Page 39 of Sands of Sirocco
“You should have.But that’s what makes you different from Fisher.You’re a decent man with a conscience.He’s a scoundrel without a moral bone in his body.”Alastair winked.“Also, presumably, whyla belle femmechose you instead of him.”
Noah chuckled, then leaned back in his chair.“Should we move on from here?”
A crash boomed through the air.Then, the crackle of gunfire, distant.Both men looked up, then were on their feet.“Wazzir?”Alastair asked, taking out a few coins to settle the bill.He pressed them into the hands of the passing waiter.
This had to be about the headlines in the newspaper.
The infamous red-light district of Cairo would be the most likely place for conflict.It was also situated just a few blocks away.
More pops of gunfire.Noah listened intently.It did sound as though it came from Wazzir.A confrontation between the troops and the locals?“I think so.”
Alastair sighed wearily.“You’re going to want to go there, aren’t you?”
“I work for the CID.Whether or not I’m on leave.If gunfire erupts in the city and I don’t go and ask questions before witnesses make themselves scarce, the police will bungle the whole affair.”Noah gave his friend a wry glance.“And you’re coming with me.Wouldn’t you rather have your own eyes on the scene?”
Alastair put his fingers over the bowl of his pipe and extinguished it.“Lead the way,Se-Osiris.It’s a beautiful day for an adventure with bullets whizzing past my head.”
ChapterFourteen
Dr.Jane Radford wasn’t at all what Ginger had expected.
To begin with, she was only a few years older than Ginger.With auburn hair and an aquiline nose, she was rather pretty, though she had a look of skepticism that seemed to live permanently in her tall forehead.
Best of all, she was friendly.
“A woman in intelligence,” Dr.Radford said, as they made their way through the hospital corridor.“I’ve heard of them but never met any.”
“I could say the same about women surgeons.”Ginger smoothed the starched white apron of her uniform.She’d removed the famous QA red cape and insignias, but in the absence of knowing what to wear, her uniform had seemed the best option.“I hope I dressed appropriately.”
Dr.Radford smiled.“The RAMC hasn’t known what to do with us women physicians either.Or our uniforms.We’ve been fighting battle after battle with them since this damned war began.”Then she blushed.“Excuse me.You’ll find I’ve unintentionally adopted some of the language of the troops.”
Ginger laughed.“I did the same.Especially when I was out in the clearing stations.My mother nearly fainted upon hearing me when I came home for leave one time.”
Giving a throaty appreciative murmur, Dr.Radford’s hazel eyes glinted.“I like you already, Sister Whitman.”She paused in front of a door and turned the knob to reveal her office.Ginger followed her inside.
“I asked Peter Osborne to give me your file.I must admit, I was intrigued by it.You may be the first nurse I’ve stumbled across that has sections of her file redacted.”Dr.Radford sat at her desk and invited Ginger to take the seat opposite her.“As far as your credentials go, I’m impressed.And I’m rather looking forward to having a nurse working directly for me instead of another organization.”
Until now, Ginger had given little thought to that opportunity.Working for Dr.Radford directly might give her a freedom she’d never experienced.And she appeared to be young, motivated, and possibly even a bit of a rebel.
“I’m excited for this also.Especially because I’ve dreamed of going to medical school myself and it’s lovely to have someone I can speak to who’s experienced it.”
“It feels ages ago now.”Dr.Radford rifled through some papers on her desk.“When I finished in 1912, I thought I’d have a small country clinic.I never expected the adventure I’ve been on.”
“Yes, I can imagine.”Dr.Radford had two framed portraits on her desk.One of an older couple Ginger assumed to be her parents.The other was of a soldier.
Dr.Radford followed Ginger’s gaze.“My brother.Killed at the Marne.”Her face sobered.“He’s the reason I offered my services to the RAMC.He was so glad to take up arms and do his bit—didn’t even make it out of the first month of the war.”Her voice trembled.“When I think of the entire generation of men this war has cost us, it makes me want to scream.They could have been scientists, philosophers, poets, statesmen.All that might have been if not for the ambitions of men drunk on power who simply saw their soldiers as expendable.”
Silence hung between them.
Ginger agreed with her, but she’d rarely met women so willing to speak their minds freely and honestly.In some ways she reminded Ginger of her friend from nursing for so many years, Beatrice Thornton.When Beatrice had sailed for France recently, Ginger hadn’t expected to hear from her.Her letter of good-bye had brought tears to her eyes and made Ginger feel more alone than ever.The events of the previous spring had done irreparable damage to their friendship.
Dr.Radford cleared her throat and gave a feeble smile.“Pardon me.I have the tendency to get carried away.”
“No, I agree wholeheartedly.”Ginger sighed, settling back against her chair.“The situation in Egypt is no less complex.Are you familiar with the local politics?”
“Not very.”Dr.Radford adjusted a pin in the tight chignon at the back of her head.“But, I’ve only recently arrived from Malta.Which was wonderful.I adored it there.But the hospitals are closing all over the island, and the army said they had need of me here, so here I am.”
Before their conversation could continue, a knock sounded on the door.“Come in,” Dr.Radford called.
