The nurses both stared at Grace in horror as she threw herself through the double doors. Sylvia’s eyes were as round as saucers, while Mary looked as if she had accidentally swallowed a frog.

What were they staring at? Grace wondered. She put her hand up to check the pin in her cap.

‘There you are, Nurse. I must say, I’m—’ Dr Logan looked up from his watch and instantly fell silent.

Grace followed his gaze and immediately realised why Sylvia and Mary had looked so horrified. Her once spotless white apron was streaked grey with ash. Her hands were grimy with it, under her nails and between her fingers.

‘I’m terribly sorry, I …’

‘Shall we go?’ Dr Logan cut her off. ‘We’re already nearly five minutes late as it is.’

They followed him through the double doors, Grace trailing behind.

‘Oh, Duffield, what have you done? You look as if you’ve been sweeping the chimney, never mind making the fire!’ Mary gave a muffled snort of laughter.

‘Is it that bad?’

‘Your apron and your hands are filthy, and you’ve got a smudge on the end of your nose,’ Sylvia said.

Grace scrubbed at her face with the corner of her apron. ‘Is that better?’

‘Not really.’ Sylvia looked pained. ‘Just be glad it’s only Dr Logan doing the rounds, and not one of the consultants.’

‘Dr Logan is bad enough.’ Grace looked at the doctor’s broad back. He did not turn around, but she could tell from the rigid set of his shoulders that he was bristling with outrage. ‘I’m going to have to sneak off and change my apron, at least.’

‘You can’t!’ Mary looked panicked. ‘You’ve got to be here to answer his questions.’

‘She’s right,’ Sylvia said. ‘You’ll only annoy him more if you disappear.’

‘But it’ll only be for a minute,’ Grace said. ‘Surely he won’t even notice if—’

‘Nurse?’ Dr Logan’s voice rang out, stopping her in her tracks. ‘Would you mind telling me what has happened to the patient in bed five?’

Grace stared at Captain Jeffers’ empty bed. ‘He’s gone,’ she said.

‘I can see that, Nurse,’ Dr Logan said impatiently. ‘But where has he gone, that’s the question?’

Grace went on staring at the rumpled bedclothes, as if they could somehow yield a clue. ‘I – I don’t know.’

Just do the best you can and make sure you don’t lose anyone. Sister had meant it as a joke, but it didn’t seem so funny anymore.

Dr Logan cleared his throat, startling her back to attention. ‘Don’t you think you should look for him?’

‘Yes. Yes, of course.’ Grace turned to Sylvia and Mary. ‘Saunders, go and check the kitchen. And Finnegan, have a look in the bathroom.’ Please God he had taken himself off there, she thought.

She looked at the patients to either side of Captain Jeffers’ bed. They stared vacantly back at her. There was no point her asking where he had gone. They barely knew what was going on from one moment to the next.