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Chapter Text

Julienne took a deep breath and made a conscious effort not to look at her watch. She knew not much time would have passed since she last looked. Time seemed to be moving unusually slowly today, yet she’d barely managed to get anything done.

She sighed and leaned back in her chair. Children were playing and laughing outside in the snow despite the freezing temperatures. Normally she didn’t mind the noise, but she found herself strangely irritable today. And it certainly wasn’t helping the headache which had been creeping up on her all morning either.

She sighed again, tugging at her scarf. The recent cold snap, which turned out to be anything but a snap, had easily defeated the heating system of Nonnatus House. Fred had been summoned to see what could be done and the fireplaces had been running at full capacity day and night. Yet the indoor temperature had remained low enough that everyone wore many extra layers at all times. At this moment however, she was starting to feel warm. A little too warm.

She’d already removed her gloves. They had been needed as she entered her office, but they were impossible to wear when writing. She’d turned on the space heater (which the others had insisted she keep in her office despite her protests) and after a while she was able to remove her gloves and get to work. Now she worried she’d left it on too long, wasting resources. She quickly got up and turned it off.

Sitting back down, she had to get up almost immediately to remove her scarf and shrug out of her coat as she was still much too warm. She sat once more, elbows resting on her desk as she put pressure on her temples in an unconscious attempt to relieve her headache. Looking back at her work she realised she had no idea what she had been doing or where she’d left off.

It didn’t take long before she once more felt heat surge through her body. She briefly wondered if she’d somehow failed to turn off the space heater, but she checked and that wasn’t the case. She removed her cardigan and hung it on the back of her chair before sitting back down. Taking another deep breath, she got back to the task at hand.

Despite her best effort, progress was only being made at a snail’s pace. Her mind felt sluggish and even though she’d shed many layers, she still felt strangely overheated. She’d even pulled her sleeves up a little as the cool wood of her desk felt nice against her wrists and forearms.

Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Enter,” she called, her voice sounding strained in her own ears. She took an unsteady breath. Her neck piece seemed strangely tight, hot and uncomfortable. She slid a finger between it and her neck, pulling gently to relieve the pressure and let in some air.

The door opened and Phyllis entered. She was in uniform, with the addition of the thick brown rug she had taken to wearing over her shoulders since the freezing weather had descended upon them. Her head was tilted down, clearly absorbed in the clipboard she was carrying.

“Good morning, Sister,’ she said without looking up. “I wonder if I might have a word with you about the roster. With Nurse Mount and Nurse Busby-” she stopped abruptly as she lifted her eyes from the clipboard and caught sight of Julienne. “Everything alright, Sister?”

“Yes, perfectly,” Julienne replied with a smile which she hoped wasn’t too obviously forced. She saw Phyllis watching her and felt the need to say something. “The space heater was working a little too well,” she said by way of explanation. She gestured for Phyllis to sit in the chair opposite the desk. Phyllis didn’t look convinced, but made no mention of it. She felt the nurse’s eyes on her as she approached the chair. Phyllis sat, cocking an eyebrow at her before looking down at her clipboard once more.

“Well as you are aware, with Nurse Mount and Nurse Busby away and no replacements in sight, we really are stretched quite thin. And that’s before the current weather conditions we find ourselves in.”

Julienne felt a pang of guilt. For letting down Sister Mary Cynthia, for failing to recruit replacements faster, and by extension failing the community. She cleared her throat. “As you say, I am well aware of the situation. Which is why I have increased my number of district and midwifery shifts as of late. Though I am of course aware that is not nearly enough,” she added with a frown.

“Sister, you’ve done more than your fair share of extra shifts. That’s not what I’m asking for. But with no end in sight for either our staff shortage or the current climate, I strongly believe it is time to request enforcement.”

Julienne let out a long, slow breath. She knew Nurse Crane was right. Despite what she might want to believe, she couldn’t be everywhere at once. The community’s need was simply too great. She nodded. “I shall phone Mother Jesu Emmanuel this afternoon.”

Phyllis looked pleased, but her face shifted as she was once again taking a closer look at Julienne. “Forgive me Sister, but are you sure you’re alright?”

