The Nightingale Girls - By Donna Douglas Page 0,105

me your word that you would be a reformed character and apply yourself assiduously to your studies?’

‘Yes, Matron. I have, Matron.’

‘Indeed?’ Matron’s brows rose. ‘In that case, why did I this morning receive an anonymous note claiming that you returned to the nurses’ home late last night in a severe state of intoxication?’

Millie stared down at the parquet floor. She was too afraid to breathe, let alone speak.

‘Should the allegations in this note turn out to be true, you understand I would have no choice but to dismiss you immediately from this hospital. I cannot have students behaving in such an outrageous fashion.’

‘No, Matron.’ This was it, Millie thought. She could already see herself travelling home on the train, Felix picking her up at the station, her father’s disappointment, her grandmother’s elation . . .

‘However, as yet I have been unable to prove these accusations,’ Matron continued. ‘I have received no official complaint either from Home Sister, or the night porter. I cannot make decisions about a nurse’s future based on gossip and rumour. And since the author of this note clearly lacks the courage to approach me personally with any proof, I am regrettably forced to give you another chance.’

Millie looked up, scarcely able to believe what she was hearing. Neither could Miss Hanley, judging by the thunderous look of outrage on her face.

‘You – you mean you’re not dismissing me?’ said Millie.

‘Not unless you wish to confess to this misdemeanour?’

Millie opened her mouth and closed it again. She knew honesty was one of her many failings, but even she wasn’t silly enough to speak up now.

‘I have nothing to say, Matron,’ she said stiffly.

‘No, I didn’t think you would.’ There was a glint in Matron’s grey eyes. ‘Very well, then, Benedict, you may go. But rest assured, I will be keeping my eye on you.’

‘Yes, Matron. Thank you, Matron.’

‘Oh, and Benedict?’

‘Yes, Matron?’

‘You might find a couple of Aspirin beneficial, I think.’

Millie felt as if she’d received a last-minute reprieve on her way to the gallows. Her hangover forgotten, she almost danced her way through the rest of her duties on the ward, and by lunchtime she was feeling a great deal better, even though she still couldn’t face food.

She was pushing a stringy piece of meat around her plate when one of the seniors, Amy Hollins, plonked herself down in the seat next to her. Millie was shocked; seniors rarely associated with lowly pros.

‘What were you doing in Hyde last night?’

Millie looked at her sharply. ‘You saw me?’

‘I was coming back from my break just as you were sneaking out. You weren’t exactly being subtle about it. What were you up to?’

She laughed when Millie told her. Millie couldn’t understand why everyone seemed to find it so amusing.

‘You’re lucky no one caught you.’

‘They did,’ Millie said miserably. ‘I had to see Matron this morning.’

‘I bet she was furious.’

‘Actually, she was very nice about it. She said since Sister Sutton hadn’t caught me red-handed, there wasn’t much she could do.’ Millie put down her fork, her appetite gone. ‘I wish I knew who’d written that note. What a beastly thing to do.’

‘I bet I can guess,’ Amy said through a mouthful of food. ‘It’s got to be Tremayne, hasn’t it?’

Millie shook her head. ‘She wouldn’t do a thing like that.’

‘What makes you so sure?’

‘Because she’s not like that. She’s always covered for me in the past when I’ve come in late.’

‘Perhaps you upset her?’

Millie thought briefly about what William had said. Helen didn’t want her brother to have anything to do with Millie. She couldn’t remember if she’d told Helen who she’d been with that night, but it wouldn’t take a genius to work it out . . .

No. Millie dismissed the thought. ‘Helen wouldn’t do it,’ she said. ‘She wouldn’t deliberately set out to get me dismissed.’

‘Why not? It’s exactly the kind of thing she’d do. She’s done it before.’

Millie frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Have you ever heard of a girl called Peggy Gibson?’ Millie shook her head. ‘She shared a room with Tremayne last year. She thought she could trust Tremayne too. Until she got thrown out.’

Amy reached across for Millie’s plate and scraped her leftovers on to her own plate.

‘What happened?’

‘Tremayne told tales. She went to her mother and told her Gibson had a bottle of gin hidden under her bed.’

‘And did she?’

‘Well, yes. We were planning a party and she’d bought a bottle of booze to share. But Tremayne found out about it and reported