"And finally Nurse Browne….." Sister Julienne said, coming to the end of giving them all their tasks for today as five nurses stood around the treatment room table. "I have spoken to Sister Evangelina…."

Chummy waited for it. It was bound to be some kind of criticism; she couldn't really escape it these days and at times she had wished, in a dark moment, that she was back at St Thomas'. Would the Sister really tick her off in front of everyone one else though? Everything she thought of Sister Julienne was fair, collected and quiet. No, she wouldn't do that surely?

"I understand that you spent some considerable time on an elderly care ward?" Sister Julienne asked.

"Yes, one did Sister" Chummy replied, quite taken aback at the question as it was not what she was expecting. "At St Thomas' for almost two years".

"Well, I wonder if you could pay Mr and Mrs Walsh at visit?" Chummy was handed a sheet of paper. "They have both recently required surgery and I fear they are struggling to cope. I visited them myself yesterday and they were somewhat reluctant to engage with us. You are the only one where who has true experience of caring for the elderly and I wonder if you could visit them this morning?"

Chummy cast her eyes over the document and noted the address.

"They are expecting a call at half past eight sharp so I would suggest that you set off now", Sister Julienne concluded.

"Yes Sister" Chummy replied, folding the address up, thinking she must collect the records on the way out. She had been up the way near where they lived once before with Sister Evangelina. It made her think.

"Sister?" she asked nervously. "What about Sister Evangelina? I am meant to be helping her with the District Nursing rounds today". She saw the Sister smile.

"As I said I have spoken to her already" she said. "You can join her at Canada Buildings when you have finished with the call up with Mr & Mrs Walsh". The way the two eighty odd year olds had been with her yesterday, it was likely to be a very short call indeed. Still, there was something about this girl that Sister Julienne could see and she did intend it as a test of the girl's mettle; face her with a difficult situation and see how she responds.

Chummy smiled. "Thank you Sister". Finally someone seemed to be willing to put faith in her and her spirit rose.

As it happened the Walsh's were lovely and Chummy realised she had spent probably far too much time with dressing wounds and chatting that when she glanced at her watch; she knew she was in for it. She didn't want to cycle fast; that was asking for an accident but has she made her way she simply observed what was around her. Street names, names of buildings, landmarks, people as she would need to know them if she were to be trusted to carry out more visits like the Walsh's.

She reached the top of Morris Street, wondering whether she should take the short cut through Clutton Street when she heard the scream of a police whistle and four officers, none she recognised, pile out of a street a way along from her and in her direction.

"'ello Nurse" one said, the other three speeding on ahead. "Don't suppose you've seen a fella runnin' up 'ere. Flat cap on an' blue overalls?"

"Carry a black holdall?" she asked, seeing the out of breath officer nod.

"Yes he went into Barchester Street", she gesturing behind herself. "A minute ago if that. Up those tenement steps on the corner".

"Fank you Nurse" he replied and the four continued running. At least if Sister Evangelina shouted at her she would have four police officers to account for her.

The rest of the day proceeded painfully slowly. The Sister barely said a word to her when she joined her and certainly didn't mention her lateness. Perhaps she had been that busy she had forgotten the time but Chummy truly felt she might only be living in hope.

"How were Mr and Mrs Walsh?" Trixie asked as between herself, Chummy and Cynthia they set the table for tea. There was something in her voice that Cynthia picked up but it seemed that Chummy was oblivious.

"They were such lovely people" Chummy replied.

"Really?" Cynthia asked.

"Yes, perfectly lovely people". Chummy looked up, seeing the other frowning faces around her.

"They are usually…." Cynthia started. "Well, obstructive to care".

"Oh no" Chummy noted. "We talked about India. His father was in service in Jaipur and he spent some of his childhood there. We lived there until I was eleven. We had quite the conversation about the place. One thinks that might have helped".

The door bell rang. "I'll go" Trixie said, seeing she was the only one with hands that were not full.

"So they were receptive?" Cynthia carried out. "They will accept care?"

"One thinks so" Chummy replied. "One thought one might suggest to Sister Julienne that I do all their visits for the time being. They do need it. Poor things can barely manage as its let alone with a crocked leg and a hysterectomy to cope with".

They heard Trixie's voice in the background. "Just wait there, I'll got a get Sister Julienne". Cynthia spotted Peter first, hanging around between the sitting room and dining room. It must have been him at the door.

