Ethel Bennett knew the Christmas Concert was the highlight of the hospital year. She appreciated how much joy it brought to the sick children, most of whom had a far better Christmas in the hospital than they ever would have at home. On the other hand, she also knew it was a tremendous amount of hard work, especially for lowly newly-qualified nurses. Somehow they always seemed to end up with extra shifts to string paper chains, sweep pine needles, move furniture, or any number of other tasks their superiors could devise.
But now it was done, and she would admit that everything looked very nice and the children's faces had lit enormously when they'd seen it all. Even little Lucy Fox, who was not likely to live another week, had smiled wanly when she'd seen Father Christmas hold a box out just for her.
So it was done, and it was worth it, and now she was going to stand next to Laura and watch the festivities. Their goal was to avoid the notice of all hospital authorities, especially Matron Luckes and Chairman Holland. To that end, they were near a large pillar that screened them from unwanted scrutiny.
"Is my skirt alright?" Laura asked anxiously. "I think I got a bit close to the fire when I was giving Tommy his pudding."
Ethel dutifully examined the skirt for scorch marks before pronouncing it free of them. "Not one. I do like that dress. From your parents?"
Laura's parents were known for sending gifts to their beloved and only child. Most of the time they were cakes, which the entire hall enjoyed, but sometimes they were more substantial items.
"Yes," Laura said. "I tried to tell mother that I didn't need a new dress, but she insisted. What if I 'had a gentleman caller', after all?"
Ethel laughed with her friend at the idea that either of them would have gentlemen callers, especially visiting the nurses' quarters. They were both destined to be spinsters as long as they remained nurses. She privately wished to be a doctor, of course, and in that case could have any gentleman caller she liked. On the other hand, there were few gentlemen who'd want to call on a female doctor socially, so perhaps she was destined to be a spinster even once she wasn't a nurse.
"I like yours too," Laura continued. "You made it, didn't you?"
Ethel nodded. She'd found the fabric at a good price because it was stained. Nursing had taught her to remove any number of unknown stains from fabric without damaging it. After that it had just been a matter of finding a pattern and sewing it all together.
"I'm not sure Matron approves," she admitted, glancing down. Her dress wasn't scandalously cut by any means, but the bodice was a bit more form-fitting than it could have been.
"It's perfectly fine," Laura assured her. "It looks lovely. Everyone thinks so. The medical students haven't been able to keep their eyes off you. You could find a husband tonight."
Ethel giggled at the idea of marrying a poor, owlish medical student and they both settled down to participate in the end of the concert, which always featured everyone in the room singing Silent Night whether they had any natural singing ability or not. She was halfway through the second verse when she realized that a pleasant baritone was harmonizing perfectly with her soprano. It was the same voice that often harmonized with hers in chapel and her heart started beating a little faster. Dr. Culpin was handsome, intelligent, and utterly out of her reach, which didn't stop her from noticing him, or in this case, his voice.
The song ended, everyone clapped warmly, and Ethel very deliberately did not turn around to see if Dr. Culpin was still there. Chairman Holland stood and raised his hands for silence, then spoke to the assembled donors, staff, and patients.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I want to thank you for your efforts this year and every year. To our medical and nursing staff, you are the heart of this hospital. To our donors, you are our ever-faithful friends. And to our patients, we wish you a happy future in whatever form that may be."
Everyone obediently clapped again and the chairman waited for silence, then smiled what Ethel could only call a mischievous smile.
"We have something a bit different this year. We would like to invite all present to join us in dancing, whether you are staff, benefactor, or patient," he said, and a ripple of surprise ran through the crowd. "And to start things on the right foot, as it were, I would like to ask Matron Luckes to do me the honor for the first dance."
He stepped down from the platform and held a hand out graciously to Matron, who placed her hand in his and curtseyed solemnly before allowing him to lead her to the floor. The convalescent patient band struck up a dignified tune and Matron and the Chairman began moving sedately around the floor.
Laura nearly collapsed in giggles at this unconventional turn of events and Ethel had to poke her friend to remind her to behave. Laughing at one's matron, even the appearance of laughing, was not wise. Besides, she liked this new addition to the festivities. It was a bit of an incongruous picture, especially between Sisters and juvenile patients, but it was sweet all the same.
"Perhaps one of those medical students will ask you to dance," Ethel teased Laura, since she'd spotted more than one of them glancing over at her merry-eyed friend.
"Perhaps they'll ask you," Laura retorted, and Ethel laughed in acknowledgment of the jibe. "Though I think I know who you'd rather dance with..." Laura trailed off significantly and Ethel looked around worriedly to make sure no one had heard. She was already risking enough by borrowing medical books from Dr. Culpin. If anyone thought she was interested in him personally she'd be out the door without any recommendation at all. Laura was right, though. She did want to dance with Millais, as she called him in her head. She wanted to feel his arms around her as she had when he'd held her during her convalescence from scarlet fever. She wanted to move with him around the dance floor and know that his attention was focused solely on her. She wanted ... oh, she was hopeless. Utterly hopeless. Millais would not ask her to dance. It was a shame, too, because he looked very nice in white tie, though she suspected he utterly hated it.
While she'd been contemplating not dancing with Millais, a brave young patient approached Laura and said very stiffly, as if he'd been reciting the words in his head, "May I please 'ave dis dance, Nurse?"
"Yes, Aidan, you may," Laura said very correctly, and placed her hand in his. She tossed a glance over her shoulder at Ethel and then moved to the dance floor with her diminutive partner. Aidan was perhaps fourteen and stunted due to malnutrition, but he was determined to dance and Laura was clearly determined to make it as good a dance as it could be.
She was so caught up in watching Laura and Aidan, not to mention everyone else, that she almost didn't notice when the song ended nor when someone approached her.
"Nurse Bennett," Dr. Culpin said, half smiling and looking at her with those intense hazel eyes. "Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?"
"Dr. Culpin," she greeted him correctly, but couldn't stop her lips from curling up just a bit. "I'm not at all certain Miss Luckes would think it appropriate for a doctor to dance with a nurse."
"Are you sure? I see Mr. Fenwick dancing with Sister Russell," Dr. Culpin replied, and Ethel glanced over to see that it was indeed true. Both persons appeared to be having a lovely time, too.
"She's a Sister, Dr. Culpin," Ethel pointed out slightly stubbornly, though every part of her was wishing to say yes. "The rules are slightly different for Sisters."
"Perhaps just one?" he suggested, raising his eyebrows in what she privately called his 'reasonable doctor' face. "We can discuss the symptoms and treatment of rubella. We seem to be having a bit of an outbreak lately."
The prospect of dancing with Millais whilst discussing medicine was an irresistible one and she chuckled as she put her hand in his.
"Just one dance, Dr. Culpin," she warned him, and he closed his hand around hers before leading her to the dance floor. He placed his hands entirely correctly, as did she, and they began to dance together to the slightly off-key accompaniment of the band. The last non-medical thought in her head was that she was going to have to revise her opinion of the Christmas concert.