"'It is not time itself that we notice passing, 'but the things it erases and reclaims for eternity." "'Infancy, childhood, 'golden moments, red-letter days, 'the darkest nights." "'All washed away, as if by water." "'All out of sight, as if by tides.'" "It's all right, Beryl." "This will pass." "It will pass." "You cannot interrupt the signal without warning." "The impulses within will disconnect and become deranged." "Sister, I tasked you with the flowers in the chapel this morning, to celebrate the return of our sisters and our staff from Africa, but now I find the vases empty." "And you... gyrating in front of the television." "Sister Ursula, I admit that the vases await my effort, but I firmly refute all charges of gyration!" "Flowers, dear." "Oh, wait." "Rest assured, Nurse Busby, if Matron makes a beeline for this bun today, it shall not be found wanting." "I could do without another public reprimand." "We're studying breech births, and there's a test next week." "Nurse Mount." " Have you lost your way to the clinical room?" " No, Sister Ursula." "Then might I suggest you join me there... at your earliest convenience?" "Patients await." "Meanwhile, we're all awaiting her departure." " Thank you." " Oh, dear." " Go inside, Barbara." "All right, guv'nor, thank you." "No sooner looked but they loved, no sooner loved but they sighed, and in these degrees have they made a pair of stairs to marriage." " Dare we ask to see the ring, Babs?" " I don't have one, yet." "Tom proposed to me in a field in Africa, so I've got a blade of grass in a Germolene tin." "Simply charming." "I do hope no ointment was wasted in the process." "We husbanded our resources very carefully, Sister Ursula, and left Hope Clinic in a much better state than it was when we arrived." "We even left Nurse Franklin behind -- on loan -  for the next two months." " So I've been informed." "Now, I imagine luncheon will be welcome." "It certainly would." "Oh." "Has something gone wrong in the kitchen?" "Not at all." "I simply thought that with the return of our adventurers, we might embrace a new routine." "A frugal luncheon, packed if required, with our hot meal served at the end of the working day, not in the midst of it." "But it's clinic this afternoon, Sister Ursula, and a hearty meal at one o'clock helps keep us all going." "Sister Winifred, could you fill the water jug, please?" "Of course." " Would you like a dash of lemon barley in it?" " No." "Don't sit down just yet, ladies." "The Mother House will be telephoning in a few moments, and I'm sure Sister Julienne would like to take the call." "Of course." "Nonnatus House." "Sister Julienne speaking." "Greetings." "Sister Julienne!" "Oh, my dear." "You look so very well." "And happy." "Yes." "Oh, I've just delivered a beautiful little boy, and you've all come home!" "I've just been speaking to Mother Jesu Emmanuel, and she thanks everyone who's just returned from South Africa for their service to the order, and of course to the people that we helped." "She also wished me to tell you an important piece of news." "Sister Ursula, who has worked so tirelessly in our absence, will not be returning to the Mother House." "As of today, she will officially... be in charge of all matters medical and spiritual here in Nonnatus House." "And I will be serving... as a member of staff, underneath her." "I would like to be the first to... offer my good wishes to our new superior." "Pink for maternity, blue for postnatal." "A ticket for each patient to be seen in strictly numerical order." "I'm sorry, Sister Ursula, but the traditional half-hourly timings have worked well enough." "But is well enough good enough, Mrs Turner?" "Before the order's Cottage Hospital was closed, there were accusations of inefficiency." "I shouldn't like the clinic here to be subjected to complaints." "Oh, most mothers don't mind when things run on." "They can attend talks and catch up with their friends over tea and biscuits." "In future, Mrs Turner, biscuits will be for fainters only." "Eating for two should be about careful nutrition, not self-indulgence." "Oh, what's all this?" "Are we having a raffle?" "No, but we're taking a gamble, if you ask me." "Sister Julienne, whatever are you doing?" "That's very heavy work." "Sister Ursula charged me with setting out the furniture." "It is a necessary task, and one I do gladly." "Pink ticket number 21." "I think that will be you, Mrs Watts." "Thank you." "I'll have a feel of your tummy in a minute." "Before I do that, do you want to tell me why Master Mickey's not in school today?" "He's having trouble with his waterworks." "During the day, or