Connie’s Courage by Annie Groves

Vera was saying. She felt too sick with worry to listen to her. All she could think of was the morning and Matron. Matron would tell her to leave, she was sure of it. And all because she had given in to Vera. Tears burned the backs of her eyes. She could feel herself trembling inwardly with shock. It had never occurred to her that they might get caught. Oh, how she wished she had not been so foolish!
    When they reached their room, Josie was waiting anxiously for them.
    â€˜Eeh, but you are late!’ she told them. ‘Sister has been round and your beds were empty!’
    â€˜And I suppose you told her where we were, did you, Goody Two Shoes,’ Vera accused Mavis who was sitting up quietly in her bed. ‘Well, we mighthave known that you would give us away!’ Vera added nastily.
    Josie’s face had grown bright pink. ‘Vera, that’s not fair!’ she protested. ‘Mavis told Sister that you were right bad with your monthlies and that Connie had gone down to the kitchen with you, to make you a hot water bottle and a cup of tea!’
    When neither of them said anything, Mavis herself said quietly, ‘I don’t think you were the only nurses who went to the dance, not with George Lashwood being there!’ She gave a small sigh. ‘I would have liked to have heard him again myself. Connie, what is it? What’s wrong?’ she demanded with concern, getting up off her bed and coming over to Connie, as she saw the tears in her eyes.
    â€˜Sister caught us coming in,’ Connie told her, too upset to hold back the truth. ‘We … She’s going to report us to Matron!’
    â€˜Oh Connie! Mavis’s hand went to her mouth, and her eyes reflected her shock.
    â€˜I’m starving! You’d have thought Sister would have let us have our breakfast,’ Vera announced angrily.
    â€˜I couldn’t eat anything,’ Connie told her numbly. ‘I feel that sick! I didn’t sleep a wink last night. Oh, Vera, what will we do if Matron dismisses us?’ she whispered, unable to keep her fear to herself any longer.
    â€˜As to that, I don’t rightly care!’ Vera retorted.
    â€˜I’d be glad if Matron did send us packing. I’m fair sick of this place, Connie. I thought nursing was going to be exciting, not spending all day scrubbing and polishing.’ She gave a defiant toss of her head. ‘I was thinking of leaving come Christmas anyway!’
    As Connie digested her friend’s comments, she reflected bleakly that it was all very well for Vera to talk of leaving: she had a home to go to, and two parents who, by all accounts, doted on her, whilst Connie …
    Connie stiffened as the door opened. Sister Jenkins was standing outside the room, a nurse on either side of her.
    â€˜Matron will see you first,’ she told Vera, coldly.
    After Vera had gone, marched away like a prisoner, Connie smoothed the fabric of her dress, and fidgeted nervously with her apron and her cap. Would this be the last time she would be wearing them? Although she had never said so, she had felt so proud and so smart in her uniform.
    Whatever happened to her, she couldn’t go back to somewhere like Back Court, she would rather die, Connie told herself fiercely. And she would certainly rather die than embrace the life Bill Connolly had planned for her. A sick shudder gripped her. Oh, why hadn’t she thought properly about what she was risking, instead of being so stubborn!
    She was on the verge of bursting into tears, but she knew she mustn’t do so.
    It seemed a lifetime to Connie before SisterJenkins returned for her. It was certainly more than long enough for her to think about, and regret, her stubborn rebelliousness, over and over again. Just as she had regretted running away with Kieron, and wished she had listened to Ellie when she had begged Connie to leave him.
    Even though she had been expecting it; waiting for it, in fact, the abrupt