‘How did you know?’ Sam said suddenly.

‘What?’

‘About – what happened?’ He looked up at her. ‘I’ve never told anyone.’

Dulcie felt herself blushing. She wanted to lie, but his steady gaze seemed to draw the truth out of her. ‘I looked it up in Staff Nurse Hanley’s London Gazette,’ she confessed.

‘Now why would you do something like that?’ Sam said softly.

‘I was just curious.’

For a moment they looked at each other, then he said, ‘Don’t look now, but the man of your dreams has just walked in.’

Dulcie glanced over her shoulder. There, in the doorway, stood Dr Logan.

‘Well, don’t just stand there,’ Sam said. ‘Go and impress him.’

‘I really don’t know what you mean,’ Dulcie said huffily. But she was already hurrying down the ward, conscious of Sam’s cynical gaze on her every step of the way.

‘Can I help you, Dr Logan?’ Miss Sutton was not on the ward, so Dulcie managed to get to him first.

‘I’m looking for Sister. Is she about?’ Dr Logan’s gaze skimmed past her, searching the crowded ward.

‘I’m afraid Sister always takes refuge in her sitting room during visiting time. Was there something I can help you with?’

‘Miss Sutton asked me to come and assess a patient. She thinks he might need to be moved to the neurasthenia ward.’ He looked around, frowning. ‘But I can see I’ve come at a difficult time. Tell her I’ll come back later.’

‘No!’ Dulcie caught Dr Logan’s startled look and realised she had spoken too loudly. ‘I mean, I know the patient Sister means. Corporal Kavanagh, bed ten.’ She was relieved that for once she had bothered to pay attention during Sister’s morning report. ‘I’ll take you to him, shall I?’

Dr Logan hesitated. ‘It might be best if I speak to Sister.’

‘I’m sure she would want you to see him as soon as possible,’ Dulcie said. ‘I know she’s rather worried about him. He’s very agitated.’

‘Is he?’ Dr Logan consulted his notes, his dark brows drawing together. ‘Sister didn’t mention that. Oh, well, in that case, I suppose I’d better take a look straight away.’

Corporal Kavanagh was fast asleep, as usual.

‘He doesn’t seem very agitated,’ Dr Logan remarked.

‘You wait until he wakes up. We have a terrible job trying to calm him down.’

It was a slight exaggeration. In fact, Corporal Kavanagh was as docile as a lamb. It was the number of hours he slept that concerned Sister, not his agitation. But Dulcie was prepared to say anything to keep Dr Logan on the ward.

She watched as he examined a rather dazed and sleepy Corporal Kavanagh, all the while trying desperately to think of something to say.

‘We don’t see you on Monaghan very often,’ she finally managed to blurt out.

‘No.’ Dr Logan paused to scribble some notes. ‘I don’t have much cause to visit these days. Besides, my work on Wilson keeps me busy.’

‘Not too busy to come to the Christmas show, I hope?’