The District Nurses of Victory Walk

Alice smiled reassuringly. ‘Has he been mixing with anyone who’s got a cold? Babies often show a high temperature when you or I would just feel a little under the weather.’

Kathleen thought for a moment. ‘He might have, Miss. My friend’s brother had to pull out of a match last week as he was took bad but then he was right as rain by the weekend. Could that be it?’

‘It could be something as simple as that. Keep him warm, wipe his face with a cool cloth and give him plenty of fluids.’ Alice looked appraisingly at the young woman. ‘You are feeding him yourself still, I assume?’

Kathleen nodded.

‘You might want to consider a supplementary feed, such as Cow and Gate,’ Alice suggested gently.

‘Oh no, Nurse. Our family don’t hold with that. Mother’s milk is best, that’s what they say.’ Kathleen knew she could never afford any alternative.

‘Well, you’ve got to make sure that you keep your strength up, that you’re taking in enough nutrition to make good milk.’ Alice had noticed the baby was on the scrawny side and suspected the mother was scrimping on meals. She didn’t have a spare ounce of fat on her. ‘Is it just the two of you here?’ She had registered the wedding ring on the young woman’s hand, but also the narrow single bed pushed against the back wall and the clothes rail with a few well-worn frocks on it but no men’s items.

Kathleen’s head came up. ‘My Ray’s away on a merchant ship, Miss. He’ll be back soon and then he’ll see us right. It’s just he can’t always tell us where he is or when he’ll be back, letters take so long, though I always try to keep him up to date with our news. I’m keeping the place nice for when he returns. I’ll be able to pay you then.’

Alice glanced down. She hated the moment when the subject of money was raised, and had already presumed that Kathleen would fall into the bracket of those too poor to afford to pay, and who would therefore be treated for free. But it was a thorny issue. Everyone had their pride, and just because cash was short didn’t mean Kathleen wanted to be a sympathy case. Alice fixed her gaze on the rag rug on the bare floor, which had been skilfully made, even if not very recently. ‘You might be eligible for extra milk from the local authority. You can drink it yourself and also dilute it for your baby.’

Kathleen visibly recoiled at the notion of receiving a handout. ‘That won’t be necessary, Nurse.’

‘No need to worry about that just now,’ Alice said hastily. ‘You let us know when your husband comes home and we can maybe talk about it then. But in the meanwhile, you mustn’t hesitate to call for us again if the boy doesn’t improve or goes down with something else.’ She looked directly at Kathleen. ‘The best way to keep your child well is to make sure you stay healthy yourself, Mrs Berry. Kathleen.’ She paused to let her words sink in. ‘And that means eating well. I know it’s not always easy to find the time when you are busy but you have to remember to do so.’

Kathleen flushed. Of course she’d been missing meals. There wasn’t the money to eat properly every day, but she was damned if she’d admit that to the kind nurse.

Alice had finished her tea and was making ready to leave when there came a knock at the door and a young woman came in without waiting for Kathleen to answer. In the dim light the first thing Alice noticed was her hair – there was so much of it, partially pinned up but most of it falling down around her shoulders, windblown and untameable. ‘Thought you were coming round?’ she demanded, and then stopped in her tracks. ‘Sorry, didn’t realise you had company.’

Alice stood. ‘I was just leaving. I’m Nurse Lake, Alice Lake.’

Kathleen hurriedly stood as well. ‘Oh, Mattie, Brian was took bad and I clean forgot. I’m sorry, I hope your ma didn’t go to no trouble …’

‘Don’t be silly.’ Mattie took one look at her friend who was all of a fluster and went and gave her a big hug. Then she turned to Alice. ‘You’re not going on my account, are you?’

‘No, no, I was on my way anyway,’ Alice assured her. ‘I’ve taken a look at Brian and I’m sure he’s in no danger. He just needs good care and plenty of rest.’

Mattie nodded. ‘Glad to hear it. I’m Mattie Askew, by the way. I’ve got a baby Brian’s age so I know what it’s like, don’t I, Kath? Only I live at me ma’s while my Lennie’s away, so I got someone to help me out and look after her now and again.’

Kathleen breathed out. ‘Your ma’s a diamond, Mattie. She’s been good to me an’ all. I don’t know where I’d be without her, that’s the truth.’

Alice picked up her bag. ‘Well, I’m glad to see you’ve got a good friend, Kathleen. A trouble shared is a trouble halved, that’s what they say.’ She moved towards the door.

‘Works both ways,’ Mattie said staunchly. ‘When my Lennie joined up I was in a proper tizz, and Kathleen looked after me then. He always wanted to go into the army but when he went ahead and did it I didn’t know what to do. It was Kathleen what stopped me running after him and making a fool of myself.’ She grinned at her friend with affection. Alice saw Kathleen in a different light, not a poverty-stricken young woman panicking about her child’s health, but a steadfast friend who could be relied upon. It was a good lesson to learn on her first real visit as a district nurse. People had different sides and you couldn’t presume that you understood everything about them on one short visit.

‘I’ll say goodbye, then,’ she said. ‘Don’t hesitate to call on me again, Kathleen. Remember what I said earlier.’

‘I will. I reckon he’ll be right as rain now,’ said Kathleen, stepping towards the door to see Alice out. ‘Thank you, Nurse. You’ve set my mind at rest and I’m really grateful.’ She stood at the open door as Alice lifted her Gladstone bag into the wire basket of her bike and set off.

Mattie took a look at Brian and carefully placed her hand on his small forehead. ‘He is a bit warm, isn’t he? What did she think it was?’

