Ivy raised an eyebrow. ‘Ooh, hark at you. Ain’t it about time you took a bit o’ your own advice? I can’t remember the last time you went anywhere apart from to work.’

‘I enjoy my work,’ Holly answered defensively and quickly changed the subject as she asked, ‘So, have you thought what you’re going to wear tonight? You’ll want to look your best. Come on, we’ll go upstairs and have a rifle through my wardrobe. There’s bound to be something you’ll like.’ And looping her arm through her friend’s she dragged her up the stairs before she could protest.

The following week the weather took a turn for the worst and by teatime each day everywhere was covered in a thick frost.

‘Eeh, it’s enough to freeze the hairs off a brass monkey,’ Ivy grumbled as she lugged a bucket of coal into the kitchen. ‘We’ll have snow next, you just mark my words, an’ that wind is enough to cut you in two.’

Holly, who was busily wrapping up warmly before setting off for work, nodded in agreement. ‘You’re right and it’s causing havoc with people’s health. There’s a flu epidemic raging at the minute and we’re bursting at the seams at the hospital. It’s a good job Dr Nason took the new doctor on or he’d never have managed.’

Ivy gave a sly little grin. It wasn’t the first time she’d heard Holly mention the new doctor. ‘Nice, is he?’ she asked innocently.

‘Who?’ Holly wound her scarf about her neck and yanked her gloves on.

‘The new doctor, o’ course? Who else would I be askin’ about?’

‘Oh … yes, he’s nice enough, I suppose. I haven’t really had that much to do with him, we’ve been far too busy but now I must get off or I’ll be late. Just make sure you keep Alice in the warm.’ And with that she left leaving Ivy with a smile on her face.

‘Ah, Nurse Farthing.’ Matron stopped Holly the second she set foot through the door of the hospital. ‘I’m afraid I have a rather big favour to ask of you.’

‘Oh yes? What’s that then?’

‘Well, apparently the inmates are dropping like flies up at the workhouse. Young Dr Phillips is there now and I wondered if you could possibly work there this evening to give him a hand. It seems that almost every child in the nursery is down with the flu and I’m sure he could do with some help.’

Holly paused. She had no objection to working at the workhouse but she wasn’t so keen on having to work so closely with Dr Phillips. She could still clearly remember the way he had kissed her on New Year’s Eve, not that he hadn’t been a perfect gentleman ever since if their paths had happened to cross, of course.

Seeing her hesitation Matron hurried on, ‘I’m only asking you because you are easily our best nurse when it comes to handling children.’