Dulcie sighed. ‘Here, let me help you.’ She stooped to lift the edge of the mackintosh. ‘I daresay it’s some absolute angel, anyway.’ She laughed as Grace’s blushing face emerged from the other end of the mackintosh. ‘Duffield … are you all right? You’ve gone positively puce.’

And then it dawned on her.

‘It’s you, isn’t it? You’re moving to Wilson.’

Grace’s blush deepened to an unflattering crimson. ‘I didn’t ask to go,’ she gabbled. ‘I don’t even know why they picked me. I’ll probably only last a day before they get rid of me …’

Dulcie watched her, open-mouthed. ‘You mean to tell me last week, you were asked to move? You didn’t even have to put your name forward?’

Grace looked away awkwardly. ‘Dr Carlyle approached me,’ she mumbled.

‘Oh, her!’ Dulcie rolled her eyes. ‘Well, that’s it, then. I’ll never be moved to Wilson now, not while Dr Carlyle is in charge. She hates me.’

‘I’m sure that’s not true.’

‘You know it is. She’s never forgiven me for all that business with Dr Latimer.’

As if it was her fault that the senior houseman had made a play for her! Dulcie hadn’t even known he was courting Kate too. She had tried to do the right thing and end it with Charlie Latimer as soon as she found out – Dulcie had no time for deceivers. She had also tried to warn Kate Carlyle what he was really like, but it had all backfired on her.

She didn’t know why Dr Carlyle still bore such a grudge, especially as she was now madly in love with another doctor, Rufus French. If anything, Dulcie had helped her to a lucky escape.

She looked at Grace, still struggling with the mackintosh sheet. She was such a blushing, clumsy mess, it was hard to imagine how Dr Carlyle could have decided she was a better bet than Dulcie. It could only be jealousy, she thought.

But then again, there was a way it could all work in her favour.

‘At least you can keep an eye on him for me,’ she said.

Grace looked up, startled. ‘Me? Keep an eye on Dr Logan?’

‘Why not? You’ll be working together. You can keep all the other nurses at bay.’ Dulcie nudged her. ‘And you might even put in a good word for me, too.’

‘I can’t!’ Grace was horrified. ‘I can barely speak to him, he makes me so nervous.’

‘Go on,’ Dulcie wheedled. ‘You are supposed to be my friend, after all. You can turn on the charm for my sake, can’t you?’

‘Oh, my.’ Grace looked faint at the prospect. Friend or not, Dulcie didn’t hold out much hope for the chances of either of them.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Dulcie returned to the ward, still simmering over Matron’s words. It was completely unfair, she decided. She was every bit as good as the other nurses, and better than some. Miriam Trott, for instance, could be positively callous at times.