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‘Laura, I’m here to support you in what you do.
‘If you have any problems, you should bring them to me. You’re not expected to manage things on your own.’ He turned his blue-grey eyes on her, his glance trailing over the oval of her face in such an intent fashion that she felt her cheeks flush with heat. ‘You’re a good doctor, and you should have confidence in yourself.’
Nick laid a hand lightly on her shoulder and turned her towards the doctors’ lounge. ‘Now, go and get yourself some coffee.’
Laura didn’t know what to think. She wasn’t used to having him quite so close, and it was becoming increasingly difficult for her to concentrate when his arm was draped around her like that. It was a totally innocuous gesture, but the warmth of his hand permeated the thin cotton top that she was wearing, and his gentle touch was doing unbelievably strange things to her insides.
Joanna Neil
www.millsandboon.co.uk
CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
CHAPTER ONE
‘WE SHOULDN’T have to wait for too much longer before we can get an X-ray picture of your leg, Lewis,’ Laura said gently, trying to encourage the fretful five-year-old in her care.
He wasn’t at all happy because of his sore limb, but at least she had done what she could to make sure that he was reasonably comfortable in the wheelchair.
‘I’m sorry that they’re not ready for us yet. Tell you what, we’ll go and have a look at some of the pictures in the corridor, shall we? It will help pass the time and I think you’ll like them.’
‘All right.’
Laura turned the chair and pushed it carefully into the corridor outside the X-ray department. At the far end of the passageway, a man came through the swing doors.
He was walking purposefully in their direction and she cast him a quick glance as she manoeuvred the chair into position. He was tall, dressed in an immaculately tailored suit, the jacket loose to reveal a pristine shirt, and as he came closer, her heart sank in quick recognition.
Nick Hilliard was the last person she’d expected to see, but it looked as though even down here there was to be no escaping him. The specialist registrar managed to get everywhere, didn’t he? Sometimes she couldn’t help wondering if he followed her around deliberately, just to annoy her.
Reaching them, he stopped to give her a quick nod. ‘Hello, Laura.’ Nick’s deep voice was rich and smooth, rippling over her senses like dark melted chocolate. Why did he always have that effect on her? It put her at a disadvantage, when she would much rather keep a clear head.
Nick turned his attention to the child. ‘Hi, Lewis,’ he said, his smiling glance travelling over the little boy. ‘Are you all finished here and ready to go back to A and E?’
Lewis shook his head miserably. He squirmed in his seat, but couldn’t move very far because his left leg was stretched out in front of him, supported by a padded footrest. ‘They’re not ready for me yet.’
‘They’re not?’ Nick’s blue-grey eyes darkened in a frown. ‘You’ve been down here for quite a while, haven’t you?’
Lewis nodded. ‘I was getting fed up, so Dr Brett brought me out here to look at the pictures in the corridor while we wait.’
‘I see.’ Nick turned his gaze on Laura, and she stiffened a little, tightening her grip on the wheelchair.
‘It’s only been a few minutes really,’ she murmured. ‘It just seems longer, that’s all.’ She looked around for something that would distract Lewis.
There was a beautiful appliquéd tapestry decorating the wall in front of them, and she moved the chair so that he would be able to see it properly. Perhaps the colourful scene would take his mind off things for a moment. The poor boy had enough to put up with, suffering pain and discomfort, without having to wait around in total boredom.
Nick followed her movements, his gaze narrowing on her as she reached over to set the brake. The stretchy cotton top that she was wearing rode up with the movement of her arm, and suddenly she worried that it might be just a little too clingy. Her skirt, too, was a snug fit, hugging the curve of her hips like a warm caress. She had raided her wardrobe this morning, searching for clothes that would be comfortable and easy to wear, but right now she was beginning to doubt the wisdom of her choice.
To her relief, though, Nick turned his attention back to Lewis.
‘Mum’s gone to phone my dad and tell him what’s happening,’ the child confided.
‘That’s a good idea,’ Nick said. ‘At least he’ll know that you’re all right, and in good hands.’