Julienne swallowed. “Yes thank you, quite alright,” she said, but she knew her reply came a beat too late.

“Hm,” Phyllis said, her eyes narrowing a smidgen. Julienne was very aware she was being looked at through a clinical eye and it made her uncomfortable. Her head was pounding and her eyes felt hot and watery.

“Let’s have a look at the roster, shall we?” Julienne suggested. She motioned toward the clipboard and Phyllis handed it over. “Put me in for district rounds Wednesday, and then I’ll take the night shift on Thursday,” she said after looking over the gaps in the week’s schedule.

“Sister-” Phyllis began but Julienne held up a hand to stop her.

“I shall phone the Mother House today, but even if Mother Jesu Emmanuel is able to send anyone it will take a few days.”

“Well, if you’re sure,” Phyllis relented as Julienne picked up a pen and wrote her name in the empty spaces.

“Absolutely,” Julienne said with a genuine smile this time. She handed back the clipboard.

Phyllis looked over the roster once more. “I suppose that stubs out the immediate fires,” she said, not looking entirely happy, then locking eyes with Julienne. “But this isn’t sustainable and you know it.”

“As I said, I’m phoning Mother Jesu today,” Julienne said, trying her best to ignore a tickle in her throat. A bead of sweat rolled down her back and it made her shiver.

“Good. Well then, I better get back. Those delivery packs won’t fill themselves.” Phyllis got up and headed to the door. She just stepped out, then turned back and stuck her head through the doorframe. “And I should like to get to the Black Sail well in time for clinic this afternoon. Last week Mrs Young stepped in a pile of pork scratchings, an incident which I am keen not to repeat this time.”

“Of course, Nurse Crane.” Julienne watched as Phyllis disappeared down the corridor. She felt another wave of heat wash over her. She pulled at her scapular, creating little waves of air. Taking a deep breath, she felt another shiver go down her spine. Right now the thought of going outside to cool down and get some fresh air seemed rather appealing. But she had work to do, so made an effort to focus and get back to her documents.

The minutes ticked by unbelievably slowly. Not long after Phyllis had left, the room had started feeling a little chilly again, much like it had when she arrived first thing in the morning. She slipped on her cardigan, and soon she had to reach for her coat and scarf as well. Shivers started running up and down her spine more frequently, and the pounding in her head only became worse.

Eventually she found herself too chilled and unfocused to concentrate. She stood to turn the space heater back on and left for the kitchen to put the kettle on. She was hoping a cup of tea would help warm her up from the inside, and supposed it was a good excuse to stretch her legs and hopefully clear her head a little.

She put the kettle on, and put another log on the fire in the dining room while she waited for the water to boil. Sitting on a chair in the kitchen to wait, she pulled her coat closer around her. She wondered if someone might have left the front door open as it was starting to feel very cold indeed.

She briefly considered taking an aspirin for her headache, but when the kettle whistled she was distracted and forgot all about it. Once back in her office she cradled the cup in both hands for warmth, slowly sipping the tea. It was soothing to her throat, which had started tickling rather more intensely now that she thought about it. Though that was hardly surprising, given the dry air.

The space heater and tea warmed her up sufficiently to get a little more work done, but it was still slow going by her standards. She couldn’t help but feel it was a relief when Phyllis knocked on her door to tell her she was leaving for their temporary Tuesday clinic location.

Stepping out on the front step, what little warmth Julienne had managed to build up was instantly taken away by a sharp gust of wind. Her shoulders tensed and she had to make a conscious effort to keep her teeth from chattering.

Phyllis had already loaded the Morris Minor with the first batch of supplies. Julienne stepped carefully on the uneven snow and got into the passenger seat. Normally she might not have accepted a lift so readily, but she was starting to recognise she wasn’t quite feeling 100%. An early night she thought, hoping she would have the energy to manage through the rest of the day and that she’d feel better tomorrow.

The car journey was relatively silent, apart from occasional comments from Phyllis about the insufficient snow clearing or a child being out without a hat on. Had she been more alert though, she would have seen Phyllis casting a concerned eye on her from time to time.

The gentle rocking of the car as they slowly made their way to The Black Sail was almost enough to lull Julienne to sleep. She felt she might very well have if she wasn’t so very cold.

