He gazed at her directly. ‘I missed you, you know. When I was on that course, stuck in the middle of nowhere. It gave me time to think. All the men were going on about their girls and how they didn’t know if they’d be waiting for them, or if they could trust the ones who’d joined up and were on active service themselves, meeting other men. Hardly any of them seemed to be happy; they didn’t seem to have that trust between them. I thought then, how awful that must be, not to trust the woman you love. I trust you above anyone, Sar. I don’t even have to question it. I’m sorry I never said anything before. It’s just …’ He looked away, embarrassed.

Sarah kept tight hold of his hand. ‘Danny, are you saying what I think you’re saying? You’re being all cryptic, like one of your crosswords.’ She kept her tone light but she was deadly serious.

‘All right. Yes. Sar, you’re the only woman for me, I’ve known it for ages but I never dared to say.’

‘Danny.’ Sarah gasped. It felt as if she’d waited so long for him to say this that, now he finally had, words failed her.

‘Look, Sar, the thing is, you know about my heart and everything,’ he went on. ‘I felt I couldn’t offer you anything – not when I could just go out like a light at any time. I mean, what sort of life together would that be? You’d be worrying about me all the time and I’d be worrying about you worrying about me. I couldn’t ask that of you.’

‘Danny, you trusted me to keep quiet about your condition before anyone else, so why would it worry me?’ she asked, her eyes dark with concern that he might be pulling away from her even now. ‘I’ll take you as you are, Danny. As long as I’m good enough for you. I’m not clever like you, and I’m not cheeky and funny like some of the other nurses – like Maeve for instance.’

‘Maeve? Maeve Kerrigan? What’s she got to do with it?’ Danny asked, confused.

‘Oh, I was just being silly. When she came round at Christmas, I could see you liked her.’ Sarah felt sheepish now, admitting to her fleeting fear.

‘Of course I like her,’ Danny said. ‘Like you say, she’s fun, and she’s a good friend to Rita, and she’s a pretty good nurse. But that’s all there is to it. I don’t love her, Sar. I love you.’