"Did you find her?" Sister Julienne asked, voice wavering as she stood nervously beside the front door, waiting on tenterhooks for a sign.
"Yes, Sister" Trixie replied stepping over the threshold, having been unceremoniously hauled from tidying up at the clinic by an urgent telephone call with the rather distressing news. "I found her before the Police could. Thankfully!" she concluded.
Trixie's throat was dry. "She's gone straight to the Hospital with Sister Bernadette".
"And Sister Evangelina?" Sister Julienne asked.
"Just in the bike shed Sister".
Sister Julienne nodded curtly. "What is your next duty Nurse?"
"Tidying up the store room Sister. All that new equipment that arrived yesterday needs putting away", Trixie replied as she took off her coat. It wasn't an urgent job by any means but she needed something to occupy herself before her mind took off with itself.
"I suggest that you leave that for a moment and we will all take tea early" Sister Julienne said, too needing to find something to distract her and the only way that she could think of it, was to immerse herself in company.
"Of course Sister" Trixie replied, seeing the Sister purse her lips and nod. "I'll go and get Sister Evangelina".
As Sister Julienne stepped away, silently and swiftly, a prayer found its way to the Heavens for the hours and days to come.
The source of the concern, however, was entirely unconscious to the fuss that was being caused. His wife, though, was sitting quietly in the cold, depressing Hospital corridor, regulation maroon hat on her knee; hands clasped too in silent prayer.
"Chummy!"
Her head had snapped up at Trixie's voice, ready to greet her friend who was positively racing towards her, until she saw the look on her face.
"What's wrong there old girl?" Chummy had smiled at her, tightening the pack on the back of her bicycle, thankful that Ann Bowles was the last call of the day and entirely oblivious to the news that was to come. She didn't think that there was much untoward at all with how today had unfolded and had been thoroughly looking forward to going home.
"Chummy…" Trixie begun. "We need you to come back to Nonnatus".
"Why?" Chummy had asked curiously, wondering now what on earth was going on.
"The Police have been out looking for you", Trixie replied to her, brushing a lock of hair away from her face, seeing her friends face fall. Chummy knew there was only one reason why the Police would be looking for her with such urgency to send a search party out for her. Peter had told her – assured her - such a long time ago, that if he every came to harm on duty, the Inspector would make sure she was found immediately. At the time she had simply digested the information and thought no more of it. Until now, as every noise around her - children playing and women gossiping - had faded into insignificance as she tried to concentrate on Trixie's voice.
"What's happened to him?" she had stuttered, praying that it was nothing like this.
"I am sure they cannot be much longer" Sister Bernadette said as she saw the Nurse, head bowed, turning to her from her spot by the small window, having been staring out into the star filled night for some minutes.
"Sorry Sister?" Chummy replied, her voice quiet. Sister Bernadette sat down beside her on the uncomfortable hospital chairs that lined the corridor.
"They cannot be much longer" she repeated, wanting to be of reassurance. A quick look at the clock on the wall above the Nurse's head had shown too many hours had passed already.
"When I was training" Chummy started. "Families would ask me why an operation had to take so long. I always told them that the surgeons were wanting to make sure they did an extra good job of it".
"Well I would hope that they would regardless" Sister Bernadette replied. "And they will be doing their very best, Nurse".
"Yes I know" she replied, nodding carefully. "That's what the Inspector said too".
"I am afraid, Mrs Noakes, that several of my officers were caught up in a rather violent incident in the Dockyard this afternoon. Unfortunately your husband and one other officer received knife wounds and they have been taken to the London for surgery. I am assured both are in good hands".
From that moment on, as her mind carefully tried to process the Inspector's words, she had been in a haze. She felt detached and frighteningly unemotional as the words repeated themselves in her ears as she was packed, with Sister Bernadette, into the back of a Police car. He had not elaborated where those wounds were or indeed what surgery was being done, it being far more urgent to ensure that she, and the other officer's parents, were informed yet it was as though she was watching herself from outside.
Now, having no idea of the time, except it was dark outside the Hospital window, Chummy still felt lightheaded, lost and separated. She knew that feeling all too well, except it had never been one that she had been forced to face in the aftermath of someone she loved so dearly coming to harm.
"Well, I will stay as long as you need me Nurse. Sister Julienne is aware of the situation that he is still in surgery" the Sister stated, having slipped away for five minutes to tell Nonnatus the only news that they were sure of – that he was still there and still alive; they believed.
