Free The Silver Locket by Margaret James Page B

about it. I didn’t understand how awful it must be until today.’ Rose could not drink her coffee. ‘It’s wicked,’ she continued. ‘It’s evil and it’s cruel. It’s not a war, it’s just a pointless slaughter.’
    ‘You sound like a pacifist.’
    ‘I want to go to France.’ Rose looked at Maria earnestly. ‘I’m going to join the VAD, then volunteer for service overseas.’
    ‘You can’t, you’re much too young.’
    ‘I’ll lie about my age.’
    ‘If you go abroad, you’ll need to forge a birth certificate – unless you plan to steal one?’
    ‘But I can’t stay here and do nothing!’ Rose exclaimed.
    ‘You’re hardly doing nothing .’ Maria met Rose’s anguished gaze. ‘Listen, spend the next few months here at St Benedict’s, learning how to treat these dreadful wounds, and how to deal with your own emotions. Rose, you’re very young. Let yourself grow up a bit.’
    ‘Everybody treats me like a child,’ muttered Rose.
    ‘We wouldn’t let a child see what you have seen today,’ Maria said wryly. ‘If you don’t want that horrid coffee, let’s get back. We’ve work to do.’
    ‘Come along, my dear. It’s nearly supper time, but you’ve still got lots of work to do.’
    In the stuffy bedroom of a grimy house in Wolverhampton, the midwife wiped the expectant mother’s face with a damp cloth. ‘I know it’s hurting, but you need to push. I can’t do it for you.’
    ‘I can’t push any more.’ Chloe was exhausted, for she’d been in labour all that day and half the previous night. ‘I’m so tired, and it hurts so much! I’ll never have another baby, ever!’
    ‘That’s what everybody says, but they all change their minds.’ The midwife crouched to look between her patient’s parted legs. ‘You’re nearly ready now. So if you can ride this next contraction, and then push really hard, your baby will be here. Come now, Mrs Denham, do your best. Just think how proud and happy Mr Denham’s going to be.’
    ‘My husband doesn’t care about me or the baby.’ Chloe bit her lip. She didn’t want to think of Alex.
    He didn’t love her and he never had, for since he’d been in France he had never written a proper letter, saying that he missed her and was looking forward to seeing her again.
    She felt another contraction coming, braced herself, but this one hit her with the force of a typhoon. She screamed in agony and terror. She’d thought she couldn’t push any more, but now she heaved and grunted, straining like a man trying to lift a weight almost as heavy as himself.
    ‘Stop a moment – Mrs Denham, please!’ The calm, efficient midwife suddenly sounded frightened. ‘Mrs Denham, wait, the cord is round your baby’s neck!’
    But Chloe didn’t want to wait. She shut her ears to the midwife’s warning. She pushed hard once again, then it was over, and she closed her eyes.
    She could hear the midwife saying she was so sorry, so very, very sorry, and Aunt Emily crying. But she couldn’t really take it in, because she was so tired – so very tired.
    It was ten o’clock at night when Rose and Maria finally got away to have a meal in the canteen. Private Kingsley had been very difficult today, but Rose found she could soothe and comfort him. So she’d sat at his bedside for an hour or more, crooning the nursery rhymes and lullabies her nanny had once sung, and finally he’d drifted off to sleep.
    Maria had had a little smile playing about her lips, and been looking as if she had a secret all that day, but Rose hadn’t had a chance to ask what it might be.
    They lined up for their plates of mince and vegetables, then sat down to wolf their soggy supper.
    ‘Come on, then – spill the beans,’ said Rose, as she pushed her empty plate away.
    ‘Beans?’ said Maria, looking blank.
    ‘Staff Nurse Gower, don’t be such a tease!’
    ‘Oh, very well, I’ll tell you. But it was Sister Hall’s idea, not mine.’ Maria started on her treacle pudding. ‘You