Grace was silent for a moment. Dulcie could almost picture her furiously blushing face in the darkness.

‘So you think – I shouldn’t go to the lecture?’ she said slowly.

‘That’s up to you.’ Dulcie shrugged. ‘But if it was me, I don’t think I’d care to get myself a reputation.’

Another silence. Then Grace said, ‘You’re right. It – it wouldn’t be fair to Noah.’ Her voice was flat when she said his name, Dulcie noticed. ‘Thank you,’ she said.

‘What for?’

‘For giving me good advice. Honestly, I’m such a fool, I don’t know what I’d do without you helping me.’

Now it was Dulcie’s turn to blush.

‘That’s what friends are for,’ she said.

‘Look at him go! He’ll be tripping the light fantastic next.’

‘Y-you’re p-putting me off,’ Private Gordon grumbled. He was hanging on to Grace’s arm, his fingers biting into her flesh through the thick cotton. Close to, she could see the beads of sweat standing out on his brow at the sheer effort of putting one foot in front of the other.

‘I mean it, mate. I can see you now, doing the foxtrot round the dance hall, all the ladies lining up …’

‘Shhh –’ Gordon turned around, lost his footing and stumbled, taking Grace with him. They fell in a tangle of limbs on the floor.

‘Now see what you’ve done!’ Gordon shouted, but Albie only laughed.

‘He did that on purpose, Nurse, just to get you in his arms!’ Albie stepped forward. ‘Come on, mate, let’s get you back on your feet.’

He hauled Gordon upright. Dr Logan put out his hand to help Grace but she scrambled to her feet before he could touch her.

‘I beg your pardon, Nurse,’ Gordon mumbled, glaring at Albie.

‘No harm done, Private Gordon.’ Grace brushed down her apron. ‘It was probably my fault anyway. I never look where I’m putting my feet.’

‘I think that’s enough exercise for one day.’ Dr Logan made a note on Private Gordon’s chart and hung it back on the hook at the foot of his bed. ‘Get some rest, man. You’ve earned it.’

‘I could’ve gone a bit further if you hadn’t put me off!’ Gordon muttered to Albie as Grace helped him back into bed and pulled the covers over him.

Albie shook his head. ‘I saw you wrestling on the floor with poor Nurse Duffield. Any further and it wouldn’t have been decent!’

Grace was aware of Dr Logan watching her as she finished making Private Gordon comfortable. Usually she wouldn’t even have noticed, but since hearing what the other girls had to say, she had started to feel very aware of him.

When she walked away, he fell into step beside her.

‘I’m sorry you couldn’t come to the lecture last night,’ he said.

Grace was surprised. ‘I didn’t think you’d notice if I wasn’t there?’

‘Of course I noticed.’

There was something about the way he looked at her that made the breath catch in her throat. No man had ever looked at her like that.