Am I in the way?

' Alethea had gone a little pale, but she finished pouring the tea and handed Sarre's cup to him. She didn't want to be left alone with Nick, and a second later she realised that she need not have worried about that.

He had no reasonable excuse to speak to her alone; Sarre was very much his senior and besides, he was no stranger to the ward. For the moment he was working with Sir Walter and was as concerned with the patients as Nick.

All the same she let out a small relieved breath when Nick said sulkily: "It wasn't anything important, sir, only some notes.

I'll come back later.

' He had barely closed the door behind him when Sarre asked: "Are you

off duty this evening, Alethea?

' She nodded.

"But I'll be late.

Staff's on, but we're a bit behind with the work and I'll have to

stay.

' "You went to see about leaving this morning?

' "Yes--that's settled, I'm to leave in two weeks' time.

' She raised her lovely eyes to his.

"Is that OK?

' "Indeed it is.

Would you be too tired to come out this evening?

Would eight o'clock be too early?

' "T'd like to, thank you," she said rather formally, 'that should give me plenty of time.

' He went away soon afterwards and she plunged back into the round of ch.o.r.es waiting to be done in the ward.

They were always so short of staff, she thought worriedly as she added another weight to yet another leg extended on its Balkan Beam.

The Princ.i.p.al Nursing Officer hadn't been too pleased with her that morning.

"When the ward is so busy.

Sister," she had complained, 'surely you could wait a few months-after all, you haven't known Mr van Diederijk very long, have you?

' It hardly seemed worth while pointing out to Miss Gibbs, fifty if she was a day and a born spinster, that it made very little difference whether you knew someone a long time or not-she and Nick had fallen in love within a few minutes of meeting each other.

"Mr van Diederijk's work has to be considered," she pointed out with becoming meekness, and Miss Gibbs had to concede the point.

But grudgingly.

Just as grudgingly she had wished Alethea a happy future, her tone implying that the possibility was an unlikely one.

The day wore on.

A motorbike accident came in followed by an elderly man who had fallen off a ladder. Alethea counted herself lucky to get away by seven o'clock, and by then she was so tired she wanted nothing but a strong cup of tea and her bed, something which Mr van Diederijk must have guessed at because no sooner had she reached the Home than she was called to the telephone.

"You're tired," said Sarre's quiet voice in her ear.

"Put on a pretty dress as quickly as you can; I know of a little restaurant where you can doze off between the courses if you want to.

' And when she laughed: "That's better.

I'll be outside in half an hour.

' "How did you know I'd just come off duty?

' she wanted to know.

"T have my spies.

Tot ziens.

'1 The evening was one of unexpected pleasure.

They went to a small, pleasant restaurant where the service was impeccable, the food out of this world, and where they were able to talk uninterrupted by the too close voices of those at the neighbouring tables.

Alethea, who had halfheartedly chosen to wear one of her prettiest outfits was glad that she had, for the place, although small, was undoubtedly expensive and in the front rank of restaurants.

They had talked easily enough, and she had found him to be one of those people with whom one could feel at home and although he touched only lightly on his home and life there she felt that she was beginning to know him quite well.

And she had talked about herself too, not about Nick, that was still too painful a subject, but about her childhood and the happy years she had spent with her grandmother.

Sarre had asked her if there was anyone in particular she wished to invite to their wedding.

"A register office, I'm afraid," he had told her, 'but I'll talk to your vicar about a service afterwards--could we see him together?

' She had agreed and they settled on an evening during the week, because Alethea wouldn't have days off again until the weekend and Sarre was to return to Holland then.

He had thought of everything, she reflected as she got ready for bed, all she would have to do was leave the hospital and be ready to return to Holland with him after his next visit.

She would need a pa.s.sport, of course, and some new clothes.

she was dozing off when she came awake again with the thought that she would have to say goodbye to Nick--or perhaps it would be better if she didn't?

If she hadn't been so sleepy the vexed question might have kept her awake for hours, and the next day there wasn't the time to give it a thought.

That she was leaving was already known throughout the hospital.

She had been there for eight years and everyone knew her, and when she calmly told her reason for doing so she was faced with a barrage of questions.

No one had quite dared to mention Nick to her face, but she was very aware that everyone longed to do so, just as they longed to ask about Mr van Diederijk's intention to marry her.

After all, they had only known each other a few weeks and no one had noticed anything even faintly verging on the romantic when they had been together.

And that hadn't been often.

Her closer friends pointed out that neither party was of a sort to wear their heart upon their sleeve and certainly they would never air their feelings in public.

And Staff, her loyal a.s.sistant and friend, declared loudly that it didn't matter what people said, love at first sight was something which happened quite often and she for her part hoped that Sister Thomas and Mr van Diederijk would live happily ever after.

This view was thoroughly approved of by the majority of young ladies who worked at the hospital; they were all romantic at heart and after all, as they pointed out to each other.

Sister Thomas's sudden decision to get married to someone she had only just met was just about as romantic as anyone could wish for.

Alethea, who had been secretly dreading the publicity, found that she was the centre of approving interest.

It was when they were on their way down to see the vicar that Sarre slowed the car, put a hand in a pocket and handed her a little box.

"T quite forgot to give you this," he remarked in a casual voice.

Alethea opened it.

There was a ring inside, a magnificent Russian sapphire surrounded with diamonds.

"It's been in the family for a long time," went on Sarre.

"T hope it fits.

' He put his foot down and the car shot ahead once more as she took it out and tried it on.

It fitted very well and it looked quite beautiful.

She thanked him quietly, smothering a pang of unhappiness that he could

be so casual about something so important.

But of course, it wouldn't be very important to him; he was only

pandering to the conventions.

She gazed at the lovely thing and couldn't help wondering what kind of a ring Nick might have given her--and surely not so casually.

She said in her serene way: "It fits very well indeed.

Isn't that lucky?

' She glanced at him, but he was looking ahead.

"Thank you very much, Sarre.