It was what I had wanted from the moment in Eastbourne when I felt well enough to consider my future. Had Simon pulled strings to make this possible? I couldn’t imagine my mother and father having a change of heart. And what was I to tell them, when these orders hadn’t been any of my doing? I went to Matron, to speak to her about my concerns, but when I broached the subject, she smiled warmly. “Ah. I see they’ve come through. I didn’t wish to say anything until we could be sure. We shall be very sorry to lose you, my dear, but Dr. Gaines spoke to me, and I must say, I agreed with him. You should be in France, not here. And so he wrote to the proper people, expressing his feelings in the matter, and I am glad to learn that they decided in your favor.” I could only sit there, stunned. It was as if a godmother in a fairy tale had granted a fervent wish, but left the recipient to deal with the aftermath of that wish being granted.
