Come Hither, Nurse [antikvár]

FIRST YEAR Chapter I It was a murky, drizzling January day when I got off the bus and walked up the drive to Borwood, carrying my heavy suitcase. I could see, as I hurried out of the rain on to the pillared porch, that the house was large and stuccoed, with big square windows, and evergreen shrubs planted on each side of the front door. It was one of several Victorian mansions on the outskirts of this country town, and had, before I was born, been the home of a rich man and his family. These houses had now become Homes of a different kind, and some of them were Schools, Borwood was a Training School for Nurses, attached to the big London Hospital of St. Bernard's. I was feeling very frightened and also worried in case nursing was not really my vocation. Ever since I was six years old I had said I wanted to nurse, but lately, as it came nearer the point when I should start training, everyone had begun telling me what hard work it was and how I should hate it. All except our family doctor who said, "Be a nurse, Jane. I've seen nearly everything in my life, but I've never seen a nurse who's bored" Now I was cold and tired and scared, and also homesick. I rang the bell, and was admitted by the porter and shown into Sister Tutor's room.