She went to pick up the envelope, but it slipped from her fingers and a couple of sheets of celluloid slid out on to the floor. As Grace hurried to gather them up, she couldn’t help taking a quick peek. X-rays always fascinated her, especially the ones of the wounded men. Seeing those tell-tale black shapes standing out against the white bones …

She frowned, looking closer. Then she shuffled the sheets and looked at the next one, and the next. They all told the same story.

‘What’s up, Nurse?’

Albie’s voice behind her made her start guiltily. ‘Nothing, Corporal Sallis.’ She quickly shoved the celluloid sheets back into the envelope.

‘There ain’t nothing badly wrong with him, is there?’

Grace shot a panicked glance at Gordon, but Albie said, ‘Don’t worry, he can’t hear us if he’s on that side. The bombs have sent him deaf in one ear.’ He looked at her considering. ‘I’m right, aren’t I? His back’s not broken.’

Grace opened her mouth to deny it, but the words wouldn’t come. ‘I can’t see any damage on the X-ray,’ she admitted slowly. ‘But I’m no expert,’ she added. ‘There might be something I’ve missed, or there could be another reason why he can’t walk.’

‘Oh, there’s another reason, all right.’ Albie nodded wisely. ‘I’ve seen lads like him before: can’t speak a word, tottering around the trenches like newborn lambs. Yet the doctors can’t find anything wrong with ’em. Because it’s all up here.’ He tapped his temple.

‘It’s not in his imagination!’ Grace started to defend him, but Albie shook his head.

‘Oh, no, Nurse, you don’t have to convince me of that. I’m not one of them ignorant so-and-sos as reckon they’re putting it on, believe me.’ He looked back at Gordon who was snoring softly now, his breath rising and falling steadily. ‘No, as far as I’m concerned, his injuries are as real as mine. And I’ll batter anyone that says different!’

‘I hope it won’t come to that, Corporal. Sister wouldn’t approve of fisticuffs on her ward.’ Grace smiled at him. ‘But Private Gordon is lucky to have a friend like you.’

‘Aye, he is.’ Albie grinned. ‘I reckon there was a reason we ended up on that ambulance train together. I’ll look after him, Nurse. Don’t you worry about that.’

CHAPTER NINE

Dulcie had barely got the men on to the terrace when the air raid started.

It was a crisp October day, and Sister had decreed that the men’s beds should be wheeled outside to make the most of the sunshine, even though it was bitterly cold.

‘Have a heart, Nurse. It’s blooming freezing!’ a burly sergeant complained, pulling his blankets up to his chin.

‘Don’t blame me, it’s Sister’s idea. She thinks you’ll benefit from the sun.’

‘We’ll get bloody frostbite and lose our toes. No offence, lad,’ he added to the young man in the next bed, who had had one of his feet amputated through trench foot.