Kathleen came back inside and shook her head ruefully. ‘He’s better than he was. She sponged him down ever so gently and he settled at last. He was ever so hot this morning, and I thought … I thought …’ She could barely form the word as the fear leapt up inside her once more, but she forced herself to stay calm. ‘You know. Like down in Shoreditch. I thought it had come here and he’d got it.’

‘Oh, Kath.’ Mattie knew exactly what her friend was thinking, and if she were honest she’d worried about it herself, even though she rarely went anywhere near the area. ‘It won’t be that, really it won’t.’

‘I know that now.’ Kathleen composed herself again. ‘She said he probably had a bit of a cold and that babies his age can get a temperature where you or me wouldn’t have more than a bit of a sniffle.’

‘Probably got it off our Harry.’ Mattie shifted uncomfortably. ‘I’ll kill him. I said to stay away from the little ’uns but he can’t resist them. He was picking up your Brian and playing with him a few days ago, wasn’t he?’

Kathleen nodded. ‘Don’t blame him though, Mattie. I’m glad he plays with them. Brian likes it, you can tell. Does him good to get a cuddle from someone apart from me. Not all men like to do it, so don’t you go stopping him.’

Mattie knew what Kathleen really meant. ‘Still no word from Ray, then?’

Kathleen shook her head. ‘He can’t send word if he’s halfway to Canada, can he? Stands to reason, that does. I don’t expect to hear nothing till he’s back in port, and who knows when that’ll be?’

‘Who knows,’ Mattie echoed loyally, keeping her true feelings out of her voice. She wouldn’t trust Ray Berry as far as she could throw him which, given that he was six foot tall and she was a shade over five foot two, wouldn’t be far. She knew Kathleen loved him with a fierce and unstoppable passion, which meant she never complained about being left high and dry with a baby to look after on hardly any money. She herself wouldn’t have put up with it. But then, her Lennie sent home a portion of his wages regular as clockwork, and wrote letters every time he could. He was desperate for news of his baby daughter. He and Ray were as different as chalk and cheese.

‘You going to come back with me, then?’ she asked now. ‘Bring Brian – if he’s got what Harry had then we’d all have caught it by now if we were going to. Ma’s made a big pot of stew and says it won’t last, and she’ll be furious if I don’t bring you home with me.’

Kathleen briefly shut her eyes. She knew she was a bit of a charity case, and didn’t want to presume on Mattie’s mother’s kindness. All the same, her mouth was watering at the thought of her stew, and Nurse Lake had been very clear: she had to eat well to keep Brian in good health. She really didn’t have much choice.

‘I’d love to,’ she said.

CHAPTER THREE (#u09dbf5c0-b08a-5a64-ace3-6e6e7ce26bef)

Edith was deep in conversation with Mary Perkins when Alice returned, a little shaky after the ride on the unfamiliar bike.

‘Come and have a cup of tea,’ Mary said at once. ‘I know what it’s like to ride that boneshaker. You’ll want a good sit-down to recover.’ She got up to boil the kettle and refresh the pot that she and Edith had already started. They were in the big room on the lower-ground floor, which was comfortably if slightly shabbily furnished to function as a combined dining and common room, next to the handy service room with all that thirsty nurses could need, as each had their own cupboard for drinks and snacks as well as a communal iron and ironing board. Light poured in through the big windows, and Alice could see the bike stand through one of them.

‘Don’t mind if I do,’ she said, collapsing onto a wooden carver chair, the seat of which was softened by a big patchwork cushion. ‘I found my way there and back all right though. I’m slowly getting my bearings.’

Mary set a cup and saucer in front of her. ‘There you are. What was it like? Was the baby very sick?’

Alice sipped the welcome tea and thought for a moment. ‘No, not really. Well, he had a temperature but I’m pretty sure it was nothing to worry about. It’s just that the real reason for concern is he’s undernourished, and we can’t do much about that unless the mother lets us.’

Edith looked at her. ‘Remember, they warned us about that in our lectures. You can’t save everyone, Alice, even though I know you want to.’

‘I know, I know.’ Alice was only too aware that she had a tendency to get drawn in. It was the only fault that her previous matron had noted. She’d been ticked off for not maintaining a professional barrier, and told in no uncertain terms that it would do nobody any good – not the patient and not her. ‘Really, Edith, you needn’t worry. I’m not about to go round there and start taking over. It’s just – well, the mother was trying her best, you could see it in the way she kept the place, but she had next to nothing. She can barely feed herself, let alone the baby.’

Mary raised her eyebrows. ‘Like I said, you’ll be back, I’ll put money on it. A penny it’s within the fortnight. What do you say?’

‘I … I don’t really bet,’ Alice said, secretly shocked. She had been raised to think of gambling as a sin, and yet here was Mary blithely offering to put money down on a patient getting sick again. It didn’t seem right, but she didn’t want to appear too disapproving on her first day.

‘Oh, Alice doesn’t like a flutter but I do.’ Edith’s eyes gleamed. ‘Just you wait till I have my first case.’

‘Didn’t you get called out today, then?’ Alice asked.

‘No, I’ve been unpacking and making myself familiar with where everything is around here,’ Edith explained. ‘Nearest bathroom, quickest way down the stairs, who sleeps where, that kind of thing. Met a few of our colleagues and heard all the stories about which doctors are easiest to work with and which try to palm you off with patients they don’t want to deal with. Tested out which of the chairs down here are the comfiest.’

Alice nodded. ‘Have you been outside?’ She had a very good idea of what Edith had been on the lookout for.

‘I might have.’ Edith rolled her eyes. ‘There’s a solid tall fence to the side but the one at the back is a bit rickety.’ She grinned.