Taking a risk with the single dad!

Ellie Munroe retreated to the stunning Yorkshire Dales for a brand-new start. Her plans definitely didn’t include developing a crush on her boss, GP Daniel Saunders! Ellie has been burned before, but the handsome single dad tempts her out of sadness...

After being widowed, Daniel believes his heart is more damaged than Ellie deserves. But she awakens a longing that has him wishing for more, and he realizes falling for Ellie could be a risk worth taking!

‘Welcome to The Larches, Eleanor. It’s good to have you on board.’

Ellie felt relief wash over her as she reached for his hand. She had completely misread the situation, it appeared. Daniel wasn’t thinking of rescinding his offer after all. His hand closed around hers and a frisson ran through her when she felt the strength of his fingers envelop hers. For some reason she couldn’t explain, it felt right to have him hold her hand–right and wonderfully reassuring. Even though she knew nothing about him, she felt safe with him. Safe and cherished.

‘It’s good to be here,’ she murmured, quickly withdrawing her hand.

She dredged up a smile, needing to rid her head of such nonsense. Daniel Saunders was her employer: no more and no less than that. He wasn’t going to have any impact on her life outside work...

Dear Reader,

When I had the idea for this book I didn’t realize how much I was going to enjoy writing it–or that it would lead to a whole trilogy set in the Larches GP practice in the Yorkshire Dales!

As soon as Ellie and Daniel appeared on the page they had me hooked. Then, as I built the story around their budding romance, other characters started to clamor to have their stories told as well. It was a real snowball effect, and I hope you get as much pleasure from reading the series as I am writing it.

Both Ellie and Daniel have a lot of baggage when they meet, and they certainly aren’t looking for love. However, they soon discover that it isn’t always possible to do the sensible thing. While they both know it isn’t the right time for them to have a relationship, they simply can’t help themselves–even though they’re sure it can’t last.

Helping them realise that they can find a way around their problems was totally engaging. I agonised over the decisions they made, felt for them when they thought they had to part, and rejoiced when they realised they simply couldn’t live without each other. Some characters are simply meant to be together. Like Ellie and Daniel!

Love,

The Boss Who Stole Her Heart

Jennifer Taylor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

MILLS & BOON

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JENNIFER TAYLOR has written for several different Mills & Boon series, but it wasn’t until she ‘discovered’ Medical Romances that she found her true niche. Jennifer loves the blend of modern romance and exciting medical drama. Widowed, she divides her time between homes in Lancashire and the Lake District. Her hobbies include reading, walking, travelling and spending time with her two gorgeous grandchildren.

Books by Jennifer Taylor

Mills & Boon Medical Romance

Saving His Little Miracle

One More Night with Her Desert Prince...

Best Friend to Perfect Bride

Miracle Under the Mistletoe

The Greek Doctor’s Secret Son

Reawakened by the Surgeon’s Touch

Visit the Author Profile page at millsandboon.co.uk for more titles.

For Leo and the team at Cancer Care, a huge thank you. You really are the best!

Praise for Jennifer Taylor

‘A superbly written tale of hope, redemption and forgiveness, The Son that Changed His Life is a first-class contemporary romance that plumbs deep into the heart of the human spirit and touches the soul.’

—CataRomance

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

Introduction

Dear Reader

Title Page

About the Author

Booklist

Dedication

Praise

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

SHE COULD HAVE been beautiful with that fine clear skin and those huge grey eyes. However, the severely cropped black hair and strictly functional clothing did nothing to enhance her appearance. As he took stock of the woman seated in front of his desk, Daniel Saunders found himself wondering why Eleanor Munroe had failed to make the most of her considerable assets. Was she deliberately trying to disguise her femininity for some reason, playing down the fact that she was a highly attractive woman?

‘Right then, Dr Munroe, we may as well get straight down to business.’

Daniel dismissed that strangely unsettling thought as he picked up her CV. He skimmed through it once more, although he already knew the facts by heart. Dr Eleanor Munroe was thirty-five years old, with a birthday coming up the following month. She had read medicine at Cambridge and graduated with a First Class Honours degree. After completing her rotations at St Linus’s Hospital in London, she had opted to go into general practice and had trained at a busy practice in Kent and subsequently been hired by them too. She had supplied references from the head of the practice and had added a codicil to the bottom of her CV that gave Daniel permission to phone and speak to her referee directly.

Although it was unusual to do that so early in the proceedings, Daniel had taken up the offer and he had to admit that he’d been impressed by what he had heard. According to her former employer, Dr Munroe was above reproach and any practice who hired her would be extremely fortunate to secure her services. It appeared that Eleanor Munroe ticked all the boxes on paper, at least, but he still needed to be sure that they could work together.