The boy shifted restlessly in his seat. ‘Mum says I might have to stay here for a few days.’ He chewed disconsolately at his bottom lip. His fair hair gleamed under the overhead lights and Laura noted that his cheeks were faintly flushed with fever. His leg was obviously distressing him, and the reddened, swollen area around his shinbone was plain to see. Understandably, he was feeling uncomfortable and out of sorts.
Nick gave him a thoughtful look. ‘I know this is upsetting for you, Lewis, but we’ll get you sorted out as soon as we can. In the meantime, I’m sure that Dr Brett will look after you, and your mother told me that she’s going to stay close by, so there’s nothing for you to worry about.’
Reaching into his jacket pocket, he drew out a small plastic box wrapped in Cellophane and then crouched down beside the boy so that he was at his level. As he leaned towards the child, Laura found herself staring down at the faintly bronzed nape of Nick’s neck. Her glance strayed. His black hair was attractively styled, cut short in clean lines, and rays of sunshine slanted in through the window behind him, picking out iridescent lights.
‘Here you are,’ he said, softly, handing the box to the child. ‘You can have this, if you like.’
‘What is it?’ Lewis looked curiously at the small package.
‘It’s a kind of puzzle,’ Nick explained. ‘You fit the pieces together in different ways to make lots of funny-looking people. If you’re feeling up to it, you might want to play with it for a while.’
Lewis’s eyes widened. ‘Thanks.’ Intrigued, he pulled at the wrapping, then opened the box and began to sort through the cards that were in there, his mouth gradually quirking into a smile.
Watching the boy, Laura’s mouth softened. She had seen Nick do this kind of thing before, and she had to admit that he was very good with children. He had a way of putting them at ease, and she guessed that he must have a store of small games and puzzles that he produced to distract children whenever they had to sit and wait for a diagnosis or treatment.
Seeing that Lewis was preoccupied, Nick straightened up. He looked at Laura and frowned, drawing her to one side. ‘What’s going on here?’ he demanded, his voice low and terse.
‘I thought it best if I brought Lewis down to X-Ray myself.’ The mass of her bright curls tumbled around her face, lightly brushing her shoulders in its usual unruly fashion. In a defensive gesture, she pushed back a coppery strand of hair from her cheek. ‘We aren’t too busy in A and E at the moment, and I was due for a break. He seems more settled with me around, so I thought I would bring him here and then go and grab some lunch.’
‘I realise all that, but you came down here ages ago.’
Laura shrugged lightly. ‘That’s a matter of opinion. Anyway, the radiologist had just begun to take a series of X-rays of a rheumatoid patient from one of the afternoon clinics, when we arrived. It’s taking longer than we expected.’
‘It certainly is…much too long. We have critically ill patients in our department who need to be dealt with as quickly as possible.’
‘It’s hardly the radiologist’s fault,’ Laura pointed out mildly. ‘I’m sure she’s working as quickly as she’s able.’
‘I appreciate that,’ Nick said firmly. ‘What I’m saying is that it’s not right that our patients should have to wait at all. I’ve been saying for a long time now that we need an X-ray machine dedicated for A and E use.’
‘If it had been an outright emergency I would have intervened, of course. As it is, I expect we’ll only have to wait for a few more minutes and then Lewis can go in.’ Laura’s finely arched brows drew together. ‘You’re probably asking for too much if you’re expecting the department to get new equipment at the drop of a hat. You and I both know that funding will only stretch so far.’
His jaw tightened. ‘So your father says. I’m sure that if he put his mind to it he could bring his influence to bear. And it isn’t just the question of the X-ray machine—it’s the whole set-up in A and E, especially where children are concerned. It’s a soulless place for them to have to wait to be treated. There’s no atmosphere whatsoever, just dull, plain hospital surroundings. It’s enough to put any child off.’ He was glowering now. ‘Something needs to be done about it.’
Laura held back a faint sigh. They were back to this again, were they? She had only worked at the hospital for around three months, and in all that time she and Nick had hardly ever been able to see eye to eye on things, especially where her father was concerned.
