Days Gone By

Operation Memories

April 1944 - Aubrey Hall, Kent.

How Anthony hadn't been murdered by his nurse, Benedict wasn't sure.

The moment he had seen his brother, for the first time in a year, he had been moaning about everything and anything he could and honestly, he was ready to murder his brother.

His nurse had been delayed in coming, apparently she was sorting some things in London and was helping a friend in London. Benedict hadn't gotten the details as their arrival in Kent had coincided with the fourth Governess of the year had quit in a furious tirade and their mother was at her wits end.

Benedict had had to arrange for the summerhouse to be sorted for Anthony where he was going to stop with his nurse, he wasn't able to manage the stairs to his rooms and whilst Benedict had suggested the convert the billiards room to a bedroom, but Anthony had pointed out they didn't have the downstairs bathroom on the right side of the house for him where there was washing facilities but the Summerhouse had a bathroom and space for him and his nurse Kate that it was easier for him to be there.

Benedict had a feeling there was something his brother wasn't telling him about his nurse but Benedict's stress levels were higher now than they had been during the bombings in London.

But he had to admit, though Kent had been relatively unscathed from the bombs, the summerhouse had a bomb shelter underneath and it was connected to the main bomb shelter and it would be easier for Anthony to get in and out of the shelter if required than if he was in the main house.

They had been home a week when Anthony had been brought up to the house from his temporary nurse, Benedict was sitting in their father's office going over the bills and his head was hurting. Maths was never his strong point, he was artistic not logical and Anthony was still on morphine and antibiotics for his pain control so he wasn't much use and if he stared at numbers for too long he got a headache.

"Kate is due tomorrow, she erm..." Anthony started and Benedict pinched his brow beneath his glasses

"What?" Benedict said, trying to keep his temper intact, he was getting a better idea of what his brother went through whenever he had to do some of the household accounts.

"Well, she's not... not just my nurse" Anthony said "i think... well..." he swallowed and Benedict looked at his brother and could see he was nervous about something and he took his glasses off and placed them down on the table

"Please tell me you've not gotten the poor girl pregnant" Benedict said

"Not likely, not like I can do anything whilst I'm stuck in this chair but..." Anthony replied blushing a bit

"But what?"

"Well, she is my girlfriend" Anthony said

"Right... and that's an issue why?" Benedict asked looking confused

"Well, it's why she had to stop behind, that and Sophie had some issue with her step mother, she's had to sort of quit as a nurse, as i'm her patient and still technically a serving member of His Majesty's army... it's sort of forbidden"

"So have I got to sort something to ensure she gets paid? Are you hiring her?" Benedict asked "I don't know what you're asking of me brother. I don't know if it's the morphine talking but you're not making sense..."

"Fuck no, she'd kick both of us in balls if we offered, but it's just... i guess it's just... mum thinks she is my nurse but... this is the woman I want to marry. I asked but she's told me she won't until I'm on my feet... sort of a goal... to work towards" Anthony said