He was right. I turned and in silence walked with him to the door. “Thank you for confiding in me, Private Wilson.” I shivered in the chilly air of the night as I crossed the bruised grass. “I’ll bring Matron as soon as possible. With any luck the burial detail will be late anyway, but hold them off as long as you can. Tell them-tell them that Matron wishes to speak to them.”

“Rather a dirty business, murder,” he said grimly. “I couldn’t believe the evidence of my own eyes when I found him.” Then, turning to me, he asked, “Are you all right, Sister?”

“I think I forgot to eat. I’ll just go across to the canteen and have some tea.”

“Thank you, Sister. It was a brave thing to do, coming with me in that shambles. I’ll be close by, on call, if Matron wishes to see the man for herself. And I’ll keep an eye on the shed.”

And then he was gone, tramping off in the darkness to where he could watch for the burial detail, as promised.

I hastily swallowed a cup of tea, then went back into the ward, stumbling on the threshold. I must get some sleep, I told myself. As soon as I’ve spoken to Matron and we’ve contacted the proper authorities. I must write to the Colonel Sahib also as well-

Just then one of the other nursing sisters called to me, asking me to help her change the bedding of a patient whose fever had broken in a cold sweat.

Glancing at my watch, I went down the ward to where Sister Marshall was waiting. It was only a little more than forty minutes before the hour was up. Not long at all now before I could wake Matron. I blinked my eyes as the face of the watch seemed to swim in front of them. Shaking off my fatigue, I smiled at Sister Marshall’s patient. “This is a good sign. You’ll feel like drinking a little broth later. To begin healing.” I made a mental note to bring the Lieutenant a cup as soon as he was settled again.

My head was pounding as I bent over the bed to tuck in the sheets and my shoulders were beginning to ache. I ignored the pain, moving on to the next bed to hold a patient upright as he went into a paroxysm of coughing, hardly able to draw the next breath. Thirty minutes now until I could wake Matron.