‘A most impressive CV, Dr Munroe,’ he said, glancing up. ‘Backed up by the conversation I had with your former colleague. He was highly complimentary and even mentioned that you were in the running for a senior partnership. It makes me wonder why you decided to leave your last post when you were so successful there.’

‘I left for personal reasons, Dr Saunders.’

Her voice was cool, distant even, so Daniel had no idea why the hairs on the back of his neck sprang to attention. He glanced at her CV again, needing a moment to collect himself. He hadn’t felt this aware of a woman in a very long time, not since Camille, his wife, had died, in fact. That it should happen now, and with seemingly so little reason, surprised him. He cleared his throat.

‘I see. So what attracted you to the post here at The Larches? You do understand that it’s only temporary? Beth—Dr Andrews, that is—is planning to return once her maternity leave is over. Barring any unforeseen changes to her plans, she will be back at work next September.’

‘I understand that. It was perfectly clear from your advertisement.’ Eleanor Munroe pinned him with a chilly stare. ‘I wouldn’t have wasted your time or mine by applying for the post if I wasn’t happy with the terms.’

‘Quite so.’ Daniel summoned a smile although he couldn’t help feeling uncomfortable at the frosty rebuke. She certainly wasn’t a pushover, he decided, storing that titbit away for future reference.

‘Right, now we’ve established that, let me tell you about the practice,’ he continued briskly, needing to take control of the proceedings once more. He wasn’t normally indecisive when it came to his work—he was always single-minded and focused. However, Dr Munroe seemed to possess the ability to unsettle him and he wanted to get back on track. ‘The Larches, whilst being a rural practice, is extremely busy, mainly because we cover such a wide area of the Yorkshire Dales. As you will know from our advertisement, as well as the main surgery here in Beesdale we run a branch surgery at Hemsthwaite. Between the two sites we have roughly four and a half thousand patients on our books. So if you thought it would be easier working here than in your previous post then I’m afraid you were mistaken.’

‘I didn’t apply for the job because I thought it would be the easy option,’ Eleanor Munroe said brusquely. ‘On the contrary, I am looking forward to being kept busy should I decide to accept the position.’

Daniel could feel his eyebrows rise and struggled to control them but Dr Munroe’s confidence was more than a little startling. There had been no trace of doubt in her voice that she would be hired, no hint at all that she saw this interview as anything more than a formality. Eleanor Munroe obviously knew her own worth. And what was more, she intended to make sure that everyone else was aware of it too!

* * *

Ellie could feel perspiration trickling down her back. That had come out completely wrong! She knew it wasn’t a given that she would be hired for the job. Despite first-class references and glowing endorsements, there were other factors to consider, the main one being that Dr Saunders needed to be sure they could work together. That seemingly arrogant statement would hardly have endeared her to him, would it? If she could have taken back the words she would have done so, but there was nothing she could do now except brazen it out.

Ellie sat up straighter, curbing the urge to run her hand over her newly short hair. She had never worn her hair so short before but she had decided to make a lot of changes to her life and changing her appearance had been first on her agenda. Once she had sorted out her new hairstyle, she had bagged up all the pretty, feminine dresses, the jewel bright tops, the high-heeled shoes, and given them to a charity shop. Her wardrobe now consisted of serviceable tailored trousers and shirts—neat, tidy, professional. Now that she was concentrating on what she wanted, she didn’t need any more frippery.

‘Well, there’s no doubt that anyone who works here will be kept extremely busy,’ Daniel Saunders said evenly, although Ellie could tell that her comment had been added to the minus column on her score sheet.

She bit back a groan, not wanting him to guess how mortified she felt. She wanted this job—no, not wanted it, needed it. If she moved to Yorkshire it would be the first step towards rebuilding her life. Maybe the future wasn’t going to turn out the way she had thought it would but she intended to have a good life and on her terms too. Even though she’d been betrayed in the worst possible way, she was going to use what had happened to her advantage. She had always been a rather cautious person, preferring to stick to what she knew, but not any more. No, she intended to travel and see something of the world while she furthered her career. Maybe what had happened had been a blow but she would get over it. She was determined about that!

Ellie was so lost in her thoughts that it was a moment before she realised Dr Saunders had asked her a question. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said, feeling the embarrassed colour run up her neck. She hated to be caught unawares. She thrived on order and preferred to be prepared at all times. However, there was something about the man seated opposite that unsettled her.

‘I asked if moving up here would create any problems for you, Dr Munroe.’ Daniel Saunders shrugged, drawing Ellie’s unwilling attention to the width of his shoulders. He was casually dressed in navy chinos and a light blue shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and, despite herself, Ellie couldn’t help noticing how the blue of his shirt brought out the midnight blue of his eyes and highlighted the steel-grey streaks at his temples before she forced her mind away from such nonsense.

‘Problems?’ she repeated uncertainly. ‘In which way, Dr Saunders?’

