"'Though we were only in our early 20s, 'a little more than girls, 'we served the women of the East End in their hour of greatest need.'" "'In return for our care, 'they gave us the most precious gift they could... 'their trust." "'This made us brave and tireless." "'And in the main, we did not doubt ourselves 'because we were not doubted.'" "'But we were not invincible." "'There were times when we faced challenges and choices of our own.'" "Gosh." "Are we really doing this?" "Dancing in our dressing gowns?" "It appears so." "Don't josh, Peter." "What if I've got things so awfully wrong?" "Does it feel as if you have?" "It feels like one of those very rare occasions where the world is quite enormous and I very small within it." "I'm at your side." "You can change your mind, Camilla." "You know that, don't you?" "Burdett Street, please, Nurse Miller." "The Kelly baby appears to be on its way." "Contractions started three hours ago." "Oh." "And good morning." "Oh!" "Sorry it's so early, Nurse." "Hope you got some sleep." "Oh, here." "Let me." "I'm fine, Mrs Cooke." "And the babies of Poplar seem entirely unconcerned with my sleep." "Ah." "Just as they should be." "Oh, bless ya." "Kettle's on." "Gentle pushes now, Renie." "Let's take this last part very slowly." "Can you give me one more?" "I can't." "I can't do no more." "Yes, you can." "Ain't you got somewhere to be, Ma?" "I can't." "You have to, Renie." "I know it hurts." "Just pant now." "Just pant." "Think of all them baby clothes in your bottom drawer." "Little mite can't wear 'em till he's out, can he?" "That's it." "Good girl." "Can't give up now can we?" "Not when baby's head is crowning." "That's it." "That's the stuff." "One more now, Renie... and your baby will be born." "Just little pushes." "You have a son, Irene." "A little boy, Renie." "Something warm and clean please, Sheila." "Wrapped my Renie up in this, we did." "Same as my mum did for me." "Thank you." "You did all the hard work, Renie." "Hello!" "Nurse Noakes, do you understand the very great step you're about to take?" "Absolutely." "And I'm utterly terrified." "I generally find the Lord only asks of us what he knows we can give." "What if he's wrong?" "Then we should all be very afraid." "Now, go and give your news to the others." "And this is your daddy." "He's been waiting for you a long, long time." "A son, Pat." "You got a little boy." "Now that's when your troubles start." "Sound of wailing and ungodly smells." "And that'll just be you, Pat." "I know I have some silver here somewhere." "It has to be silver, doesn't it now, for the luck?" "There you go, Son." "I'll pay you back, Da... as soon as this mends and I can earn again." "May you never want for anything." "Thank you, Nurse, for bringing him safe into the world." "He was very keen to come, Mr Kelly." "You've got a real little soldier there." "Quick." "A toast." "Before he gets too sentimental." "Nothing wrong with a bit of emotion, Mr Kelly." "Your good health." "A son." "I have a son." "To your son." "Congratulations." "To your son." "If you could see to Mrs Danvers, that frees me up for the Bow Road tenement." "Yes, of course." "Thank you." "Ah." "Safety and the art of cycling." "The Cubs." "Fred, might we discuss this later?" "Nurse Noakes, just the person." "We need a dressing change on Mr Campbell." "Sister Evangelina, if you would..." "I'm afraid I can't visit Mr Campbell." "Or indeed any of my patients." "What are you talking about, you can't visit your patients?" "!" "One doesn't know where to start." "Well, I'll be on a train bound for Manchester... where I'm to begin my work as a missionary." "A missionary?" "Training in Manchester." "Final destination..." "Sierra Leone, Africa." "Africa?" "!" "It's all been terribly quick." "Rather peculiar really." "I posted the letter barely a month ago." "Peter and I are in a frightful tizz." "We possess virtually nothing in linen." "We'll melt." "I thought you were happy here." "Why didn't you tell us?" "Swan in, swan out." "That's what you young girls do now." "It has honestly been the hardest decision I've ever made." "But it's something I feel I have to do." "I believe God wants me there." "And I have to do it now, before the pitter-patter of tiny feet." "Or if they take after me, the patter of larger feet." "The only reason I'm even half brave enough to go is because of