"Thank you" Chummy replied, nodding quickly, turning the felt hat as it lay on her knee. To her left a door marked 'Operating Theatre' crashed open causing them both to jump in surprise.
"Dr Morgan?" Chummy asked, recognising the figure as he strode towards her.
"My word, Camilla Browne", he breathed as both women stood up, expectant. He had not seen her for too many years that he cared to remember and she had not changed one bit.
"Is my husband alright?" she pleaded.
"Your husband might be?" Dr Morgan asked, genuinely not even knowing that Chummy had married.
"Peter Noakes. One of the police officers that came in" she replied.
"Ah that I do not know" he said. "These fair hands were assisting with the other officer. A Constable Forrest I believe his name was".
"Bill" Chummy uttered. "Bill Forrest. Is he alright?" she asked, concerned, having seen his distressed parents a short while ago as they too traced steps around the corridors. They had exchanged a few words but they had preferred to wander in silence as she sat stock still.
"Yes he will be. He had a very lucky escape." he replied, seeing her face pale and concerned. "I must go and find the parents, but after that would you like me to see if I can find out about your husband? I believe Professor Edwards has him".
Both nurses knew that name. The Prof – as he was known – was probably the most senior surgeon in the hospital.
"Yes please, if you could" Chummy asked, wanting to know right this second.
Dr Morgan nodded to Chummy and then to Sister Bernadette who had stood up beside her and left them on his search.
"He is in very good hands with Professor Edwards, Nurse" Sister Bernadette offered hoping it was of some comfort.
"Yes I know" Chummy replied, sitting back down. "But the Professor Sister?" All kinds of scenarios were running through her mind. Sometimes it pained her to know as much as she did to have such a senior surgeon operating on him.
She heard Sister Bernadette breath out, tension too running through her veins although desperately trying not to expose her feelings or her fears to the Nurse. "Should I fetch us a hot drink Nurse? It is becoming rather chilly".
Chummy nodded quickly. She had heard that if you about to cry that taking a drink would interrupt the reflex and convince her body that it had better things to concentrate on. The moment she saw him though she knew she would need gallons of the stuff on hand.
Perhaps half an hour passed, most likely more, when there was another almighty thud as the Professor clattered through the Operating Theatre door. Both Sister Bernadette and Chummy shot up, both forgetting how intimidating the Professor could be as his white coat flew behind him like a cape. Both knew him of old and both still held him in such a regard that they were still slightly fearful.
"Nurse Browne now to be known as Nurse Noakes I believe?" he boomed, clapping his hands together.
"Good evening Professor" both women said in greeting.
"Your husband is being taken up to the ward as the surgery went as well as I could have expected" he started.
"He lost a significant amount of blood as the splenic artery was rather interrupted by the injury so the old spleen had to go. Originally thought I might have to involve the gastro- intestinal chaps but no all is otherwise relatively intact but.." he started, raising a finger as she was about to interrupt to ask questions. "He remains somewhat fragile so I am not allowing attention of any kind other than medical. You will go home and return to see him at afternoon visiting tomorrow if I deem it appropriate".
"But…." Chummy started, now feeling tears decide to prick at her eyes at this barrier that was now being forcibly placed in her path.
"You will do as I say Mrs Noakes" the Professor emphasised. "Whilst I fully appreciate you have more knowledge than the average wife, I am treating you as the average wife so I am telling you that you will go home and return tomorrow. Now, I also have a home to go to so I will say goodnight".
With that he was off, leaving Sister Bernadette and Chummy dumbfounded and the latter feeling, for the first time, such a hollow in her middle that almost took her to running after him and falling to her knees, forgetting all sense of public decorum and begging him to let her see her husband.
"You will stay at Nonnatus tonight with us" Sister Bernadette said, resting her hand on the Nurse's arm. "We will not have you at home on your own".
"No" Chummy replied. "I want to go back home". If she could not be with him here, she could bury herself in their bed hoping she could still smell Brylcreem on his pillow, or just run her hands over the pyjamas that would be stuffed, probably creased, underneath it.
"Nurse you will come to Nonnatus tonight. I will hear no more about it. Come along now". Sister Bernadette's gentle lilt eventually met her ears and she, with deep reluctance, walked away, staring back towards the operating theatre doors, wondering if she stayed perhaps a minute or two longer he would be wheeled out and she could at least assure herself he was still there.
As the heavy oak Hospital doors closed behind her, Chummy let herself be led to where a taxi was waiting for them both and she despaired.