They arrived outside the pub and started unloading the equipment. Valerie was already there, having spent her half day with her aunt in the pub. She greeted them with a big smile and started helping them unload the car, whizzing in and out with the speed and energy of youth.

Julienne’s mind was feeling foggier by the minute. She put all her energy into just putting one foot in front of the other.

“That’s the last of it, I’ll head back to Nonnatus for the rest,” Phyllis announced as she put down a baby scale on one of the tables before heading back outside.

Julienne felt like all energy was draining out of her, fast. She put down the box she was carrying on a table, stars starting to prick her vision.

She put a hand out to the table to support herself, then the other, leaning heavily on the table. But the world still tilted, and her vision blurred.

“Sister?”

Valerie’s voice sounded distant in her ears, but the concern was unmistakable. Then there was a hand at her upper arm, keeping her from toppling over.

“Sister, are you feeling dizzy?”

She wanted to respond, but found herself putting all energy into not falling over.

Then she felt another hand on her other arm, and then she was gently manoeuvred into a chair. The world was still spinning and her eyes unfocused, but she could see a face swim into view. A cool hand was pressed to her forehead. “Oh Sister, you’re burning up,” Valerie said. “Why didn’t you say?”

“I, uh…” Julienne tried, still unfocused and a little out of breath. “I thought it would be… we’re so short staffed and I…” she trailed off, not able to form a coherent sentence.

The door swung open and a heavily pregnant woman walked in. Julienne heard there was a conversation but couldn’t quite register the words.

“Auntie Florrie, do you have a room free upstairs?” she suddenly heard Valerie call out.

Florrie came through the swing doors from the kitchen, wiping a glass with a dish cloth. “What’s happened?”

“Sister Julienne’s taken unwell, and is a bit unsteady. I think it’s best if she can lie down until Phyllis gets here and can drive her back to Nonnatus.”

Florrie nodded. “Take the purple room, I changed the sheets this morning. First door on the right.”

“Alright, Sister,” Valerie said softly. Julienne felt her hand on her shoulder and realised she’d been holding her steady this whole time. “People are starting to arrive, and I think you’ll be more comfortable waiting upstairs. It’s more quiet and you can lie down.”

Julienne heard her speak, but it took a while for her mind to process the words. Everything was moving slowly, even her thoughts. She wanted to protest; she didn’t want a fuss, and she didn’t feel she had the energy to move. But all that came out was a “mmh”.

The next few minutes were mostly a blur. The young nurse coaxed her up from her seat and helped her up the narrow staircase into a small room. She was guided to sit on the bed and take two aspirin, then encouraged to lie down. A blanket was draped over her and despite shivering she found it difficult to keep her eyes open.

“Nurse Crane should be back soon,” Valerie said, rubbing her arm gently.

Flashes of worry crossed her mind. What would happen with the clinic? What about those shifts she just signed on for? When could they repair the broken toilet?

She curled up on her side, tugging the blanket closer to her for warmth. The thoughts blurred together until she fell into a restless sleep.

Chapter Text

Julienne became vaguely aware of someone standing over her as she drifted into consciousness. Something cool was pressed to her forehead and she heard a soft tutting. She made an effort to open her eyes and let them adjust, finding Phyllis leaning over her.

“I knew something wasn’t right. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t think… It wasn’t so bad, before,” Julienne said, voice thick with sleep.

“Hmm,” Phyllis said sceptically. “Well in any case, let’s get you back to Nonnatus and tucked up in bed.”

“I’m afraid I won’t be much use today,” Julienne said apologetically, stifling a yawn. “But I'm sure I’ll be better tomorrow.”

“We’ll see about that,” Phyllis said, supporting Julienne as she stood.

They made their way down the stairs. Julienne wasn’t sure how long she’d slept, but the pub was now buzzing with activity and the sound made her painfully aware of her pounding head. At least she wasn’t feeling so cold any more, she thought.

Stepping outside immediately changed that though. A gust of wind had her shivering again and she froze mid-step. It took Phyllis to put her hand on her back and gently nudge her to make her start walking towards the car.

