The Crimson Field

Kitty Trevelyan tries to put past troubles behind her as she joins two other girls to volunteer at one of the busy war hospitals in northern France. For the hospital workers it is a daily battle to patch the men up and keep the war machine churning. Staff numbers are low and the volunteers are desperately needed, yet there are some who see these women as more of a threat than a lifeline.
It is not just the girls who are causing a stir; one particular patient, a powerfully built and battle-scarred soldier called Molloy is facing certain death but resisting it with all the strength he can muster. Alongside him lies the shell-shocked form of Lance Corporal Prentiss. He may be physically unmarked, but this war has damaged him badly and the staff are at a loss as to how to treat him. The girls settle into their first day and it's soon clear that no training could ever have prepared them for the reality of working near the front line. As the day draws to an end secrets are hinted at, rivalries loom large and for the rebellious Kitty this new adventure could turn out to be very dangerous indeed.

The volunteers settle into life at the hospital but Kitty keeps herself at a distance and its clear to Grace that something is deeply troubling her. Despite this, Kitty throws herself into her work, helping new patients Major Crecy and Private Byeford. Crecy awakens from the brink of death but still badly wounded to find his troops have been decimated. As the world closes in around him he clings to his friendship with Byeford, but when his wife Adelinde visits he finds himself torn between the old life back home and a new one with his men. Meanwhile, the hospital readies for a convoy of new patients. With resources stretched, Joan views it as a chance for the volunteers' skills to be put to good use but Margaret does not think they are ready. Will the girls live up to Joan's expectations?

Thomas wrestles with a growing attraction to Kitty, and while he may not be making much headway with her, he is having more success on the wards with a pioneering wound irrigation system. His test subject is doing well but a fellow surgeon of the old school, Major Yelland, is dismissive of Thomas's techniques and seems determined to bully him. Will Miles be able to placate his increasingly riled friend? Elsewhere, a terrified patient faces court martial. There is little anyone can do and yet his presence unnerves the staff and patients, a constant reminder of the perils of overstepping the rules. This warning is particularly pertinent for some, as a proud Irish NCO faces rebellion from his young protege and Joan unearths a dark secret from one of her patients.

The staff gather at a funeral for some of the patients, and Joan is in agony not knowing whether her fiance is alive or dead. It would be so dangerous if anyone knew her connection to the enemy, but Rosalie has previously seen the ring and now she watches Joan intently. Is the truth about to come to light? Joan's spirits are lifted by the arrival of thirteen Tommies from her home town of Liverpool - known as the Lucky 13. Joan has a fondness for these men, whose united spirit has given them a belief that if they all stick together, none of them will die. But when she discovers that one is much sicker than thought, she finds herself the victim of blackmail.
Elsewhere, Thomas seizes his opportunity to pursue Kitty, but when she gets a shocking summons to meet with a mysterious figure from home it is Miles who comes to her aid. Will Kitty face up to her past, and where will that leave her budding romance with Thomas? And the return of an old patient causes ripples between Roland, Grace and Margaret. Loyalties are called into question, but who will come out on top?

Colonel Ballard, an aggressively rude and war-scarred commander of a Sikh regiment, threatens trouble for Grace. It seems he would rather be with his men than at rest within the calm sanctuary of the wards, yet when Grace reveals knowledge of Punjabi and an upbringing in India the colonel is temporarily calmed. As Grace tries to discover what has made him so heated, another soldier, Private Gorman, seems focused on riling him further. Will Grace be able to unlock Ballard's secret before Gorman provokes him into a very dangerous game? Flora has decided the volunteers should put on some entertainment, but as the pressure mounts, so do Flora's nerves. Meanwhile, Joan is still waiting for news from her fiance and Jaco calls her to an illicit meeting, sparking a series of events which will draw Joan into danger. How far will love push her to go, and at what risk to her profession and even her life?

Joan is hauled up on a charge of aiding the enemy and faces a possible lifetime in prison. She is desperate to protect Anton so tries to deflect the questions, even as Purbright arrives to drive them home harder. Meanwhile, the hospital is awash with the news of Joan's treachery and Roland is directly in the firing line, accused of letting the rules slide and bringing the RAMC into disrepute. His position rests on a knife edge as old enemies close in. Kitty's wracked with guilt that she knew about Joan but didn't stop her, and she fears for her own position. She is desperate for someone to trust, but will it be Thomas or Miles that she turns to? Elsewhere, Flora discovers Peter's brother, Jimmy, on one of the wards and happily reunites the siblings, but when it becomes clear that Jimmy is too fragile for war Peter has a difficult decision to make. Rosalie too is feeling conflicted, unsure how to deal with her discovery of Kitty's divorce. Her instinct is to condemn, but the world is changing. Could one patient in particular hold the key to her liberation? Joan's actions send ripples through the hospital. As night falls some rules will be broken and others upheld. As the war machine grinds on, faith, hope and love are put to the test.