A faint atmosphere of antagonism had sprung up between them almost from the beginning. At first she had put it down to the fact that she had been brought in to replace another doctor who had been scheduled to start work on the team. A domestic upheaval had caused the man to change his plans at the last minute and move to another area instead, and from all accounts Nick had been put out by that turn of events. He had been part of the initial interview panel, but the way things had gone, it must have seemed as though Laura had been foisted on him, and she had been a completely unknown entity.
Now, though, Laura wondered if the real thorn in Nick’s side was the fact that her father was chief administrator here at the hospital.
‘My father does what he can. He doesn’t make the decisions on his own…you know that. He has to consult with the rest of the management team.’
‘I also know that he holds a lot of sway with them and, if he wanted to badly enough, he could change things.’ He glanced down at his watch. ‘I have to get back to A and E right now, but I’ll have a word with him later on today. There are quite a few things I need to go over with him.’
The determined set of his mouth alarmed her. ‘I don’t think that’s a very good idea,’ she said hurriedly. ‘Not just at the moment. This is his first day back at work, and he’ll have a lot on his plate…’ But Nick had already turned away and was moving swiftly along the corridor.
She would have called after him, but at that moment the radiologist appeared and beckoned her into the X-ray unit.
‘Sorry to have kept you waiting,’ the woman said. ‘Do you want to come through?’
‘Thanks.’ Laura gave Lewis a bright smile. ‘Come on, then,’ she said. ‘Let’s have a look at what’s going on with your leg, shall we? As soon as we have the pictures we can decide what needs to be done to make you feel better.’
She already had some idea of what the X-rays might reveal. Lewis’s mother had brought the child into A and E, and she had explained that her son had been limping for the last week or so. Gradually, his condition had worsened, and now the limb was severely painful and it was also beginning to suppurate at the point of tenderness, although the mother was fairly sure that Lewis hadn’t banged his leg or hurt it in some way.
She had also mentioned that Lewis had been quite ill with a chest infection, and Laura believed there might be some connection.
The X-rays took a few minutes, and when they were done, Laura wheeled the little boy back along the corridor.
‘We’ll go and meet your mother in A and E,’ she told him. ‘Why don’t you have another look at your puzzles while we’re on our way? They’re fun, aren’t they?’
‘OK.’ He nodded tiredly and winced as he tried to move his leg into a more comfortable position.
Laura felt a surge of compassion for the little boy. He reminded her so much of her young nephew, although Connor was a year younger than Lewis. They both had the same mischievous features, despite the fact that Lewis’s were tinged with pain right now. She couldn’t imagine how she would feel if Connor was ill.
The sooner she could start Lewis’s treatment, the better. She had the X-rays, now all she needed were the results of the blood tests she had ordered.
Arriving at the A and E department, she pushed Lewis’s wheelchair towards a cubicle that had been set aside for paediatric patients.
Lewis looked around at the austere white-painted walls, and his eyes were wide and frightened as he stared at the lifesaving equipment nearby, but he didn’t say a word, and that worried Laura. There were no other children being treated right now, and she guessed that he must be feeling very lonely. She desperately wanted to comfort him.
‘I’ll draw the curtains around so that you can be a little more private,’ she told him gently. ‘I expect your mother will be here soon. Try not to worry, Lewis. We’ll look after you, I promise.’ She glanced at the box of puzzles in his lap and pointed a finger at a picture he had made up. ‘Goodness, it looks as though that girl’s had a real fright, doesn’t it? Her hair’s standing on end.’
‘I bet she’s seen a spider.’ Lewis giggled. ‘I’m going to make another one, with a really scary face.’
Laura smiled at him. ‘I can see you’re good at this.’
‘I take it you’ve finally finished with the X-ray department?’ A familiar deep voice came behind her and she made a faint grimace. Didn’t that just prove what she had been thinking earlier? Nick seemed to follow her everywhere. He had scarcely given her time to settle her young patient before he had appeared once more.
‘Yes, we’ve finished.’
‘What was the result?’
Laura glanced down at Lewis and saw that he was still engrossed with his puzzles. At least they were taking his mind off his troubles.
