Dear Reader

I’m sure a lot of people have skeletons in their cupboards, scandals that affect their families, or things they might have done long ago that they regret when they’re a bit older and wiser.

And that set me to wondering … What would happen if my heroine’s former indiscretions came back to haunt her? And how would she cope if those transgressions promised to ruin her career and maybe destroy her chance of happiness with the man she loves?

Well, to find out what happens you’ll need to read all about Ellie and James and their troubled path to true love.

Happy reading!

Joanna

When JOANNA NEIL discovered Mills & Boon®, her lifelong addiction to reading crystallised into an exciting new career writing Mills & Boon® Medical Romance™. Her characters are probably the outcome of her varied lifestyle, which includes working as a clerk, typist, nurse and infant teacher. She enjoys dressmaking and cooking at her Leicestershire home. Her family includes a husband, son and daughter, an exuberant yellow Labrador and two slightly crazed cockatiels. She currently works with a team of tutors at her local education centre, to provide creative writing workshops for people interested in exploring their own writing ambitions.

Cursed from an early age with a poor sense of direction and a propensity to read, Annie Claydon spent much of her childhood lost in books. After completing her degree in English Literature, she indulged her love of romantic fiction and spent a long, hot summer writing a book of her own. It was duly rejected and life took over. A series of U-turns led in the unlikely direction of a career in computing and information technology, but the lure of the printed page proved too much to bear, and she now has the perfect outlet for the stories which have always run through her head, writing Medical Romance™ for Mills & Boon®. Living in London, a city where getting lost can be a joy, she has no regrets for having taken her time in working her way back to the place that she started from.

Sheltered by Her
Top-Notch Boss

Joanna Neil

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

Before you start reading, why not sign up?

Thank you for downloading this Mills & Boon book. If you want to hear about exclusive discounts, special offers and competitions, sign up to our email newsletter today!

SIGN ME UP!

Or simply visit

signup.millsandboon.co.uk

Mills & Boon emails are completely free to receive and you can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send you.

Table of Contents

Cover

About the Author

Title Page

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

ELLIE SHIFTED RESTLESSLY on the barstool, crossing one long, elegant leg over the other. How much longer would it be before she could decently slip away from here? She cradled a cocktail glass between her fingers and watched her friends enjoying themselves. She was the only one out of kilter here.

The party was in full swing, the heavy beat of music drowning out the buzz of conversation, though every now and again a burst of laughter broke through the din. Some people were on the dance floor, and everyone seemed contented, eager to let their hair down.

If only she could feel the same way. She’d had an awful day, though, and she desperately wanted it to end. This was the last place she needed to be.

‘I’m glad you managed to get here tonight after all,’ Lewis said, moving closer. ‘I know you had to work late today.’ His hazel eyes were warm as he gazed at her. An errant lock of brown, wavy hair fell across his forehead.

She nodded and made an effort to put on a cheerful expression. But how much more small talk could she make? She’d spent the last hour doing that, and all the while she’d been hoping for the chance to say goodbye and leave the party relatively unnoticed, some time soon.

‘I had to try,’ she said. ‘I know how keen Zoe was to have us all come to her celebration.’ She smiled, seeing her friend circle the room, chatting to people who’d been her colleagues for the last few years. ‘I’ll miss her, but I’m glad she managed to get the promotion she wanted. It’s just sad that she’ll be moving away from here.’

‘Well, she’s only going as far as the next county—I dare say she’ll be coming back to Cheshire to visit us every now and again.’

‘Yes, I suppose you’re right.’ She drained the last of her drink and then said, ‘I haven’t seen your wife here tonight. Couldn’t she make it?’

Lewis shook his head and looked uncomfortable. ‘She … uh … had to go to another do. A family thing.’ His voice trailed off, and just as Ellie was absorbing that, Zoe came over to them.

Ellie’s eyes widened a fraction as she glanced at the man who accompanied her. His brooding gaze wandered over her in turn, and there was something about him that caused a frisson of awareness to shiver down her spine. Did she know him from somewhere? Snatches of memory flickered through her mind and dissolved as fast as they had come into being.

But how could she have forgotten him? He was tall, and exceptionally good-looking, wearing an immaculate dark suit. Peeping out from beneath his jacket sleeves, the cuffs of his shirt were pristine, fastened with stylish gold cuff links. But the feeling remained, niggling at the outer edges of her consciousness. She felt strangely uneasy.

‘Ellie, I must introduce you to James,’ Zoe said, bubbling with enthusiasm, her blonde hair quivering with every small movement she made. ‘He’s taking over from me at the hospital—honestly, I’m already regretting taking the new job. Would you credit it? Just as I’m leaving, he turns up?’ She rolled her eyes in an ‘Isn’t he to die for?’ kind of way, and James laughed, a soft, rumbling sound coming from the back of his throat.

He looked at Ellie, appreciation sparking in his smoke-grey eyes before he tilted his head in acknowledgement to Lewis.

‘It’s good to meet you, Ellie,’ James said, his voice a deep, satisfying murmur that whispered along her nerve endings and turned her insides to jelly.

‘Likewise.’

‘I understand you work with Lewis?’

She nodded. ‘We’re in different departments, but we’re both at the hospital. I’m a registrar in A and E.’

Ellie studied him from under her lashes. She could see what Zoe meant. He had the kind of looks that had her stomach doing peculiar flips, despite her initial misgivings about him, while her senses were falling over each other as they clamoured for attention.

He was gorgeous, there was no doubt about it. He had black hair, beautiful grey eyes and perfectly proportioned, angular features, along with a body that was lithe and muscular, radiating energy. Even in her present unhappy state of mind she managed to register all those things.

James turned to Lewis. ‘Hi,’ he said. ‘Are you and Jessica still coming over to the house this weekend?’

‘Yes, we are.’

‘Good. We’ll look forward to seeing you there.’

Lewis nodded. ‘James is my cousin,’ he explained to Ellie. ‘He’s always taken it on himself to watch out for me. I lost my parents when I was in my teens, you see, and his father took me in.’

