spa since Victorian times, and people came from all over the world to drink the different waters available in the Pump Room, and visit the hydros at the Royal Baths. Her mother had always loved Harrogate for its elegance and the Beautiful Edith Kenton had called it a throwback to Victorian times and a more civilized age.

Their mother had often brought them here for the day. Audra recalled a memorable afternoon in 1911 when they had come to get a glimpse of the queens of England, Russia and Poland, who had all been visiting Harrogate on the same day. Their Uncle Peter had been with them, and he had lifted her up on his shoulders so that she could see above the crowds. There had been lots of excitement and flags waving and a band playing… Audra drifted along with her remembrances of things past.

Gwen, however, was thinking of the future, and wondering how to break her awful news to Audra. Earlier, she had toyed with the idea of not saying anything, of writing a letter at a later date. But Gwen knew that Audra, who had so much integrity and was such a fair person, deserved better from her than that. She decided there really was only one way to do it, and that was to jump right in, both feet first.

Reaching out, she touched Audra’s arm tentatively, and said in an unusually subdued voice, ‘There’s something I want to tell you before we go to the bus station for our buses…’

Audra looked at her, instantly coming back to the present. ‘You sound very serious all of a sudden, Gwenny. Is there something wrong?’

Gwen swallowed and cleared her throat. ‘I’ve wanted to tell you this all afternoon, but I haven’t known how to begin. Well… look, it’s like this, Audra… I won’t be coming back to work at the Fever Hospital. I’m ever so sorry.’

Audra gaped at her friend, flabbergasted at this announcement. It was a bombshell, the last thing she had expected to hear. ‘Oh Gwen,’ she murmured so softly it was a whisper.

Observing her closely, detecting the misery now flooding her bright blue eyes, Gwen cried, anxiously, ‘Please, oh
please
don’t be upset, Audra.
I’m
not going to
Australia
. I’ll only be a couple of hours away, either in Leeds or Horsforth. We can see each other all the time, and listen, Mum wants you to come and stay for Christmas, like you did last year. And we’ll be together on my birthday next month.’

Audra, considerably shaken by Gwen’s news, was only able to nod mutely.

‘You see, it’s like this, Audra. Dad wants me to be nearer home, because of Mum’s weak heart. He says I have to apply for a position at the Infirmary or St James’s Hospital, and until I get something at either place I’ve got to stay at home with Mum. Dad’s ever so set on it, Audra, I can’t make him change his mind.’

Audra heard the distress in Gwen’s voice, and she smiled faintly, and nodded. ‘I understand, Gwenny,’ she
said. But her heart sank at the prospect of being all alone in Ripon. She felt as though she was being abandoned, left behind once more.

Gwen, who was watching her intently, had a sudden idea. She exclaimed, ‘Look, Audra, why don’t you apply too? For a hospital job in Leeds, I mean.’ She drew closer, took hold of Audra’s small hand and was surprised how cold it was on this muggy day. She clutched it tightly, begged, ‘Say you will. Please, lovey.’

‘I’m not sure whether I should—’

‘
Why not?
’ Gwen demanded, her voice rising. ‘There’s not one good reason for you to stay in Ripon.’

Audra blinked and returned Gwen’s hard stare, realizing immediately that her friend was absolutely right. She began to nod her head emphatically. ‘Yes, I’ll do it, Gwenny!’ And a smile broke through at last, expunged the sadness which had darkened her lovely eyes.

Gwen threw her arms around Audra. She hugged her tightly, bursting with happiness and filled with relief. The thought of leaving her friend behind at the Fever Hospital had been more than the girl could bear.

‘Matron wants to see you, Kenton,’ Sister Rogers said, drawing to a standstill, fixing a stern eye on Audra. ‘She did say
immediately
, so you’d better look sharp.’

Audra, who had just finished taking a child’s temperature, nodded. ‘Thanks. I’ll go up at once.’

Moving away from the bed, Audra glanced around at her young patients with her usual concern. The small isolation ward was occupied by children suffering from whooping cough and she was worried about each of them on this icy December morning.

As she and the head nurse walked down the ward towards the door, Audra dropped her voice and said, ‘They’re all a bit restless, especially little John Martin over there by the window. He’s exhausted from the whoop, and he’s not been able to keep his breakfast down because of his coughing. Or anything else since, for that matter, and Doctor Parkinson is a bit concerned about him. Can you send a junior nurse in to keep an eye on him? And on the others, of course?’

‘Don’t worry about it, I’ll stay here myself until you get back. I’m sure you won’t be very long with Matron.’ A slight smile touched the head nurse’s mouth and there was a sudden softening in her attitude towards Audra, and she remarked in a quiet tone, ‘Your diligence really is most commendable, Kenton. You’ve turned out to be a good nurse.’

These were words of praise indeed, coming from this most senior member of the nursing staff who had worked herself up from ward maid, and who was renowned as a disciplinarian. Audra, surprised, returned her smile and with a little burst of pride, she drew herself up to her full height. ‘Thank you, Sister,’ she said. ‘I do try.’

Sister Rogers inclined her head and turned away.

It was a dismissal of sorts, and Audra crossed the front hall and ran up the wide main staircase, hoping against hope that Matron had good news for her at long last. After making the decision to leave Ripon and find a nursing job in Leeds, Audra had confided her intentions in the head of the hospital and had asked for her advice. Matron had given it, and had generously offered to do everything she could to help Audra secure a position elsewhere. Unfortunately, they had not been successful so far. It seemed there were no vacancies in any of the hospitals in Leeds or the surrounding districts.

Audra, however, was not overly dismayed about this situation, since Gwen herself had only just managed to find a place at Leeds General Infirmary. Lonely though she was at the hospital without her dearest friend for companionship in her off-duty hours, Audra remained cheerful and optimistic as she went about her duties.

For the past three months, Audra had held the firm conviction that something would turn up eventually, and now, as she came to a stop outside Matron’s office, she wondered if it finally had materialized. She tugged at her cuffs to straighten them, smoothed her hands over her starched white apron, then knocked on the frosted-glass panel of the door. At Matron’s bidding she went in.

Margaret Lennox sat behind her large, paper-strewn desk.

She was wearing the navy-blue tailored dress and small
white muslin cap that signified the highest nursing rank in the hierarchy of every hospital, and she seemed more formidable than ever. But Audra knew from experience that this stern-looking woman had generosity and warmth and the kindest of hearts.

Matron raised her eyes. She smiled at the sight of Audra, who was a particular favourite of hers, for whom she had a great deal of respect and not a little admiration. She was fully aware of Audra’s history from the hospital files, and she never ceased to marvel at this girl’s strength of character.

‘Ah Audra,’ she began pleasantly, ‘do come in and sit down. I have a matter to discuss with you.’

‘Yes, Matron.’ Audra stepped up to the desk briskly, and lowered herself onto the wooden chair where she sat straight-backed as always, her hands clasped in her lap. Her wide blue eyes were riveted on the matron’s face.

Margaret Lennox glanced at the letter in her hand, then put it down on the desk. ‘Well, Audra, I think I might have a position for you in Leeds.’