"Hello Ada," came James' reply. He seemed breathless. Ada could not tell if his condition was caused by the ride or something else. "I got your note," he added, awkwardly.

"Eventually," Ada retorted.

"I was on secondment at St Bart's," James replied apologetically, "I'd requested all my post to be forwarded to there, but your note must have slipped out of the pile. It was in my pigeon hole on my return. I got the first train I could."

"Then, what?" Ada asked, gesticulating at the scruffy cob that stood blowing and dripping with sweat beside them.

"Accident on the line, it is completely blocked in both directions. They were going to take us back to Reading, but I had to see you. I jumped off the train, walked to the nearest coaching inn and hired Sam here. We've ridden at least twenty miles."

"He needs seeing to," Ada responded, amused and half-exasperated at James' tale, "I'll get Sarah and we'll go round to the stables."

James registered the old Silver Cross pram on the other side of the walled garden for the first time. As Ada walked away from him, his eyes widened with joy, and his heart rate, unbeknownst to him, rose to meet Ada's. As Ada drew the pram alongside him, James peered over the side and suddenly felt a strange panging sensation, one that he had neither felt before, nor could really explain. One thing he did know was that this baby girl was as beautiful as her mother.

"She's, beautiful," James murmured after a moment, becoming less and less sure of himself by the moment.

"Stables," Ada insisted, with a curt nod of her head to indicate the need for James to move Sam out of her path.

The walk round to the stables was spent in silent contemplation. James, trying to process the waves of unfamiliar feelings and emotions that were currently washing over him. Ada, trying to anticipate James' next action, and formulate her response to it. They handed Sam over to Toby, the stable lad, who settled him in a stall. Ada could not help but smile at the sight of him amongst the elegant dapple-grey carriage horses.

"I'm not a natural horseman," James admitted as they left the stables and meandered their way back towards the house, "I asked for a safe ride and I think they thought they were being funny by renting Sam to me. If I'm honest, I'm relieved I'm here unscathed."

At this point Ada realised just how gingerly James was walking, and allowed a small grin to wrinkle the corners of her mouth.

On entering the house, Ada and James were greeted by a confused looking Mr Sanders.

"You have not been summoned, Dr Walton," the butler drawled, "her Ladyship is quite well," he continued, "for what do we owe the pleasure?"

"I came to visit Nurse Russell," James replied, drawing his tall frame up to Sander's even greater one, "at her request," he added.

"I have heard nothing of this Nurse Russell, it is all rather improper to be inviting gentlemen into the house without consent."

"I did not invite him to the house, I invited him to meet my daughter," Ada retorted, staring the butler down, "the fact that the meeting has occurred at Burbridge Hall is purely coincidental. Now," she continued more gently, "Dr Walton has had a tiring journey from London, he would like the opportunity to refresh himself before we take tea with Lady Burbridge as usual. Would you mind?"

James could not help himself staring at Ada and admiring every action of her body, and every word that came forth from her mouth. Another pang of emotion hit him square in the guts.

"This way," Sanders drawled, glaring between James and Ada, before heading in the direction of the guest's bathroom.

Ada motioned with her eyes for James to follow him before calling up to him "you'll be expected in the parlour at four."

Lady Constance could rarely hide her affections for Dr Walton and his unexpected arrival, combined with learning both the reason behind it, and the intrepid tale which accompanied it, cheered her beyond all measure. Ada suspected that to her, James was almost the son she never had.

After tea, James asked Lady Constance, "May I use the telephone to call the railway station to enquire about the service to London?"

"Why of course my dear Dr Walton," she replied.

James left the two women alone. As his footsteps disappeared out of earshot, Lady Constance flashed a wink and a grin at Ada and said, "I always knew that you two must have been more than just colleagues at The London."

Ada smiled. They had not divulged their former engagement, but Lady Constance now knew enough of their past to explain his presence.

"He is rather wonderful isn't he?" Lady Constance remarked.

"Yes," Ada sighed. As soon as she had said it, she knew her tone would immediately betray her feelings. She stared at her hands in her lap, remembering the gold band, set with rubies, that once encircled the appropriate finger.