They got in the car and Julienne wrapped her arms around herself, less concerned now about appearing as though everything was fine. Phyllis drove slowly across the icy cobbled streets. Before she knew it, the gentle rocking motion had lulled Julienne to sleep.

She woke up with a start and looked up to see Phyllis gently shaking her shoulder. She blinked and looked out the passenger side window to find the car parked right below the front steps of Nonnatus House.

“Nearly there,” Phyllis said with a reassuring smile before stepping out and rounding the car to open the passenger door.

Julienne had to use both hands to pull herself up from the low seat. Phyllis offered an elbow and a strong gust of wind made her take it to steady herself.

Together they walked up the front steps and the first set of stairs. Julienne could feel her energy drain by the second. She was hot and out of breath, and halfway up the second staircase she felt her knees start to buckle.

“I just, uh, wait,” she said breathlessly. On trembling legs she lowered herself down to kneel on one of the steps. Then with the help of the railing on one side and Phyllis on the other she turned around so she was sitting on the step, holding onto her knees and breathing heavily.

“Nausea?” Phyllis asked with a frown.

“No.” Julienne shook her head. “At least not… not much. Just tired.” she managed between breaths.

“Well there’s no rush,” Phyllis said gently, sitting on the step beside her.

Julienne closed her eyes and focused on breathing as deeply as she could. The irritation in her throat from earlier reappeared and she swallowed in an attempt to make it go away.

Then she felt a hand on her back moving in gentle circles. She appreciated the gesture, but it only made her more aware of how overheated she was feeling again, the fabric sticking uncomfortably to her back.

“Whenever you’re ready,” Phyllis said.

“Ok,” Julienne said after another minute had passed and her breathing settled. With a hand on the railing and Phyllis supporting her on the other side, she stood.

Blood rushed from her head and her vision blurred. Phyllis clearly noticed because she held her steady until it passed.

“Slow and steady,” Phyllis encouraged, and they made it the last bit up the stairs and into the bedroom.

Phyllis turned down the covers and guided Julienne to sit. Julienne was glad for the support as her mind was foggy and she couldn’t focus.

She saw Phyllis go further into the room and then return. “I’m putting a clean nightdress here,” she said, placing the garment next to Julienne. “Do you think you can get changed while I fetch you some water and aspirin?”

“Yes. Thank you,” Julienne said, blinking slowly.

Phyllis stepped out and Julienne began the task of undressing herself. Normally she found comfort in the routine of putting on the many layers. But now she wished she wasn’t quite so strapped in. She fumbled with buttons and she had to stop more than once, but eventually she’d done everything she could while seated.

Carefully she pushed herself off the bed and stood, keeping a hand on the headboard to keep her steady. She slipped out of her clothes and the cool air of the room made her skin break out in goosebumps. She somehow felt warm and clammy at the same time, shivering as she reached for the nightdress.

She slipped it on, not feeling nearly as fresh as she would have liked, but there was nothing to do about it now. She didn’t have the energy to move another muscle.

Still feeling too hot, she laid down and pushed the covers away, shivering again as the cool sheets made contact with her skin.

Phyllis returned with a glass and pitcher of water which she placed on the nightstand, before pulling a bottle of aspirin from her pocket to put beside them. She then bent down to pick up the pieces of Julienne’s habit, folding them neatly and putting them on a chair. Julienne felt a surge of guilt about having dropped everything so unceremoniously on the floor.

Once she’d finished, Phyllis came to stand by the bedside looking down at her. “Nurse Dyer told me you had two aspirin and that you’re not due more until 3pm,” she said, glancing at the watch on the bedside table. “Nurse Franklin’s on call and I’ve asked her to remind you, just in case.”

Julienne looked up at her through half-closed eyes and nodded. “Thank you,” she said again, her throat dry and scratchy.

“Why don’t you try and drink a little?” Phyllis suggested. “Then you can go right back to sleep.”

Reluctantly Julienne pushed herself up and leaned back against the headboard. Phyllis held out the glass and she took a few sips.

When she couldn’t manage more she handed the glass back. “Thank you.” She blinked slowly. “I think I’ll try and sleep this off now.”

