‘Why on earth are you doing that?’ Anna asked her. ‘Surely one of the VADs should be on bedpans?’

‘I know, but she asked me to help her. She seemed so overwhelmed, poor thing.’

Anna thought about where she had last seen the little VAD, puffing away on a cigarette in the kitchen. She hadn’t looked particularly overwhelmed.

‘They’re here to help us, not the other way round,’ she pointed out.

‘Oh, I don’t mind,’ Grace said. ‘Besides,’ she added cheerfully, ‘I can’t get into any trouble in here!’

‘I saw Sister taking you to task again earlier on. What was she ranting about this time?’

Grace’s rosy cheeks darkened. ‘I dropped a thermometer,’ she mumbled. ‘And then, when I was rushing to pick it up before Sister noticed, I accidentally stepped on it.’

‘Poor Duffield!’ Anna couldn’t help smiling.

‘I know. I’m so clumsy.’ Grace stared mournfully down at her large feet, encased in stout black lace-up shoes. ‘If ever anyone was misnamed, eh?’

Anna looked at her friend’s open, smiling face. Grace was the butt of everyone’s jokes, but she always took it in good part. Anna sometimes wished she wouldn’t be so quick to make fun of herself.

‘It’s only because you get nervous,’ she said. ‘You’re a good nurse really.’

‘That’s not what Sister wrote in the ward book yesterday. Now, what was it she said?’ Grace paused for a moment, remembering. ‘“Duffield has a tendency to be like a bull in a china shop.”’

‘Corporal Bennett reckons you have a heart of gold.’

Grace’s face brightened. ‘Does he? That’s nice of him.’ She turned on the tap to rinse a bedpan. Water gushed everywhere, and Anna had to jump back to avoid a soaking.

‘Did you hear the news?’ Grace carried on, apparently unconcerned by the puddle around her feet.

‘What news?’ Anna picked up a mop and started cleaning up.

‘Sylvia Saunders is engaged to Roger Wallace.’

‘No!’ Anna instantly stopped mopping. ‘That was quick. They’ve only been courting a few months.’

‘I know. Saunders reckons they’re head over heels in love. They’re planning a summer wedding, apparently.’

‘Good for her.’ Without thinking, Anna twisted the engagement ring on her own left hand. She hadn’t realised she was even doing it until she saw Grace’s sympathetic smile.

‘It’ll be your turn soon,’ she said. ‘When Edward comes home.’

If he comes home.

Anna pushed the thought determinedly from her mind. She did her best to stay positive and tell herself that everything would be all right. But they had been engaged for nearly four years now. And the longer the wretched war dragged on, and the more injured men arrived every day, the harder it was for her to believe her dream would come true.

But she couldn’t allow herself to give up hope, for Edward’s sake.

‘I know.’ She smiled, then changed the subject. ‘We’ll have to celebrate Saunders’ good news.’

‘I think everyone’s meeting in the nurses’ home tonight.’ Grace glanced around the empty sluice, then lowered her voice. ‘There’s talk of Hilda Wharton smuggling in a bottle of sherry, if she can get hold of one.’