"You could do far worse for yourself my dear," Lady Constance continued.

Ada flushed scarlet and avoided responding to her. They sat in silence for a moment, until Ada breathed an audible sigh of relief when James returned to the parlour.

"The line's still blocked," James sighed, "tunnel collapse apparently. It may not be cleared for a day or two. May I encroach upon your hospitality a little longer Lady Burbridge?"

"Why of course you may Dr Walton," Lady Constance chirped, ringing the bell beside her. Within a moment, Adelaide appeared at the parlour door.

"Dr Walton will be remaining with us for a day or two, please can you have a guest room made up and inform the kitchen that we'll be three for meals until further notice."

"Very good my Lady," Adelaide replied, coyly eyeing up the handsome guest.

Throughout the whole evening Sarah continued to be in the restless, fractious mood she had been in prior to James' arrival. Ada had fed and changed her, and had sat in their room rocking her for hours and hours to no avail. The little girl cried, and cried, and cried. Tears of exhaustion and frustration began to pour down Ada's face. It had been a long, emotional day, she needed to go to the lavatory, and she did not know how to care for the immediate needs of her daughter.

In the adjacent room, wearing a ridiculously oversized nightshirt found in an old trunk, James lay on his bed, listening to the sounds coming through the wall. He too was tired, and increasingly sore from his unorthodox arrival, but rather than frustration, a new set of instincts began to dictate his actions. Sliding his feet into a borrowed pair of slippers, he slipped out of his room and gently knocked on Ada's door. No answer. Sarah was still crying. He knocked a little louder, and called out,

"Ada, Ada."

There was still no response. Sarah's crying, if anything, became louder and higher in pitch. James took a deep breath and slowly opened Ada's bedroom door. Ada was nowhere to be seen. James rushed over to Sarah's crib and picked her up. He held her in one arm, gently rocking her, whilst gently massaging her stomach with two fingers of his other hand. Sarah's cries intensified in response to his touch.

"You're colicky little one aren't you?" he whispered, continuing to massage Sarah's stomach.

At that moment, James heard the pull of a lavatory chain, the click of a latch behind him and the creak of a door. He turned around to see Ada standing in the doorway to her bathroom. She was in her nightdress, her hair unpinned and slightly dishevelled, her eyes tired and bloodshot, her cheeks damp and blotchy from the only half-hearted attempt to wash away her tears. They stared at each other for a moment. Ada's initial embarrassment gave way to affection and admiration for the man holding her child in his arms. James could only see past Ada's outward presentation into the depths of her soul. Neither of them had ever loved the other so much.

"I think she has colic," James eventually managed to articulate, "if you show me where the kitchen is, I may be able to make something that could help."

"Thank you," Ada sighed in reply, before pulling on her dressing gown and slippers.

James, still holding a tearful Sarah, followed Ada down the stairs, across the entrance hall and into the kitchen. It was empty, but the remnant of the day's fire was still glowing in the Aga. Finally handing Sarah back to her mother, James threw some wood into the Aga, filled the kettle and set it away on the stovetop, before beginning to raid the cupboards, first pulling out a pestle and mortar, and then an earthenware jug. He then disappeared into the adjacent pantry and Ada could hear him rifling through the jars and boxes. He returned moments later with a box of sodium bicarbonate, a jar of fennel seeds, a handful of dried chamomile, and a bottle of brandy. Ada stared at him quizzically.

"An infusion of these will settle her stomach," James informed her, "a bit of brandy in it will help her sleep."

Ada watched as James shook the bicarb into the jug, crushed the seeds and flowers in the mortar before adding them to the jug. The kettle began to sing, so he poured the water into the jug, then added a small glug of brandy. He then carried the jug to the sink, placed the plug in, and ran the cold tap, partially immersing the jug in the water. As he did so, he turned to Ada and said,

"Once this has cooled sufficiently, we can try her with a few spoonfuls. Keep rubbing her stomach, it might help."

Ada smiled a weary smile and did as James suggested. Once James considered the mixture sufficiently cool, he rummaged through a drawer and found a soup spoon. He dipped the spoon into the jug and gently poured the mixture into Sarah's mouth.

