The room in Welbeck Street gave Andrew a new feeling of his own importance. Frances Lawrence and Freddie Hamson made suggestions about decorations and furniture; and Hamson also found him a nurse - Nurse Sharp, a rather bitter but hardworking woman, who was a friend of the nurse that Freddie employed.

When his room was ready, it looked very grand. Andrew decided that he could charge his patients at least three pounds a visit here.

For the first week or two very few people came to see him, but then patients began to flood in. He was a busy man, driving backwards and forwards in his expensive car from his home to his Welbeck Street office, and from there to the Victoria Hospital. He rarely finished work until ten o'clock at night.

In June Ivory took out Sybil Thornton's tonsils, and posted Andrew a cheque in payment for attending the operation.

One afternoon soon after this an old woman called to see Andrew about her throat. Her condition was quite easy to cure, but Andrew decided to send her to Hamson for his advice about the best treatment to give: Freddie had been so kind of late that he wanted to give him this opportunity to earn himself an easy three pounds. A week or two later Hamson, in return, sent Andrew one of his patients to examine.

That evening, as he drove home from his West End consulting room, Andrew felt very pleased with himself. But he found Christine far from pleased.

'Mrs Lawrence telephoned you again this afternoon. No message!' she told him.

He turned red. 'What do you mean - again?'

'This is the fourth time that she has telephoned you this week!'

'Well?'

'Nothing! I didn't say anything.'

'It's how you look. It's not my fault if she telephones me!'

He rushed out of the room. At once he felt sorry. Relations between Christine and himself were getting worse - and they had once been so happy! He had a sudden desire to please her. The next minute, he was in his car, driving to see Miss Cramb at her shop.

When he returned, he went into the living room and called out: 'Christine! Come here a moment!'

She came at once.

'Look, dear!' Andrew said awkwardly. 'I've bought you this. I know - I know that we have been quarrelling of late. But this ought to show you-' He broke off, and handed her a box.

As she opened it, her hands trembled. Then she gave a little cry. 'What a lovely, lovely dress!' Tears were running down her face. She turned to him excitedly. 'You do love me, don't you, dear? That's all that matters to me.'