‘You may need to consider someone else’s views. It’s a long way from Kent to Yorkshire and a lot of people might not be happy about relocating so far away.’

‘I don’t need to consider anyone else, I assure you.’ Ellie sat up straighter, annoyed that he should have asked her a question like that. Maybe she should have let it go but, after what had happened recently, it stung. She glared at him. ‘So if you’re trying to find out if I have a husband or a partner who might object then I consider it a blatant infringement of my rights. I think you will find that no prospective employer has the right to discriminate against a female employee on such grounds.’

‘I’m sure that’s correct, Dr Munroe. However, to set your mind at rest, it’s a question I would ask any potential employee. Male or female.’

His tone was as hard as flint and Ellie realised with a sinking heart that she had completely blotted her copybook now. No way was he going to offer her the job after this. Pushing back her chair, she stood up, wanting to bring the interview to a conclusion before she did something unforgivable. She hadn’t cried, not even when she had found her fiancé in bed with one of their colleagues that day. She had held onto her composure throughout it all, right through the apologies and the ever more elaborate excuses. She hadn’t even lost it when Michael had tried to blame her for his behaviour yet, for some reason, at that moment she could have stood there and wept.

‘I apologise. I should never have said that. It was completely out of order. Thank you for seeing me, Dr Saunders. I hope you find someone suitable to fill the post.’ Ellie swung round and headed towards the door. She knew it was directly behind her but she couldn’t seem to see where she was going. She blundered into a filing cabinet and winced when the metal dug painfully into her hip. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she find her way out?

‘Here. Come and sit down.’

A large and surprisingly comforting hand closed around her arm as she found herself being led back to the chair. Ellie dropped down onto the seat because she really didn’t have a choice. Tears were streaming down her face now, blinding her to everything else; she could only sit there while Daniel Saunders went to the sink and filled a glass with cold water.

‘Drink this.’ He crouched down beside her, so close that she could smell the clean fragrance of shampoo that clung to his hair. Holding the glass to her lips, he urged her to take a sip. A few drops of water trickled down her chin but before she could find a tissue, he wiped them away with his fingertips. ‘Better?’

Ellie nodded, not trusting herself to speak. At any other time she would have been mortified by her loss of control but, oddly, she felt nothing. Daniel Saunders straightened up and put the glass on the desk then regarded her with eyes that held only compassion. He obviously wasn’t the type to pass judgement, she thought, and found the idea strangely comforting.

‘I apologise if I upset you, Eleanor. It wasn’t my intention.’

His deep voice rolled softly over her name, affording it a surprisingly pleasing inflection. She had never really liked her name, had always thought it was too formal and old-fashioned. However, it sounded different when he said it, softer, gentler, far more appealing. She bit her lip, aware that she was allowing herself to be sidetracked. What did it matter how he said her name? The only thing that mattered was that she had made a fool of herself.

Pushing back the chair, she stood up, wanting to get away as quickly as possible. Maybe she had been pinning her hopes on getting this job but there would be other jobs in other parts of the country or abroad. Maybe she had promised her parents that she would stay in the UK until she had thought things through properly, but if she moved overseas, to Australia or New Zealand for instance, there would be no risk of her having to see Michael ever again...

‘Right, it’s time I gave you the conducted tour. We were lucky enough to secure funding to improve the facilities here so you may be surprised by what we offer our patients.’ Daniel Saunders stepped around her and opened the door. His eyebrows rose when Ellie failed to move. ‘Whenever you’re ready, Eleanor.’

‘Oh! But I thought...’ Ellie tailed off, unsure what was happening. Why on earth was he offering to show her around when there was no chance of her being offered the job?

‘You thought that you’d blown it?’ Daniel Saunders laughed softly. ‘On the contrary, Eleanor, it seems to me that you’re exactly the sort of person I want working here.’

‘I am? But why? I mean, I made a complete and utter mess of my interview, didn’t I? And if that wasn’t enough, I compounded my mistakes by breaking down and crying.’ She shook her head. ‘If I were in your shoes, Dr Saunders, I wouldn’t hire me for all the tea in China!’

‘It’s Daniel. If we’re going to be working together then I can’t see any point in us standing on ceremony.’ His blue eyes were filled with certainty when they met hers and Ellie felt a surge of warmth flow through her and start to melt the ice that had enveloped her these past terrible months. It was all she could do to concentrate as he continued in the same quietly assured tone.

‘As for hiring you, from where I’m standing you seem like the ideal choice. I don’t want someone working here who can’t relate to our patients, someone who fails to understand that the problems life throws at them can and do impact on their health. I also don’t want someone who’s afraid to show her feelings either. So will you take the job, Eleanor? Please?’