just at night?" "At night, mainly, but... when he has an accident, he cries." "He won't go to school in the morning." "I think the other kids torment him." "He doesn't smell of wee, or anything." "I'd never let that happen." " No." " He gets called names because of those glasses." "We've been waiting and waiting to hear back from the hospital." "It can't be much fun peering out at the world from behind that pirate's eye patch, young man." "How about, I'll ring that eye department and chivvy them along?" "Yes, please." "I could nip to the telephone now." "They might even squeeze you in this afternoon." "Oh, I can't do anything else today." "I've been sat here for hours waiting for my number to come up, and I've got obligations." "We'll salvage that mascara." "And when we've listened to baby's heartbeat, pop off and attend to your business, and I'll telephone St Cuthbert's." "All right, mate?" "!" "How you doing?" " You're looking great!" " Lester." "Trudy!" "Blimey, Trude, good job they let me out for good behaviour." " You?" "Good behaviour?" " Get any bigger, I'll be needing longer arms." "Daddy's won a cup for his boxing." "Go on, Mickey, take it." "Take it." "There you go." "You can start your own collection." "Got a pair of gloves waiting for him down the gym." "No, Lester." "Not the ring, not for Mickey." "What's with his glasses?" " Is it that squint?" " The proper word's an astigmatism." "Oi, Lester." "Come on." "Compliments of the boss." "♪ I don't need a kingdom" "♪ I don't need a throne" "♪ Or a crown with diamonds Shining bright" "♪ Mm-mmm-mm" "♪ If you said you loved me" "♪ And you were mine alone" "♪ Then I'd be a king for tonight" "♪ Every single time you hold my hand... ♪" "Patsy?" "Why is this letter thanking me for volunteering to give a pottery demonstration at the, and I quote," ""Commonwealth Day Tea Party" in the community centre?" "I had to give the organisers a list of people who'd contribute." "And you did quite enjoy the lessons you had before you went to South Africa." "Do turn that transistor down, Deels." " Crackling's agony." " Sorry." "I'm soldiering on in pursuit of Radio Luxembourg." "The set's still in South Africa, and no telly." "This is our only chance of entertainment." "Apart from our cocktail of the day... which is the Grasshopper." "Equal parts creme de menthe, creme de cacao, evap and a dash of cocoa." "Slips down like a liquid after-dinner mint, and then kicks you like a mule." "We got you some bitter lemon." "Actually, I'll have a cocktail, if it's all the same to you." "Vicars' wives drink quite a lot of sherry, and I think it's time I got myself in training." " I'll raise a glass to that." " Me too!" "To Barbara's looming career as an inebriate clergy spouse." "Oh!" "The lady of the house, if you would be so kind." "Zelda, someone to see you." "♪ The best things in life are free... ♪" "You come about the rum, dear?" "As you may observe, I am in uniform, therefore I won't imbibe." "I've called with a message for Mrs Trudy Watts, about an appointment at the eye clinic." "I'm her mother." "You may as well come in." "♪ Your love gives me such a thrill" "♪ But your love don't pay my bills" "♪ I need money... ♪" "Excuse me." " ♪ That's what I want" " That's what I want" " ♪ That's what I wa-a-a-a-nt" " That's what I want... ♪" "Come on, then, darling." "Give us all a thrill!" "They got hold of a load of raw rum from somewhere, need a stocking to sieve out all the bits of carbon." "It would seem I've come at an inconvenient time." "I'll leave this for your attention." " ♪ Lots of money" " That's what I want" " ♪ Whole lot of money" " That's what I want... ♪" "Of course." "Thank you." "Well, that's my fate sealed." "My pottery teacher said she'll lend me her wheel." "I have to teach the Sunday school a Maori haka." "We can be companions in despair." "I do want you to have a proper ring, Barbara." "I know." "And I know we can't really afford one." "Yet." "Besides, that blade of grass is more precious to me than diamonds." "I'm Barbara Gilbert, midwife and curate's fiancee," " not Zsa Zsa Gabor." " Not many girls would say that." "Well, you're not engaged to many girls." "No." "Just you." " See you later." " Bye!" "See you at the gym." "Come on, then." "Your mother's conked out on the couch." "It's two o'clock in the morning." "I've had a long day." "I've had a long eight months." "You never did that in my dreams." "You never did that in mine." "Ow!" "I'm going down the dock road." "There's girls down there who'll give it to me better than you ever did for a ten bob note." "Some of them will do it for a gin and orange, or a snakebite." "Ah!" "It's