"That's it little one," James soothed, unconsciously wiping Sarah's mouth with the sleeve of his nightshirt. A few spoonfuls later, James added,

"Try and wind her now."

Ada complied. It took several goes, but it seemed to work. Sarah began to settle in her arms. Ada's relief was palpable.

"We'll take the jug up," James suggested, rooting around for a tray, "in case she wakes up uncomfortable in the night." To the tray he added the jug and spoon, the brandy bottle and, unable to find any glasses, two slightly chipped teacups.

"Nightcap, Nurse Russell?" James asked with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"I don't mind if I do, Dr Walton," Ada replied with a girlish coyness.

James carried the heavy tray back to Ada's room and set it down on her writing desk. Ada settled a now very sleepy Sarah into her crib and pulled the patchwork blanket up as far as her chin. She turned her attention back to James, who was pouring generous measures of brandy into the teacups. They each took a cup and, without even thinking, climbed onto the head end of Ada's bed and sat beside each other, resting their backs against the feather pillows.

"You were wonderful with her, thank you," Ada remarked.

"I'm a doctor," James replied, "I was just helping another little patient."

"Was that it?" Ada asked, sipping her brandy, "is she just a patient? Am I just a patient's mother?"

"Um," James stuttered, his cheeks beginning to glow, and with no help from the brandy.

"I've seen the look in your eyes, ever since you arrived, James. You stared at her over the sides of the pram the way I imagine a new father stares at his child. You held her in your arms as if she were your own. You look like I imagined my first child's father would be with our baby."

James took a deep swallow of brandy and began "Ada. When I last saw you, you admonished me for not having a clue about how the consequences of one man's actions had had such an adverse affect on your life. You were right of course. You mentioned in your note to me the challenges which motherhood is presenting to you. Just from being with you today, I am beginning to have some sense of what you are going through, how hard it has been for you, how it won't get any easier." Aware his voice was beginning to choke, James paused and took another large mouthful of brandy.

Sensing James' unease, Ada, clasping her teacup, turned to him and whispered, "I can't do this alone."

James felt his stomach lurch and his heart rate begin to rattle.

"I need to decide my own future," Ada continued, "I need to do the best for me and Sarah."

"Let me be there for you both," James pleaded. Noticing the air of desperation in his tone, he shied away, and then, composing himself said, "You have shown me how the actions of one person can change the life of another's instantly, so may I ask you a question?"

Ada looked James straight in the eye and said, "Well, Dr Walton, I was rather hoping that I could ask one first."

James and Ada's eyes continued to meet, smiles began to beam across their tired faces. In a moment of mutual understanding, they chimed in unison.

"Will you marry me?"

They simultaneously dissolved into childish giggles.

"Yes," they replied together.

Placing their teacups on the bedside tables, James and Ada enveloped each other in their embraces, their lips pressed together, their bodies beginning to entwine. James pulled the eiderdown over them, and in a fury of passion, allowed his hands to run down the length of Ada's body, heading for the end of her nightdress. Ada froze. Aware of the results of his actions, James apologised, returning his hands to a more gentlemanly position as he did so. In response, Ada snuggled into him, her fingers fiddling with the buttons on his nightshirt.

"I think a woman should be able to give herself to the one she loves," she began, "I was taken, by one who will neither know, nor love, me." She paused for a moment, looking to him for reassurance, before continuing, "Will you wait, until I am ready, to give myself to you?"

James wrapped his arms around Ada's shoulders and pressed a kiss into her sweet smelling, dishevelled hair.

"Of course my love," he replied.

"Thank you."

They lay in silence, unmoving, until James became aware that Ada had fallen asleep in his arms. Unfurling himself, he tucked the eiderdown around her body before slipping quietly out of the door and back into his own room. Rummaging in the pockets of his coat, he pulled out a small hinged box, containing the gold and ruby engagement ring he had bought for Ada all those years ago. Smiling to himself, he returned to Ada's room and gently slipped the ring back on to the fourth finger on her left hand. It was a slightly tighter fit than it had been before, but he managed the manoeuvre without waking her.

"Goodnight Mrs Walton," he whispered.