‘Ah, I see.’ She hesitated. ‘I’m sorry to hear about your parents, I never knew that. I guess there must be a strong bond between you and your cousin because of that—you’re a bit like brothers, I suppose?’

‘That’s right.’

‘I make sure he stays on the straight and narrow,’ James said with a smile. ‘Though I’ve been away for a while and perhaps I need to catch up with the latest news. I’d no idea he was working with such a beautiful woman.’

Seeing their absorption with one another, Zoe gave a satisfied smile and walked away from them, taking a reluctant Lewis along with her. ‘I want you to meet a friend of mine,’ she told him.

Ellie set her empty glass down on the bar and glanced at James. ‘I thought I caught a glimpse of you earlier,’ she murmured. Even then, she’d been on edge without knowing why. Perhaps it was all down to the horrible day she’d had.

He smiled. ‘Same here. I saw you come over to the bar a few minutes ago. The truth is,’ he confided, ‘I’ve been badgering Zoe to introduce us ever since.’ His glance wandered over her, drifting down over the dress that clung where it touched, over her long, silk-clad legs, still crossed at the knee, and came back up to linger on the mass of burnished chestnut curls that lightly brushed her shoulders.

Her skin heated as though it had been licked by flame. No man had ever had this effect on her, turning her body to fire with a single glance.

She struggled to get control of herself, and then looked at him once more. Perhaps she knew him from seeing him around the hospital?

‘I heard you’ve already started working in A and E,’ she said, ‘but I don’t think we’ve actually met before this, have we? Somehow, I had the feeling …’ She added quickly, ‘It gets so busy in the emergency unit, I don’t always have the opportunity to meet up with new people straight away.’

‘I’ve been working the night shift,’ he answered, ‘getting to know the lie of the land. Officially, my job as consultant doesn’t start for a couple of days.’ He studied her once more. ‘I feel I do know you already, though. I often watch your TV programme—Your Good Health.’ He gave her a crooked smile, and there was a mischievous glint in his eye.

‘I have to tell you, you’re my very favourite TV presenter—you look terrific both on and off camera, and you make medicine seem like child’s play. I imagine every red-blooded male who watches the programme secretly yearns for you to be there to mop his brow.’

She laughed. ‘I very much doubt that, but thank you anyway. I enjoy doing the show. It makes a change from A and E and I hope I might be doing some good, maybe helping people to look after themselves.’

‘I’m sure what you do is extremely useful.’ He looked at her empty glass. ‘Can I get you a refill?

She shook her head. ‘Actually, I was just about to leave. It’s been a long day, one way and another. I think I’ll ring for a taxi.’

‘You’re not enjoying the party?’ He frowned. ‘I wondered if there was something amiss when I saw you earlier. You seemed preoccupied, a little despondent maybe? Is it something you want to talk about?’

‘Not really.’ She eased herself off the barstool, pulling down the hem of her dress and smoothing the material over her hips. His gaze followed the movement of her hands and she said huskily, ‘There’s no reason for me to spoil your evening by involving you in my problems. I’ve had a difficult day and I should never have come here, but I didn’t want to let Zoe down.’

‘I understand.’ He frowned. ‘I’m sorry you’re feeling that way. Maybe I could see you home? I have my car outside. Whereabouts do you live?’

‘Ashleigh Meadows, but I don’t want to put you out. I’ll be fine, really. You should stay and enjoy the party.’

‘That’s okay. It’s no trouble. I didn’t intend to stay long anyway.’ He glanced at the gold watch on his wrist. ‘I have to be on duty at the hospital in just over an hour, and Ashleigh Meadows is on my way.’

‘Oh, I see.’ She hesitated. It wouldn’t hurt to accept his offer, would it? ‘Well, in that case, okay. Thanks.’ She glanced quickly around the room. ‘I’d better take a minute to go and say goodbye to Zoe.’

He nodded and went with her, and a few minutes later they were both sitting in his luxuriously upholstered car, with the air-conditioning switched on and soft music coming from the CD player. She gave him directions to her house, and after driving for a few minutes James turned the car onto the Ashleigh Road. Ellie sat back, lulled by the soft purr of the engine, trying to relax and let the music soothe her battered soul.

James slanted her an oblique look. ‘Are you sure you don’t want to tell me about it? Whatever it was, it seems to have made a powerful impact on you. Was it personal or something that happened in A and E?’

Her first instinct was to stay closed up and keep things to herself. She certainly wasn’t going to tell him her worries about her brother and his constant battle with debt. Noah had phoned her first thing that morning, worried about the way things were going with his finances. She loved her younger brother and would do anything she could to help him out, but his situation troubled her.

But as to the other problem—what was the point in keeping it to herself after all? No one could make it better, but perhaps talking it over with a colleague might help her to come to terms with what happened.

She gave a shuddery sigh. ‘A patient died,’ she told him. ‘I know it happens from time to time, and as doctors we should be able to deal with it, but this was someone I knew—the aunt of an old schoolfriend of mine. I knew her quite well and it was such a terrible shock when she died. It was upsetting that I couldn’t save her. I kept asking myself if I did everything possible.’

His brow creased in sympathy. ‘I’m sorry. It must have been terrible for you to go through that, especially with someone you knew.’ He turned off the main road and the car’s headlights picked out the country lane, stretched out like a ribbon before them, throwing the overgrown hedgerows on either side into deep shadow.

She nodded. ‘But it was worse for Amelia. Her aunt virtually brought her up, and she was devastated when she died.’ She hesitated, her voice dropping to a hoarse whisper. ‘She blames me for letting it happen.’

He exhaled sharply. ‘You mustn’t take it to heart. It’s the shock—sometimes people just can’t accept it when a loved one dies. They say and do things while they’re emotionally upset and often come to regret it afterwards. I’m sure you did everything you could for your friend’s aunt.’

