A Christmas Promise by Annie Groves Page B

closed her office door quietly behind her. There were only two times in her life that she could remember feeling as desolate as she did now: the first was when she was told her mother was dying – and the second was when she died.
    ‘Something tells me you have more than a professional interest in this particular patient, Sister?’ There was a ghost of a smile playing around the consultant’s lips as he came back to her office some time later, and, if Sally hadn’t been so frantically worried about Callum, she may well have attempted a modicum of outraged indignation. But, as it turned out, she knew she would do anything she had to do, if only it would save Callum’s life.
    The black hackney cab stopped outside Tilly’s house a few doors down and Drew watched the door open. At the same time, from the front door of number 13, volleyed a cacophony of female voices, and the dignified peace of Article Row was shattered by feminine squeals of delight, putting paid to any hope of the quiet romantic reunion he had dreamed of. Drew could handle all of that, but what he hadn’t expected was the sight of Tilly being helped out of the cab by another man – an English soldier!
    He watched as she alighted onto the pavement and his breath caught in his throat when he saw she was in uniform! He never guessed she would join the Forces. He imagined that she was still working in the Lady Almoner’s office at Barts Hospital, and all those weeks and months he was confined to bed in a private ward he hoped that he would catch sight of her while praying she didn’t find out he was a patient there. But now he knew why he hadn’t seen her. A mixture of fear and loving admiration filled his heart and Drew wanted to go to her immediately. There was so much they had to catch up on.
    But the tall, good-looking guy who was paying the cab driver then stood back, almost indulgently, smiling as all the females from number 13 crowded around Tilly. They were all talking excitedly together, and Tilly was laughing as tears ran down her face while the man he now recognised as Dulcie’s brother, Rick, put his arm around his girl and Drew felt his whole world implode.
    He hadn’t reckoned on Tilly taking up with another guy. She promised. They had made a deal right there in that little church. He told her they would be together for ever. She promised. She said she would love him for ever. He swore he would love her eternally. She promised …
    In his heart, Drew knew that Tilly had every right to find another guy. He had been away so long … He guessed she wouldn’t … that’s all.
    Stepping back into the shadows, his hands clenched tightly, Drew realised he had left it too long without getting word to Tilly about their future. It was his own fault that she had met someone else, he scolded himself. What made him think that she would be here, waiting? He would have to be crazy to think other guys wouldn’t fall head over heels for her, especially now she was wearing the uniform of the Auxiliary Territorial Service.
    After spending months on his back, struggling to gain enough strength before they could even operate, not knowing if he would be able to move his legs, Drew hadn’t imagined he and Tilly would not be together for the rest of their lives. He couldn’t bear the thought of her seeing him as an invalid after the stories she had told him of her mother’s own struggle: how her own disabled husband had succumbed and died, leaving her with a small child to rear alone. He could not put his darling girl through that.
    Yet, it was the thought of Tilly being within reach that had given him the courage to learn to walk. He had vowed that she would never see him bed-bound and feel the pity her own mother must have felt looking after her father. It had just never crossed his mind that she would take up with another guy.
    Suddenly feeling like an outsider, Drew decided he couldn’t interrupt the rapturous greetings; he decided he would wait for a