you." "You've shown me I have something to offer the world." "And in six months, I'll be back, breaking pipettes, crashing around." "You'll be praying to God to post me back to Africa." "But six months is an absolute age." "Anything could happen." "I might need glasses." "Jenny could find a boyfriend." "Well, almost anything." "Africa indeed!" "God's got plenty of work for you here in Poplar." "Starting with Mr Campbell's septic leg." "It's only because she'll miss you." "We all will." "Thank you." "Well, I'll take the Cubs on for ya." "Just until you get back." "How will I manage without you all?" "I've never been happier in all my life than here." "Lawks, before I met you, I couldn't even ride a bicycle." "Well, you won't get far in Africa without one." "Quite." "You owe it all to us." "I hope you've mentioned that to him upstairs." "Absolutely." "Ah." "Would you settle my taxi man's account?" "From Richmond?" "Again?" "Would you wait here, please?" "I'll see that you're reimbursed." "Sister!" "We're all thrilled that you're seeing more of your nephew, but is it necessary to take quite so many taxi cabs on account?" "As you know, our funds are not in abundance." "You are aware of the omnibus strike?" "I would surely incur the wroth of heaven to consider public transport at such a time." "Besides, no matter how they dress, there are wolves in almost every lane these days." "Then we must pray for a resolution with the unions." "Or a miracle." "Hello, stranger." "Oh, my gosh." "Jenny!" "What are you doing here?" "Well, if you're not in a frightful rush," "I'll tell you over a cup of the finest tea." "It's 22 stories over in Newham." "It's quite remarkable." "Better housing, modern facilities for modern people." "And we're using a new technique." "LPS." "Large Panel System building." "It means we can cast large, prefabricated..." "Sorry." "I haven't seen you for six months and here I am banging on about concrete." "No, it's my favourite subject." "There must be so much more." "Please continue." "Honestly, Jimmy, it's wonderful to see you so animated." "Even if it is about concrete." "So, does that mean you'll be based around here now?" "For a while, anyway?" "The firm is." "I'm in and out really." "Plenty of site visits." "Perhaps we'll bump into each other again." "I'd like that." "It really is lovely to see you, Jimmy." "Oh, Nurse." "Do you want a cup of tea?" "I'd love one, Mrs Cooke, but it's a flying check-up." "I know I'm a bit partial, but he's proper perfect, he is." "Good afternoon, Mrs Kelly." "Midwife here." "Rest now." "Your mum's bringing you some tea." "Lord, but he was worth the pain, Nurse." "He ain't cried once." "I need to have a hold of him, Nurse." "I got a real craving, I have." "What is it, Nurse?" "Nurse?" "!" "What's the matter?" "He's not breathing." "What?" "What you saying?" "What you saying?" "What's the matter?" "Telephone for Doctor Turner." "It's the baby." "Oh, my Lord." "Mum!" "Mum!" "Quickly now, Mrs Cooke." "And no-one else is to come in here." "No-one." "For God's sake, do something." "Mrs Kelly, please, back to bed." "Please, God..." "Please, God, my baby..." "No." "Excuse me." "Out the way!" "He's gone." "Can you help him?" "We'll do whatever we can." "Doctor Turner will take charge now." "Has Mr Kelly been informed?" "Yeah." "It's just up there, Doctor." "Mrs Kelly, I'm so very sorry." "It don't make no sense, Doctor." "He was right as rain." "How can he be gone?" "I can't answer that, Mrs Cooke." "Not yet." "Nurse, you brought him into this world..." "He couldn't have had more life in him, could he?" "Because your little boy passed away so suddenly, there has to be an inquiry." "I'm afraid that means a postmortem." "Everything will be done with the greatest care." "I want to hold him." "Mrs Kelly..." "He's gone." "Please." "I need to hold him." "Renie?" "What name did you choose for your son?" "Thomas." "We wanted Thomas." "May I say a blessing for Thomas?" "I am the resurrection and the life, sayeth the Lord." "He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live." "And who so ever liveth, and believeth in me shall never die." "Amen." "Amen." "I couldn't save him." "I tried..." "I tried so hard." "Of course you did." "It was all too late." "You did what you could, what any of us would have done." "I'm late." "I've missed three house calls." "I need to get