She laid back down, already feeling the nightdress clinging to her back. It was a relief when her head finally rested back on the pillow.

That relief was increased tenfold when a cool cloth was gently pressed to her forehead.

“I have one for your neck too, if you’d like.”

Julienne heard the voice as if far away, but the suggestion sounded wonderful and she made an effort to lift her head a little.

A hand cupped the back of her head and gently lifted it before a damp fabric was slid under her neck. By the time her head was slowly lowered back down on the pillow, she was already drifting asleep.

Chapter Text

Julienne thought she’d never been so cold in her entire life. It was as though it had seeped into her bones, chilling her from the inside.

She was hovering between sleep and wakefulness, wishing desperately she could warm up somehow. She could feel the weight of several blankets on her but it wasn’t enough. Unconsciously she swallowed, regretting it immediately. What had been a tickle in her throat had developed into something much more painful.

Curling up on her side and tucking her feet in, she considered getting up to find another blanket. Or a hot water bottle, anything really. But the thought of giving up the little warmth she still had made her decide against it.

Her corner bedroom had a nice view, but it came at the cost of being boiling in summer and positively freezing in winter. This year it was particularly noticeable.

She gave it her best effort to fall back asleep, but she just felt more miserable as the minutes ticked by. A damp spot on her sheets felt like an ice patch and she tried her best to move away from it, but it was almost as if it followed her around as she shifted on the bed.

When the shivering got so bad that her teeth were chattering she finally decided she had to do something.

Reaching out hand into the chilly air she fumbled in the dark for the switch on the lamp on her nightstand. But when she found and flipped it, nothing happened.

She tried a few times but with the same result. It was almost completely dark and despite letting her eyes adjust she could barely see her hand in front of her face.

Not realising what was most likely the underlying cause, she decided to find her way to the switch for the main light instead. She pushed the covers away, regretting it the instant the cold air washed over her. But there was no turning back, so she slowly swung her legs over the edge and pushed herself into a seated position.

With a hand on the nightstand to guide her she took a few careful steps toward the door, then reached for the light switch. When that didn’t produce a result either she considered going back to bed. But then she heard hurried footsteps from downstairs. An undefined fear took hold inside her, and she decided she had to find out what was going on.

She reached for her dressing gown on the back of the door, slipped it on and headed out, completely forgetting to even try to look for her slippers.

The corridor outside was just as dark as her room. With one hand clutching at her dressing gown and the other pressed against the wall, she carefully walked down the corridor until she reached the railing. Looking out over the staircase she finally saw a light source; a lone candle flickering on the small table at the bottom of the stairs.

Using the faint light to guide her she started making her way downstairs. She heard footsteps again, coming from the kitchen and heading her way.

Then suddenly Nurse Franklin appeared, a big box in her arms. She did a double take and stopped in her tracks as she caught sight of Julienne on the stairs.

“Oh no… Sister Julienne, I’m so sorry,” she said sadly. She shifted the box to trap it between one arm and her hip, then reached for the watch on her uniform. Her face contorted. “I was supposed to check on you ages ago. Only we lost power and I’ve been trying to save what I can. Food, medicine, pipes. The autoclave doesn’t work and I’ve been boiling water, phoning the Electricity Board... I’m so sorry, I completely forgot.”

“O-of course,” Julienne croaked, teeth still chattering. She cleared her throat, winching at the pain it caused, before speaking again. “What c-can I do?”

“There are a million things to do. But forgive me Sister, you look utterly wretched. Please go back to bed. The others will be back soon, and it’ll be-”

Trixie stopped mid sentence, clearly realising something.

“I put the space heater in your room, but it won’t have been running for hours,” she said, looking horrified. “Oh Sister, it must be freezing up there.”

“I d-do feel a little chilled,” Julienne admitted in the greatest understatement of the year.

Trixie nodded. “I can see that,” she said sympathetically. She put down the box. “Wait right there, I’ll fetch the torch.”

Julienne stood on the stairs, waiting. She tried to think of all the things which ought to be done during an extended power outage, but it was as if her mind had turned to sludge. Before she knew it Trixie was by her side, carrying an electric torch. When she turned it on the light stung in her eyes and made her head pound so she had to look away.

