‘Ivy …’ she began. ‘We’re all heartbroken at Marcus’s loss but don’t you think it’s time you took control of your daughter again? I seem to remember you telling me that Marcus loved her like his own child and that he wanted to legally adopt her when you were wed so that she could have his name. How do you think he would feel if he could see you neglecting her so?’

Ivy leaned up on one elbow. ‘I’m not neglecting her!’ she denied hotly.

‘Oh, but I’m afraid you are.’ Holly stood her ground. ‘It’s been me that has bathed and changed her since we had the awful news. Me that has fed her and played with her. Now I don’t mind one bit, I love Alice, you know I do. But what’s going to happen to her when I return to the field hospital? Cook isn’t up to coping with her full-time. And besides that she misses her mam.’

The angry look slowly disappeared from Ivy’s face.

‘Last night when I was tucking her into bed she cried and asked for mama,’ Holly went on and now for the first time since the day she had heard of Marcus’s death there were tears in Ivy’s eyes too.

‘I … I didn’t realise … I didn’t mean to neglect her,’ she said falteringly and then she was crying in earnest and, dropping the tray onto a nearby chest of drawers, Holly hurried across and hugged Ivy to her tightly.

‘That’s it,’ she soothed as she rocked her in her arms as she would a child. ‘Cry it all out. It’s so much better out than in.’ And Ivy did just that until Holly was sure she could have no more tears left to cry.

That evening Ivy came down to dine with them in the kitchen and although she didn’t eat much, at least she made a brave attempt. And after the meal, she lifted Alice and bore her away for her bath.

Cook smiled with satisfaction. ‘I don’t know what you said to her, pet, but it seems to have done the job,’ she remarked approvingly. ‘The poor lass has still got a long way to go but I reckon she’s taken the first step in the right direction now, thank God.’

‘She’ll come through this. Ivy is a tough little nut,’ Holly assured her and prayed that she was right.

The day before she was due to go back to France, Emma and her new family all came to dinner to say goodbye but it was a solemn gathering and after news about Marcus, her mother was even more terrified that something would happen to Holly.

‘Please promise me that you’ll be careful and take no chances,’ she implored. ‘There are such terrible things happening I almost don’t want to let any of my loved ones out of my sight! I feel as if nowhere is safe any more – especially where you are going. It just doesn’t bear thinking about.’