Ellie winced. ‘I’m afraid Mel doesn’t see it that way. Perhaps if she knew me better she might have more confidence in me, but we lost touch after we left school and moved in different circles.’ She frowned, thinking back over what had happened. ‘She thinks I should have changed her aunt’s medication and sent her for surgery, but I’m not sure if there was anything I could have done to change the outcome.’

‘What was wrong with her aunt?’ He slowed the car as a cluster of houses came into view, yellow points of light illuminating the village in the darkness.

‘There was an inflammation around her heart. She was brought to A and E in a state of collapse, with severe chest pain and breathlessness. I put her on oxygen and monitored her vital signs, did blood tests and sent her for a CT scan, as well as echocardiography.’ She sucked in a breath.

‘The tests showed that she had an acute bacterial infection that had caused the pericardium to become congested with purulent matter. I put her on strong antibiotics and started to drain the pericardial fluid, but in the end her heart simply stopped.’ Her voice choked. ‘I think her age and general frailty worked against her. Her heart couldn’t take the strain.’

‘And you explained all that to your friend?’

She nodded. ‘Yes, but I don’t know whether she took it all in. I fetched her a cup of tea and sat with her for a while, and tried to explain, but it was as though she was frozen. She seemed not to hear what I said. She was upset and angry at the same time.’

He pressed his lips together in a grim line. ‘It happens that way sometimes.’

‘I suppose so.’ She looked out of the window as the cottages drew near. ‘Mine’s the old farmhouse,’ she told him. ‘Turn next left, and it’s at the end of the track.’

A short time later he pulled the car up on the gravelled drive outside the brick-built house. A lantern in the wide, slate-roofed porch gave off a welcoming glow, highlighting the ivy-covered walls and the tidy front garden.

‘Judging from what I can see by the light of the moon, you have a very attractive place here,’ James commented.

Ellie nodded. ‘I’m glad you like it. I’d had my eye on it for a while, and when it came on the market I jumped at the chance to buy.’ She gave a wry smile. ‘It needed a lot of renovation, so at least it was within my budget. I like it because it’s not crowded out by other properties—there’s just the converted barn across the courtyard at the back of the house.’

She paused then asked hesitantly, ‘Do you have time to come in for a coffee before your shift starts? I could give you a quick look inside, if you like.’ She’d only just met him, but he had a warm and sympathetic manner, and she wanted to be with him just a little bit longer.

‘That would be great, thanks. I like these old farmhouse cottages—they have a lot of character.’

‘That’s how I feel, too.’ She slid out of the car, leaving its comforting warmth for the coolness of the summer evening, and together they walked to the front door. ‘Though cottage is perhaps a bit of a misnomer—it’s quite cosy inside, but there are two storeys.’

The door opened into a large entrance hall, and she led the way from there to the kitchen, where James admired the golden oak beams and matching oak units.

‘This was the first room I renovated,’ she said, spooning freshly ground coffee into the percolator. ‘The beams were dark with age, so I had them cleaned up and then picked out cupboards to go with the new, lighter colour.’

James nodded. ‘They make the room look warm and homely.’ His gaze went to the gleaming range cooker that she’d lovingly restored and which had pride of place in her kitchen. ‘That must help heat up the kitchen.’

She nodded. ‘It does. I love it—I spend lots of time experimenting with new recipes—it’s kind of a hobby. Cooking helps me to unwind.’ She smiled. ‘Though I live here on my own, so I often have to share what I’ve made with the family across the way … the people who live in the converted barn.’

He looked her over, amusement sparking in his eyes, and once again she experienced that odd feeling of familiarity, as though she knew him from somewhere in the past, but once again the circumstances eluded her.

‘You cook as well?’ he said. ‘Wow. Fortune’s following me around today—I must have stumbled on my dream woman!’

She chuckled. ‘I wouldn’t get too carried away, if I were you—I didn’t say I was any good at it.’

He laughed, and while the percolator simmered, she showed him the living/dining room that was tacked on to one end of the open plan kitchen. ‘I had the wall taken down,’ she said, ‘to make the place seem bigger. I was a bit worried it might not work out too well.’

‘I don’t think that’s a problem at all.’ He stood close to her as they surveyed the room, and all she could think about was his nearness, the long line of his strong and lean body, the way his arm inadvertently brushed hers and sent a ripple of heat surging inside her.

He glanced at her, and there was a stillness about him that made her wonder if he’d experienced that same feeling. He seemed distracted for a moment or two and then appeared to force his attention back to the subject in hand.

‘It all seems to work pretty well. The dining area goes on from the kitchen, and the living room is part of the L-shape, which makes it kind of separate. All the rooms benefit from the extra space.’

She nodded, struggling to regain control of herself. ‘That’s what I was hoping for. There’s a small utility room as well, so I have just about everything I need here. I’m really fortunate to have this place, but it’s the extra money from the TV show that funded all the renovations.’

‘I can imagine.’ His mouth made a crooked line. ‘But as an avid fan, I’m convinced you’re worth every penny they pay you. You explain things in a way people can understand, and make the programme lively and interesting at the same time.’

‘I’m glad you think so, but it’s all down to teamwork really. It doesn’t take too long to make the programmes, so it’s worked out pretty well for me, all in all.’ She sent him a quizzical glance. ‘Perhaps it’s something you’d like to try? The producers are always looking for new presenters.’

He shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. I’m busy enough as it is. I’ve enough going on outside medicine to keep me occupied. So time out for a spot of rest and relaxation would be first on my agenda, and I like to spend it on my boat, where I can get away from everything and everyone.’ He sent her an oblique glance, his mouth making a teasing curve. ‘Is there any chance you might want to join me? I could set aside a few days especially for you and we could maybe spend a long, lazy weekend together.’

She gave him an answering smile. ‘That’s a tempting proposition, James, but I’d really have to give it some thought.’ It had definite appeal, but some innate sense made her hold back.

She’d been in relationships before, which had promised so much and then proved to be a huge letdown. Perhaps her background, the disintegration of her family life had made her cautious about expecting too much. ‘We barely know each other, after all.’

‘That could soon be remedied.’