CHAPTER TWO

‘BASICALLY, WHAT I’D like you to do, Beth, is help her settle in. Every practice has its own way of doing things and I think it would help if Eleanor was shown the ropes rather than simply being thrown in at the deep end.’

Daniel leant back in his chair, wondering if his partner had any idea how important it was to him that Eleanor wasn’t put under any pressure. Even though he couldn’t understand why he felt this way, he knew that he wanted to make the move to The Larches as stress-free as possible for her. Maybe she had appeared supremely confident at the start of her interview but it had soon become clear that it wasn’t the case. There was a vulnerability about Eleanor Munroe that had aroused all his protective instincts.

‘Of course.’ Beth Andrews smiled at him. ‘It will be a big change for her, working here. Just basics, like the fact that we’re almost an hour’s drive from the nearest hospital, will be a challenge for her. We’re far more hands-on when it comes to our patients than a lot of practices.’

‘Exactly.’ Daniel breathed a little easier when Beth gave no sign that she considered his request strange. Maybe it wasn’t either, he mused. After all, if Eleanor was unable to do the job she had been hired for then it would impact on him. The last thing he wanted was to have to put in more hours at the surgery when Nathan was in his final year at sixth form college.

When Camille had died four years ago, his son had gone completely off the rails. He had dropped out of school and fallen in with a bad crowd too. Daniel had been afraid that Nathan would never get his act together but, after a lot of heartache, he’d come through. However, if Nathan was to achieve the grades he needed for university, he had to stay focused, and to do that he needed to be there to support him. Little wonder that he had been so worried about his new locum, was it? The thought reassured him, helped to settle his mind. If he was honest he had felt more than a little concerned that Eleanor Munroe had occupied his thoughts so much lately. He had lost count of the times she had popped into his head and it was good to know why it had been happening.

‘Thanks, Beth.’ Daniel smiled as he pushed back his chair and stood up. ‘I really appreciate it.’

‘No problem.’

Beth grimaced as she levered herself up off the chair. She was eight months pregnant and Daniel guessed that she was finding it difficult to get around. He remembered how tired Camille had been when she had been expecting Nathan and she had stopped work well before this stage. However, as a soon-to-be single mother, Beth didn’t have the luxury of leaving work early. She had opted instead to continue working and take the bulk of her maternity leave after her baby was born. Nevertheless, Daniel made a note to ask Marie, their head receptionist, to redirect as many of Beth’s patients as possible to him. He didn’t want Beth pushing herself too hard during her final week, neither did he want Eleanor being placed under too much pressure. It would be better if he took up the slack for now.

Once again Daniel found himself worrying how his new employee would fare. Oh, there was no doubt about her ability—her CV was proof of that. However, would she be able to deal with whatever had led her to leave her previous post? he found himself wondering as he made his way to Reception. Although he knew nothing about Eleanor on a personal level, instinct told him she had suffered some kind of major blow and recently too. Had she been let down in love, perhaps? Treated badly by some man?

Daniel was surprised by how angry the idea made him feel. Bearing in mind that he had met her only the once, and that it hadn’t been the most auspicious of meetings either, it shouldn’t have had this effect on him. Nonetheless, the thought of some guy hurting her made him feel extremely angry and it was completely out of character for him to react that way. His expression must have been unusually grim as he stopped at the reception desk because Marie looked at him in surprise.

‘What’s wrong?’ she demanded. In her forties, with two grown-up sons, Marie had worked at The Larches ever since Daniel had taken over the practice and didn’t believe in standing on ceremony. ‘Has something upset you? Because I have to say that you could turn the milk sour with a face like that!’

‘Sorry.’ Daniel dredged up a smile. Admitting that he was upset at the thought of their new locum being unlucky in love would have caused no end of questions, most of which he couldn’t have answered even if he’d wanted to. He swiftly changed the subject because he really and truly didn’t want to start searching for explanations at that moment. ‘I know it’s short notice, but can you redirect as many of Beth’s patients as possible to me? I don’t want her tiring herself out by doing too much in her last week.’

‘Of course. But what about the new doctor? What’s her name again? I wrote it down somewhere...’

‘Eleanor Munroe,’ Daniel said promptly, and felt a little thrill course through him as her name rippled off his tongue. He glanced at the clock above the desk, needing a moment to collect himself. The last thing he wanted was Marie suspecting how he felt. ‘She should be here any minute...’

‘Good morning.’

Daniel swung round when he recognised Eleanor’s voice. In a fast sweep his eyes ran over her from the severely styled hair to the sensible shoes on her narrow feet and he felt his nerves start to tingle. What was it about this woman that affected him so much? he wondered dizzily. As an eligible widower, he’d had his share of women pursuing him over the past four years. However, he had never taken them up on their invitations to lunch and dinner, or whatever else had been on offer. The fact was that he hadn’t been interested in them.

