Next morning Andrew rose early, after a good night's sleep. He felt excited, ready for anything. He went straight to the telephone and gave orders to a medical property firm to sell his practice. 'Sell it for a fair price. I won't accept any more than it's really worth,' he said. 'The people in this area have not got much money; and the next doctor may not do as well as I have done.' At lunchtime Christine handed Andrew two letters. They were replies to his letters to Denny and Hope. The short note from Denny read: 'Interested. Expect me tomorrow evening.' The letter from Hope also expressed interest, though the words showed Hope's usual sense of fun.

After lunch, Andrew drove to the Victoria Hospital to see Mary Boland.

Sitting beside Mary's bed, he told her about the new arrangements that he had made. 'You'll like the other hospital better, Mary - much better,' he promised her. 'Now, I don't want to make difficulties here. So I would like you to pretend that it is your own wish to leave - say that you want to go home. Then, on Wednesday, I will pick you up and drive you to Stillman's hospital.'

Andrew returned home with a feeling that he was beginning to correct his mistakes. That evening, in his surgery, he sorted out the patients who really were ill from those who only imagined that they were. Again and again, he said firmly: 'This must be your last visit. You're better now. It won't do you any good to go on taking medicine!'

It was surprising how much comfort this gave him. After the surgery, he went in to Christine feeling several years younger.

At that moment the telephone rang. Christine went to answer it. When she returned, she looked worried again. 'Someone wants to speak to you,' she told him.

'Who?' Suddenly he realized that it was Frances Lawrence. 'Tell her that I've gone out,' he said. 'No - don't say that!' He walked quickly forward. 'I'll speak to her myself.'

He came back in five minutes and said: 'That's over, too! I shan't see her again!'

Christine smiled happily without answering.

On the following evening Denny came to dinner. He brought a message from Hope, saying he was sorry that he had another appointment. 'He said that he had work to do,' Denny remarked, knocking out his pipe. 'But I believe that his appointment is really with a young lady. I wouldn't be surprised if our friend Hope decides to marry her.'

'Did he say anything about my idea?'Andrew asked quickly.