all right, Mickey." "I promise." "Ah, good morning." "May I point out that it is eight o'clock and 30 seconds precisely?" "And I do not enjoy commencing my day with an impersonation of the speaking clock." "Sister Winifred -- maternity home." "I shall take over from you for the night shift." "Nurse Gilbert -- all the bookings in, plus an extra task in support of Mrs Trudy Watts." "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Nurse Crane." "Sister Ursula stopped me in the corridor." "There's absolutely no need to apologise, Sister Julienne." "I've put you down as first on call today." "I think we'll be hearing from Mrs Gupte, and she'll need someone very experienced." "No, I'm afraid Dr Turner's been called to an emergency." "No, I can't prescribe." "Because I'm only 15." " Where's your mother?" " She suddenly felt really ill." "She asked me to sit here for a minute, because she couldn't leave the medical records unattended." "Leave this to me, and run for your bus." "Don't forget to comb your hair." "Good morning." "Midwife calling." "I hope you've got some Alka-Seltzer in that bag of yours." "Or a box of Omo, cos that bloody kid's wet the bed again." " Has Mickey gone to school?" " Yes." "Thank Christ." "Snivelled all the way, mind you." "Could you tell Mrs Watts that Nurse Crane has asked me to collect him this afternoon, and take him to the eye clinic?" "She thought it might help her if she could rest." "All right." "Well, I can't take him." "I'm off to Margate." "I weren't joking about that Alka-Seltzer." "We don't carry it, I'm afraid." "Knock-knock." "All patients dispatched." "Doctor plied with tea and provided with clean instruments, and sent off on his rounds." " Thank you, Sister." " You still struggling with Cape Town tummy?" "Only shook mine off about a week ago." "Is it... both ends?" "It's kind of you to ask, but I'm sure no-one needs chapter and verse on my every visit to the smallest room." "Violet, would you be averse to me paying you a compliment?" "So long as it doesn't interfere with my press stud inventory." "You have got a lovely silhouette." "Don't you start talking to me in French, Fred Buckle." "You don't know where it might end." "Good afternoon, Nurse Gilbert." "What can I do for you?" "Do you stock plastic pants, aged five to six?" "Could you attend to that light bulb for me, please, Frederick?" "Strictly speaking, they're an incontinence garment, not baby linen, but I can telephone one of my wholesalers for you." "Meanwhile, I was hoping that you'd have something for me to admire by now." "Oh, no, not yet." "That piece of grass will be dead by Commonwealth Day, and you'll want to have something to show off by then, as I gather that you're going to be performing on your potter's wheel." "Oh!" "They'll be needing bobbies on horseback to control the crowds." "I'm actually quite nervous about it." "The wheel is quite difficult to control, and the only other time I've used it, things became quite violent." "If you're nervous, why don't you come and give a demonstration to my Brownies?" "Practice makes perfect." "Oh, yes, good afternoon." "Is that Renton's Hygienic Garments?" "We can sit down and enjoy our holiday." "Sorry, Miss Dawkins." "I was calling to collect Mickey Watts." "He has an eye clinic appointment." "He left ten minutes ago with his father." "Oh!" "Oh, that's fine, then." "Who do you reckon loves you most, Mickey?" "Most out of everyone you ever knew or met." "Mum." "Yeah." "Yeah, that's right." "And who do you reckon loves you next most?" "Me." "I do." "Your dad." "And Granny Zelda loves you." "The world's full of people who love you, cos you ain't even six yet." "But you're going to be seven next year, then eight, then nine, all the way up to numbers you ain't even done in school yet." "And you're going to get called names." "And you're going to get thumped." "And you'll have to fight your corner." "You'll have to fight for every bastard thing you've got, cos the only person who's ever really going to love you... .. is you." "And that's why I'm going to show you what to do with these." "Midwife calling." "I've had a breakthrough on the bed-wetting front." "But you took Mickey to the hospital about his eyes." " Anyway, where is he?" " Didn't his father bring him home?" "The gloves have gone." "This is how you learn to be a man, Mickey." "This is how you stop 'em calling names." "Mickey!" "I'm sorry, Mrs Watts, but Mickey's father had the right to remove him from school premises, as long as he had permission from the staff." "But he never had permission to take him to the gym." "Lester's not a fit father." "He's only