Authors: Ellie Dean
Kitty’s friend Doreen was a prime example. Loud she might be, but she was a force to be reckoned with, and seemed to face every tribulation with a fearsome determination not to be beaten by it. Her coarse cheerfulness gave others something to smile about, and it seemed her sunny nature, in the face of such adversity, encouraged those who might have been overwhelmed by their misfortune to be more positive.
Peggy checked in her capacious bag to make sure the little gift she’d brought for Doreen was safely stowed away with the things she’d brought for Kitty. Turning back to the window, she realised she was almost there, so she gathered up her bag and cardigan and waited for the wheezing old bus to grind to a halt.
With a cheerful ‘ta ta for now’ to the middle-aged clippy, she stepped down, and was almost engulfed by the exhaust fumes from the ancient bus as it jerked back into life with an almighty backfire.
She turned away as the bus groaned onwards, and walked between the majestic pillars which had once held a pair of fine wrought iron gates, her shoes crunching on the freshly raked gravel driveway. From what Ron had told her about the place, the grounds of Holmwood House extended for several acres and included a large wood – but she wasn’t here on a sightseeing trip, however curious she might be, and Kitty would be waiting for her.
The long drive swept past rhododendron and azalea hedges, which were looking a little drab now the blooms were gone. Beyond the hedges lay formal lawns, flower beds and a weeping willow drooping gracefully over a small lake where a family of swans had taken up residence amongst the ducks and moorhens. It really was the most beautiful, peaceful place, thought Peggy as she hurried along, and so perfect for those who needed respite from this world at war.
She rounded the last bend and was met by the sight of the house itself, and once again she couldn’t fail to be impressed. This grand old building had stood the test of time and now, under the care of the combined forces, it had been brought back to life again with a fresh coat of paint and repaired windows, chimneys and roofs.
She went in through the large, heavily studded oak door which led to a square hall and an elegant oak staircase which rose majestically up to the third floor. It was dark and cool after the brightness and heat outside, and she could hear the echo of voices and the distant sound of music. Knowing her way around by now, she hurried to the east wing.
The nurse smiled as Peggy came into Kitty’s ward. ‘Hello, Mrs Reilly. You’ve only just missed Kitty, she’s having her plasters taken off.’ She gave Peggy directions to the plaster room. ‘Just go in,’ she said, ‘we don’t stand on ceremony here.’
Peggy hoped she wasn’t too late as she hurriedly followed the directions. She’d promised Kitty she’d be here when the plasters came off and didn’t want to break her word. She found the room easily and, after a momentary hesitation, pushed through the door.
‘Peggy!’ cried Kitty in delight. ‘Look, I’ve got a leg and an arm again. And in a minute this arm will be free too.’ She was sitting on a chair while the doctor carefully manoeuvred the heavy cutters through the plaster on her left arm.
Peggy put down her bag and hurried over. She noted how pale and thin the girl’s limbs were, but that was more than made up for by the bright grin across her face. She gently clasped her free hand. ‘How does it feel?’
‘Strange,’ Kitty said with a giggle. ‘But oh so light and free – my leg and arm feel as if they can just fly away.’
‘There we are,’ said the doctor as he carefully pulled back the two halves of the plaster and eased it from her arm and hand. ‘Flex your arm and wriggle your fingers for me, Kitty.’
Kitty did as she was told and giggled again. ‘As good as new,’ she said in delight, ‘but I’ll need some time in the sun to get the colour back. My skin looks a bit like a suet pudding.’
The doctor smiled with understanding and began to gently massage her arms and fingers. ‘You’ll need to get the muscles working again in your limbs, so there will be plenty of physio for the next few weeks,’ he said. ‘But with your leg you must take extra care, Kitty, and not try to do too much at first. You’ll find it’s much weaker than before.’
‘But I can have a pair of crutches?’
‘You may. But you’re to use them only when supervised for the first few days. We don’t want you falling and hurting yourself again, do we?’
‘Not likely,’ she replied and grinned. ‘Can I give them a go now?’
He shrugged. ‘Why not?’ Handing over the crutches, he glanced at Peggy. ‘If you could hold onto her right arm, I’ll take the left to steady her. She’ll be a bit wobbly at first,’ he warned.
Peggy gently took Kitty’s arm, fretting that it was all a bit too soon, and that if this didn’t go well, the girl might get upset and lose heart.
Kitty put her foot to the floor, and with the help of the others, managed to get out of the chair and stand. ‘Gosh,’ she breathed. ‘I didn’t realise how much energy it takes just to stand up.’
