Christmas was upon them before they knew it and Holly wondered where the months had gone. Walter was bringing his family for dinner and Cook was in a panic as she checked and double-checked that everything was just right.
‘It will be perfect,’ Holly assured her as she laid the table in the dining room with their best china and crystal. ‘It always is.’
Mrs Bell, the cook, bustled back to the kitchen with a smile on her face at Holly’s compliment. She was a small, round woman who had joined the household following the death of her husband just before Holly was born and she had been with them ever since.
‘Yer mam seems a bit nervy today,’ Ivy commented as she and Holly put the finishing touches to the table.
‘Does she? I hadn’t noticed.’ Holly had been too busy thinking of Richard and wondering what he was doing. If he wasn’t at the hospital he was probably at home with his family, or perhaps he had met someone else and was sharing his first Christmas with his new love? She wondered what she might be like, but the thought was too painful so she pushed it away and hurried into the kitchen to see if there was anything she could do to help in there.
Little Alice was contentedly sitting on a blanket surrounded by gaily painted wooden blocks and she held her arms out to be picked up the second Holly stepped into the room. The little girl had the whole household eating out of the palm of her hand, even Holly’s grandfather, and she could play them all like a fiddle. She was eight months old now and bright as a button. Holly swung her up into her arms and tickled her making the child giggle.
‘You’re a crafty girl,’ Holly told her and kissed her soft cheek soundly.
Their guests arrived before lunch and presents were duly exchanged and cooed over. Florence and Katie had been given new dresses for Christmas, and while Katie looked adorable, Florence, who was now fifteen, looked very grown-up, and soon Holly was busy keeping Katie entertained until dinner was ready.
The meal was a very light-hearted affair with all the usual trimmings to accompany the enormous turkey. Cook’s Christmas pudding was a triumph but immediately after everyone had finished, Walter glanced at Gilbert, Holly’s grandfather, and when the older man gave an almost imperceptible nod he rose to face them all with a wide smile on his face.
‘Could I have your attention please?’ He rapped his spoon on the table and all heads turned towards him. ‘I’m delighted to tell you all that some days ago I asked Emma if she would do me the very great honour of becoming my wife and I’m happy to say, with her father’s blessing, she has agreed. We thought we would wait until today to tell you all, seeing as it’s such a special day, so now all that remains for me to do is to give Emma her ring and beg her not to be too long in choosing a date for the wedding.’ Amidst cheers and applause, Walter removed a tiny ring box from his jacket pocket and extracted a beautiful ruby and diamond ring. Turning to Emma, he slipped it onto her finger and kissed her soundly.
‘Does this mean that Emma will be our new mother?’ Katie asked innocently.
Emma tenderly stroked the child’s cheek. She had grown to genuinely love her. ‘I shall never be your real mother, she was irreplaceable,’ she told the child gently. ‘But I will be your stepmother and I hope that we will be the very best of friends.’
Gilbert rushed off to fetch a bottle of champagne that he’d had chilling in a bucket of water especially for the occasion and once the cork was popped and the drink poured they all raised a glass to the newly engaged couple, even Florence and Katie were allowed to have a sip, much to their delight.
Holly was thrilled to see her mother so happy, yet she couldn’t help feeling a little sad and envious too as she thought of Richard and how things might have been. Even so she plastered a smile on her face and silently prayed that her mother and Mr Dolby might live happily ever after. They certainly deserved to.
‘No wonder yer mam were nervy,’ Ivy said with a smile when she and Holly were tackling the mountain of dirty pots later that afternoon. ‘I ain’t really surprised. I’ve seen the way the wind were blowin’ fer some time now. A blind man on a gallopin’ donkey could see that they were taken with each other. Just think, though, it could ’ave been you if yer grandfather had had his way.’
‘That would never have worked.’ Holly shook her head as she carefully dried one of the crystal goblets. ‘But I think they’ll be happy together and the children are clearly thrilled with the news.’
‘Hmm.’ A thought had just occurred to Ivy and her hands became still in the soapy water. ‘But what about you an’ me? What I mean is, yer mam will no doubt move into Mr Dolby’s house once they’re wed but what will we do?’
‘I can answer that question.’ Gilbert Mason was bringing in yet more dirty pots and both girls started. They hadn’t seen him come in. ‘Things for you two will go on just as they are now if that’s what you wish.’ He smiled. ‘I do understand, of course, that you may wish to go with your mother, Holly, and if that’s the case I’ll raise no objection. But if you prefer to stay here that’s all right too. In fact, from a selfish point of view I’d prefer that you did. I quite enjoy our times poring over the newspapers together and discussing world affairs. And you, Ivy, well you’ll still be needed to help Cook. Does that answer your question?’
‘Yes, Mr Mason, it does.’ Ivy flashed him a smile and he left to share a glass of port and a cigar in the study with Walter.
It had been a truly happy day but Holly was on night duty that evening at the hospital so at seven o’clock she set off, leaving them all to a game of tiddlywinks. It had been a cold but dry day with no sign of snow as yet so she made good time and on entering the hospital she found everyone in good spirits. The staff had pinned paper chains to the ceilings in the wards and even Matron had relaxed the rules just for this special day. A choir came into the wards at eight o’clock to sing Christmas carols and were served with hot mince pies and mulled wine and then it was time to get the children settled in Mary Ward.
As Holly tucked the babies into their cots she wondered what Robbie would be doing. She knew that Sunday and Tom always ensured that the children had a wonderful day and it gave her a little thrill to think that probably for the first time in his short life Robbie would be getting the sort of Christmas he deserved. Again, thoughts of Richard and how he was spending Christmas flashed across her mind but she pushed them firmly away.
