Fields of Satin

Chapter Two

The docking of the boat in Calais occurred quick enough. The singing had continued up until the first soldier set foot on French soil. Load booms could be heard in the distance, the fighting was a mere seventy-five kilometers away and with the clouds being as low as they are today ricocheted the sound across the country. The sound soon quietened the singing and a somber look took over the joyous ones. Men grabbed their kit bags and marched off the boat in solemn lines. I stayed with my back against the hull until every last soldier and nurse had left.

"Miss, you need to leave the boat." I was drawn from my thoughts by a young boy of perhaps eighteen. Brown curly hair was shoved inside a flat cap, and boyish brown eyes stared at me in wonder. A 30 year old woman nurse not matron was something you didn't come across a lot. Even though I had been silent and had not answered the young boy he continued to stare at me, with a scoff and an un-lady-like eye roll I marched toward my two cases, picked them off and made my way off the boat. Bit rude Liz.

It didn't take long to find the rest of the women that had been on the boat. Ava's hair stood out the most, the flaming locks pinned securely underneath her feather hat. With a fake smile and a sigh and readied myself for the jabbering onslaught.

The group of women were all stood around an overweight man with silver hair and a clipboard. Ava seemed to be wearing the mans patience down as he tried feverishly to answer all her questions.

"What's going on?" I whispered to a girl next to me.

"Ava is trying to find out where we are supposed to go. From what I could catch, we are all being split up. Some of us are to go to Belgium, others to stay here in France." She whispered hurriedly back. "I don't think I have had the pleasure. Josie's the name." Josie gazed at me with a kind look. She was a short round woman in her late twenties. I returned her kind look with a smile and grasped her gloved hand in my own.

"Elizabeth. It looks like the poor gentlemen is about to explode. Perhaps I should say something before he decides to shoot Ava." Josie responded by stifling her giggles with her hand. I smiled back and pushed my way past a few girls and stood next to the man in army uniform. Ava had launched into a discussion about something to do with hospitals in England and if they were much different from those here in France.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but perhaps Ava you could talk to this gentlemen about the hospitals later. I believe the gentlemen has our postings." With a string of apologies from Ava she took a few steps back and looked at the man with a sheepish expression. I gave a curt nod to the man and made my way back toward Josie.

"Right," The mans gruff voice boomed across the crowd of ten woman circled around him, cases by our ankles. He began listing off names and sending them to the correct places for transport. A good ten minutes later the only women remaining were Ava, Josie, a woman I didn't know and me. Ava, Josie and the other woman were sent on their way and left me standing next to the man.

"Elizabeth Fields you are to go toSai-" he stopped abruptly his face one of horror.

"Yes?" I replied impatiently. He looked at me with a look of anguish.

"God be with you," he muttered "wait here someone will collect you." With that, he turned and hurried off in another direction.

The hell is that about?

"Miss Fields follow me the truck is waiting out front." An uncouth soldier with hooded dark eyes towered over me, my worn luggage case already hanging from his hand. With all the grace of a swine he turned on his heel and marched out of the doors towards the French streets not bothering to wait for me. With one last look around the warehouse I too made my way through the doors, god knows what awaiting me.