‘You’ll soon find it isn’t as much of a struggle.’ The doctor placed the crutches in her armpits. ‘Is that comfortable, Kitty? Do your arms feel strong enough to take your weight?’
Kitty nodded, but Peggy could see the sudden hesitancy in her. ‘Just stand for a minute,’ she said softly. ‘Get the feel of the crutches before you try anything.’
‘They feel quite comfortable, but . . . But I don’t feel balanced at all,’ she confessed, ‘and my arms are trembling even before I try to put my weight on them. I don’t know . . . I don’t know if I can do this.’
‘If you can fly a Spitfire, you can fly a pair of crutches,’ said Peggy with an encouraging smile. ‘Lean all your weight on the crutches and then take a step – just a small step – or even a bit of a shuffle. You’ll see. You can do it.’
Kitty’s expression became determined, and Peggy could see her knuckles whitening as she gripped the crutches and willed herself to take that first step. ‘It’s like being a baby learning to walk again,’ she muttered. ‘But I’ll do it. Yes. I’ll damned well do it.’
Kitty’s first step was more of a tentative shuffle. The second was slightly bolder, and the third was bolder still. ‘See, I told you I could do it,’ she panted in triumph.
‘That’s enough for now,’ said the doctor as he pulled the wheelchair towards her and gently pressed her into it. ‘You’ll find you tire easily at first, but the physiotherapist will work on those weak muscles, and if you practise little and often, you’ll soon be swinging along as well as Doreen.’
Peggy softly kissed the girl’s damp brow, her heart swelling with pride. ‘Well done,’ she breathed. ‘Now, if we’ve finished here, how about we go out onto the terrace and enjoy the sun while we have a cup of tea?’
Kitty had tears in her eyes as she grasped Peggy’s hand. ‘Thank you, Peggy. I couldn’t have done it without you here.’
‘Stuff and nonsense,’ retorted Peggy gruffly. ‘You’d’ve done it with or without me, because you’re made of strong stuff. Now, let’s find that cuppa. I don’t know about you, but I’m parched after all that excitement.’
Once she’d wheeled Kitty outside and made sure she was in the shade and comfortable, Peggy asked one of the orderlies if it would be possible to have a pot of tea. As he went off, they were both startled by a shout from the French windows.
‘Oi, wot you think then? Look, no crutches.’
Doreen came towards them with almost a piratical swagger, her pretty face alight with triumph as she leaned heavily on a walking stick.
‘You’ve got your leg,’ Kitty called back in delight.
‘And you ain’t got yer plaster,’ she replied cheerfully. ‘But you look as pale as a fish on a slab,’ she added as she swung the leg out and forward, carefully placing it before making any further advance with her good leg. ‘You wanna get out from that umbrella and in the sun, gel.’
‘I’ll catch up with you soon enough,’ said Kitty with a chuckle.
Doreen plumped down into a nearby chair and blew a loud sigh of relief. ‘Blimey,’ she panted. ‘It don’t ’alf take it out of yer. I ain’t never been this puffed after such a short walk.’
‘But you’re managing very well,’ said Peggy with admiration. ‘Is this your first time, Doreen?’
Doreen shook her head and then lit a cigarette. ‘I’ve been practising with the physio in the gym. He reckoned I was ready enough to be let loose with it out ’ere. But by the cringe, Peg, it’s a bugger. Look at the state of
that
.’ She stuck her false leg out so they could examine it.
‘It’s no different to everyone else’s,’ said Kitty with a giggle. ‘What did you expect, Doreen? Bells and tinsel with fairy lights?’
‘Summink a bit more glamorous, that’s what,’ she grumbled. ‘Well, I mean, look at that shoe for a start. Wouldn’t have been seen dead wearing summink like that before. It’s a right bugger, and that’s a fact.’
Peggy understood Doreen’s dislike of the shoe. For a pretty girl used to wearing dainty footwear, it was a huge let-down – black, clumpy and laced, it was like something an old woman would wear. ‘Maybe, once you’ve got used to the leg, you could adapt another shoe to take its place,’ she offered.
‘Yeah, maybe,’ said Doreen as she regarded the offending object rather dolefully. ‘But I can’t see me dancing the light fantastic in me lovely red high heels again, can you, Peg?’
‘Knowing you, I wouldn’t put it past you to try,’ said Peggy as she dug in her bag. ‘Anyway, I brought something that might cheer you up. It’s only small, but the minute I saw it, I knew you had to have it.’