just come out of prison." "Neither Nurse Crane nor I knew that, Trudy." "I'm not sure it would have made any difference if you had." "He was convicted of demanding money with menaces, not cruelty to a child." "So he's free to do what he likes, then?" "Thank you." "You made that very clear." "We were only trying to help." "I'll drop round the gym and have a friendly word." "Sister, aren't you coming downstairs to join us for handicrafts?" "I can't." "I'm preparing for my life vows." "Community recreation is just as important." "Sister Ursula says I need to spend more time on my studies." "The difficulty with television is that it kills the conversation in the room so completely." "Without that cumbersome device to distract us, we can take greater pleasure in our handicrafts." "And in one another's company." "Sister Ursula, are we allowed to know where the television set has gone?" "Suffice to say, it is now in a place where it will be enjoyed." "I had the police call round the gym." "Acting all matey." "The police!" "Making sure there was nothing they need to investigate, when there wasn't a mark on the little bastard!" "You're good at that, aren't you?" "Not leaving marks on people, Lester." "I never know whether it's cos you're clever, or cos you're just a coward." "Coward?" "Coward?" "Cowards don't do this, do they?" "Or this." "Or this!" "Lester..." " What about Mickey?" " He'll be all right." "He ain't got the brains to get himself in any bother." "Your dad's playing a game, Mickey." "It's like a pirate game." "We're pretending he's gone away to sea, and he's put me in a prison." "Listen, I want you to go and get some toys, and sit and play on the stairs." " You can pretend you're guarding me." " All right, Mummy." "The most important thing, when you begin to throw a pot, is to make sure that your clay is in the absolute centre of your wheel, so you need to throw it down firmly." "Ooh!" "Stop laughing at once!" "How can poor Nurse Gilbert make a lovely vase if she can't concentrate because of all the noise?" "Then you need to smooth it -- oh, dear -- into a cone shape." "Oh, erm..." "Erm, right." "Oh, er..." "Erm, and the next step is to make an opening..." "Oh." "Oh." "Oh." "Mickey, it's getting too dark for this part of the pirate game." "I need you to go and fetch something for me." "All right, Mummy." "I have noticed a certain halting of progress since I assumed the role of your spiritual directress, but the prospect of life vows can be a difficult time for a novice, and you are assured of all our prayers." "I don't always doubt them." "There are times when I feel them upholding me like wings." "And times when you do not?" "Push it under the door, lovey." "Here, push it towards me." "That's it." "That's it, Mickey." "I don't want to ply you with questions, child, but if I do not ask them, I fear we shall not find answers." "Do you think I don't ask questions myself?" "Questions come into my head all the time." "Sometimes I think He is asking them of me." "Sometimes I think I'm asking them of Him." "The voices are more similar than you'd think." "It's all right, baby." "It's all right." " I promise you." " Mummy, when are you coming out?" "Mummy!" "Mickey..." "Mickey, run and... bang on the door." "Bang on it." "Run." "Help!" "Help!" "[Help me!" "Help my mummy!" "]" "Hurry!" "Help!" "Oh, my dear." "Oh." "Come inside." "Come inside, where we can help you." " What is this disturbance?" " Mrs Watts is in labour." "Things are moving rather fast." "In that case, she should be at the hospital or the maternity home." "She was unable to make her way to either." "We will assess the situation here and see what we should do." "Clinical room, straight away." "You've looked after your mother very well, young man." "Now, I think it's time someone looked after you." "Would you like to come with me?" "We'll see if we can find the biscuit tin." "Might find some chocolate ones, if we're very lucky." "That's it." "That's it." " Won't be long now." "Trust us." " I do." "Oh!" "Oh, I can see baby's head, Trudy." "One last push." "There." "You have a daughter, Trudy." "Mucus extractor." "What's happening?" "We need to clear baby's airways." "Love you, little girl." "Love you, do you hear me?" " Will we have to go to hospital?" " It would be best in the circumstances." "I don't care." "I'm not going." "I'm not leaving Mickey." "Bit of a rude arrival for the poor little soul." "Bathing in her own first bowel movement." " But will she be all right?" " There's no harm done." "And Mickey is watching television with my own lad." "And wearing a slightly-too-small pair of my daughter's pyjamas." "But