‘I thought I’d pop in to wish you all a very happy New Year,’ Dr Nason told them. ‘And also to introduce Dr Phillips who will be working with me from now on. He’s come from a hospital in London especially to share some of my workload and I know he is going to an invaluable addition to our team.’

Holly could see the nurses preening as he made his way around them shaking their hands but she wasn’t interested. There was only one man who she longed for in her life and if she couldn’t have him then she didn’t want anyone.

However, just as he reached her the clock struck twelve and everyone turned to the person next to them to shake their hand or give them a kiss.

‘Well, it seems rude not to,’ Dr Phillips laughed and without further ado he leaned forward and planted a kiss on Holly’s cheek.

She felt her colour rise as his deep brown eyes twinkled with mischief. She had to admit that he was very handsome.

‘Happy New Year, nurse, hopefully we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other in the future.’ He moved on then leaving Holly tongue-tied.

When he and Dr Nason had left and the nurses had finally got the patients settled for the night, Sylvia Conrad, one of the nurses, nudged Holly.

‘Cor, he’s a bit of all right that new doctor, isn’t he? Fancy him giving you a kiss like that, you lucky devil. I notice that he didn’t kiss any of the other nurses, me included, though I wouldn’t have minded if he had.’

‘Didn’t he?’ Holly answered nonchalantly and hurried about her business before any more could be said. The last thing she needed was to have her name linked romantically to the new doctor. She’d made her mind up that she didn’t have time in her life for that sort of thing so she pushed it from her thoughts.

By the time she got home the following morning she was so tired that all she wanted was her bed but first she had to sit over a cup of tea in the kitchen and listen to Ivy who was excited because Marcus had invited her to go with him to Mr Leon Vint’s Picturedrome, which had opened the year before. Many well-known vaudeville acts who had trodden the boards up and down the country were appearing there and it was becoming very popular.

‘Cook has offered to look after Alice,’ she said, then, her face becoming solemn, she asked, ‘Do you think it’s too soon to be going out with a young man? After what happened with Jeremy, I mean? I swore to meself that I’d never trust another bloke again as long as I lived but …’

‘I’m just pleased you seem to be moving on,’ Holly responded. ‘And Marcus is a lovely chap so why shouldn’t you go out and have a bit of fun? I have a night off tonight so I shall be here to help with Alice. Just go and enjoy it. You’re only young once.’