They walked back to the kitchen, and Ellie poured coffee, smiling faintly as the tempting aroma teased her nostrils. Despite her reservations, she liked being with James. She’d been feeling thoroughly down in the dumps and somehow he’d managed to pull her out of the swamp of depression.

She handed him a cup and he added cream and sugar, stirring thoughtfully. ‘So how did you get into the TV business?’ he asked, as they sipped the hot liquid. ‘Were you spotted by a talent scout prowling the emergency unit?’

She laughed. ‘No such luck. I know someone who works at the studios, and she suggested I might like to try it. I’d written a few articles for magazines and made a couple of videos for students that turned out all right, so she thought I might take to it.’

‘And I guess she was right.’

‘Mmm, it seems so.’ She rummaged in the fridge and the cupboard, looking for something to nibble on. ‘Would you like something to eat? Biscuits and cheese, or a slice of quiche maybe?’

He shook his head and took a quick sip of coffee. ‘Not for me, thanks,’ he said, and there was a hint of resignation in his tone. ‘I’m afraid I must be going very soon.’

‘Oh, of course. Okay.’ She felt a pang of disappointment because he was about to leave. They drank their coffees and talked about her TV work for a while longer. Then he put down his cup and started to head towards the door.

‘You said you lead a busy life,’ she murmured as she walked with him. ‘What is it that takes up most of your time outside work?’

‘I help to manage my father’s estate. The manager has taken extended leave to deal with a family crisis in Ireland, so I’ve had to step into the breach in the meantime.’

His father’s estate. She frowned, and all at once alarm bells started to ring faintly inside her head. Memories of her past came flooding back to haunt her, causing a feeling of nausea to start up in her stomach, and she tried to quash the thoughts that were crowding her mind. There wasn’t necessarily anything untoward in what he was saying.

‘His estate?’ she said in a guarded voice. ‘That sounds like something quite involved. What kind of estate is it?’

‘Farming, mostly, with a dairy and creamery on site. There are other things going on there as well—there’s an orchard, and a lake where people can go to fish.’ He glanced at her, as though gauging her reaction. ‘My father isn’t too well at the moment, so he’s finding it difficult to oversee things. He tried to get someone to take over the management on a temporary basis, but that hasn’t worked out so I’ve had to get involved.’

‘You’re talking about Lord Birchenall’s estate, aren’t you?’ She said it in a hoarse whisper, while the blood drained from her face. ‘You’re his son?’

‘That’s right.’ He studied her, his expression solemn. ‘Does it matter?’

‘I thought there was something about you—that I knew you from somewhere. I just never dreamt …’ She pulled in a shaky breath and then looked up, her gaze meeting his. ‘You’ve changed. You’re so much more …’ She broke off. The gangly youth she remembered was gone.

This man was muscled, toned, his features etched by the trials and tribulations of the years that had passed. ‘I don’t suppose you remember me?’ He’d headed off to medical school when she had been around thirteen or fourteen years old. Why would he have given her a second thought?

‘Of course I do. It was a long while ago, and you’ve filled out in all the right places, but how could I forget you, Ellie? You were always up to something, climbing trees, camping out in the woods. I watched out for you, in case you landed yourself in a scrape.’

He’d watched out for her? She cast that thought to one side. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you knew who I was all along?’ A flash of bitter defiance shot through her, making her green eyes spark with anger. ‘You should have said something right at the start, when Zoe introduced us.’

‘And lose the chance of talking to you?’ His dark brows lifted. ‘I may be many things, Ellie, but I’m not a fool.’

‘No, you’re Lord Birchenall’s son—and you’ve been brought up to believe in his values and everything he stands for.’

‘And what would those be, Ellie?’

‘That all that matters is his own comfort, his own perfectly organised way of life.’ She bit out the words through clenched teeth as she gave vent to her feelings of resentment and betrayal. ‘Nothing must get in the way of his wellbeing, must it? Woe betide any hapless worker who falls foul of Lord Birchenall.’

‘Aren’t you being a little melodramatic?’

She gasped. ‘How can you say that to me? My father was Lord Birchenall’s estate manager for a dozen or more years until your father sacked him and threw him off his land. We lost everything … the house that went with the job, our livelihood, our unity as a family.’

‘I know that must have been a tremendous blow to you, but are you so sure your father didn’t bring it on himself? I remember my father being angry, at the end of his tether. Things had not been running smoothly, there were glitches, problems. I don’t know all the reasons why it happened, Ellie, but I’m sure my father wouldn’t have acted without due cause.’

‘And you didn’t care what became of his family afterwards?’

‘That’s not true. I did care. But I went away to medical school around about that time, and I didn’t know what went on after I left. I asked my father what happened to you and he said you’d moved to a house in the village.’

She opened the front door and stood to one side to let him pass.

‘What else could we do? We had to move in with friends for the first few months. He ruined our lives, that’s what happened.’ She pressed her lips together to hold back the anger that was taking hold of her. ‘I’d hoped I could put it behind me after all these years, but now it’s come flooding back with a vengeance.’

She stiffened, bracing her shoulders, and her gaze locked with his. ‘You should go,’ she said.

He stepped outside into the porch, and then turned to face her once more. ‘I’m sorry you feel this way. It was all a long time ago. Maybe it’s time for you to let it go.’

‘I don’t think that’s possible.’

‘That’s unfortunate.’ He frowned, studying her face in the moonlight. ‘Goodnight, Ellie.’ He nodded briefly and then strode across the gravelled drive to his car.

She watched him go. She’d thought the day couldn’t get any worse …

CHAPTER TWO

‘THANKS FOR THIS, Ellie.’ Noah folded the cheque Ellie had given him and slid it into his wallet. ‘I’ll pay you back as soon as I can, I promise.’

Her brother looked earnest, his youthful features lit with relief. ‘It’s just that things are difficult for me right now, with the magazine closing down—it was my best source of income. But I’ll make a go of this freelance work, I know I will.’

‘I’m sure you will, eventually.’ Ellie finished off the last slice of toast and brushed the crumbs from her fingers. It was worrying, the way things had been going for him lately. They’d been through a lot together, and she’d always looked out for him. If only there was some way she could help him get out of this mess.

