‘You seem very agitated today,’ Dulcie commented at last.

‘Do I?’

‘Yes. And I think I know why, too. It’s him, isn’t it?’

‘What?’ Grace looked up sharply.

‘That soldier – what’s his name? Gordon. He’s being discharged today, isn’t he? I bet that’s what’s upset you. I know how attached you get to them all,’ she said.

‘Yes.’ Grace set down her shoes. ‘Yes, that must be the reason.’

Perhaps she was right, Grace thought. As it happened, she was upset at the thought of Private Gordon leaving. He was being sent to a convalescent home up in Scotland, close to where his family lived. Grace was pleased for him, but knew she would miss him.

The first person Grace saw when she walked on to the ward was Dr Logan. He was at the far end of the ward, talking to Private Gordon.

Try as she might, Grace’s gaze still seemed to seek him out. And his seemed to do the same, head lifting the moment she walked in. For a moment they stared at each other down the length of the ward.

‘Look at him,’ Dulcie said beside her in a thrilled whisper. ‘He can’t take his eyes off me. Do you think I should go and say hello to him?’

‘Not if you want to stay out of trouble with Sister,’ Grace whispered back.

‘And I fully recommend you do stay out of trouble, Nurse.’ Sister’s brisk Scottish voice rang out behind them, making them both jump. Miss Parker was so slight, she constantly managed to creep up on unsuspecting nurses, unlike Miss Sutton’s heavy, ponderous tread that could be heard like distant thunder.

As ward sister, Miss Parker was not supposed to come on duty until eight o’clock, but had a nasty habit of arriving an hour early, just to catch out any nurses who trailed in a few minutes late, or who didn’t help out the night staff.

‘Nurse Duffield, I want you to pack up Private Gordon’s belongings for him,’ she said.

Grace opened her mouth to speak but Dulcie got there before her.

‘I’ll do it, Sister.’

Miss Parker frowned at her. ‘You, Nurse? I don’t think I can ever recall you volunteering for extra duties before?’

‘I just want to help, Sister.’ Dulcie lowered her eyes demurely.

Grace glanced at Dr Logan, still deep in conversation with Gordon and Albie Sallis. She knew Dulcie was anxious to help Private Gordon for exactly the same reason as Grace was anxious not to.

‘That’s very commendable of you, Moore.’ Miss Parker did not look convinced. ‘But I think this is best left to Duffield. She has more of an affinity with Private Gordon. You can help with the bedpan round,’ she added as an afterthought.

‘Well, I like that!’ Dulcie stared after Miss Parker as she marched off down the ward. ‘You’d think she’d be happy I was showing an interest. Affinity, indeed!’ she huffed. ‘As if I can’t throw a few belongings in a stupid old suitcase!’