‘That’s settled then. Now how about I get you something to eat?’ Kathy prattled on, feeling quite ridiculous. Her heart was thumping so loudly she was afraid they would hear it and it was all she could do to stop herself from throwing her arms about him. It had been almost a year since they had last seen each other, and she could hardly believe how he had changed in that time. He had lost so much weight that his clothes hung off him and his face looked haggard, but then she supposed that was to be expected with the terrible sights he had probably seen and the gruelling hours he had to work.

He had written to her every single week and although he had always tried to keep his letters light-hearted, she had glimpsed the heartache behind them. David was a very conscientious doctor and she could only imagine how terrible it must be for him to be presented time and time again with patients that he had no chance of saving.

In no time at all she had made him big doorstop cheese sandwiches, just to keep him going until dinner time, she explained, and after he had eaten them and drunk three cups of tea a tiny bit of colour began to creep back into his cheeks, although he still looked as if he was about to drop with exhaustion.

‘Right, it’s up to bed for you, young man,’ Kathy told him bossily as the twins giggled. ‘We’ll wake you up for your evening meal.’

‘Are you quite sure you don’t mind?’ David asked. The last thing he wanted was to be any trouble, but Kathy was determined.

‘Of course we don’t mind. I don’t want you falling asleep where you sit. Come on, I’ll show you which is Livvy’s room. The bed is all made up although it is quite cold up there. I’m afraid we can’t manage fires in the bedrooms now that coal is harder to get. But never mind, once you’re in bed I’ll bring you a hot-water bottle up and you’ll be snug as a bug in a rug.’

David gave everyone a weak smile and followed Kathy up the stairs as meekly as a lamb.

‘There,’ she said, opening the bedroom door with a flourish before hurrying across the room to close the curtains. ‘Hop in and get warm. You look worn out and you’ve come such a long way.’

‘I’ve come from hell,’ he said quietly, and his eyes were haunted as he thought of all the terrible things he had witnessed.