' He made a small sound which could have been anything and said

presently: "Does a month from today suit you?

I'll be gone a week from Sat.u.r.day, but there's a case I have to see the

following weekend--would you like to go back with me to Groningen for a quick visit? It can only be a few days, I'm afraid, because I'm due in Hamburg very shortly.

I'll bring you back, of course, and with any luck I should be able to get back here on the day before we marry. ' It was all so matter-of-fact and businesslike, although she supposed that she wouldn't have liked it any other way.

She agreed to his suggestions and asked him if any of his family wanted to attend the ceremony.

"My brother.

I've already told Wien and, of course.

No one else.

The children.

' he paused, "T think it would be best if they weren't there.

You'll meet them of course when you come to stay.

' She agreed doubtfully and he began to talk about something else and

made no mention of the matter again that evening.

They went first to her grandmother's house and then without waste of time to the vicarage.

The vicar was an old friend ofAlethea, an elderly man with a kind face

and a sense of humour which was unexpected.

His wife plied them with coffee while he asked questions, discussed the time of the service, suggested that a little organ music might be

rather nice to have and then wrote it all down in the large diary on his desk he was, he a.s.sured them, a very forgetful man.

They left presently, everything nicely arranged, called briefly at her

grandmother's once more and then drove back to London.

It had all been rather a rush, but Mrs Bustle had been waiting with their supper and there had been time enough to admire the ring.

Sarre saw her to the Nurses' Home door, and wished her goodnight with

the remark that he didn't expect to see much of her before he went back to Groningen.

"On the ward, of course," he observed, 'but not to talk.

If you're free on Friday evening we might get a quick meal together.

' "I'm not free," said Alethea.

"In that case I'll wait for you in the entrance just after nine o'clock we can get a cup of coffee somewhere.

' He bent and kissed her, the light, almost businesslike kiss she was beginning to expect from him.

"Sleep well.

' He had been right; save for brief encounters on the ward, they saw nothing of each other for the next couple of days.

Alethea took consolation from the admiration lavished on her ring and

occupied her mind with her wedding outfit.

She had had a bad moment or two when Nick had met her in one of the corridors.

There had been no one about and he had stopped in front of her so that she was forced to stop too.

"Well, well," he began, 'who'd have thought it?

You're a fast worker and no mistake, Alethea, I must congratulate you.

' She chose to misunderstand him.

"Thank you, Nick," she said gravely.

"I'm very happy.

' He had laughed at that.

"Are you, Alethea?

Are you?

Don't you ever think about us?

You wouldn't have had a ring to dangle in front of your friends'

envious eyes, but you would have had me, my dear.

' He had turned on his heel before she could answer him, and since she hadn't the faintest idea what to reply, that had been a good thing.

She would have given anything to have had a chance to talk to Sarre,

but although he came to examine a patient that afternoon there was no

chance to do so.

She would have to wait until the next evening, although she thought that perhaps by then the smart of Nick's words would have lessened and she wouldn't want to talk about it to Sarre or anyone else.

She was late going off duty when at last the next day's work was done,

and too tired to think much about her own affairs.

She hurried to her room, showered and changed into the first dress that came to hand and went down to the entrance.

Sarre was there, standing by the door, showing no impatience, only a quick concern because she was so late.

"T didn't have time to send you a message," she explained.

"This case came in at the very last minute and there was a good deal to do-you know how it is.

' He smiled.

"Indeed I do.

You're tired, we won't go far--there's a small restaurant close by, we could walk there. I don't know what the food's like, but we could have coffee and sandwiches.

' The restaurant proved to be an agreeable surprise.

The menu was a small one, but the pork chops when they came were well

cooked and the vegetables weren't straight from a deep freeze.

They drank a carafe of wine with their dinner, all there was to drink

except beer, and Alethea declared it to be very nice although Sarre, tasting it, declared that the beer would have been more palatable.

They had apple pie and cream for afters and great cups of coffee to

round off their meal.

The coffee tasted of nothing much, but as Sarre observed, coffee in England so seldom did.

"Wait until you are in Groningen and you will see what I mean," he told

her, 'although I must warn you that the tea in Holland is quite different from the brew here.