on." "Don't be ridiculous." "We'll cover your calls." "Hot Chocolate." "Aspirin." "Bed." "No arguments." "These are all of Nurse Miller's notes." "And, please, you're most welcome to join us for dinner." "Thank you." "But I want to try and get a bit ahead of the inquiry." "Is there anything else I can get you, Doctor Turner?" "Some of your faith, perhaps?" "It's at times like this I wish I had one." "It's at times like this I wish it made a difference." "Sorry, I should leave you to your work." "No." "Please." "Stay." "Take tea with me." "I'm expected in the dining room." "No Cub Scouts in Africa." "No." "No, probably not." "She's off to Manchester." "Missionary training." "I know." "I took her to the station." "Well, that's that then." "Good night, Vienna." "Good morning, Africa." "We may not get there." "To Africa." "I can transfer to the Sierra Leone Police because I've all my experience as a constable here." "Well, what then?" "Lost your passport?" "I've just found out I have to pass a physical examination." "I've never been a stranger to a treacle sponge." "Married life's only made me more accustomed." "I get out of puff when I do the stairs." "I might not pass." "Good." "You'll both stay here then." "Camilla thinks I'm in already." "We both did." "All our plans are set." "It'll break her heart." "Well, none of us want to see a thing like that." "You've gotta help me, Fred." "I can't fail that physical." "Mind your backs." "Copper coming through." "Come on." "Come on." "Weave!" "Weave!" "It works wonders for your wobbly bits." "Officer Noakes coming through." "Make way." "Come on, Mr Noakes." "Imagine there's a bunch of offenders and you're tucking them all off to jail." "That's it." "Pick your knees up." "Constable Noakes." "As we'd arranged, we're here to speak to Nurse Miller." "Yes, of course." "I wish the circumstances were different." "Please, go through." "You say there was nothing about the birth that troubled you or you felt was out of the norm?" "No." "Not at all." "And you're certain you would have noticed an abnormality?" "We can see from the log book, you returned very late the night before you delivered the Kelly baby." "That's correct." "We had an emergency delivery." "And yet within a few hours, you were out again to see Mrs Kelly." "I'm not sure I understand." "It's just we all get tired." "I know when I put a long shift in I can be a bit... cloudy the next morning." "Peter..." "Constable Noakes, we're used to working very long hours here as you know." "Again, you will excuse the nature of some of these questions, but do you often drink on duty?" "Mr Kelly mentioned you took a drink of, um..." "I believe it was whisky." "To wet the baby's head, that was all." "Baby Thomas was delivered by then." "Constable Noakes, am I being accused of something?" "I did everything I could." "You understand we have to ask these questions?" "It feels if as everything has changed, doesn't it?" "This awful business with Cynthia and Chummy off in Manchester learning her missionary positions." "Trixie!" "I hope you're planning on staying dependable you." "Oh, my goodness." "Jenny Lee?" "What?" "Something's going on that you haven't breathed a word of." "There's nothing." "You are an appalling chum and an even worse liar." "Now spill." "I bumped into Jimmy, that's all." "No." "Don't get excited." "How is the poor boy..." "still broken-hearted?" "Well, that's just it, he isn't a boy any more, he's... he's rather grown into himself." "Has he indeed?" "What happened?" "They think it's my fault." "Nurse Miller." "Nonnatus House, midwife speaking." "I've reserved our usual table." "I hope it's got a sea view." "I'm very particular, these days." "These days!" "I'm sure a bow tie like this gets you plenty of attention." "A gentleman never speaks of such things." "Oh, go on." "Well, it's nothing really." "I don't believe for a minute you made the tea and sandwiches yourself." "Well, since you ask, there is a girl..." "It's not serious, just a girl from the City office." "No, I think it's lovely, you should be having fun." "Always so generous, aren't you?" "Thinking of me." "You're my friend, why wouldn't I want you to be happy?" "So, what about you?" "Still breaking hearts?" "Sorry, I didn't mean..." "Oh, no, I'm too busy for all of that... we're in the middle of a baby boom." "Don't work too hard, Jenny." "You know what