She was about to say something else when the sound of footsteps sounded on the landing outside and the next minute the door opened and a tall, dark man appeared. This, then, is the elusive Jeremy, Holly thought. She had only ever glimpsed him through the window of the flat before and she had to admit that he was even more handsome up close and she could understand why Ivy was so taken with him.

His face was grim and he looked to be in a bad temper, and, Holly noticed, he was wearing a warm overcoat and smart suit, in marked contrast to Ivy’s threadbare clothes. When he caught sight of Holly in her Red Cross uniform, he guessed immediately who she was and suddenly he smiled and was all charm.

‘You must be Holly. I’ve heard so much about you from Ivy. It’s nice to meet you at last,’ he purred as he shook her hand.

In that instant, Holly’s dislike of him began. His smile didn’t seem to reach his eyes and although he was indeed very handsome, she thought he was smarmy but she forced a smile and inclined her head.

‘So, come to see Ivy have you?’ he boomed as he crossed to her and placed his arm possessively about her waist. ‘She’s looking well, isn’t she?’

Holly could have said that, in fact, she thought Ivy looked dreadful but again she held her tongue and merely nodded.

‘Actually I popped in to see if there was anything I could do to help with the wedding preparations,’ she said and watched as anger flickered momentarily across his face.

‘Ah, we haven’t quite got round to planning that yet,’ he simpered with a false smile. Holly noticed that Ivy never once took her eyes from his face. It was as if she was gauging his mood and Holly wondered if she was afraid of him.

‘Really?’ Holly raised her eyebrow and stared at him boldly. ‘I would have thought getting that organised was a priority with a baby on the way.’ She had the satisfaction of seeing Richard momentarily look uncomfortable, but she also saw the look of alarm that flitted across Ivy’s face and clamped her mouth shut. The last thing she wanted to do was make things worse for her friend. Ivy seemed to be a bag of nerves as it was.

‘Well, I really should be going.’ Suddenly she felt in the way so she rose from her seat and after giving Ivy another hug she nodded towards Jeremy and headed for the door. ‘Do pop round to see me when you have a spare minute,’ she told Ivy and left, closing the door quietly behind her.

‘So what did that nosy cow want?’ she heard Jeremy snap as she neared the top of the stairs. Didn’t he realise that the walls were paper-thin and she could hear every word? ‘I thought I’d told you to cut ties with her!’

Even more concerned for her friend now, she set off down the stairs as fast as her legs would take her and all the way home she worried. But what can I do? she asked herself. If Ivy was intent on staying with him she would have to accept that it was her choice. It wouldn’t stop her fretting about her though and she determined to try and see more of her, even if it meant risking upsetting Jeremy. She would have preferred Ivy to move back in with her, and she wondered if she could persuade her to leave Jeremy, but she rejected the idea. She doubted her friend would ever agree.