LITMIR.BIZ

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      ‘Jimmy,’ Alice said sternly, ‘do not make this difficult.’

      Jimmy’s shoulders sagged. ‘Ah, I can’t remember the boss’s name and that’s the God’s honest truth, darling, I swear.’

      Alice pre-empted any further argument by snapping her notepad to a close and springing to her feet. ‘Very well. I shall make my own enquiries.’

      ‘You’re a persistent woman, so you are,’ Jimmy said as she prepared to leave. ‘But no less beautiful for it.’

      Alice threw a mock chiding look his way. As she emerged from the ward, Dr Harland appeared at the opposite end of the corridor, his curly hair unkempt. Their eyes locked. Harland slowed, shoulders stiffening, then turned towards a side room. ‘Doctor?’ Alice called out. ‘May I have a word with you?’

      Harland stopped. He dropped his head back and closed his eyes briefly, turning slowly as Alice approached. ‘What now?’

      Alice blinked and pulled her chin in. ‘There is someone I am concerned about. But first, I need to ask you … when did you first meet Charlotte Redbourne?’

      The doctor scowled. ‘You know very well when I first met her; when you dragged me along on one of your mercy missions, that’s when.’

      ‘So you had no previous knowledge of her before that day?’

      Dr Harland’s eyes hardened. ‘No. Although what authority you think you have to question me …’

      ‘Charlotte was brought into hospital suffering with breathing difficulties just over a year ago, but there is no record of the treatment she was given.’ Alice paused, keeping her gaze fixed on him. ‘I presume that with those symptoms, she would have been referred to the chest clinic.’ The doctor gave a small shrug. After another pause Alice asked: ‘So you are certain that you did not treat her?’

      ‘If I had,’ the doctor said, his jaw stiff, ‘the records would reflect it. I’m not the only doctor who works in this department, as well you know.’

      Alice gave a small nod. After a moment she said: ‘I’m concerned about an elderly woman. I would like you to see her urgently, if you can manage it. And I also think a house call might be in order for her grandson. A young boy with –’

      Harland groaned. ‘Not another one of your –’ he stopped and bit his lip, most likely in an effort to prevent himself from verbalising his frustration. ‘I’ve spent most of the morning dealing with your patients, Miss Hudson.’

      Alice glared at the doctor. ‘My patients?’

      ‘Yes! The troublesome ones that you insist on sending up here!’

      Alice’s nostrils flared. ‘What do you expect me to do with them, then?’

      ‘I thought your job was to ensure the smooth running of the hospital,’ the doctor snapped. ‘You seem to create a commotion wherever you go.’

      The flush rising from Alice’s neck and up to her cheeks evidenced her fury. ‘First and foremost my duty is to ensure that patients have the best possible chance of making a full recovery, doctor. It is not, as you seem to believe, to make your life more convenient. And if you think –’

      Dr Harland held up a flattened hand in front of her. ‘Please stop speaking,’ he said. ‘If you have an urgent case, bring them up in one hour.’ He turned on his heel and dived into his office, slamming the door loudly behind him. The almoner stared at the door with a look of disbelief. After a moment she returned to Nell at the main reception and shook her head silently. The nurse returned her exasperated look. ‘Our lord and master’s finally graced us with his presence then, I see.’

      Alice nodded then looked at her thoughtfully. ‘You mentioned that the doctor often goes AWOL,’ she said slowly, leaning close to the counter. ‘Do you have any idea where he goes?’

      ‘You might well ask,’ the nurse said, and then she gave the almoner a meaningful look. ‘Perhaps Mr Jimmy Rose isn’t the only one with secret lady friends around here. Although why the doctor would feel the need to leave the hospital to find one I have no inkling. Lord knows there are enough simpering, silly nurses up here throwing themselves at him.’

      Alice pursed her lips, then nodded to the nurse and reached for her hat.

      ‘Come back for a cuppa when you’ve got more time,’ Nell said, as Alice walked away. ‘And make sure you bring news of that convalescence home along with you. Something’s got to give sooner or later.’ She leaned over her desk as Alice pushed on the doors leading to the stairs. ‘I’m not a miracle worker, you know.’

       Chapter Ten

      It is the stoutest, not the kindest, heart that is wanted … all we have to do is weather the storm as well as we are able, taking additional care to be vigilant and strict in keeping all members of the community within the bounds of duty.

      (Quoted by Mr Longley in his Report to the Local Government Board on Poor Law Administration in London, 1874)

      As each year passed, Alice and her colleagues’ ‘people’ skills were to be increasingly drawn upon by the medical staff, the frontiers of their work creeping ever more forward. It wasn’t until the Second World War that their contribution would be fully appreciated, however, and then officially recognised.

      During the nightly bombing raids over London, the almoners were the ones who cushioned the trauma for patients bunkering down in shelters specifically built by the Ministry of Health. They helped to fill the sandbags that were to be piled up around the entrances to the hospital and taped up its many windows with blackout curtains. They were the ones providing the sick with hot tea from thermos flasks, extra blankets and words of reassurance, and reuniting lost children with frantic parents. And then, in the aftermath of the raids, they shouldered the task of salvaging what they could from the ruins of bombed-out homes, liaising with the authorities and charitable bodies to help rebuild devastated lives.

      Rotas were reorganised through the war years to ensure that the almoners’ office was always manned, so that the public could be reassured that, whatever time of the day or night, they could always count on finding a friendly face in the hospital, someone ready to offer a helping hand.

      Half past ten on the morning of 5 January, three days after the birth of Charlotte’s infant daughter, found Alice escorting a reluctant Hetty Woods up to the chest ward.

      After booking her in with Nell at the main reception desk, the almoner led her along the corridor to a small, tucked-away waiting area, its rows of benches packed with other patients. Several glanced up, their faces glum. Alice guided Hetty to the end of one of the nearest benches and supported her arm as she lowered herself between an elderly gentleman with a hacking cough and a younger woman in a wheelchair. Hetty wrung her hands in her lap and looked up anxiously at Alice. ‘Are you sure you don’t want your husband with you, Mrs Woods? I’m happy to fetch him for you before I head off.’

      The woman waved the suggestion away with a flap of her hand. ‘No, he’ll only fuss and make it worse. And please, call me Hetty.’

      Several patients turned in unison at the sound of approaching footsteps. At the appearance of Dr Harland, one or two gathered their belongings and gave him a hopeful look. He scowled when he caught sight of Alice. ‘Right, come this way,’ he said, exhaling loudly before striding off. One of the women clucked in annoyance as Alice helped Hetty to her feet, another mumbling something about jumping the queue.

      ‘Well, I’ll leave you with the doctor now, Hetty,’ Alice said when they reached the examination cubicle where Dr Harland was waiting.

      The elderly woman gave her an anxious look. ‘Actually, duck, I wouldn’t mind a bit of company, if you can spare the time?’

      The almoner looked at the doctor,

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