‘Whatever do you mean? Someone else?’

‘The girl who came with you. She’s very pretty and I can see why Richard loves her,’ she said miserably. ‘I saw them walking arm in arm in London once.’

Mrs Garrett threw back her head and laughed aloud. ‘You mean Melissa? Yes, she is very pretty,’ she agreed. ‘And yes, Richard does love her very much. She’s his sister you see! They’ve always been close.’

‘His sister!’ Holly’s heart was racing nineteen to the dozen as she thought what a mess she had made of things. All this time she had kept him at arm’s length when they could have been together.

Belle Garrett reached out to gently squeeze her arm. ‘At least now you know,’ she said softly. ‘So if you’ll excuse me I’m going to load a plate with food and see if I can tempt that son of mine to eat something. He isn’t as far through as a line prop, although he tells me you’re taking excellent care of him.’

She smiled kindly and headed for the buffet leaving Holly feeling as if the bottom had dropped out of her world once again. All that heartache for nothing and now it was too late because she could never bring herself to try and explain to him. He would never forgive her for what she had put him through and she didn’t blame him.

‘Nurse Farthing.’

Matron’s voice interrupted her thoughts and she looked up to see the woman standing beside her.

‘I’d like you to go and grab a few hours rest now seeing as you’re doing night duty again. Report back at eleven o’clock.’

‘Yes, Matron.’ Holly dragged herself out of the chair and back to the nurses’ quarters where she slumped onto the bed. She saw at a glance that a letter from Angela had arrived for her. She recognised her handwriting. She was probably going to tell her again all about the handsome young doctor she had married shortly after the war ended and about their lovely new home in America. She was glad Angela had found happiness and normally Holly would have read the letter there and then, but this evening she was too steeped in her own misery to even bother opening it for now.

The minutes ticked slowly by but there was no rest for Holly and by the time she reported back for duty her eyes were red-rimmed from crying. The hospital was quiet, save for a few patients who had elected to stay in the day room and see the New Year in together. Matron had allowed them to have a few bottles of beer and spirits were high, and after checking that all was well with them Holly began her round of the patients confined to bed. It was almost midnight when Matron asked her to check on Dr Parkin and reluctantly she did as she was told. She had expected to find him fast asleep but he was propped up on pillows watching the door avidly.