‘In that case I’ll go into town today and have a word with Matron.’ Anything would be better than sitting moping about the children, she’d decided, and so she hurried away upstairs to get ready before making her way to the hospital.

Once there, she made her way straight to the matron’s office, relieved to see that, despite the bomb damage, little had changed there.

‘Kathy, why how lovely it is to see you,’ Matron said with genuine pleasure as Kathy entered her room. ‘You’re looking very well. I hope those lovely children are too? But how can I help you?’

‘Actually, I was hoping that it was me that might be able to help you,’ Kathy told her as she returned her smile. ‘You see, the twins started school today, so I was thinking of coming back to work, if you’ll have me, of course. I could only do part-time as I’d need to get the children to school before I started each day, and I might be a little rusty now admittedly but …’

Matron held up her hand to silence her before she could go any further. ‘My dear young woman, nursing is a little like riding a bike, you never forget how it’s done, so rusty or not I’d be grateful of any hours you could do. I should warn you though – we have some very bad cases here that have filtered through from the military hospitals,’ she warned. ‘Do you think you could handle it?’

‘Of course – I’m a nurse,’ Kathy told her confidently.

After a little discussion it was agreed that Kathy would start back the following Monday and though she was delighted, Kathy found she was in a strange mood as she returned to Treetops after doing a little shopping for Cook. It felt funny to be going back to work and she would miss the children dreadfully, but it was also nice to think that she would have a measure of independence again and she found she was looking forward to it.

‘So, all decided, is it?’ Cissie asked when Kathy strolled into the kitchen shortly after lunchtime with her basket of shopping.

‘Yes, all sorted. I’m starting back next week.’ Kathy’s eyes were drawn to a letter on the mantelpiece and her heart lifted as she recognised David’s handwriting.

‘Postie brought it about an hour or so ago,’ Cissie told her as Kathy eagerly lifted it down.

‘Right, I’ll just go and read what he has to say then I’ll be back to help you and Cook prepare the dinner,’ Kathy promised as she scooted out of the kitchen and headed for the privacy of her room.

Once there, she tore the envelope open eagerly and settled on the bed to begin to read.

My Dear Kathy,