On New Year’s Eve the whole family were invited to Walter’s for dinner but Holly was working once again. She had put her name down for every shift going over the festive period because while she was working she didn’t have time to think of anything or anyone but the patients she was caring for.
It was just before midnight and most of the children on Mary Ward were fast asleep although a few of the older children were still awake, waiting to welcome the New Year in, when Dr Nason appeared with a young man.
‘I thought I’d pop in to wish you all a very happy New Year,’ Dr Nason told them. ‘And also to introduce Dr Phillips who will be working with me from now on. He’s come from a hospital in London especially to share some of my workload and I know he is going to an invaluable addition to our team.’
Holly could see the nurses preening as he made his way around them shaking their hands but she wasn’t interested. There was only one man who she longed for in her life and if she couldn’t have him then she didn’t want anyone.
However, just as he reached her the clock struck twelve and everyone turned to the person next to them to shake their hand or give them a kiss.
‘Well, it seems rude not to,’ Dr Phillips laughed and without further ado he leaned forward and planted a kiss on Holly’s cheek.
She felt her colour rise as his deep brown eyes twinkled with mischief. She had to admit that he was very handsome.
‘Happy New Year, nurse, hopefully we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other in the future.’ He moved on then leaving Holly tongue-tied.
When he and Dr Nason had left and the nurses had finally got the patients settled for the night, Sylvia Conrad, one of the nurses, nudged Holly.
‘Cor, he’s a bit of all right that new doctor, isn’t he? Fancy him giving you a kiss like that, you lucky devil. I notice that he didn’t kiss any of the other nurses, me included, though I wouldn’t have minded if he had.’
‘Didn’t he?’ Holly answered nonchalantly and hurried about her business before any more could be said. The last thing she needed was to have her name linked romantically to the new doctor. She’d made her mind up that she didn’t have time in her life for that sort of thing so she pushed it from her thoughts.
By the time she got home the following morning she was so tired that all she wanted was her bed but first she had to sit over a cup of tea in the kitchen and listen to Ivy who was excited because Marcus had invited her to go with him to Mr Leon Vint’s Picturedrome, which had opened the year before. Many well-known vaudeville acts who had trodden the boards up and down the country were appearing there and it was becoming very popular.
‘Cook has offered to look after Alice,’ she said, then, her face becoming solemn, she asked, ‘Do you think it’s too soon to be going out with a young man? After what happened with Jeremy, I mean? I swore to meself that I’d never trust another bloke again as long as I lived but …’
‘I’m just pleased you seem to be moving on,’ Holly responded. ‘And Marcus is a lovely chap so why shouldn’t you go out and have a bit of fun? I have a night off tonight so I shall be here to help with Alice. Just go and enjoy it. You’re only young once.’
Ivy raised an eyebrow. ‘Ooh, hark at you. Ain’t it about time you took a bit o’ your own advice? I can’t remember the last time you went anywhere apart from to work.’
‘I enjoy my work,’ Holly answered defensively and quickly changed the subject as she asked, ‘So, have you thought what you’re going to wear tonight? You’ll want to look your best. Come on, we’ll go upstairs and have a rifle through my wardrobe. There’s bound to be something you’ll like.’ And looping her arm through her friend’s she dragged her up the stairs before she could protest.
The following week the weather took a turn for the worst and by teatime each day everywhere was covered in a thick frost.
‘Eeh, it’s enough to freeze the hairs off a brass monkey,’ Ivy grumbled as she lugged a bucket of coal into the kitchen. ‘We’ll have snow next, you just mark my words, an’ that wind is enough to cut you in two.’
Holly, who was busily wrapping up warmly before setting off for work, nodded in agreement. ‘You’re right and it’s causing havoc with people’s health. There’s a flu epidemic raging at the minute and we’re bursting at the seams at the hospital. It’s a good job Dr Nason took the new doctor on or he’d never have managed.’
Ivy gave a sly little grin. It wasn’t the first time she’d heard Holly mention the new doctor. ‘Nice, is he?’ she asked innocently.
‘Who?’ Holly wound her scarf about her neck and yanked her gloves on.
‘The new doctor, o’ course? Who else would I be askin’ about?’
‘Oh … yes, he’s nice enough, I suppose. I haven’t really had that much to do with him, we’ve been far too busy but now I must get off or I’ll be late. Just make sure you keep Alice in the warm.’ And with that she left leaving Ivy with a smile on her face.
‘Ah, Nurse Farthing.’ Matron stopped Holly the second she set foot through the door of the hospital. ‘I’m afraid I have a rather big favour to ask of you.’
‘Oh yes? What’s that then?’
‘Well, apparently the inmates are dropping like flies up at the workhouse. Young Dr Phillips is there now and I wondered if you could possibly work there this evening to give him a hand. It seems that almost every child in the nursery is down with the flu and I’m sure he could do with some help.’
Holly paused. She had no objection to working at the workhouse but she wasn’t so keen on having to work so closely with Dr Phillips. She could still clearly remember the way he had kissed her on New Year’s Eve, not that he hadn’t been a perfect gentleman ever since if their paths had happened to cross, of course.
Seeing her hesitation Matron hurried on, ‘I’m only asking you because you are easily our best nurse when it comes to handling children.’
‘Very well.’ Holly reluctantly turned back to the door. She supposed that she should feel flattered that Matron had asked her, and she was probably just being silly regarding Dr Phillips. He could have had his pick of any of the nurses and even if he did like her she had no interest in him whatsoever so what did it matter if she spent the night helping him with sick children? With a sigh she set off for the workhouse.