a boy can't have everything." "We're going to set up a camp bed for him, so he won't be far away." "We can talk about everything else in the morning." "I used to go down the old rectory gardens when I was a kid." "Do my dreaming." "You can hear the church bells ringing down there." "No wonder I used to dream about weddings and white dresses." "But love never really got me anywhere at all." "Love brought you here tonight, though, didn't it?" "Love is why you refused to go to hospital." "So you could keep your little family together." "But love won't keep us safe, Nurse." "I need to start hating now." "Oh, lass, such strong words." "But I've got to be strong now." "Don't you see?" "Why don't you wait till morning?" "You contradicted my authority last night." "Junior members of staff heard of it." "And so did Sister Mary Cynthia, who is approaching the end of her novitiate, and requires a clear example of our rule of life." "No, Sister." "Sister Mary Cynthia requires encouragement, gentleness, and understanding." "Last autumn, she was violently attacked." "She gave them the necessary evidence, and since that date, she's never spoken a word of it." "But what if she needs to speak of it?" "Sister Mary Cynthia takes her strength from our continued prayers, and you can uphold her further by setting an example, Sister." "Obedience in all things, including the will of the Almighty." "Lester, get out." "Got in easily enough." " You've got no right to be here." " Yes, I have." "I'm checking out what's mine." " Trudy, this isn't sensible." " He'll be at the gym for three hours." "If I go home, I'll be safe." "I'll be somewhere where doors can be locked, by me." "Do you at least have money for your taxi fare?" "I'm asking the cabbie to stop at Ziegler's Jewellers." "These got me into this mess -- they can get me out of it." "Taxi fare, new locks, solicitor." "In that order." "I'm getting a divorce." " Wait for me!" " Wait!" "I'm actually struggling to understand the connection between the Commonwealth and balloons, Barbara." "Well, they're made of rubber, which comes from India, Malaysia," " and Ceylon." " And what about pottery?" "Everywhere in the former empire use plates." "I've just realised this will be our first parish event as an engaged couple." "Well, I should give my Germolene tin an extra polish, then." " Oh, it doesn't matter, Tom." " It matters to me." "Trudy, baby was only born last night." "Dr Turner's on his way, but we'd all feel better if you had the usual twice-daily visits." "And I think you would, too." "I'm a good mother, Sister." "You have to trust me." "I do trust you." "Just like you trusted us last night." " They want to help you, Trudy." " I'm going to have to do this on my own." "My mum kept putting all her chips on men -- marrying them, not marrying them." "Always ended up with a black eye, and the same old mess." "I broke out that bedroom on my own." "And now I'm going to break away from him." "I want you to succeed, Trudy." "I really do." " But..." " No." "No, don't you cry." "Please don't you cry." "I'm happy about this, Sister." "I'm doing something I should have done a long time ago." "Trudy, so few people have the courage to do that." "Trudy!" "This is my house!" "Open this door!" "It is my house too, because I am your wife, and you are not coming over this threshold because my children aren't safe if you do." "You can't keep me out!" "What's happened?" "I've been fighting for my rights." "I'll have the law on you!" "Changing my bloody locks!" "What's happened, Sister?" "Got yourself a puncture?" "Sister, I know your door isn't locked... .. but I will not force my way in." "And I've taken your name off the roster, so that you can rest." "You can't do that!" "You aren't in charge!" "Even Sister Ursula isn't really in charge." "My head is so full of scriptures that the phrases fray... .. and jumble on occasion...." ".. but I would still lay every slipple at your feet, if I thought these fragments might illuminate your way." "Will you take refuge in medicine instead?" "It will hydrate as a sedative." "I can't take it, I've got so many things to do!" "You have given this to women in their labours countless times." "Ugh!" " You can't take my bag away!" "I might need it!" " Sister..." "Oh, Sister." "What was it Julian of Norwich wrote?" "Not the thing about, "All shall be well."" "Not that, because I can't believe that any more." "She wrote, "God did not say thou shalt not be tempested," ""thou shalt not be travailed, thou shalt not be diseased."" ""But he said, thou shall not be overcome."" "Sister Mary Cynthia has never received treatment for mental