A smile instantly lit his pallid face. ‘Oh yes, the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen. Her hair … is like a coppery colour … and her eyes … are the colour of bluebells …’ His breath was laboured but even so, talking about his fiancée had clearly cheered him. ‘She comes up to just below me shoulder … or at least she did … till I lost me legs … and she’s kind … so kind …’ His eyes gently closed but Holly sat on holding his hand and watching his chest rise and fall erratically, while all around her the ward was in mayhem. Just as Laura had predicted, stretcher-bearers were bringing in the wounded from the battlefield now, passing through the ward she was on to others beyond where the weary surgeons were waiting to assess who needed to go to theatre first.

At some point Angela came to find her. ‘Sister says we can go now. There are some more nurses here ready to take over.’

Holly shook her head. ‘You go on. I’m staying with Tom here for a while longer.’

‘But it’s gone nine o’clock.’

‘It doesn’t matter,’ Holly said stubbornly, so with a shrug of her shoulders Angela went off to try and find the mess in the dark for a hot drink and something to eat before she went to bed.

It was just after midnight and Holly was desperately trying to keep herself awake when she suddenly became aware that Tom’s grip on her hand had weakened, and as she glanced at his face she saw that his eyes were staring and there was a smile on his face. Sister Flynn, who was just going off duty herself after a very long day, paused at the end of the bed.

‘I … I think he’s gone,’ Holly said sadly.

The woman nodded. ‘Yes he has, but hopefully thanks to you he went thinking happy thoughts. Look how peaceful he is now and the smile on his face. Close his eyes, nurse, and I’ll get someone to take him out to the morgue. Leave the letter at the nurses’ station and I’ll make sure it’s forwarded on to his loved one in the morning.’

She patted Holly’s shoulder. ‘Well done, Farthing. I can see you’re going to be an asset. Now go and get some rest.’

Holly nodded and left feeling heartsore at such a pointless waste of life.

‘It’s hard to believe it will be Christmas Day tomorrow, isn’t it?’ Angela said wistfully as they were getting dressed ready to go on duty on Christmas Eve morning. ‘My mum will be getting everything ready before all the family go around tomorrow.’ They had both taken it in turns washing in icy-cold water behind the screen to one side of the tent.

‘I know what you mean,’ Holly admitted. ‘I think my family will all be having dinner at my grandfather’s house. There’ll be a big turkey with Cook’s home-made stuffing and crispy roast potatoes and—’