‘I need to check with the laboratory to be absolutely certain,’ she said in a low voice, ‘but I think the X-rays confirm that the original respiratory infection has travelled and is affecting the bone.’ She turned to the nurse who had come to stand alongside the bed. ‘Would you stay with Lewis for a while, please, Jenny? His mother should be back at any moment.’
The dark-haired nurse smiled. ‘Of course.’ She walked over to Lewis’s side, and said cheerfully, ‘I’m just going to make sure that you’re comfortable, sweetheart, and then I’ll take your temperature again.’
Laura moved out of the cubicle and drew the curtains behind her. Nick followed. ‘So you think it’s osteomyelitis?’ he queried.
‘I do.’
‘OK. If you’re right, you should admit him and start antibiotics. He may need surgical drainage.’
‘Yes, I know. I’d intended to start him on antibiotics straight away.’ Her green eyes flashed momentarily. Didn’t he believe that she was capable of making her own diagnosis? Why did he feel it necessary to step in with advice?
She pulled in a deep breath. There was no point in feeling resentful, was there? After all, he was in charge while the consultant was away, and he was just doing his job as he saw fit. Maybe when he got to know her better he would come to realise that she was a good doctor, and that she knew her stuff.
Frowning, he said, ‘You may find that you need to explain it carefully to the parents. They could be worried that it might mean a long spell in hospital for him.’
‘It doesn’t necessarily mean that, though, does it? He might have to take antibiotics for several weeks but, provided he shows signs of improvement after his initial stay in hospital, he could probably continue those at home.’
‘Yes, you’re right. Have you thought about analgesia?’
‘Of course. It’s obvious that he’s in pain.’ She sent him a brooding look. ‘I am capable of looking after my patients, you know.’
His eyes crinkled at the corners. ‘Sorry. It gets to be a habit, overseeing junior doctors. A lot of them are nervous when they start work in A and E. They come across things they’ve never seen before, and they need as much support as we can give them.’
His unaccustomed humility came as a surprise, and she found herself looking at him in a new light. Her gaze travelled over his strongly sculpted features, the edges softened now by wry amusement. He was a good-looking man by any standards, but when he smiled it lit up his face, and she was uncomfortably aware of his sheer maleness. She looked away. She didn’t want to find him attractive—that was the last thing on earth she wanted.
‘I appreciate that you don’t know me very well yet,’ she murmured. ‘But you can have confidence in me. I’m not going to let you down.’
‘Well, we’ll see. You wouldn’t be the first to believe that you have it all under control.’ He paused, and then added, ‘There is just one other thing that you might not have thought about. It’s possible that the parents might be feeling guilty. Perhaps that’s something you should address.’
‘Why should they feel guilty? They’ve done nothing wrong.’
‘Sometimes parents feel that they should have recognised the problem before it reached this stage. That’s something you might need to reassure them about.’
He walked away then, leaving Laura to dwell on his words. Was he right? Lewis’s mother had seemed confident enough on the surface, though now she came to think about it, the woman had been a little weepy. Laura had put that down to natural worry about her son, but there could be more to it after all.
She went off to check with the lab about the blood tests, and just as she put the phone down, Lewis’s mother came hurrying towards her.
‘I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long,’ she said breathlessly. ‘I had trouble getting through to my husband at work. I didn’t realise he was already on his way here.’ She looked anxiously at Laura. ‘How is Lewis? Have you had any results yet? Do you know what’s wrong with him?’
Laura nodded. ‘It looks as though Lewis’s recent chest infection could be the source of his troubles. The infection has been carried in his bloodstream and is affecting the bone in his leg. It’s a very painful condition, but we’re giving him something to ease that.’
Mrs Watkins looked panic-stricken. ‘It’s bad, isn’t it?’ Her face crumpled. ‘It’s all my fault. I didn’t realise how bad it was. I should have done something sooner.’
Laura shook her head. ‘You haven’t done anything wrong, Mrs Watkins. You must believe that.’
