Farmer Arkwright gazed up at the azure-blue sky, where swallows and house martins zipped and dived in their search for small insects to feed to their young.

‘It’s that all right,’ he beamed. ‘Settled in all right?’ he queried.

‘Oh, yes,’ Ada enthused. ‘It’s thrilling to have a home of our own – I still can’t believe it.’

‘Let me know if you need any help shifting furniture and the like,’ he added kindly. ‘Don’t want you lugging stuff about in your delicate condition.’

‘That’s very kind of you,’ Ada answered gratefully. ‘And thank you for the milk and butter you left on the doorstep for me.’

‘There’ll be a bit of Lancashire cheese later,’ he promised with a grin. ‘You can’t beat fresh, strong, crumbly Lancashire cheese.’

‘Thanks again,’ Ada cried as she almost skipped up the lane.

When Ada walked into the hospital, she spotted Sister Ann giving Miss Mann a tour of the hospital. It was actually a relief to see her replacement doing the morning rounds with Matron; even though they had only just met, Ada thought (as she watched them through the window) that they seemed fairly relaxed in each other’s company. Dora grinned at Ada when she joined her in the delivery room, where she was sterilizing the surgical equipment.

‘The new staff nurse made a good impression on the patients in the post- and ante-natal wards,’ Dora told Ada. ‘Stopped at every bed to enquire after the health of each of them.’

‘That’s nice,’ Ada replied.

‘No interest in the nursery, though, hardly a second glance,’ Dora continued. ‘Just like last time: she peered into the occasional little white cot, but there was no cooing or clucking noises, the likes you or me would make.’

Ada threw her a teasing smile. ‘And I bet she didn’t pick the babies up and kiss them on both cheeks before giving them a cuddle like you always do?’

Offended Dora shook her head. ‘Sister Mann was clearly not carried away at the sight of the little darlings.’

‘Don’t worry, dear, not everybody is like us,’ Ada smiled. ‘Miss Mann probably doesn’t express her emotions in the same way we do.’

‘Obviously not,’ Dora replied.

‘Has she met all the residents?’ Ada asked.

‘Only the girls on the wards.’ Dora dropped her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. ‘Everybody’s talking about her, though, comparing her to you – you’ll be a hard act to follow, for sure.’

Ada shook her head. ‘Don’t be silly – they’ll soon forget about me! Out of sight, out of mind.’

Dora didn’t think that in the present circumstances the old cliché rang true: there were some residents, like Rosie, who were needier than others. The staff, from the top to the bottom, did their best, but Ada was especially compassionate with the young mothers, an invaluable quality in a nurse which no amount of money could buy.