‘Perhaps you could look for something a bit more secure in the meantime? There must be some regular jobs in photography—in advertising, maybe, or even something like illustrating medical books. I know it’s not what you’re used to.’

He pulled a face, his hazel eyes troubled. ‘I’ll try, honestly I will—I know I need to sort something out. I’ve spent the whole weekend looking for alternatives. But photojournalism’s what I’m really interested in.’

She nodded, and began to clear away the breakfast dishes. ‘Did you want any more tea, or shall I empty the pot?’

‘I’m fine, thanks. I should go and try to appease the landlord.’ He patted the wallet in his pocket. ‘This will keep him off my back for a while at least.’

‘And I must get ready for work.’ Her green eyes clouded momentarily and Noah gave her a thoughtful look. ‘Is something wrong? You don’t look too happy about that. I thought you loved your work?’

‘I do … mostly.’ Her patient’s death still haunted her, and the whole episode with Mel’s unsettling reaction had thrown her off balance somehow. It would take her some time to get back into her stride.

But that wasn’t it.

‘The new consultant’s starting work today.’ She winced. ‘I met him at Zoe’s party—turns out he’s Lord Birchenall’s son.’

‘Birchenall?’ Noah bit out the word with distaste. ‘No wonder you’re out of sorts. I thought we’d seen the last of that family.’ He frowned. ‘Perhaps I should have guessed. I read in the paper that he was back home to take care of his father—the old man is suffering from some kind of heart condition, apparently.’

‘Is he? James said he was unwell, but he didn’t go into detail.’

‘James? You’re on first-name terms with him?’ Noah’s lips tightened. ‘I wish you didn’t have to deal with him at all. How do we know it won’t turn out to be like father, like son? You could go along with him thinking everything’s fine, and then when something goes wrong you find he’s turned against you. It’s all in the genes.’

‘You could be right,’ she acknowledged thoughtfully. ‘We’ll see. I suppose I’ll just have to be cautious around him until I get to know him better.’

‘Yeah, well, it’s a pity you have to know him at all. I’m sorry you’ve ended up having to work with him.’ He frowned. ‘I’d better go. Thanks for breakfast, and good luck.’

‘You, too.’

After he’d gone, Ellie finished tidying the kitchen and glanced at the clock on the wall. It was about time for her to set off for work, but just as she reached for her jacket, the doorbell rang.

‘Lily.’ Ellie was startled to see her neighbour standing there. Lily was heavily pregnant, and right now she looked flushed and her breathing was fast, making her struggle to drag air into her lungs. Her face appeared a little puffy, and when Ellie glanced down at her hands, she saw that there was some swelling there, too. Her brown curls were faintly damp around her face, and Ellie became increasingly concerned. ‘Are you all right? Is it the baby? Are you having contractions?’

Lily shook her head. ‘No, but I have to go to hospital—the ambulance will be here any minute. The midwife sent for it. I have a terrible headache, and my ankles are swollen. She said something about hypertension and pre-eclampsia—she thinks they’ll keep me in for a few days.’

‘I’m so sorry, Lily.’ Ellie put a comforting arm around her. ‘Do you want to sit down? Shall I get you a chair?’

Lily shook her head. ‘No, thanks. But I do need to ask a big favour.’ She gave her a worried look.

‘It’s okay. Anything. What is it? What can I do for you?’

‘It’s Jayden—he’s at nursery school right now, and my friend will pick him up and look after him after school, but I wondered, just in case they do keep me in, if you would have him stay with you for the next few nights? I know it’s an awful lot to ask, but Harry’s away in Switzerland, trying to sort out some problems with the company, and my parents are on holiday abroad. I don’t know what else to do.’

Ellie thought about the small guest bedroom upstairs. She’d have to bump up the heating in there and get in a few provisions to satisfy a four-year-old’s diet, but otherwise there shouldn’t be a problem. ‘That’s okay. I can do that for you. I’ll be glad to help. And Jayden often comes here to see me, so he’s used to being around the place. Don’t worry about it. Just concentrate on getting yourself well again.’

‘Oh, thanks, Ellie,’ Lily said in a relieved tone. ‘I don’t know what I’d have done without you. Here, have my key—you’ll need to pick up some clothes for Jayden and some of his toys.’ An anxious look crossed her face. ‘He always takes his teddy to bed with him. He won’t sleep without it.’

‘I’ll make sure he has it. Rest easy, and take care of yourself.’

The midwife came to help Lily back to her house across the courtyard as the ambulance arrived, and Ellie went with them, waving her neighbour goodbye before setting off for the hospital. It was worrying, seeing her in that situation, but at least the paramedics were with her and would take care of her.

The A and E department was busy as usual when she arrived there a short time later. She’d had a weekend away from work and she found she was apprehensive coming back to it, a little bit uneasy about dealing with patients who were very ill, after her experience with her friend’s aunt. Although she felt she’d followed the correct procedures, her confidence had been badly shaken by Mel’s outburst. It was difficult getting back into the fray, but after an hour or so she had more or less settled into the routine and her anxiety eased a little.

From time to time she caught sight of James, working with the most seriously ill patients, and she did her very best to steer clear of him. In a way she was regretting her outburst the other night, because he hadn’t done anything to deserve her wrath. It was just his family connection that had thrown her into a state of shock.

But she had to put all that aside if she was to do her job properly. Just now she was tending a young woman who’d fallen from a horse. Until the accident the girl had been enjoying a holiday at a pretty lakeside resort nearby, but her fall meant she’d ended up in the emergency unit, being treated for a broken arm.

‘That was unfortunate, wasn’t it, Natalie?’ Ellie murmured. ‘But the good news is that the X-ray shows a straightforward break. We’ll re-align the bones for you under anaesthetic and then immobilise them with a cast. We should soon have you feeling more comfortable.’

‘Thanks.’ Natalie pulled a face. ‘I guess that’s put an end to my horse riding for a while.’