Not once had he felt that spark, that flicker of desire ignite inside him, yet as he looked at Eleanor, he felt it now. And in a big way too. Why it was happening was a mystery but he couldn’t lie to himself, couldn’t pretend that he didn’t feel it. He was attracted to her and it couldn’t have come at a worst time either. If she had been let down, as he suspected, the last thing she needed was to embark on another relationship, especially with him. He didn’t have time for a relationship. He needed to focus on Nathan: his son’s future had to take priority over everything else.

Daniel took a deep breath, clamping down on the surge of disappointment that rose inside him. There was no question about what he was going to do. He was going to ignore all these crazy feelings and be there for Nathan.

* * *

Ellie could feel her tension mounting as Daniel continued to stare at her without uttering a word. Was he having second thoughts? she wondered anxiously. Regretting whatever impulse had led him to offer her this job?

She bit her lip, unsure what she was going to do if that proved to be the case. She had given up the lease on the flat in Kent, sold all her furniture, and got rid of everything that reminded her of Michael. One of the main attractions about this job was the fact that it came with accommodation. There was a furnished flat above the surgery, which had seemed like a godsend. However, if she lost the job then it was going to be extremely difficult to start all over again. She had been living off her savings for the past months but they certainly wouldn’t stretch to cover the costs of renting a flat and furnishing it. The prospect of not only having to find herself another job but somewhere to live as well was daunting to say the least.

Ellie breathed in deeply when she felt her eyes prickle with tears. Since her interview, she had found herself breaking down all too often. It was as though Daniel’s kindness that day had opened the floodgates and all the hurt she had held at bay kept flooding out. However, there was no way that she intended to break down again in front of him. He might think she was playing the sympathy card and that was the last thing she wanted.

‘Hi, Eleanor. Nice to meet you. I’m Marie, the head receptionist and general factotum around here.’ The middle-aged woman behind the desk leant over and offered Ellie her hand.

‘Good to meet you too,’ Ellie replied automatically, shaking hands. She glanced at Daniel, wishing he would say something. If he was having second thoughts, it would be better if he said so rather than standing there, looking at her...

‘Sorry.’ Daniel suddenly roused himself. He smiled apologetically as he offered her his hand. ‘I was wool-gathering. Welcome to The Larches, Eleanor. It’s good to have you on board.’

Ellie felt relief wash over her as she reached for his hand. She had completely misread the situation, it appeared. Daniel wasn’t thinking of rescinding his offer after all. His hand closed around hers and a frisson ran through her when she felt the strength of his fingers envelop hers. For some reason she couldn’t explain, it felt right to have him hold her hand, right and wonderfully reassuring. Even though she knew nothing about him, she felt safe with him. Safe and cherished.

‘It’s good to be here,’ she murmured, quickly withdrawing her hand. She dredged up a smile, needing to rid her head of such nonsense. Daniel Saunders was her employer, no more and no less than that. He wasn’t going to have any impact on her life outside work.

‘So where would you like to start? I imagine you’d like to see the flat first.’ Daniel’s voice held no trace of anything yet Ellie felt herself flush when he addressed her. It was so unlike her to react that way that she found herself stammering.

‘I...ahem... Whatever suits you best, Dr Saunders.’

‘It’s Daniel,’ he reminded her, his blue eyes holding hers fast for a moment before he turned away. ‘Maybe we can leave the flat till later then. I’ve had a word with Beth and she’s going to show you the ropes so you can get an idea of how we do things around here.’

‘I’m sure that won’t be necessary,’ Ellie said swiftly, wanting to put an end to the pleasantries. The sooner she got down to work, the more comfortable she would feel. It was the newness of it all that was unsettling her, of course, not Daniel per se. It was a relief to have found an explanation and she hurried on. ‘I’ve been a GP for some time now and I’m completely up to speed when it comes to all the paperwork and everything else that comes with the job.’

‘I’m sure you are. However, every practice has its own way of doing things and The Larches is no different, so I’d appreciate it if you would indulge me on this point.’ He smiled thinly, making Ellie wish that she hadn’t said anything. The last thing she wanted was him thinking that she was someone who made a fuss.

‘Of course. I...I just didn’t want to waste Dr Andrews’s time,’ she explained lamely. ‘I’m sure she must be very busy.’

‘She is.’ Daniel placed his hand under her elbow as he led her away from the desk.

Ellie drew in a quick breath, trying to stem the nervous fluttering of her heart, but it refused to quieten down. It was as though Daniel’s touch had set off a chain reaction, ripples of awareness flowing from where his fingers lightly gripped her arm and spreading throughout her entire body. It was hard not to show how alarmed she felt when he stopped and looked at her.

