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forced herself to think of Mike. He wouldn't be pleased if he could see her smiling into the registrar's eyes.
    'I'll bring the car around. Save you getting wet, Nurse,' he offered. 'Sounds rather a mouthful— Nurse Curtis. It's Anna, isn't it?' he went on, still smiling, and she nodded, unable to speak.
    'As we're off duty we'll be Anna and Rick, shall we? I won't be a minute.' Helping himself to the umbrella, he dashed out into the pouring rain, leaving a strangely exhilarated Anna to wait.
    Rick! She was going to call him 'Rick'. Silently she tried the name out. Rick Alexandre. He was actually going to give her a lift and she wouldn't be late home after all. She would get him to stop the car a few yards from the door so that there wouldn't be an inquest. It was too good to be true!
    'Anna! I've been here for hours!' Both the statement and the voice were so familiar to Anna that she didn't need to look. Just for a second she closed her eyes, wishing Mike Forster anywhere but at St Aidan's, waiting to give her a lift home in his car.
    Mike's handsome face floated before her, and she almost believed it was an optical illusion. He wasn't there at all.
    He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. 'Anna! For God's sake! I haven't got all night!' Because she still didn't move, he began to force her towards the entrance—just as a car tooted outside.
    Anna, as if in a trance, saw Dr Alexandre get out of his car, a puzzled expression on his lean face. An expression which turned set and angry when Mike brushed his lips across Anna's.
    Mike had his arm tucked firmly around Anna's waist as he pushed against the glass doors—and came face to face with Rick Alexandre.
     

CHAPTER THREE
    Mike and Dr Alexandre traded glances for a moment, then the registrar's contemptuous gaze met Anna's. A muscle worked at the corner of his mouth and his eyes blazed at her. They looked grey now, she thought dazedly. A stormy-grey, ready to pour down hail or sleet upon her head.
    She licked her dry lips, then apologised meekly, while Mike looked on, his pale eyes going suspiciously from Anna to the doctor.
    'I really am very sorry, Doctor, but my b . . . boyfriend came to give me a lift home,' she stammered, reddening under the doctor's silent scrutiny.
    He shot a disapproving look at Mike, then shrugged. 'Glad you're getting a lift. Goodnight, Nurse.' He spun on his heel and strode back to his car.
    Anna watched him drive away, no doubt back to the car-park, for he had a fiat in the Nurses' Home. He had gone to a lot of trouble to offer her a lift and she felt ashamed.
    'What's with him then? He a friend of yours?' Mike queried, and Anna shook her head.
    'No, but it was kind of him to get the car out specially. We'll have to hurry, I must be in by ten, Mike!' she voiced her alarm, seeing that it was now nearly five to the hour.
    'In by ten! A grown woman!' he jeered. 'Even Cinders was out till midnight!'
    Anna bit her lip, understanding his annoyance. 'Mother worries a lot, Mike,' she protested. 'I told you she has heart trouble. She mustn't be upset.'
    Still grumbling, Mike hurried her out to his car, a flashy red sports-car, and she eased herself into the only passenger seat, wishing there was more leg-room.
    'Is it always going to be like this?' he demanded, sweeping out of the hospital entrance. 'Always hiding in corners, hurrying home because Mother mustn't be worried. Just when are you going to be free?'
    He was angry and Anna couldn't blame him. 'I hope—as Mother improves—that I will be able to have more freedom. Once she realises that she isn't the invalid she believes she is things will be easier for me, for us,' she assured him, wondering herself how long it would be.
    Mike clearly did not believe her and they drove home in silence. Lights blazed from all the downstairs windows including her mother's bedroom, which was at the front of the old house.
    When Mike moved to take her into his arms, Anna resisted, pushing against his broad