they say - "The jobs won't love us back."" "Sister Monica Joan?" "I'm afraid this has to stop." "The taxis to and fro, we simply cannot afford them." "Thank you, my good man." "As you heard, I no longer have need of you." "Sister, I didn't mean as of this minute." "I simply meant for you to review your needs." "Like the temple of Thebes..." "I crumble, my needs reviewed with every passing year." "The time of being useful, the time of being important... these, too, have passed." "How was breakfast on the Seine?" "A Thermos of tea and a cheese sandwich..." "I don't think" "Maurice Chevalier need worry." "A cheese sandwich?" "Oh, the romance." "How much longer, Nurse?" "Oh, and I need the bottle back... milkman'll do his nut if I lose another." "We'll be with you as soon as we can, Mrs Payne." "Mrs Jeffries?" "Mrs Payne?" "I'm ready for you now, if you'd like to come through." "Actually, dear, I need the lav." "You carry on." "It's quite all right, I can wait." "Oh, no, no, no, no, you go on, love." "I'll see the next one." "I ain't risking it, not with her." "Yeah, either way, better to be safe than sorry." "You know who I mean." "Her, that one." "49, 50." "Progress, old lad, progress indeed." "Towards an early grave." "I thought we had the rats back." "What are you up to?" "You pair of ninnies." "The Missionary Mission." "Are you in, or are you out?" "Because if you're out, you know too much... and that leaves us all in a sticky situation." "For a woman of the cloth you ain't half got a ruthless streak." "Good with a secret, though." "If Nurse Noakes' dream depends on him he's going to need all the help he can get." "Gardening is the best exercise there is." "Keep him motivated." "And when you've done that, we've a path needs weeding." "I'm afraid clinic's finished for today." "I would have come sooner, only, erm, Mr Woodrow, a gentleman I work for, had an urgent report and I do his typing so" "I couldn't just leave and tomorrow we've got a board meeting..." "I do the minutes and, well, that takes care of tomorrow and Friday's always our busiest day, what with people wanting to get it all out the way before their weekends, lucky them I say..." "Francine Spencer." "How do you do?" "I'll finish up here." "You go on." "This way, Mrs Spencer." "I thought you might enjoy some tea..." "I made a pot." "Well, it's not quite the temptation of Eve but presumably one should be grateful." "I've been doing a little bit of accountancy work." "Are we to move to bread and water?" "Rather the opposite." "I've managed to find a little extra and it works out to be just enough to get to Richmond and back by taxi cab... just while this bus strike continues." "I shall have to consult my calendar and that of the stars... let us hope some joyous alignment presents itself." "Well, whenever the heavens or the London taxi cabs collide, the funds are there." "It seems unfair of us to deprive your family of you for the sake of a few pounds." "I am sure they need you as much as we do." "Are you allowed to continue working?" "Mr Woodrow don't know yet." "He just thinks I'm filling out... puts it down to the digestives." "I'm afraid you're going to have to tell him soon." "Not even I could eat that many digestives." "Childhood diseases?" "Diphtheria?" "Rheumatic disease?" "Had the lot." "My mum says I get everything except diamonds." "Is there any history of diabetes in your or your husband's family?" "Not that I know of, Nurse." "It's the only sin that shows, isn't it, Miss?" "Would it help if I made your appointments for the end of clinics?" "It's a bit quieter then." "He will marry me." "He just doesn't know yet." "About this." "We're going to do it terribly proper." "The wedding." "I'll have the dress..." "I love what Grace Kelly wore... and we'll have the house in the country." "My chap'll see to that." "Oh, could you take over with Mrs Lennon?" "It's just with Nurse Noakes away we're struggling, somewhat." "I'm rather in the middle of things." "I thought Sister Bernadette was on the rota?" "It would help us enormously." "Of course." "You'd think after this many we'd know what to do." "Thank God you're here." "She's upstairs, I'll be out here if you need me." "Good afternoon, April." "I'm just going to examine you and see how far along you are." "Where would we be without you Nonnatuns?" "Over three quarters dilated." "Not long