Doreen opened the small packet and her eyes widened as the glittering black and gold garter fell into her lap. ‘Cor,’ she breathed as she held it up admiringly. ‘I ain’t never seen one as lovely as this.’
‘I found it among some stuff in a trunk under the stairs,’ said Peggy. ‘My younger daughter, Cissy, used to be on the stage, and this was part of a costume she once wore.’
‘And she don’t mind you giving this lovely thing to me?’ Doreen asked in awe.
Peggy smiled. ‘I doubt she’ll even remember she had it. And now she’s in the WAAF, she won’t be needing it.’
‘Thanks ever so, Peg. I’ll take great care of it, I will.’
She wrestled to get the garter over her ugly shoe and then up the steel frame of the leg, over the fittings that cupped her knee, and settled it on her thigh. Keeping the folds of her vivid scarlet dressing gown drawn back, she admired how the gold sequins sparkled in the sunlight.
‘This won’t half cheer them poor buggers up in the men’s ward,’ she said with a naughty wink. I think I’ll go and show it off right now before they all go to sleep.’
‘Mind how you go, Doreen,’ warned Kitty. ‘I saw Matron earlier and she was heading that way.’
Doreen grinned and got to her feet. ‘She ain’t no match fer me,’ she said. ‘Not today.’
Peggy and Kitty watched with affectionate smiles as she swung away determinedly, showing off her new garter to all and sundry as she crossed the terrace.
‘I like Doreen,’ said Peggy after she’d gone indoors. ‘She has such spirit.’
‘I do too,’ murmured Kitty. ‘And I’ll miss her dreadfully once she’s discharged. But she’s right about that shoe. It has to be the ugliest thing known to man.’
‘But Doreen’s walking about on it, so it serves a wonderful purpose.’ Peggy reached for her pale, thin hand. ‘Don’t worry, Kitty,’ she said softly. ‘Once you’re up and about, I’ll see if we can find something a bit more attractive.’
Kitty didn’t look too convinced, so Peggy dug into her bag again. ‘And to congratulate you on losing all that horrid plaster, I’ve brought you some presents too.’
Kitty looked immediately apprehensive, and Peggy laughed. ‘No, dear, there are no more garters. But I did find this lovely cardigan when I was sorting through stuff at the WVS centre. It’s all washed and clean,’ she added hastily, ‘and I don’t reckon it’s been hardly worn at all. And here are some magazines and a couple of books which I enjoyed and thought you might find interesting.’
Kitty threw her arms round Peggy. ‘Thank you so much for being here, Peggy,’ she said tearfully. ‘There are so many things that are frightening and new, and I’m so glad I have you to talk to and lean on.’
Peggy’s tears blinded her as she held the slender girl to her heart. ‘My shoulders are broad, Kitty,’ she replied softly. ‘You lean as heavily as you like, my dear.’
MORE THAN TWO
weeks had passed since Kitty took possession of her crutches, and now she could get about at some speed. The physiotherapy was working wonders and her arms and leg felt very much stronger, so she continued with her exercises at every spare moment, determined to be in good shape when her new leg was fitted the following day.
She was feeling much more positive about things, for Freddy and Roger had managed to come and see her twice on their evenings off, and Peggy had been to visit every Sunday and Thursday, sometimes with Rita, and once with her sweet baby, Daisy, who’d enchanted everyone by milking every ounce of attention throughout the afternoon.
Peggy had confessed that she’d been a bit worried about bringing a baby to the hospital but had decided that perhaps some of the patients might be missing their own little ones, so it wouldn’t do any harm as long as she was well behaved. They both agreed the idea had been a success and that Daisy should come again while the weather was so good.
Kitty had come to adore Peggy, for she was strong and loving and talked a lot of sense when Kitty was feeling a bit dispirited or impatient with her progress. As for Rita, she’d become a real friend, and despite their very different backgrounds, they’d discovered they had a great deal more in common than just motorbikes.
They were almost childlike in their pleasures, they realised, preferring to watch a film, go for a picnic or eat fish and chips out of newspaper rather than going to dances or flirting with men in uniform. It wasn’t that they didn’t like men, just that they were wary. They’d both seen friends have their hearts broken when a husband or fiancé didn’t make it back, or when things went wrong – and things did go badly wrong, with so many Americans, Canadians and Free French flirting their way through the ranks of girls who were flattered to be noticed, and who saw them as rather exotic and romantic.