‘I’m afraid so. It’ll probably take six or eight weeks to heal, and you should be careful with it in the meantime. So …’ she smiled ‘… I’d avoid abseiling or water-skiing for the time being.’

The girl laughed. ‘I’ll bear that in mind.’

Ellie left her with a nurse while she went to type up her notes on the computer. After a moment or two as she sat at the desk, she became aware of someone approaching, and looked up to see James coming to stand beside her. Her whole body tensed.

He was immaculately turned out, having discarded the scrubs he’d been wearing earlier and replaced them with a dark, expertly tailored suit and a crisp linen shirt that gave him an aura of authority. He wore a subtly patterned tie that picked out the colour of his smoke-grey eyes.

Maybe he was dressed this way because he had a meeting to attend. Either way, Ellie found his nearness extremely distracting. It unsettled her. She didn’t want to be aware of him, especially not as a virile, energetic and powerful man.

‘How are things going?’ he asked. His expression was serious, his eyes cool and watchful. ‘Are you getting back into the swing of things? I know it must have been difficult for you. I noticed you were a little hesitant at first when you were dealing with patients.’

Her eyes widened. Had he feared she wouldn’t be able to cope? She stiffened.

‘I’m fine,’ she answered. ‘There’s no problem, none at all.’

‘Hmm. You must tell me if things change.’ He looked doubtful, and she guessed he thought she was covering up. ‘After all, it’s my job to see to the welfare of the staff, as well as the patients. I don’t want you to feel that you must struggle on your own.’

‘As I said, I don’t foresee any difficulties.’ If she’d known who he was the other night, she would never have admitted her worries to him. It had been a bad mistake. No doubt from now on he’d be watching her like a hawk.

She turned her attention back to the screen in front of her. With any luck, he might take the hint and leave her to get on with her work.

But things definitely weren’t going her way. Instead, he sat down on the edge of the table and out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of his long legs, the material of his trousers stretched tautly over his strong thighs. Disconcerted, she quickly averted her gaze.

Her fingers tapped jerkily at the keypad, and she realised straight away she’d made mistakes so that she had to delete what she’d just typed.

‘Um, was there something else?’ she queried. Having him so close jangled her nerves.

He inclined his head. ‘I think you and I have some unfinished business,’ he said quietly. ‘I know you feel a lot of resentment towards me and my family, and I’m concerned that might be a problem for us at work.’

‘I … I’m sure we can both act in a professional manner towards one another,’ she said. ‘Perhaps I was wrong in extending your father’s actions to you, but I can’t simply forget what happened, as you suggested. My parents’ marriage fell apart because of it. My mother blamed my father for losing his job and making us all homeless.’

‘Your mother felt that way, and yet you still put the blame on my father for letting him go?’ His gaze was quizzical, those dark eyes studying her and taking in the slightest hint of vulnerability.

Her chin lifted in defiance. ‘I think there were reasons why my father acted the way he did. He’s a good man, and he always took a lot of pride in doing his job well. When things started to go wrong, your father should have talked to him a bit more and tried to get to the bottom of what was going on with him.’

James was sceptical. ‘It doesn’t seem as if your mother had much faith in her husband, so why should my father have been any different?’

Her eyes narrowed. ‘My mother suffered from depression. She was always a difficult person to live with. She was so wrapped up in her woes that she left me and my brother to fend for ourselves. We took care of one another, and did pretty much as we pleased, but through all that my father was the cement that kept us all together. That is, until he …’

‘Until he lost the plot.’ He stood up. ‘I’m sorry, Ellie. I know how much you must love him, but you’re making excuses for his behaviour and taking your resentment out on my family. You need to get things straightened out in your head.’

‘Do I?’ Her gaze was frosty. ‘I believe my father was ill. That’s why he appeared to change and became lax in his work where before he had been a perfectionist. But nobody seemed to care enough about him to find out what was going on.’

She stood up as her pager bleeped. ‘I’m afraid you’ll have to excuse me. I have a patient coming in.’

She was annoyed with herself as she walked away. How could she have lost her temper that way? Surely she could have handled things better? And now, instead of smoothing the way towards a better working relationship, she’d probably set them off on a course of downright antagonism.

She had to force that to the back of her mind, though, and concentrate on answering her pager. She couldn’t let her personal life interfere with her work.

Her patient was a pregnant woman who was bleeding heavily. ‘She was out shopping when she collapsed,’ the nurse told her. ‘She’s very shaken up. She’s thirty-three weeks. Her heart rate is very fast and her blood pressure’s dropping way too low.’

‘Thanks, Olivia. Let’s get a couple of intravenous lines in before she goes into shock—and we need to set up foetal monitoring.’

‘I’ll do that right away.’ The nurse hurried to fetch the equipment while Ellie did an ultrasound scan to find out what was causing the problem. ‘I know this is upsetting for you, Phoebe,’ she said gently, ‘but try not to worry.’

Phoebe nodded faintly. Small pearls of perspiration had broken out on her brow, dampening her dark hair, and Ellie gave her a reassuring smile. ‘We’ll take good care of you and your baby.’

A short time later, she turned to the nurse once more. ‘I’m going to call Dr Reynolds for a consultation,’ she said in a low voice. ‘The placenta’s covering the birth canal. It’s come away slightly, and that’s what’s causing the bleeding. We need to admit her and make sure that she rests—that way the bleeding might stop on its own.’

She began to take blood for testing and quickly labelled up the samples for the lab. She was handing them to a porter a few minutes later when Lewis came to join her.

He smiled. ‘Hi, Ellie. It’s good to see you. You have a patient for me?’

‘Yes.’ She returned his smile. ‘I’m glad you’re here, Lewis. It’s reassuring to know you’re around to look after our pregnant ladies.’ She handed him the patient’s file. ‘Phoebe has placenta praevia. I’ve arranged for her to be admitted.’

He glanced at the woman’s notes. ‘Okay, I’ll go and have a look at her.’

He came back to Ellie a few minutes later as she stood by the central desk glancing through reports.