‘However, between you and me, Eleanor, I’m trying to cut down the amount of work Beth is doing. She’s eight months pregnant and this is her last week in work before she goes on maternity leave, so I don’t want her overdoing things and making herself ill. If she’s showing you the ropes, at least I know that she isn’t rushing around all over the place.’

‘Oh, right. I see.’ Beth carefully withdrew her arm, stifling a wholly ridiculous feeling of disappointment. Of course Daniel was more concerned about his long-time colleague than he was about her!

‘I knew you’d understand.’ Daniel treated her to a strangely intimate smile before he led the way along the corridor. He stopped at one of the doors, tapping lightly on the beechwood panels before opening it. ‘Beth, I’ve got Eleanor with me. If you can show her how we do things, as we discussed, that would be great.’ He gestured for Ellie to step forward, winking at her as she passed him. Ellie felt a rush of warmth engulf her. It was as though they were two conspirators sharing a secret and she had to admit that she rather liked the idea. She was smiling when she stepped into the room and the pretty, fair-haired woman seated behind the desk smiled back.

‘Hi, Eleanor. It’s good to meet you. Come on in and make yourself comfortable.’ She chuckled, her hazel eyes filled with mischief as she glanced at Daniel. ‘This is going to be your room next week, so it will give you a chance to try it out for size. Anything you don’t like tell the boss. I’m sure he’ll do everything possible to sort it out!’

‘Don’t go putting ideas into Eleanor’s head,’ Daniel retorted. ‘She’ll be giving me a list of things she wants before I know it.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘Like that singer who demanded a basket of kittens to play with in her dressing room before she would go on stage and perform!’

‘Oh, you don’t need to worry about finding me any kittens,’ Ellie said, completely deadpan. She waited a beat then grinned at him. ‘I much prefer puppies!’

Everyone laughed, Eleanor included, and it was such a shock that she found it hard to believe what was happening. She couldn’t remember the last time she had laughed, couldn’t recall when she had felt so light-hearted. Ever since that dreadful day when she had found Michael and Stacey together, her world had been filled with darkness, but all of a sudden it felt as though the gloom had lifted and it was all thanks to Daniel. Even if they were destined to be no more than colleagues, Ellie knew that she would be grateful to him for ever for that.

* * *

The morning flew past. Ellie was surprised by how differently things were done at The Larches. Although there were all the usual forms to fill in, the surgery offered a range of services to its patients that hadn’t been available on-site where she had worked before. She mentioned it to Beth when they stopped to drink the coffee Marie had made for them.

‘It’s all down to our location,’ Beth explained, blowing on the hot liquid to cool it. ‘It takes almost an hour to reach the nearest hospital on a good day and far longer than that if the weather’s bad. A lot of patients both here at The Larches and at Hemsthwaite can’t undertake that kind of a journey. That’s why Daniel fought so hard to secure funding to provide more facilities on site.’

‘So what else do you offer?’ Ellie asked as Beth paused to sip her coffee. ‘You said that several consultants from the hospital hold clinics here—did you mention something about a dentist as well?’

‘Yes. That’s right. We have an arrangement with a dental practice—they see patients here once a week. The same goes for the optician—patients can make an appointment to see him here on a Wednesday,’ Beth explained and grimaced. ‘Dratted Braxton Hicks contractions. They woke me up this morning. I was not pleased either as it was the first time I hadn’t had to get up through the night to go to the loo.’

‘What a nuisance,’ Ellie said sympathetically. ‘Daniel said that you only have a few weeks before your baby is due.’

‘Hmm, three, although first babies are notoriously late.’ Beth wriggled around, trying to get comfortable, and Ellie frowned.

‘Are you sure they’re Braxton Hicks? You do seem to be in a lot of discomfort.’

‘Oh, I’m sure it will pass,’ Beth said, levering herself up off the chair. She let out a gasp as water suddenly gushed out from between her legs.

‘I doubt it!’ Ellie exclaimed, jumping to her feet. Putting her arm around Beth’s waist, she helped her to the couch and got her settled. ‘It looks as though it’s the real thing so let’s get you out of those wet undies and have a look. If your waters have broken then it won’t be long before your baby’s on its way too.’

‘I can’t believe this!’ Beth exclaimed, wriggling out of her sodden underwear. ‘I should have another three weeks before the baby arrives.’

‘It’s easy to get confused about the dates,’ Ellie said soothingly, lifting Beth’s skirt so she could examine her.

‘But I’m not confused. I know exactly when I got pregnant. It was the night before Callum went away. It couldn’t have happened any other time because we hadn’t spoken let alone made love for almost a year before that!’

‘Oh.’ Ellie wasn’t sure what to say, and Beth sighed.

‘Callum and I split up last year. We’d been trying for a baby for the best part of three years—ever since we got married, in fact—but it just didn’t happen.’ Her voice echoed with pain and Ellie’s heart went out to her.

