‘Well, I don’t know.’

‘Go on. I need something to steady my nerves before the journey.’

‘All right, I’m sure another couple of minutes won’t hurt,’ the VAD agreed reluctantly. ‘But if I get in trouble with Sister I’m blaming you,’ she added, wagging a warning finger at him.

Sam lit his cigarette and took a long drag, his gaze fixed on the double doors.

She wasn’t coming.

He didn’t know why he had ever believed she would. But she had promised, and like a fool he had thought she meant it.

But they were just words to Dulcie Moore. She had probably forgotten all about her so-called promise.

He wasn’t even angry with her. He was more angry with himself for not knowing better, for daring to think that he might be more to her than just another wounded soldier.

He was a fool. Now all he could do was leave while he still had a shred of dignity.

And then Nurse Trott came hurrying down the ward, and he forgot all about his dignity and instead blurted out, ‘I don’t suppose you’ve seen Nurse Moore, have you?’

Nurse Trott frowned at him, her beaky little face pinched. ‘Moore? As far as I know, she’s gone up West with Dr Logan today. Apparently they’re all on some outing.’ She frowned. ‘Why? Did you want her for something?’

‘No. I just wanted to say goodbye, that’s all.’

‘I expect she forgot all about it,’ Nurse Trott said. ‘You know what Moore’s like.’

‘Yes,’ Sam said. ‘Yes, I do.’

At that moment Miss Sutton came plodding over.

‘Ready to go, Sergeant Trevelyan?’ she said.

Sam glanced at the double doors again.

‘More than ready, Sister,’ he said.

Dulcie was beginning to wish she had never come.

They were drawing quite a lot of attention from the other customers in the Lyons Corner House. One of the men, Lance Corporal Fletcher, kept laughing and pointing at nothing, while another, Private Walsh, rocked back and forth, tears running down his face. Two men sat absolutely still and silent, their plates untouched in front of them.

She looked up at the clock. Just past three.

Sam Trevelyan would be on his way by now.

She wished she had been there. She should have been there. As soon as she had found out the ward outing was planned for the same day as Sam was being discharged, she should have told them she couldn’t come. They would have understood. God knows, it wasn’t as if she was even really needed. Grace and Dr Logan seemed to be managing perfectly well between themselves.

She should have told them she had made a promise, and wanted to keep it.

But it was more than just a promise. Dulcie wanted to see Sam, to say goodbye.

And that was the problem.

She hadn’t come today out of a sense of duty, or even because she wanted the excuse to spend time with Dr Logan. If she was honest, she had come because she was afraid. Her emotions were getting away from her, and if she was not careful she knew she might be tipped into a situation she could not control.