‘We might have to do a Caesarean,’ he said, ‘but I’d prefer to leave it until it’s absolutely necessary to give the baby the very best chance. In the meantime, we’ll put her on steroids to help the foetus’s lungs to mature.’

‘I’ll organise it,’ she said. Remembering her neighbour, she said quietly, ‘Have you admitted a new patient this morning—Lily Harcourt? She’s my neighbour. She would have come in by ambulance, suffering from pre-eclampsia? I wondered how she was doing. With any luck I’ll be able to look in on her some time today, but I’m a bit concerned about her. She didn’t look too good this morning.’

‘She’s your friend?’ Lewis’s dark eyes clouded. ‘I’m sorry, I didn’t know. Yes, she came to my ward. We have her on oxygen, and we’re monitoring her heart and blood pressure. Unfortunately, she had a seizure when she first arrived, but we’re giving her medication to control her blood pressure and also to try to prevent any more convulsions. It’s too early for her to deliver this baby at the moment, so we need to get her condition stabilised.’

Ellie frowned, disturbed by his account. ‘It doesn’t sound good, does it?’

He laid an arm lightly about her shoulders. ‘You shouldn’t worry, Ellie. We’re doing everything we can for her.’

‘I know, I’m sure you are. Thanks, Lewis. Will you keep me updated?’

‘Of course.’ He gave her a quick hug and then headed back to the maternity ward. Ellie watched him go and then glanced across the room and saw James standing by the doorway, his eyes narrowed as he watched her.

How long had he been standing there? He must have seen Lewis put his arm around her, and for some reason he didn’t look at all pleased. Was he bothered in some way about her friendship with his cousin?

She turned away. Why should she be concerned about what he was thinking? He may not have the same temperament as his father, but he obviously had the Birchenalls’ way of taking control and keeping a check on everyone. He’d only been in the job five minutes and he was making sure he knew everything there was to know about the staff. She’d seen him looking at others in that calm, assessing way that seemed natural to him.

She looked in on Lily before she finished her shift, and reassured her that she would take care of her little boy. Her friend still looked slightly flushed and seemed a bit restless, but that was probably because she was worried about her son.

‘We’ll come and see you as soon as the doctor says it’s okay,’ Ellie promised. ‘In fact, I could get him to talk to you on the phone if that will make you feel better?’

‘Oh, it would. Thanks, Ellie.’

‘You’re welcome.’

Ellie drove home, soothed by the beautiful Cheshire countryside, with its wooded hillsides and rolling plains. It helped put her in a relaxed frame of mind, so that for a little while she could forget that James Birchenall was a thorn in her side.

She stopped to pick up Jayden from his friend’s house, and from then on any illusion of peace was shattered.

‘Can we make play dough?’ the four-year-old asked. ‘I liked it when we did that before when I comed to your house.’ He looked at her with shining grey eyes, full of eagerness and expectation.

‘Okay. That sounds like a good idea.’ Ellie remembered the last time, when loose bits of brightly coloured dough had escaped and gone off in all directions. She’d kept on finding bits of it all over the place for a couple of hours afterwards, mainly thanks to it being trampled underfoot by eager young feet. He’d even managed to get it tangled up among the curls in his dark hair.

‘I thought we’d have spaghetti for tea. That’s your favourite, isn’t it?’

‘Mmm. Yes. I always have s’ghetti. Every day.’ He gave her a big-eyed look and she hid a smile.

‘Do you? Really?’

‘Yes.’ He looked away uncertainly, as though he thought she might stop believing him if he held her gaze for too long.

‘Well, we’ll see what we can do. Let’s go and collect your things from your house first and get you settled in.’

‘All right.’

Some time later Ellie helped him to get ready for bed. They’d had a busy time, having fun with play dough, followed by a baking session, and by now she was worn out even if he wasn’t.

‘Mummy always tucks me in,’ he said with a quiver in his voice, as he climbed into bed and looked around the strange room.

‘I know, sweetheart, and I know she wishes she could be here with you now, but you talked to her on the phone, didn’t you? Remember, she said she’ll see you when we go to the hospital?’

He nodded solemnly, his eyes overbright.

‘How about I read you a bedtime story?’ Ellie said. ‘Give teddy a cuddle and slide down under the duvet, and we’ll see what Noddy’s getting up to in his little red car.’

‘Yeah.’

He’d fallen asleep before she finished the story, and Ellie switched off the bedside lamp and crept out of the room.

Downstairs, she cleared away Jayden’s toys and tidied the kitchen, and just as she was thinking about making herself a well-earned cup of coffee, the doorbell rang. She frowned. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Could it be Noah, in more trouble? Feeling apprehensive, she went to the door and found James standing there.

‘Oh … I … um …’

He’d changed out of his suit, into casual, stylish clothes, stone-coloured chinos and a navy long-sleeved shirt, but there was still that air of authority about him. Somehow she sensed he wasn’t there for a social visit. ‘Is something wrong?’

‘In a manner of speaking. Would it be all right if I come in? I don’t mean to disturb you, but I need to talk to you about something and I’d prefer not to do it at the hospital.’

‘Yes, of course.’ He seemed serious, and she was troubled now, wondering what was so important that he’d come to see her at home. ‘We’ll go through to the kitchen and I’ll put the coffee on.’

She led the way and waved him to a chair by the oak and granite topped table. ‘It sounds as though I should be worried,’ she said as she prepared the coffee. ‘What’s happened?’ She put some freshly made fruit scones on a plate and passed it to him. ‘Help yourself. There’s butter and some strawberry jam.’

He looked at the golden-topped scones and smiled. ‘A sample of your home baking? I thought there was a wonderful smell in the kitchen.’ He sent her a quick, appreciative glance. ‘How could I resist? Thanks. I haven’t eaten yet this evening, so these will fill a hole.’

She raised her brows. ‘You’ve not eaten? How did that come about?’