‘It must have been difficult for you,’ she said quietly.

‘It was. We tried fertility treatment but it didn’t work, and in the end the constant pressure of hoping that this time we’d get lucky proved too much.’ Beth bit her lip. ‘Callum told me that he couldn’t handle it any more and that he wanted a divorce.’

‘I’m so sorry,’ Ellie said sincerely. ‘It must have been awful for you both, although surely it made a difference when you found out you were pregnant?’

‘I was thrilled, thrilled and shocked that it should have happened right out of the blue like that. As for Callum, well, I’ve no idea how he feels, although I can guess.’ She laughed harshly. ‘I wrote to tell him I was pregnant, you see, but he’s never bothered to reply. I think that says it all, doesn’t it? No, this baby’s my responsibility and no one else’s.’

She broke off as another contraction began. Ellie frowned, wondering how she would have reacted in similar circumstances. She sighed because the likelihood of her having found herself in the same position was zero. Michael had been fanatical about making sure she didn’t get pregnant. At the time, Ellie had thought it was because he had wanted to do the right thing, make sure they were married before they embarked on parenthood. Now she wasn’t so certain any more. Had Michael been desperate to avoid her getting pregnant so that it wouldn’t impact on him?

It was something Ellie knew she needed to think about but not right now. Now she needed to focus on Beth and the baby. She waited until the contraction had passed then examined Beth again. ‘You’re already about six centimetres dilated so your baby’s definitely going to make his appearance very soon.’

‘Oh, no!’ Tears filled Beth’s eyes. ‘It’s too early! I couldn’t bear it if something went wrong now. I’ve waited so long for this child.’

‘Nothing is going to go wrong,’ Ellie assured her, mentally crossing her fingers that she wasn’t tempting fate. Delivering Beth’s baby wouldn’t have posed a problem if they’d been in a fully equipped maternity unit. However, after what she had learned about the nearest hospital being an hour’s drive away, she couldn’t help feeling anxious. She summoned a smile, determined not to let Beth know that she was worried. ‘Now can you tell me what arrangements you’ve made for the birth? I take it that you’re booked into the maternity unit with it being your first child.’

‘That’s right.’ Beth made an obvious effort to calm herself. ‘I wanted to have the baby at home but Polly talked me out of it. She said it would be safer if I had it in the hospital seeing as I’m a first-time mum and that bit older too.’

‘And who’s Polly?’ Ellie asked, needing to be clear about the details.

‘She’s the local midwife—Polly Davies,’ Beth explained. ‘I’ve been seeing her for my antenatal check-ups. In fact, I saw her only last Friday.’

‘And what did she say?’ Ellie asked.

‘Oh, that everything was fine—blood pressure, baby’s heartbeat, et cetera.’ Beth frowned. ‘She did say that the baby seemed to be quite low down, now I think about it.’

‘Probably getting ready to make his exit,’ Ellie said, laughing.

‘Probably. The little rip!’

Beth laughed as well and Ellie was relieved to see that she appeared far less anxious. Good. The last thing she wanted was for Beth to be uptight if they had to deliver the baby here. The thought helped her focus on what needed to be done and she squeezed Beth’s hand. ‘I’ll go and phone the hospital and let them know what’s happening. I’ll also get hold of Polly. With a bit of luck, she’ll be able to lend a hand here. I’ll be as quick as I can. OK?’

Beth nodded, her face screwing up as another contraction began. Ellie hurried from the room and made straight to Reception, knowing that Marie would have all the phone numbers. She was dealing with a patient and Ellie waited until she had finished. Lowering her voice so it wouldn’t carry across the waiting room, she quickly explained what was going on.

‘Really!’ Marie’s mouth dropped open. ‘But she’s another three weeks to go. Are you sure it isn’t a false alarm?’

‘Quite sure,’ Ellie said firmly. ‘This baby is definitely on its way and there’s nothing we can do to stop it. Can you phone the hospital and let them know? We’ll need an ambulance, although I doubt if it will get here before the big event.’

‘Of course.’ Marie picked up the phone, although she still appeared slightly stunned.

‘Oh, and can you get hold of Polly too? Apparently, she’s been responsible for Beth’s antenatal care. It would be a huge help if she could give me a hand.’

‘I’ll phone her first,’ Marie promised. ‘She lives in town so she can be here in no time.’

‘That’s great. Thanks.’ Ellie started to turn away then paused. ‘Daniel needs to know what’s going on. Which is his room again?’

‘First door on the right,’ Marie explained, then turned her attention to the phone. ‘Polly, it’s Marie. You won’t believe what’s happened...’

Ellie left the receptionist to make the calls and hurried back to Beth, pausing en route to tap on Daniel’s door. She popped her head into the room when he bade her to enter. ‘I’m sorry to disturb you,’ she said, smiling apologetically at the young woman holding a fractious toddler on her knee. ‘But can I have a quick word?’