now, April." "The contractions may be very close together now." "They said it was one of you young ones with that poor Kelly baby." "Can't be a shock like it." "I'm so sorry, April..." "I just need to step out for a moment." "Where you going?" "There's really no need to worry." "She's almost fully dilated... membranes have just ruptured, contractions are rapid... she will deliver soon." "Now listen to me... you have to go back in there." "You have to look after Mrs Lennon." "All I can see is his little blue face." "Oh, Cynthia, listen to me..." "I'm on my way but you cannot leave her." "Don't you understand?" "I can't do that to someone else's baby." "'Just wait with her.'" "I can't." "I can't go back and I can't stay in a place where everyone thinks that little boy is dead because of me." "'Cynthia!" "'" "She's left Mrs Lennon." "It was too soon." "I shouldn't have sent her out." "You must go to Mrs Lennon, reassure her and keep the poor woman calm." "This must not affect her delivery." "What about Cynthia?" "Our priority is with our patient." "Now hurry." "Slow down!" "Careful!" "Who was that?" "How is Mrs Lennon?" "Thrilled by her new baby, Dora." "But utterly confused by her flurry of midwives..." "I imagine that's the collective noun." "One or a hundred, no mother would care as long as we do our job." "Now, where is Cynthia?" "I quite mean to wring her neck." "She's with you, surely?" "What?" "We thought she'd waited for you." "She hasn't come back." "Mr Lennon saw her cycle off, I assumed she'd come home." "Well, if you could ask your officers in Stepney and Bow to keep an eye out for her, as well?" "Thank you." "Go to the clinic and I think try the church, as well, she may be searching for some peace." "Excuse me." "Yes, love?" "Have you seen...?" "That way." "Is this seat taken?" "Come on, let's go home." "How can I ever go back?" "I've made such a terrible mess of things." "Mrs Lennon..." "Mrs Lennon is perfectly well and has a healthy baby girl." "Oh, thank God." "What happened?" "I panicked." "I got swept along and I couldn't turn back so I had to keep going... the traffic, it was terrifying." "I couldn't stop..." "I mean before... with Mrs Lennon?" "I thought it would happen again, I thought I'd lose the baby." "You lost your nerve?" "Anything could have happened to Mrs Lennon because you're blaming yourself for something that isn't your fault." "We don't know it's not my fault, not till the post-mortem." "So until then you're going to presume yourself guilty?" "Do you really think Sister Julienne would send you out to patients if she even had half a doubt?" "Cynthia... we believe in you." "Why can't you trust us?" "What do I do, how do I come back?" "You put your best foot forward and you get on with things." "And know that we're all willing you on." "Because we need you, Cynthia Miller." "As a nurse and as a friend." "It's going to be all right, you know." "But you'll have to butter up Fred to fix your bike." "And Trixie will take quite some soothing..." "I'd suggest a bottle of Babycham, a ticket to next week's dance?" "Camilla?" "You're not back until tomorrow." "I would disagree." "What a bonus." "Peter?" "I found this letter beneath the biscuit tin." "It says you have to pass a comprehensive physical examination before they accept you into the Colonial Police." "The letter was dated before I went away." "Why on earth didn't you tell me?" "What did you expect to me say?" ""Put everything on the back burner" ""because I might be too much of a roly poly to pass the exam"?" "You're not a roly poly." "I'm doing every ruddy thing I can to make sure I pass, and all the time dreading I'm the one who'll let you down." "So, no, I didn't feel that was news I wanted to share with you." "I've been terribly selfish." "Africa is about what I want." "And here you are, my dear Peter, with your fears running away with you." "Perhaps what I took to be a calling was a dreadful case of mishearing." "What kind of missionary would such thoughtlessness make me?" "I think you're wonderful." "And I'd walk to Africa if I had to, just to be at your side." "If it's meant to be, it will be." "Yes." "The envelope contains the results of the post-mortem." "Mr and Mrs Kelly have already been informed." "Before you open it, do you think you did or didn't do something which caused the death of Thomas Kelly?" "Your profession