Miles.
The hospital was in late spring but its' occupants were already acting like it was mid-summer. Rosalie's flowers were in full bloom which spread cheer faster than infection. Which was good as the rise in temperature caused wounds to infect quicker and the smell of blood and burning flesh to become almost unbearable at midday or after a convoy. But most people were in higher spirits since the cold harsh winter. One day Miles came back to his tent from surgery to find a single daffodil on his desk and another on Tom's. The mystery of how it got there was quickly solved when he overheard Matron giving Flora a stern telling off for entering other people's tents. He'd made sure to thank her later for the kind gesture on behalf of himself and Tom, who on seeing the flower had taken to dissecting it with a small scalpel.
On one of his afternoons off the orderlies had arranged a football match for any of the staff or well enough patients. The nurses had been quickly told they would not be joining in but were allowed to sit at the side lines with any patients to ill or unable to play. It was a great hit and Miles' team won. He played midfield and thought he did a fair job, Tom was an excellent striker but the real star turned out to be Saunders, a young private who played as their goal keeper. He was to be sent back to the front line the evening, he was in for minor burns to the back. Private Saunders claimed that if it hadn't been for the war he would have played for England. After his performance on the pitch no one could disagree. The cooks provided sandwiches as their contribution to raising the men's spirits. It worked and once the food was gone Miles saw Tom out of the corner of his eye making his way into the woods. He looked around and kitty was nowhere to be seen.
It's sweet really, he supposed. Whenever they had free time they would go out walking in the woods or on the beach. Miles smiled to himself as he made his way to his tent in hope that his next magazine would have arrived. On the way he past the Colonel's office and heard the uproar inside. Walking up the stairs, he stood outside. The Colonels voice was clear but the second was unknown.
"I'm sorry, but you can't come in here demanding to see one of our top surgeons, especially as you won't tell me who you are and why you're here."
The second voice was female and had the faintest Scottish edge to it.
"I'm sorry; I will explain and provide you with all the necessary paper work once I've seen Captain Gillian, it's very important."
"If it was so important you would at least give us your name."
"Once I've seen the Captain," she insisted.
Tom never had visitors so Miles wasn't going to let this one pass by. He walked quickly to the woods and once he reached them he broke into a jog. He found them soon enough, sat down on an old blanket, he was laughing at something she had said.
"My, my is that the screaming banshees of hell or are you laughing?"
Tom looked up annoyed,
"What do you want Miles?" he said and Kitty looked up expectedly.
"Well now isn't that a question, can I have a moment to think about it?" Tom sighed and kitty sucked in her lips to supress a smile.
"Actually there is someone here to see you." Tom stared at him, clearly not seeing this as a good enough reason to move.
"A visitor, Tom, I don't know who, but they're causing quite a stir in the Brett's office." Tom still stayed sat.
"It's a girl, young and by the sound of her voice Scottish." With that Tom's face drained of colour and he jumped to his feet and started walking briskly away. Miles offered a hand to Kitty which she accepted.
"Who is it?"
"I don't know, but I reckon he does." He gave her a slight bow of the head and jogged off to catch up with his friend.
He caught up with him as he reached the edge of the wood. Tom had a stony look on his face that told him he shouldn't ask any questions, though he didn't seem to object to him following him. As they neared the Colonel's office Miles could hear the girl was getting more desperate.
"Please just let me see him and then I'll tell you everything, I won't say a word till then." Tom also heard this and burst through the door, Miles hot on his heels.
"Amelia, what are you doing here?" he shouted as soon as he saw the girl.
She was tall, stood up, and slim though her long coat hid it slightly. She had long thin fingers which ere tightly gripped around a worn hat. Her hair would be long if loose but instead it as wound elaborately around her head in a black coil. She had the brightest eyes Miles had seen since Tom's and they were both rimmed with a set of thick lashes. She had a beauty Miles knew could only be achieved naturally, the effortless, subtle kind, clear pale skin and a slight rose to the cheeks. It was the look many women would spend a life time trying to achieve. As she turned her gaze on Tom her face lit up and a smile spread across her full red lips to show a set of pearly white teeth. As quickly as it had come the smile faded into a stern line.
"Thomas," she said coolly trying to keep her face straight but her eyes showed signs of utter relief almost as if she might cry. Despite this she maintained perfect composure and posture and drew a sheet of paper from her coat pocket.
"Gillian, do you know this woman?" The Colonel asked taking the paper from Amelia.
"Of course I do, this is my sister."