"Hello Constable" she smiled as she walked around the table, setting out knives and forks. Chummy was in charge of plates and tea cups and was out of view.

"Oh" Peter replied, rocking on his heels as he waited aimlessly having not seen her. "Hello Nurse. How are you?"

"Very well, thank you" she smiled. "Busy as usual!"

"It's always the way" Peter replied, smiling back at her. "Doesn't feel like I had that leave recently!"

"Between you and me" Cynthia whispered. "I can't wait for a day off!" Peter smiled, seeing Chummy appear round the head of the table, plates in hand. She still looked really rather pretty out of uniform too. "Hello Nurse" Peter said, as she smiled quickly at him.

"Hello Constable". She was sure that was not her voice.

Before he could say another word, Sister Julienne appeared with Trixie by her side and spirited him off.

"So the Walsh's actually let you through the door then?" Trixie asked as she straightened the tablecloth resuming their previous conversation.

"Well, it took a touch of persuasion but yes, eventually" Chummy replied, walking around as she placed each plate down. "They had some rather spectacular photographs on the mantelpiece and that set us off talking. Once one got through the door that was" she frowned. That had been battle in itself; it was only Mrs Walsh - Betty as Chummy was now to call her - persuading her husband to let the girl in. "But the house wasn't in such a bad state when you actually got in. She said her daughter was helping with cooking and cleaning so at least that seems to be being taken care of".

"I remember what she was like when I delivered her grand-daughter last year. One of the children only lives next door and she was in and out telling me how to deliver, telling me to do this that and the other to bring it on" Trixie said. "I had to hold my tongue that many times!"

Cynthia and Chummy smiled as the Constable reappeared with Sister Julienne by his side. "Goodnight ladies" Peter nodded as he passed. "Nurse Browne". Before she could open her mouth he was gone, struck slightly as to why he had singled her out for attention. She could feel her cheeks going red as he walked away and she prayed no-one else had noticed, that was until she thought for a second.

Bally damn it and blast it! She still hadn't said thank you to him for the other day and her impasse with her bicycle chain and she was about to trot off after him when she heard her name.

"Nurse Browne?" Sister Julienne asked, seeing her head snap up although her eyes had wandered off towards the Constable's back. "I wonder if I could have a word?"

Chummy sat apprehensively in the Sister's office, hands tightly clasped on her knee, palms sweating and that sick anxiety in her stomach again.

"I have to say I have heard two compliments today about you Nurse" the Sister began, pleased that she had heard one in particular but two was a bonus. It might bring some light to Sister Evangelina's eyes about their newest recruit.

"Really?" Chummy's throat dried immediately. Compliments? Really?

"Yes. Compliments and thanks" the Sister smiled. "Do not be so surprised. I saw the Walsh's eldest daughter this afternoon and she has been to visit her parents after your visit. Her mother and father told her that they had had a visit from a particularly caring and humane District Nurse and they felt valued and understood by her".

"Oh! That's lovely". Chummy replied, hesitating to bring her other thoughts about about the Walsh's but thought she may as well go for it. "One...one...was going to suggest that one kept doing the visits to them". Sister Julienne smiled. She liked staff who were pro-active and not afraid to suggest things.

"Well I am more than happy you continue to. They have responded well to you and I am pleased and I am sure you saw that I just had a visit from the Police".

"Yes I did Sister", Chummy responded. Now she had no idea what this was about and if she was honest his presence had made her slightly nervous. He appeared out of nowhere yesterday and knew her name before she told him. She wasn't scared of him, not at all. His eyes were too quiet for that.

"Constable Noakes came to pass on the Inspector's thanks to you" she began. "An incident up by Chrisp Street?"

"I only saw where that chap ran off too" Chummy realised what she was talking about and she had never been one to talk up her achievements in any way shape or form and it was only the speed of him shooting past her that made her look up. He looked rather shady if she was pressed on it.

"But they caught him and have been looking for him for quite a while apparently. Constable Noakes brought the message around as it was on his way home and he wanted to pass it on. I am very pleased with today's work Nurse and I will pass it on to Sister Evangelina".

Chummy smiled. It seemed she had someone in her corner.

How she still wished she had still caught him to say thank you still though. Tomorrow, her first afternoon off, she would practice her cycling and see if she could find him.