‘Won’t you join me?’

She gulped before forcing a weak smile. ‘Oh yes … yes, of course. I didn’t see you there,’ she lied as she reluctantly placed her tray down on his table.

She sipped at her drink as silence settled between them until he eventually asked, ‘So, how have you been?’

She was suddenly aware of the mess she must look. Some of her hair had slipped from beneath her cap and her apron was bloodstained. ‘As well as could be expected, I suppose. Although I think I’d give anything to wash my hair and have a hot bath. I’ve forgotten what it’s like to feel clean.’ She was painfully aware of the ring she wore on a chain close to her heart and wondered what Richard would think if he could see it. ‘But how are you doing?’ They were behaving like polite strangers and anyone seeing them would never have guessed that they had once meant the world to each other.

‘About the same as you.’ He shook his head sadly. ‘It’s like working in a slaughterhouse. I lost two young men on the operating table tonight. Some Christmas it’s going to be for their families when they receive their telegram.’

She nodded in agreement. At least they were on safe ground while they didn’t discuss their personal lives. She noticed that he had finished his meal but now the sandwiches she had chosen tasted like sawdust and she was having problems swallowing them.

‘Harry tells me you’re having Christmas dinner in here with him tomorrow.’

‘I … didn’t say that exactly,’ she answered, almost choking on a mouthful of tea.

‘Well, he seems to think you are. In fact he’s more than a little fond of you,’ he said and she thought she detected a touch of sarcasm in his voice. But then why wouldn’t he be angry with her? she reasoned. They had thought they would be spending the rest of their lives together until she’d dropped him like a hot brick. She could think of nothing to say and after a few more minutes he pushed his chair back and rose from the table.

‘I’ll wish you goodnight then. Have a good Christmas, Holly … or at least as good as you can out here.’ Then he was gone and as she watched him stride away her heart broke afresh and she had to blink rapidly to stop the tears that were threatening to fall.

Chapter Forty-Two

Both Holly and Angela were given the whole afternoon off when they reported to the ward the next morning. It was the first day since Holly had been there that there was no gunfire in the background and it felt unnaturally quiet. The staff had done what they could to make the ward look festive with holly and mistletoe scattered here and there, and as they went about their duty that morning more than one of the men offered a kiss to the nurses, holding up little sprigs of mistletoe and Holly was happy to oblige. As they were confined to bed, some with horrific injuries, and so far away from their loved ones it seemed the least she could do. The patients too were going to be served with a Christmas dinner and many of them were looking forward to it.