‘In that case we’ve got time for a cup of tea,’ Holly told him. ‘If you’d like one, that is. I’m afraid I haven’t got anything stronger.’

‘Tea would be lovely.’ He sat down in the chair as she pottered about putting the kettle on the hob and preparing the teapot. While they drank their tea, the conversation flowed easily and to Holly it felt as if they had known each other forever, and before they knew it the cab was waiting outside and he was helping her on with her coat.

They enjoyed the pantomime enormously. In fact, Holly couldn’t remember a time when she’d enjoyed herself so much and when it was finished he took her to a small restaurant for supper.

Soon, though, the night was over and it was time to go home. It seemed to have passed in the blink of an eye.

‘I’ve had such a lovely time,’ Holly told him as they stood on the icy pavement outside the flat. She would have liked to invite him up for a coffee but was worried it might make her look a little forward. ‘Thank you so much.’

He smiled down at her thinking what a lovely girl she was. The glow from the street lamp was turning her hair to the colour of spun gold and her lovely blue eyes were shining. He was also thrilled to see she was wearing the locket he had bought her for Christmas, although he didn’t comment on it.

‘I enjoyed every moment,’ he assured her and he meant it. ‘Do you think perhaps you’d like to do it again sometime?’

‘Whenever you like,’ she assured him happily and then he was bending towards her and as his cold lips gently brushed hers, she suddenly felt as if they were on fire and she saw stars before her eyes.

‘Goodnight then, Holly, sleep tight.’ One last smile and he was marching away and she stood and watched until he was out of sight.

That evening proved to be the first of many outings they had together. On the following Sunday he took her ice skating on a frozen lake and Holly could never remember a time when she had laughed or enjoyed herself so much. On another occasion they went to the theatre and shortly after that on a boat trip on the Thames. Suddenly, almost without realising, they were spending every minute they could together. Then all too soon it was time for Richard to leave again to complete his training.

‘Another six months and I’ll be qualified,’ he told her. ‘And then I’ll be coming back here as a fully qualified surgeon, if I pass my exams,’ he added.

‘Of course you’ll pass and then we’ve got all the time in the world to be together,’ Holly told him, although she knew that for her, the months before he returned would pass unbearably slowly.

It was the first week in March before Holly was able to go home again. Richard had been gone for two weeks so she was glad of the distraction. They had written to each other often and now she had all his letters tied with a blue ribbon in her drawer. She had read them so often that they were quite dog-eared and she missed him terribly. But now she had a whole weekend off, a very rare treat indeed, so she boarded the train and set off on Friday evening. It was late by the time she arrived in her home town but she knew the place like the back of her hand so it took her no time at all to walk home.