Vigil in the Night

Anne Lee takes the blame for a fatal error made by her sister Lucy and is forced to leave the hospital where they both work. She moves to Hepperton and secures a position at a different, chronically underfunded hospital. Her self-sacrifice launches the central thread of her professional journey.

At the Hepperton hospital, Anne discovers the facility is run on tight funds and with too few staff, thanks to Bowley's tight control. She remains determined to maintain medical standards despite the strain. Her presence begins to disturb the hospital's existing dynamics.

During a gallery observation of Bowley's surgery, Anne notices a surgical swab left inside a patient and speaks up. Her supervisor Matron East reprimands her for speaking out. Dr. Prescott checks the patient and confirms her warning, validating her vigilance.

Anne and Matron East are involved in a bus accident; Dr. Prescott attends to the injured and is impressed by Anne's conduct. Her professional reputation grows as a result, and she receives a promotion.

Bowley becomes attracted to Anne and offers her a position as his personal nurse, leveraging his wealth and influence. His wife threatens to cause a public scandal if Anne remains employed, placing Anne in a precarious position. Matron East cannot fully oppose Bowley's wishes.

Under pressure from Bowley and his wife, Anne resigns from the Hepperton hospital. The decision reflects the clash between professional duty and the threat of public scandal. She moves on to new opportunities.

Anne travels to London, where her now-separated sister Lucy is working as a nurse at a fashionable rest home. Lucy has abandoned her husband Joe Shand after his financial troubles. Their different paths begin to diverge while remaining connected by family ties.

A famous actress commits suicide under Lucy's care at the rest home. The rest home's owner and the doctor who prescribed narcotics have a shady history together. Dr. Prescott investigates and Lucy is cleared of wrongdoing.

A deadly epidemic breaks out in Hepperton, stretching the hospital's resources and staff. Anne and Lucy rush back to provide assistance, while Prescott travels to Bowley to obtain funds.

Anne, taking initiative, authorises purchases to establish a new isolation ward and bills Bowley for them. Bowley is outraged and initially refuses to fund the projects.

Bowley's wife informs him that their young son has contracted the disease, forcing a reversal in his stance. He agrees to support hospital improvements and funding.

Lucy tends to Bowley II through the night and helps stabilize the boy, but she contracts the disease herself and dies. Before dying, she tells Anne that she had warned their former hospital about the fatality.

A grateful Bowley develops plans for hospital improvements that exceed Prescott's hopes. The outbreak's end marks a turning point for the hospital's future and for Anne's career.