He shrugged. ‘I was busy. I had a difficult case to deal with—a perforated appendix—and there were a couple of meetings I had to attend—one of them straight after my shift finished. It happens like that sometimes.’ He cut a scone in half, spreading butter on each portion, and then added a spoonful of jam.

‘Hmm. Perhaps you could introduce a snacks trolley so staff can grab a bite to eat if they can’t make time to go to the restaurant. It shouldn’t cost much and we could all chip in to fund it.’ She poured coffee and slid a cup towards him. She wasn’t going to sit down. That would be too much like supping with the enemy.

‘That’s a good idea … a very good idea.’ He bit into the scone and for a moment, as he chewed, a look of absorbed bliss came over his face. Ellie’s breath caught in her throat. There was a boyish look about him that tugged at her heart and for a moment or two she floundered. ‘These are delicious,’ he said, smiling his satisfaction.

‘Hmm.’ She pulled herself together and studied him. ‘Does that mean I get to keep my job?’

His brows met in puzzlement and she added, ‘There was something you needed to tell me?’

‘Ah.’ He finished off the scone and swallowed some of the coffee. ‘I wish I didn’t have to tell you this, but …’ He paused. ‘Amelia Holt came into the hospital today and made a formal complaint. She believes her aunt didn’t receive the proper care and attention she needed, resulting in her death.’

‘Oh, no.’ Ellie went pale, and felt for a seat opposite him, sitting down as her legs seemed to give way. ‘I know she was upset, but what does she think I should have done?’

‘She says you should have done a pericardiectomy. She’s obviously been looking things up or talking to someone who knows a bit about medicine.’

‘But that kind of surgery is usually a last resort.’ Her mouth was dry and her heart had suddenly begun to thump heavily against her rib cage. She swallowed hard. ‘Removing the pericardium is a risky procedure, and her aunt’s heart was already weak.’

‘I agree. It wouldn’t have been the first course of action I’d have taken, but we have to acknowledge the complaint, I’m afraid.’

‘So what happens now?’ Ellie’s palms were clammy, and she rubbed them against her jeans. Inside she was shaking.

‘We have to set up a meeting with her to discuss the issue. If she accepts your viewpoint, there won’t be anything more to be said, but if not, we have to take it through an independent review procedure.’

‘All right. I understand. I … I just have to wait and see how … how things …’

He reached for her hand and captured it between his. ‘Ellie, it’s going to be all right. You’ve done nothing wrong.’

‘I know, but …’ The warmth of his caress comforted her, and for a while she lost herself in that gentle, yet firm, grasp. ‘I still …’

‘I’ll go with you to the meeting, if that will help. You don’t need to worry about this. I’m on your side.’

She nodded. ‘Yes. I’d appreciate that. Thank you.’

He held her hand for a while longer, until she seemed to have calmed down. She let out a soft, shuddery sigh.

‘Okay, then,’ he said, gently releasing her. ‘I’ll arrange everything. Don’t think about it again until the meeting.’ His gaze meshed with hers. ‘Promise me you’ll cast it from your mind?’

‘I’ll try.’ In spite of herself, she was already missing that warm embrace. Of course, she should never have let him comfort her—she didn’t want to get close to the man whose father had destroyed her family. And yet …

‘Good. I’m sorry I had to bring bad news.’

She nodded. ‘I suppose we all have troubles to bear.’ She glanced at him. ‘I hear that things aren’t so good for you back home. I know you said your father was unwell, but it’s quite serious, isn’t it?’

‘His heart is failing, so life is difficult for him.’ He braced his shoulders. ‘It’s not as bad as it sounds—as you know, people can live for years with heart failure. It’s more a matter of quality of life that needs to be addressed.’

‘Yes.’ When someone’s heart began to fail, it meant that the heart couldn’t cope with pumping blood around the body, resulting in breathlessness, discomfort and fatigue.

‘Still,’ she said, ‘he must be glad to have you back home. Are you living at the manor house?’

‘I am.’

‘And is that working out all right? You get on well with him, don’t you?’

‘Yes, I do.’ He gave a wry smile. ‘I’m his only son and he’s relying on me to take care of things and secure the family’s heritage.’

She thought about that. ‘I suppose you’ve had your career to keep you busy up till now. Becoming a consultant is a huge step.’

‘It is.’ He might have said something more, except that a small sound alerted them to the fact that they were no longer alone in the kitchen. They turned round.

Jayden stood in the doorway, clutching his teddy bear in the crook of his arm and rubbing his eye sleepily with his free hand. ‘You putted the light out,’ he said accusingly, looking at Ellie. ‘I has to have the light on.’

Ellie hurried over to him and crouched down, bringing herself to his level. ‘Oh, Jayden, sweetheart, I’m sorry.’

She’d turned the lamp out in case the light disturbed him. ‘Let me take you back to bed. I’ll leave your bedroom door open a little and put the hall light on. Will that be all right?’

The little boy nodded, and Ellie took hold of his hand to gently lead him back upstairs. She glanced back at James. ‘I won’t be long.’

‘That’s okay.’ He said it slowly and she saw that he was staring at Jayden in some kind of shock, his eyes wide, and a small frown creased his brow. Then he seemed to get himself together. ‘Actually, uh … no need to rush. I should go. I have to go on to a dinner party.’

‘Oh, I see. Of course … if you must.’

Jayden looked up at him. ‘Who that?’ he asked, holding onto Ellie’s leg for protection as she stood up.

‘I work with him at the hospital,’ she told him quietly.

James made an effort to relax and said with a smile, ‘Hello, Jayden.’

Jayden didn’t answer, but gave him a cautious look from under his lashes.

‘Come on,’ Ellie murmured. ‘Let’s take you back to bed. You have to get up for school in the morning.’ She glanced at James once more. ‘Give me a minute and I’ll see you out.’

‘That’s all right. I can see myself out. You go ahead.’ He walked towards the door. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’

‘All right, then. Bye.’ She couldn’t quite understand the expression on his face, a mixture of disbelief and conjecture, and it was only after James had gone that it finally dawned on her … he thought Jayden was her child. But he’d gone, without giving her a chance to explain.

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.