Two hours later, Albie hadn’t moved. His breathing was shallow, but steady. Checking his oxygen levels prompted Rosie to put an oxygen mask on him. As she tugged the heavy cylinder from the corner of the room to stand nearer to Albie, she prayed to God to make him better. Holding his hand, she whispered fervently what she’d told him earlier: ‘Fight, Albie. Don’t give in.’ Then, without thinking, she added, ‘Please don’t give in, me darling.’

Albie stirred. His hand tightened on hers, his lovely blue eyes opened and seemed to contain a plea.

Rosie understood. ‘Yes, Albie, I do love you. Get well for me.’

His weak hand let go of hers and she saw that he’d fallen asleep once more. But this time he seemed very much at peace.

Pulling her chair over to his bedside, Rosie sat down and took his hand in hers once more. Watching the rise and fall of his chest, she willed the movement to get stronger, and for Albie to breathe more deeply. But tiredness overtook her after half an hour, and the whirring of the fan lulled her to close her eyes.

‘Nurse. Nurse!’

Rosie sat up, startled by the sudden intrusion into the dream she was having of running down the beach, holding Albie’s hand, without a care in the world.

Looking up, she saw Nurse Potts staring down at her. Realization dawned on Rosie that Albie’s hand had gone cold in hers. Slowly she looked back at him, not wanting to know the truth, but seeing what she feared had happened. Albie had gone.

‘Naw . . . naw.’

What happened next was completely unexpected, because the cold-as-ice Nurse Potts grabbed Rosie and held onto her. ‘Rosie, poor Rosie. I’m sorry. I know . . . well, I know how you feel. My fiancé was killed.’ This came out on a sob.

‘Oh, Elizabeth, I had naw idea, lass.’

Nurse Potts dried her eyes. ‘I know. I’ve never spoken about it. Anyway, we must be professional at all times – it helps, you know. Forgive me for that breakdown. Now, we need the doctor. He will have to certify this young man’s death. I’ll send the night-porter; he’s on the ward at the moment, bringing oxygen cylinders round, and wanted to know if we needed any. That’s why I came in to check. In the meantime I’ll inform the night-sister, and you take the oxygen off this young man, close his mouth, and so on. You know the drill.’

Taking no heed of the tears streaming down Rosie’s face, Nurse Potts left the room.