instability." "And the most recent record we have for her relates to her injuries after the attack." "I blame myself for this." "I wanted her to survive." "I wanted her pain to vanish with her bruises." "She knew that." "And she lives and breathes to please others." "I want Dr Turner to see her." "He will want to see her, too." "I'm sorry, it's just... .. the smell of the milk." "Breakfasts have been impossible." "Breakfasts?" "I can't quite believe it myself, Sister." "Even Patrick doesn't know." "But... .. I'm expecting a baby." " And I'm so afraid." " Oh!" "And I'm not." "Because I never stopped praying." "But we were told we could never have children." "Shelagh, there's no doubt at all now." "You can ask him to share your joy." "I don't know how I'm going to tell him." "I blame the films." "Makes girls go mad for romance and roses and Rossano Bloody Brazzi." "And when they don't get it, you'd think the sky had fallen in." "I thought that way meself once." "Or twice." "Maybe even three times, but my son-in-law owns this house outright, and he's got prospects, and he respects his elders." "There's plenty worse off than my daughter." "Er, Mr Watts is not willing to allow Mrs Watts to remain in the property if the marriage is dissolved." "I'm not paying you to know what my husband wants." "I want to know what I can do." "I thought you were supposed to be a midwife." "Can't you stop that kid from whingeing?" "I find babies are unsubtle when there's tension in the room." "So take her in the kitchen." "Or when they're removed any distance from the mother." "Er, you can divorce your husband for cruelty, Mrs Watts, providing you can prove that cruelty took place." "He locked me in the bedroom." "I could have died giving birth on my own." "Well, were there witnesses, Mrs Watts?" "There was witnesses when he put his fist through that window." " Would they testify to it?" " Course they won't bloody testify." "People round here have to get on with their neighbours, and like I said, Lester's got connections." "And I've got burns -- here, here and here." "He did them with his cigarette." "Again, you would have to PROVE that, Mrs Watts." "I'm extremely happy to give a statement summarising the medical overview." "Why should you have to?" "You can see them." "Just like you can see the bruises under my hair where he digs his fingers in when he don't get what he wants." "And how do we know you didn't do all these things to yourself, when you didn't get what YOU wanted?" "She's got form in that department, Mr Wylton." "That was years ago, when Mickey was a baby." "And I put my own head in the oven." "I never tried to pretend that was Lester." "It occurs to me, Mrs Watts, that you may wish to apply for custody of your children, in which case..." "Custody?" "But they're my kids." "Why should I apply for anything?" "Because they are your husband's children, too." "You could be construed as having a history of mental instability, and he has certain rights." "What about Mrs Watts' rights?" "And her children's -- don't they have a right not to be terrorised?" "You look tired, Sister." "I slept for a long time." "How did you feel when you fell asleep?" "As though... my mind was flat, and black." "Like a blackboard covered in writing." " And when you woke up?" " As though it had been rubbed clean a little." "I have to keep my head still, or else I can still see the words out of the corners of my eyes." "Can you tell me what they say?" "Say?" "The words -- they don't talk." "Do you think I might be ill?" "I do." "But that means you can be healed." " Excuse me, please." " Oh, sorry." "I can't and I won't barge in without your say-so, but please, let me take a look at you, Trudy." "Just had a delivery." "Legal papers, from Lester's solicitor." "He's going for custody with immediate effect." "I would prefer to discuss the situation with Mrs Watts." "Trudy, let me see if I can help." "You'll make things worse." "I've got to do this on my own." "Because I'm on my own." "So, if you'll excuse me, my son-in-law has asked me to supervise the locksmith, and this time, madam here ain't getting any keys." "It's not right." "It's just not." "The man Trudy's trying to escape is a criminal, and he's playing the legal system like a penny violin." "I'm generally wary of elaborate drinks, but a small, dry sherry won't hit the spot tonight." "So, what's our poison, then, Phyllis?" "Brandy Alexanders made with condensed milk for a velvety, luxurious taste." "This Women's Realm pamphlet's been quite an education." " Brandy Alexander, Patsy?" " No, thank you." "An evening of ulcer-dressing and haemorrhoid compression on