It was the third week in April when Holly got home one evening and found Miss May waiting for her. ‘Oh, Holly,’ she looked concerned. ‘I’ve hung back to pass a message on, my dear. Your mother just telephoned the shop, she didn’t know how to get in touch with you at the hospital.’

‘What’s wrong?’ From the expression on the woman’s face, Holly was certain something was wrong.

‘It’s young Ivy. Apparently she’s having the baby. In fact, she might have already had it by now and your mother said to let you know she’ll keep you informed.’

‘Thank you.’ Holly watched the woman bustle away then, making a hasty decision, she flew upstairs, quickly changed her clothes and snatched up a bag. Ivy needed her and she intended to be there for her. In that moment she gave no thought to Richard, who she was supposed to be meeting that evening, nor to what Matron might say if she didn’t turn up for work in the morning. She just knew that she needed to get to Ivy as soon as possible.

Thankfully, when she reached Euston there was a train due to leave for Nuneaton imminently so she hastily bought a ticket and climbed breathlessly aboard.

By the time it chugged slowly out of the station Holly had worked herself up into a right old state and could hardly sit still. Would Ivy be all right? What if something went wrong? A million questions to which she had no answers floated around her head as she stared impatiently from the window.

At last the train slowed and as it pulled into Trent Valley Railway Station she leapt from the carriage before it had barely stopped and set off at a run for home.

‘Holly … what are you doing home?’ Her mother gasped as she almost fell in through the front door.

Emma was taking yet another jug of hot water up to the midwife and was shocked to see her.

‘I got your message from Miss May when I got home from work and I came straight away,’ Holly panted as she tried to get her breath. ‘How is she?’

Emma smiled. ‘It shouldn’t be long now, hopefully. Unfortunately first babies do have a habit of taking their time. The midwife is up there with her and we have the doctor on standby too but we’re hoping we won’t need him. She’s done really well up to now and she’s been very brave.’

Holly flung her coat at the cook who was hovering about like a nervous mother hen.

‘I’ve put her in the room next to mine,’ Emma told her as she started up the stairs and seconds later Holly raced along the landing and burst in.

Ivy was sitting up puffing and panting and the nurse in attendance smiled at her. ‘Hello, you must be Holly. She’s been telling me all about you between pains but I don’t think she expected you to be here.’