“You’re shaking like a leaf, Sister,” Trixie said with a frown as she wrapped an arm around Julienne, slowly turning her to face up the stairs. “Let’s get you back to bed.”

Julienne wanted to protest. There were things to be done and she ought to help. But she found herself unable to vocalise any of these concerns, and let herself be guided back up the stairs by the harsh light of the torch.

As they reached the top, a door creaked open down the corridor. Out came Sister Monica Joan, looking indignant.

Julienne’s heart sank and she felt a pang of guilt. Sister Monica Joan hadn’t been quite herself lately, becoming distressed and agitated more easily and keeping more to herself. Julienne would normally have checked in on her a few times a day and felt terrible that in her foggy state she’d completely forgotten.

“That the electrical wires should fail us at this crucial hour can be nothing other than sabotage.” Monica Joan said, gesturing wildly with the chamberstick in her hand. “I have already missed a radio programme detailing the history of the cathode-ray tube. And if electricity is not restored soon we shall miss today’s instalment of Emergency Ward 10.”

It wasn’t until her little rant was over that she seemed to take in the scene in front of her and calm down a little.

Trixie sighed. “I’m quite sure the culprit is the weather rather than deliberate sabotage. Now, Sister Julienne has taken ill and needs calm and quiet. I will help her back to bed, then you can come with me downstairs and help me hold the fort until the others are back.”

Julienne once again felt terrible for not being of any use. Quite the opposite in fact. But she let herself be led back to her room, not noticing Monica Joan following close behind.

Trixie led her all the way up to the bed, but stopped her from sitting down. She pointed the torch on the bed before reaching out a hand to feel the sheet beneath the upturned blankets, then the pillow.

“These are damp. No wonder you’re freezing. You must’ve been terribly uncomfortable.” She led Julienne over to the chair by her desk. “Let’s sit you down while I change the sheets.”

Only when she turned and sat down did Julienne notice the space heater on the floor. But it had clearly not been running for a while, and her icy feet made her painfully aware of it.

Trixie put the torch on the desk to light the room and walked over to the bed. She picked up the topmost blanket and the bottle of aspirin. She shook out two pills and which Julienne swallowed dry, wincing at the pain in her terribly sore throat. Trixie then draped the blanket over her before rubbing her upper arms to generate some heat.

“This room is in dire need of a fireplace,” Monica Joan remarked.

“I did put the space heater up here, but it won’t run without electricity,” Trixie said, returning to the bed and putting the remaining blankets on the floor before pulling off the sheet.

Monica Joan thought for a moment. “I believe I have the solution for this particular complication,” she said. Then she turned and walked back out into the corridor.

“Be careful, please. And don’t go outside!” Trixie called after her, then turned to Julienne. “I’m sorry, Sister. I’ll go after her as soon as I finish here,” she promised.

“I’m the o-one who’s sorry,” Julienne said sadly. “It’s my fault we’re s-so understaffed.”

“You couldn’t have known Patsy and Delia were going to leave on such short notice. And you certainly can’t control the weather.”

“Perhaps,” Julienne conceded, her eyes drifting shut. “But it’s my responsibility, and y-you are all under my care.”

“I think you’ll find it’s you who is under our care for the time being,” Trixie said kindly. “Now,” she continued, smoothing the sheet, “you should be a little more comfortable.”

She stepped over to the chair, taking the blanket and helping Julienne up onto unsteady legs.

“I couldn’t find another nightdress,” Trixie said apologetically. “I thought you might like to change.”

They were distracted by a loud crashing sound from downstairs and they both looked out the door.

“I-I should go,” Julienne said, starting to walk towards the door but Trixie stopped her.

“No, I’ll go.” Trixie stepped out in the hall, calling out “Sister Monica Joan, did you hurt yourself?”

“All is well,” came a cheery response from somewhere downstairs.

Julienne felt she should investigate the matter herself, but didn’t trust her legs to carry her farther than the remaining distance to her bed. She sat on the edge and pulled up her frozen feet, tucking them under the covers, then pulling the blankets over her.

Somewhere far away she heard voices and footsteps and hoped everything was alright downstairs.

