Josephine would have been in her late thirties. Mature for a nurse as only unmarried women were accepted into the medical corps. She was not exactly homely, in fact her features were quite faultless, but they always seemed drawn into a knot. A person couldn’t relax in her company. Josephine was generous with her atmosphere of tension and one squint from those eyes would halt so much as a wince when a hypodermic went into a vein.

‘Gracious me, I’m so hot after two days in this corset, even my arms and legs ache,’ I said. ‘It’s so uncomfortable to sleep in, nurse.’ I noticed the bed at the end of the row was now empty. ‘What happened there?’

‘Ah, another sad case. The gallant officer died of his injuries. Nothing we could do but ease his pain and hold his hand at the end.’

‘How sad, he seemed such a nice man. Were there many fatalities?’

‘We don’t know, of course. Most of the survivors, casualties, and bodies were picked up by the other two ships. I guess there’ll be an inquiry. Everyone wants to know how such a thing could happen.’ She sighed. ‘The ship was supposed to be unsinkable, wasn’t it? It’s a disgrace, if you ask me.’

Inquiry! My heart stopped for a moment, and I understood the term, sick with fear.

Nurse took the thermometer from Perkins and stared at it. ‘He’s got a temperature. Let’s check yours.’

Twenty-minutes later, Matron Merriberry, the surgeon, and Nurse Josephine, all wearing masks, filed into the school room. The other invalids were examined first, and then removed from the room.

‘Put a QUARANTINE notice on the door,’ the surgeon said. ‘The last thing we need is an epidemic on the island. The influenza’s already costing us more soldiers than the war itself. See if anyone’s had influenza in the past twelve months – if so, there’s a chance they have some immunity. They can stay behind to take care of these two.’

I thought about dear Sissy and knew I had to do all I could to get better. If I died of the influenza after all this . . . oh, my poor parents! They would be completely heartbroken. I had to get better!

The surgeon continued. ‘Reduce the Corporal’s morphine in doses, the amputation site’s healing nicely. I want everyone checked before they board HMS Foxhound. Anyone with a dry cough, temperature, severe headache or muscle aches must be moved into here. It’s our duty to protect the people of this island, and to contain the outbreak. The VAD seems to be suffering from bruising only, but her temperature’s up and she’s already showing influenza symptoms.’

‘Please can I take the corset off, Matron?’ I asked.

Merriberry gave an enquiring look to the surgeon. ‘I don’t see why not,’ he said.