Yearsly was now a hospital. Less serious cases were sent on from
the big General Hospital, or convalescents. The garden was full
of bright blue suits, as the streets in London had been. There
were ten wounded soldiers there at this time. One of the Lacey
girls was there with Cousin Delia to nurse them. How she made
room for us I do not know, but there was room, and I had my own
bedroom, and my old bed that I had had always when I was a girl.
It was quiet at Yearsly, and the War seemed further off; even
the soldiers did not bring it close, for they were getting better,
and they were happy to be there.
It was like a dream somehow being there with the babies and the
soldiers; the same and yet not the same; and the men were gone
away from the garden and the farm.
I went down to the village with Cousin Delia, and saw the same
people that I used to know, but they too were different. Old
Joseph’s son had been killed, and John Elliot from the farm was
missing, and all the young men were away.
It seemed more changed in a way at Yearsly than in London, or
I realized the changes more distinctly.
The horses were gone too, commandeered by the Government, except
Guy’s hunter, which he had got with him; and the flower garden
was partly growing vegetables and partly run to grass, for old
Joseph was alone now, with no young man to help him.
The roses were still the same, and the High Wood, and Cousin
Delia was the same herself, as always.
It was like stopping still awhile to be with her. I did not think
ahead; I tried not to think of going home.
Cousin Delia kept the nurse for a fortnight longer. She said
I was not fit to look after the children myself.