‘It’s because of the flu outbreak,’ Holly explained as she fastened her cap in the mirror above the fireplace. ‘We’ve been inundated with patients and now two of the other nurses have come down with it too. Matron has had to request temporary help from the Nuneaton and Hartshill Red Cross nurses.’

She kissed Alice soundly and set off to the hospital. It was six o’clock in the evening, pitch-dark and extremely cold and she pulled her cape closer about her as she hurried along. She had just reached the end of Manor Court Road when a motorcar pulled up beside her and, glancing towards it, she saw Harry Phillips grinning at her as he reached over to open the passenger door.

‘Hop in, I’ll give you a lift.’

Holly hesitated but realising that it would appear churlish if she refused she reluctantly climbed in beside him.

‘So how are you feeling now?’ she asked for want of something to say.

He grinned. ‘Raring to go again now that I’ve had a rest.’

Holly searched her mind for something to start a conversation before asking, ‘Didn’t I hear you say you’d completed your training at Guy’s Hospital in London?’

‘I certainly did.’

Then before she could stop herself she blurted out, ‘I don’t suppose you knew a doctor called Richard Parkin? He’d be about your age, I should imagine.’

‘Oh, I know Rick Parkin all right. We went through medical school together as it happens. But why do you ask?’

Holly was suddenly glad of the darkness as different emotions flitted across her face. ‘Oh, no reason really. I just got to know him while I worked in London. He often visited the wards I worked on. Do you, er … still keep in touch?’ She knew she shouldn’t be asking such things but she couldn’t seem to help herself.

As Harry glanced at her from the corner of his eye it came to him in a blinding flash. Holly had feelings for the chap, which was probably why she’d refused to go out with him. He could hear it in her voice and he felt a surge of jealousy.

‘I saw him shortly before I came here, as it happens,’ he said nonchalantly as he steered the car into the entrance to the hospital. ‘He was out and about with a rather pretty young lady on his arm so we didn’t get chance to say much.’ He hated himself for lying the second the words had left his lips but realised that anything he said now could only make things worse.

‘Oh!’ Holly felt as if someone had punched her in the stomach. Richard clearly couldn’t have thought as much of her as he’d said he did otherwise surely he wouldn’t have replaced her so quickly. But then common sense told her that it was a good thing he had. He deserved to be happy and by making him think that she didn’t love him at least she had spared him the shame of knowing that he had been courting his own sister.