She was relieved to be back in bed, but she was still unconscionably cold. The torch was still on the desk, bathing the room in a harsh light which she was unable to escape from even by closing her eyes. Her joints ached, her muscles were tired from all the shivering, and despite her best effort she couldn’t stop swallowing every few seconds, each time causing her increasing pain. She wanted nothing more than to drift off to sleep and get away from it all. She curled up on her side, hugging her arms close to her and rubbing her feet together for warmth.

But she was much too cold and uncomfortable to relax. Worried thoughts about rosters, pay packets, frozen pipes, broken toilets, Sister Monica Joan and more were also whirring around in her head without any clear shape or definition, making her feel stressed. Suddenly she had the horrible realisation that she’d completely forgotten to ring Mother Jesu Emmanuel. She was just about to push the blankets away and find the nearest telephone when she heard approaching footsteps and someone stepped through the door.

“I knew it was somewhere in the store room,” Monica Joan said between heavy breaths, placing something heavy down on the desk with a metallic clang.

Julienne struggled to make her eyes focus enough to see what it was.

“Nurse Franklin is bringing matches, and I believe a hot water bottle. But I insisted on bringing the paraffin heater myself,” Monica Joan continued, sounding very proud of her achievement.

“I’d c-completely forgotten,” Julienne admitted, feeling foolish for not having remembered it herself.

“As had we all. Its service has not been required since Nonnatus House changed location,” Monica Joan said, stepping closer to the bed. “Besides, your mind has been focused on other matters of late.” She leaned over the bed and pressed a hand to Julienne’s forehead, tutting lightly. “And not running at full capacity, I’m afraid.”

It was as if that jolted Julienne’s memory, suddenly remembering why she was planning on getting out of bed. “I must speak with Mother Jesu Emmanuel,” she said, eyes opening wide. But before she could make another attempt at rising, Monica Joan motioned for her to stay put.

“Shh. It’s all in hand. Our young lay midwife has informed me that Nurse Crane and Sister Winifred have handled communications, and that reinforcements shall be arriving as soon as weather conditions and the rail service allows.”

With that, Julienne was able to relax a little, and the next few minutes were all a blur. Trixie returned, lighting the paraffin heater and stuck a hot water bottle under the blankets. Julienne clung to it as if her life depended on it, thankful for the warmth it radiated. She was encouraged to drink but found she simply couldn’t manage more than a few sips as the discomfort in her throat was only getting worse.

At some point the torch was switched off and she found herself alone in the dark. With the new heat sources combined with the aspirin slowly starting to take effect, she hoped she would be able to fall asleep. But while her hands, arms and torso were starting to warm up a little, her feet were still painfully cold.

Her mind was so foggy that when the flickering light of a candle entered her room, she first thought it was a dream. It wasn’t until she felt the blankets being tugged at by her feet she realised someone was actually in her room.

“In winter, when I was a girl, Nanny would put a hot brick to my feet,” Monica Joan’s familiar voice said from the bottom of the bed.

She felt a rush of cold air as the blankets were lifted. But then she felt something heavy being put on the bed and pushed up against her icy feet.

It was warm.

Very warm in fact, and had her mind been a little clearer she might have been concerned about burning her skin.

But in her current state she had no such thoughts. The only thing that went through her mind was blissful relief at the warmth now slowly spreading from the soles of her feet and all the way up her legs.

“Where did you get it?”

Julienne was surprised to hear herself ask the question. It didn’t really matter, and she wasn’t sure she had the energy to listen to the answer. She was finally, finally starting to not shiver any more and she was quite certain she would fall asleep at any second.

“The bricks have been performing an essential task, namely being the supporting pillars in my bookshelf. But now they are fulfilling an even nobler purpose,” Monica Joan explained.

Julienne barely registered any of it. As she felt herself warm up, it became impossible to keep her eyes open. She felt the blankets be tucked in around her and she relaxed into the pillow with a relieved sigh. She still felt discomfort in her muscles and her throat was very sore. But it wasn’t as bad as it had been, and most importantly, she wasn’t shivering any more.

Monica Joan picked up the chamberstick and made for the door. Before she left she threw one last look at Julienne - who was already snoring softly.