As Yet Untitled - Part One, Chapter Six.

Chapter Six
 The young men had left London to begin their training while the girls had been called back to the country by their anxious mothers, Ida had no intention of returning home. Something told her that she must stay in London and follow her heart. She knew that Lady Woodcount enjoyed youthful company as she said it kept her young herself, she knew there was a chance this would stop her from telling Ida to return home. Her mother was sure to prove the problem, Ida was relying on the arrival of Mary to distract her mother. She only needed a few days before it would all be settled and she had felt a steely determination settle over her. Henry’s infrequent letters reminded her of those she had received from him when he had been at school. They were full of all that they were learning and the seemingly endless drills they did to knock them into shape. They had been gone only a week but Ida missed his company terribly. 
 As Ida and her aunt waved Mary and Amelia off, they had decided to accept Lady Woodcount’s kind offer of her carriage as they were ensure as to whether their mothers would find it appropriate for them to travel alone by train, Ida could think only of how she would spend the rest of her day. 
 “Aunt I have a few errands I need to do before I go home so I hope you will not mind me heading off for an hour or so?”
 “Of course not Ida dear, I am simply overjoyed that you have decided to stay on, will you have a small luncheon before you go?”.
Ida felt a little sick with nerves but as to not arouse suspicion she agreed to join her aunt, she made sure she was talkative and engaging for her aunt’s sake. 
 Assuring her aunt that she had no need for a cab and checking her hat in the mirror that hung in the hall with it’s black and white patterned floor, she left. She had the address in her small bag and she made sure she walked with purpose without anxiously fiddling with her gloves or unressicarly smoothing her skirts. Once she was out of sight of her aunt she checked the address, Eastbourne. 
 Having never walked the streets of London alone before Ida was unsure but exhilarated. It took her twenty-five minutes to find the hospital as she had taken a wrong turn and had had to ask for directions in a shop. The roads looked very different from the ground rather than a carriage she found. Eventually she reached the entrance to the hospital and suddenly felt so ridiculous she felt she must leave at once. A stream of nurses left the building as another group went in, the shifts were changing and in all that purposeful walking she felt most daft. Just as she was about to turn away a sleek midnight blue motar car swept into sight, out of it stept the most fabulous lady Ida thought she had ever seen. After being in the company of her aunt who still dressed in the Victorian fashions, this woman seemed so very daring. Her sweep of red hair and the way in which her dress matched the colour of her car had caught the eyes of the nurses who were leaving. A few sniggered whereas others found themselves nodding their heads in remembrance of past lives as servants. In a loud, languid voice the woman told her driver that there was no need to tell “Mother what I am up to”. The lady then strode to Ida who instantly felt less overdressed compared to the nurses. 
 “Are you a visiting relative or are you as bonkers as I am and are you planning to shock everyone at home by becoming a nurse?”
 “Bonkers I think!”
Ida laughed as she answered knowing how absurd she sounded. 
 After a great deal of smirking from those they asked they were handed over to the matron who was in charge of the nursing staff, including the VADs who’s ranks the ladies wished to join. The matron turned out to be an efficacious lady whose hair was the colour of iron, her face had a mask like quality.
 “I would ask you to start your training right now but I fear you are dressed for a ball rather than work and we would be here all afternoon getting you out of these things. Here are two uniforms, wear them alternatively and crinkles are not permitted, perhaps I should be telling your maids this?”
Ida could feel that her cheeks were a burning scarlet but her new companion just looked at the matron with a languid boredom that seemed to say ‘I could not care less’. 
 “You start tomorrow, seven in the morning, on dot if you please.”
 As they stepped out of the hospital Ida was not sure what she should say to the dazzling lady who stood beside her, who’s name she did not even know. 
 “Well if we last a month we are going to get very tiddly at my place, Blanche Cholmondely charmed to meet you.”
 “Ida Crawford delighted to meet you.”
“Well see you tomorrow then.”
And with that Blanche Cholmondely slinked down the road with her brilliant blue dress dancing about her heels.