is about judgment, about a decision made in an instant which may save a mother and a child, or lose both." "Your instinct matters greatly." "I did everything I could and should have done." "Then whether you're ready to hear it or not," "I believe you're a wonderful midwife, Nurse Miller." "There's no blame, Nurse Miller." "Not you, not the Kellys." "Not even fate." "It was atelectasis... the baby's lung never fully expanded." "There's nothing you or anyone could have done." "Nurse has come, love." "I'll put the kettle on." "You didn't need to, Nurse..." "Sister Evangelina's been coming by." "Let me, please." "You just rest." "You're very kind." "It's like he never happened." "They say what the eye don't see the heart don't grieve for." "Big fat lie." "But I have this, still... smells of him." "My boy." "Got space for 'em, now." "Hello, Nurse?" "Oh, hello... you off to work?" "I could be off to the moon, for all I know." "Feel like I'm floating." "It's official." "Oh, that's wonderful." "Congratulations, I'm so pleased." "James this is my nurse, Miss Lee." "Nurse Lee... this is my James." "How do you do?" "Well, we best be going." "Come along, James, I don't want to be late." "James?" "Coming, dear." "There's no money for a funeral." "They're having to bury baby Thomas in the coffin of a local woman who passed away last night." "I can't bear it for them." "There is a charitable fund." "We can find the details for them and help them with their application." "Sister, Mr Kelly is far too proud." "He'd see it as begging." "Then it shall come from us." "We are their community, there can be no question of pride." "I'm afraid we do not have the resources to spare." "Then we shall use my taxi fund toward the funeral." "I insist upon it." "But what about your family?" "They'll miss your visits." "I shall make arrangements for my nephew and his children to visit me here." "We can take lunches in the garden, providing the weather is fine." "I believe the children are fond of the Bunty and lemonade... please see both are in good supply." "No good, old lad?" "I passed." "I bloody passed." "Next stop, Africa." "Oi." "That's my bike." "Oi!" "Come on Fred, keep up." "Oi!" "Do you love her?" "Does it make a difference?" "It does to Francine." "It was just a bit of fun." "Jimmy." "I'm going to do the right thing." "For who?" "Because Francine has plans for a wedding and a house in the country." "Francine has a lot of plans." "I think I'm one of them." "For God's sake, Jimmy, you're going to have a baby." "It will change your life, and if you're not sure you have got to be honest." "I was... six months ago, when I told you I loved you." "I'll always be here for you." "I don't want another friend, Jenny." "I wish I could have been enough for you." "Keep him warm... keep him safe... till the day that I can." "Sister Julienne?" "Did I mention that the children are fans of cream cakes?" "No, I don't believe you did, but let me see to that." "You are a dear." "Yes, aren't I?" "Do you think perhaps people have forgotten?" "Quite possibly." "I suppose with the week we've had." "Indeed." "What on earth is that?" "They're singing our song." "Nonnatus House." "Midwife speaking." "There is a greater gift than the trust of others." "That is to trust in oneself." "It's from us all..." "I hear the roads ain't too clever out there, so, you get into any bother, you ring that as loud as you can..." "I swear we'll all hear it." "Back before you know it." "No words of mine could match those inside." "Thank you." "I forbid it." "You can't possibly leave." "What a load of old tosh." "Course she's got to go." "You've had the calling, haven't you?" "You look after her." "I will." "Safe journey." "Thank you." "Best of luck, Chummy." "Some might call it confidence, others name it faith." "But if it makes us brave, the label doesn't matter... for it's the thing that frees us, to embrace life itself." "Chummy would be back with us before the year was out." "She'd chased her dream with courage... and, oh, how we loved her." "Bye!" "Safe journey!" "Miss you." "We'll be back." "Can I help you?" "I think we might be getting someone new." "You're going to need them." "I've just been seconded to The London..." "Jimmy?" "I think you'll find in the present day, Mrs..." "Carter." "Both of them." "Jimmy?" "You're going to be all right, Jimmy." "I promise you."