the district rounds rather spoilt my appetite." "And if you wouldn't mind getting off my bed... .. I'd quite like a lie-down." "Doctor, if I wasn't aware of Sister Mary Cynthia's need for psychiatric help before I saw you with her yesterday, I am now." "And I'm very grateful for your interest." "There is a particularly gentle, and therefore suitable, therapeutic community near Birmingham, called Northfield." "Because her family live there, we may be able to get her in." "Doctor, the Order of St Raymond Nonnatus is sister Mary Cynthia's family now, and she's already left for the Mother House." "She'll be seen by a Chichester doctor as soon as she arrives." " Dr Turner." " Sister... did you see Sister Mary Cynthia before she left?" "No, I did not." "She wasn't at the wards, and when I went to her room before breakfast, it was empty." " I see." " I cannot question what has happened, but I do want it noted." "Nonnatus House, midwife speaking." "Er, we've had an unscheduled delivery at the station." "There was a bottle in the bag she left." "The teat came off, and it leaked all over the nappies and the clothes." "How can a mother abandon her children?" "And she obviously cares so much." "I think you'll find Trudy did this BECAUSE she cares so much." "Be that as it may, we have to find out where she's gone." "Abandonment is a criminal offence." "You can get six months." "Trudy Watts is not the criminal in this situation, Sergeant Noakes." "No." "I can see that." "I was about to telephone the children's officer, to organise a foster home." "But if we put these children into care, we may have trouble getting them out." "Trudy's already on her knees." "I've no interest in kicking her, or her kiddies, while she's down." "And I think I might know where she's gone." "I've lost track of the times you've crept into my room now." "I never tire of looking for the look upon your face." "Is it going to be excited Pats, or happy Pats?" "Sad Pats or troubled Pats?" "But I love all of those girls." "Even this one." "What, apologetic Pats?" "Apologetic Pats and I do have what you might call a glancing acquaintance." "I owe you an apology." "For being brusque and not telling you why." "And for something else which may never happen, but if it does... .. it's going to hurt us both so much." "What?" "I've had a letter from Hong Kong." " From your father?" " From his nurse." "He's developed a degenerative condition of the nervous system." "Do you need to visit him?" "I spoke to his nurse." "He's... .. paralysed." "He wants me to go to him, but... .. I don't know what to do." "I reckon this is one for you, Nurse Crane." "Well, lass, you've given us all a fright." "But I don't think anyone involved's been more afraid than you." "I thought I was going to kill myself." "But you didn't." "And I'm not going to ask you why, because you're a mother." "Therefore, the answer's quite obvious to me." "I thought there was no other way." "No other way to get away from Lester." " No other way to save the kids." " There's always another way... .. if you've someone to help you look for it." "Hello." "Hello, you." " A ring." " An engagement ring." "I bought it for both of us, from my savings." "That's not the way it's meant to be, Barbara." "No." "It's a new way." "Our way." "And absolutely perfect." "'In the spring of 1962, 'no-one knew what the tides would bring to Nonnatus House." "'The currents ebbed and eddied, leaving no clear channel for its 'ship to sail upon, but even in the midst of such uncertainty came joy.'" "Are you going to watch me do my drawing?" "It's going to be a very special picture." "'No-one is ever as alone as they imagine." "'Trudy Watts spent some time in a hostel for women, 'and the help she received changed both her prospects and her fate." "'She was awarded custody of Mickey, and his baby sister, 'and rehoused in a council flat far from London, 'where there were green fields and skies that held a hint of blue.'" "Patrick." "You gave me a note once, from you and someone else." "Now I'm giving you this... from me, and someone else." ""Please will you be my dad?"" "'For everything washed away, a fresh potential dawned, 'and in every wave of change, there came a new beginning.'" " Bye!" " Bye!" "Thank you!" "Bye!" "It's normally a wonderful thing, a mother brimming over with excitement." "In this case, it unsettles me." "I'm scared if you go in to that hospital, you won't come out." "You are midwives and nurses, not maids and nannies." "Those who do not earn their place must find another." "Telephone for an ambulance and the fire brigade!" "Valerie Dyer." "I'm a nurse." "Tell me what you need."