Connie’s Courage by Annie Groves Page A

opening of the door made her start. There was no sign of Vera, and Connie wondered frantically if she had just been told to leave without any more ado.
    â€˜I trust you have had time to repent of your shocking behaviour, Nurse Pride?’ Sister Jenkins demanded, as she looked at Connie.
    Too distraught to speak, Connie swallowed and nodded her head.
    Matron studied the report she had in front of her. Normally with transgressions as serious as Connie’s had been, especially after her two earlier warnings, she would have dismissed the girl immediately. But here in front of her were reports from the Sisters in charge of the wards on which Connie had worked. All of them, without exception, praised not just the high standard of her work, but each, in their own way, revealed that they considered that Nurse Pride – whilst as yet a very rough and uncut diamond – had, nevertheless, the potential to become not only an excellent nurse, but, in time, something much more. Good Sisterswere born, not made, or so Matron considered, and good Theatre Sisters, even more so.
    But no matter how promising a young nurse might be, discipline was, in Matron’s opinion, the single most important thing she had to learn. It was impossible to be a good nurse without it! Straightening the reports on her desk, she rang the bell for Connie to enter.
    Forbidden to leave their room, it was thanks to Josie and Mavis that there had been water for them to wash in this morning, and for Connie to smooth down her unruly curls before putting on her freshly starched cap, Connie acknowledged, as she advanced towards Matron’s desk. There was a chair she could have sat in but Matron did not invite her to do so, and so Connie remained standing.
    â€˜You are, of course, aware of why you are here, Pride?’ Matron began.
    â€˜Yes, ma’am,’ Connie acknowledged, swallowing hard against the tension locking her throat muscles.
    â€˜You have already been warned, not just once, but twice, about certain unacceptable behaviour.’
    Connie bowed her head in silent assent, fiercely blinking away her frightened tears.
    â€˜Your fellow probationer has informed me that it was at your suggestion that the two of you broke the rules by leaving the hospital without permission.’
    Connie felt sick with disbelief. Vera had blamedher? When the whole idea had been Vera’s own? She wanted to defend herself, but feared to do so in case she made her own situation even worse. How could Vera have done such a thing to her? She was supposed to be her friend! Connie knew that, had their positions been reversed, it was not something that she would have done.
    Matron frowned a little as Connie remained silent. She had a pretty fair idea of just who the instigator of their transgression had been, and whilst she had accepted Vera’s version of events without any comment, she had expected that Connie would refute it. Matron’s opinion of Connie began to improve. Loyalty was an excellent virtue in a nurse, and so was the ability to hold one’s tongue, especially under pressure.
    â€˜You realise, of course, the serious nature of your behaviour, and the consequences of it?’
    Connie went white. She knew what was coming, and she bowed her head.
    Matron stood up and came round from behind her desk. Connie could feel herself starting to shake. Was Matron going to remove her cap and her apron and send her thus from her office so that everyone could witness her disgrace?
    Matron was tall and rather rotund, and her steely inspection made Connie clench all her muscles. She must not. She would not break down in tears and plea to be spared.
    â€˜When this hospital was rebuilt on the lines laid down with the assistance of Florence Nightingale,it was part of her recommendation that nurses be trained here in such a way that their training, and their demeanour, would reflect well on both the Infirmary and those who ran it.
    â€˜I look upon the