Remedy

02

 It was hard to watch the obviously upset Albert walk away begrudgingly. He glanced back only once before his form got lost in the small crowds of people gathered. Captain James Nicholls was only on his own with Joey for a matter of moments before a curious yet confused woman appeared near him.

She didn't look too much younger than himself, maybe a few years between them. Her curly black hair framed her face and her light green eyes were trained solely on Joey.

As far as first meetings went it was certainly a strange one. She seemed to completely blank his existence until he spoke. Though their conversations were short, brief, a little joking and polite, he could tell, somehow, she was daunted by this all and was trying not to obviously show it.

"Are you all right, sir?" She questioned worriedly, after all he had just learned that she was to travel over with him and the rest of the soldiers to France.

In all honesty James hadn't realised he'd spaced out, shaking his head slowly his eyes lowered to the ground before slowly looking up and from underneath his caps peak. He was trying to get his head around a young woman seemingly freely wishing to travel over to a war zone. Though yes, others were too, but it still didn't get him any closer to an answer. Help. To help, that was the answer of course. But through all the dangers that were facing against him, against the other men...it was a daunting prospect, that's all he could surmise.

"Sir?" Her voice piped up again, if she could it was clear she would have walked around to his side to inspect him. But because Joey was standing beside him she wouldn't venture near. She sounded worried, she even looked it as if she had said something of vast horror that had caused him to shut down. She looked like she knew she had said something that didn't settle with him, and she looked apologetic over that.

"Sorry," he spoke slowly and flitted his gaze to the horse beside him. He couldn't quite picture the woman in front of him trying to heal the injured from the battles which were to happen. That wasn't to say he was calling her incapable. He didn't even know her, or her name. But she got so easily worried over him going silent, what would she be like when confronted with war-torn men, with all manners of injuries?

"It's all right," she smiled and rocked on her heels quickly. "You must have been having some pretty deep thoughts."

"You could say something like that," James admitted in a matter of fact tone, "You need to go to that building there." He said while turning on his heels and pointing to a small building which was once a tea room. It was still a tea room, but for the moment it had been decked out and customised to deal with the people who wanted to sign up. James was also rather sure the doctor had taken over one of the backrooms to use as the makeshift treatment room, not a treatment room as such, but a place he could conduct checks of men without prying eyes and in private.

"The nurses are, or at least were all in there the last time I passed." James said helpfully while turning back to looking at her. His words caused her eyes to widen considerably as she shifted from foot to foot again, this time with more nervous energy than anything else.

"Were? Oh, please tell me they are still in there! I have already ran around like a woman half mad trying to find them." She said while shaking her head slowly, her words may have intended to sound serious but the smile on her face made the moment less so. "I don't think I can deal with much more running." Sighing she removed a hand from her cases handle and ran it through her black curls.

"Thank you, sir." She smiled, sounding like he had just aided her with the hardest task in the world and fully completed it without trial or problems. James supposed he had, in a way. There were so many people here, some unhelpfully standing in the way of signs which had been hurried hung up pointing the way to meeting places. She smiled and took a step back while eyeing Joey yet again.

"Miss," he said to her stopping her in her tracks of retreating. "What is your name?" He asked, feeling the horse beside him shift in his standing position. Joey seemed almost impatient, even giving James's shoulder a slight nudge as if to prompt him to speak one last time before this woman left them.

Looking around quickly she smiled and took a hesitant step forward. "Dorothy Blake." Dorothy smiled warmly again, James really pondered over if she would continue to smile once they had reached their new destination.

Reaching up and removing his cap he held it to his chest and looked at her with a small smile of his own. Managing to switch and hold his cap in the hand he was holding Joey's reins in, he reached out and held lightly onto one of her hands. Lifting her hand up he lightly pressed his lips against he knuckles. "Captain Nicholls."

"Captain, do you have a first name or do I have to always call you Captain Nicholls?" Dorothy smiled while he let go of her hand. It loosely went back to holding the handle of her case.

"James."

"In that case, it is very nice to meet you James." Dorothy smiled, "Thank you very much for your help." At this Joey let out a quiet nickering sound and shook his head. "I am sorry for staring at you." Dorothy apologised, Joey lifted his head up and looked at her.

"I think he accepts your apology." James said while lifting up his hand and putting his cap back on.

She nodded slowly and looked towards the building which he had earlier pointed to. "Good bye," Dorothy waved a hand at the two of them and quickly walked back over to where her brother was standing idly talking with three other soldiers.

James and Joey both had separate moments when Dorothy had reached up and hit her brother over the back of the head. He in turn twirled on his heels and looked down at her. Even from where they were standing they could hear the sibling argument which was happening.

Readjusting the grip on his reins, James looked up and rubbed a hand on Joey's neck. "Come on Joey, it's all right." He spoke kindly and softly and turned and walked down the street. They didn't get far before a familiar black haired woman ran past and cheered after a group of females exiting the building. Against his better judgement James let out a quiet laugh and shook his head slowly. It seemed like Dorothy's first attempts at helping the war effort weren't going exactly to plan.

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(Edited: 29/August/2019)