She grimaced inwardly. Much as it troubled her to admit it, it looked as though Nick had been right. The woman did blame herself, and it should be a lesson to Laura that she took too much for granted. She still had a lot to learn.
‘Lewis had treatment for his chest infection,’ Laura explained, ‘but the bacteria were aggressive and resistant. There was nothing you could have done about that.’
She gave the woman a reassuring smile. ‘We’re going to give Lewis much stronger antibiotics than those that he had before,’ she said. ‘We’ll be giving them intravenously so that we can do everything in our power to beat this infection. We’re expecting him to recover completely, but it will take a while, possibly a few weeks.’
‘Will he have to stay in hospital?’
Laura nodded. ‘Yes. Just for a week or so, until we’re sure that he’s on the mend. After that, as soon as he’s well enough he should be able to go on with the drug therapy at home.’
‘Can I see him?’
‘Yes, of course you can. You can stay with him as much as you like. I’m going to set up his intravenous line right now if you want come with me.’ Looking closely at the anxious woman, she added reassuringly, ‘We’ll soon have him feeling better.’
‘Thank you. I know that you’re doing all you can for him. It’s just that he’s so young…he’s all that I have.’
‘I’m confident that we’ve caught this in time,’ Laura said softly. ‘Come and see him. You’ll be able to cheer him up.’
Laura was kept busy for the rest of the afternoon, and thankfully managed to keep out of Nick’s way. She didn’t want him breathing down her neck, watching her every move. It wasn’t as though he singled her out for attention—he kept firm control over everything that went on in A and E—but she found his presence unnerving. It was bad enough that he hadn’t wanted her on his team, and his ongoing disagreements with her father were an additional irritation.
She wondered how her father was coping. He hadn’t been well, and she had been concerned about him all day. Now that things had quietened down again, she could go and see him.
His office was on the next floor and, approaching it, she saw his door begin to open. She slowed her pace a little. If her father was at his desk, and free, she would pop her head round the door and say hello.
Instead, she heard the sound of a voice clipped in anger, and her heart sank.
‘No, David, I don’t see your point at all,’ Nick was saying. ‘In fact, you can take it from me that this is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s a lot that can be done to make the department run more smoothly and efficiently, and I’ve a number of ideas as to how we can make the place more user friendly. I don’t accept that it can’t be done, and if I were in charge of the department I would be on your case every day. As it is, I’ll make sure Tom Edwards knows what I think.’
Laura drew in a sharp breath. It was a good thing that the general public didn’t use this corridor. It wouldn’t have been helpful for them to hear the argument that was going on. She hesitated, not wanting to eavesdrop but not knowing what she should do. She had come to talk to her father, and it looked as though his meeting with Nick was about to come to an end. There was hardly any point in retracing her steps.
‘I’m sure that Tom already knows what needs to be done,’ her father responded shortly. ‘As the consultant in charge, I imagine that he wants to see changes every bit as much as you do.’
He paused. ‘Look, Nick, I do agree with you that we need to run the department in an effective manner. I know how important these things are, and what you’re saying is reasonable enough, but it’s a question of priorities. A lot of the time the X-ray machine that we have is left idle—evenings and weekends, for instance, when the outpatient departments are closed. Surely you must see that?’
‘What I see is that patients are vulnerable,’ Nick said firmly.
Laura stepped away from the door and began to examine the scene from the nearby window, but she could still hear what was being said.
‘I don’t think you appreciate the problems we have to deal with, Nick.’ Her father’s tone was curt. ‘I’m made to account for hospital expenditure the whole time. We’re overstretched as it is, and we have to make careful decisions as to what can be put in place.’
‘That isn’t my concern. My priority is the well-being of the patients.’
‘Even so, you should be aware of the wider picture. Just keeping up with maintenance can be a minefield. Take the MRI machine as an example…it’s a hugely expensive piece of equipment to maintain, and we’re already paying people to man it for extra hours. There’s a long waiting list of people needing MRI scans. Whenever the machine breaks down we have to get it fixed and back in action as a matter of urgency, or even more patients would be left vulnerable. We have to weigh one thing against another, and make decisions accordingly.’