‘Of course.’ Daniel excused himself and stepped out into the corridor. He frowned. ‘There’s nothing wrong, I hope. I thought Beth was showing you around.’

‘She was but we’ve hit a snag.’ Ellie felt decidedly awkward about interrupting him during a consultation but there was really nothing else she could have done in the circumstances.

‘A snag?’ he echoed in a voice that hinted at displeasure. ‘What are you talking about?’

Ellie’s mouth compressed, not enjoying the fact that he obviously thought she was being a nuisance. She prided herself on her self-sufficiency and it stung to realise that he thought she was the type of person who needed constant support.

‘Beth’s baby is coming,’ she explained coldly. She raised her hand when he went to speak. ‘No, there’s no doubt about her being in labour. Marie is arranging for an ambulance and phoning Polly to see if she can come and help. I thought you should know, although I apologise for disturbing you.’

With that she turned away, making herself walk steadily along the corridor even though in truth she felt like running off and hiding. She bit her lip when she felt the far too ready tears spring to her eyes. Maybe it hurt to have Daniel speak to her so sharply but she could live with it. After all, he was her boss, nothing more. It didn’t matter how he spoke to her so long as he wasn’t rude.

It all sounded so sensible in theory but as she opened the door, Ellie realised that it did matter, that it mattered a great deal. For some reason she wanted Daniel to speak to her with warmth and make her feel that she was valued. How pathetic was that!

CHAPTER THREE

DANIEL COULD HAVE bitten off his tongue for speaking so sharply to Eleanor. If it weren’t for the fact that he had a patient waiting, he would have gone after her and apologised. Taking a deep breath, he went back into the room and sat down.

‘I apologise for the interruption, Mrs Walsh,’ he said to the woman seated in the chair. ‘You were about to explain how you hurt your arm.’

‘I...I tripped, Dr Saunders. Over...ahem...one of Alice’s toys.’

The young woman ran a trembling hand over her daughter’s wispy blonde hair. Although both mother and child were neatly dressed in expensive outfits, there was something not quite right about their appearance. The little girl’s hair looked as if it hadn’t been brushed and yet Madeleine Walsh had taken the time to apply a heavy layer of make-up. Daniel leant across the desk, using the excuse of reaching for Mrs Walsh’s file while he examined her face more closely. Was that a bruise he could see on her cheek? And another on her neck?

‘I see,’ he said, sitting back in his seat. He smiled at her, although he had a bad feeling about this. It wasn’t the first time that Madeleine Walsh had come to see him after a supposed fall; this was her third visit in the last six months. Although he hadn’t noticed any sign of bruising then, it could be because he hadn’t been looking for it. He needed to get to the bottom of this situation and soon. ‘Did you hurt yourself anywhere else apart from your arm? Your face looks bruised to me—did you bang it?’

‘Oh...erm...yes, I must have done.’ The woman put her hand to her cheek and Daniel could see the fear in her eyes. ‘I’m ever so clumsy,’ she muttered. ‘Always tripping up and banging into things.’

‘Easily done,’ Daniel said evenly. ‘As long as you’re sure that it was an accident. Anything you tell me won’t go any further, Mrs Walsh, I assure you.’

‘Of course it was an accident!’ the woman declared, flushing. ‘I tripped over one of Alice’s toys—one of her dolls, actually—and fell down the stairs. I...I must have put out my hand to save myself and that’s how I hurt my arm.’

‘Let me take a look.’ Daniel got up and came around the desk. Crouching down, he went to examine her arm, stopping when little Alice shrank away from him. ‘It’s all right, poppet,’ he said softly. ‘I just want to look at Mummy’s arm so I can make it better.’

‘She’s not good with strangers,’ Madeleine Walsh said hurriedly, cuddling the trembling child to her.

‘Does she attend the nursery school?’ Daniel asked levelly, although the bad feeling he had was growing worse by the second. Alice was four years old and in his experience most children her age had got over their shyness and were happy to socialise with people outside the family unit.

‘No. I decided not to send her.’ Madeleine Walsh bit her lip then rushed on. ‘She’s very shy and it didn’t seem right to send her to a place where I know she’ll be unhappy.’

‘She’ll have to go to school next year, though, won’t she?’ Daniel pointed out, gently examining the woman’s arm. The wrist was swollen and heavily discoloured. It was obviously painful because Mrs Walsh gasped when he touched it. ‘Sorry. I can tell how painful it is, although I can’t say if it’s broken or badly sprained. Can you move your fingers?’

‘Yes.’ Madeleine grimaced as she wriggled her fingers the tiniest bit. ‘It’s really painful, though.’

‘It will be.’ Daniel sat down again. ‘I’m afraid it really needs X-raying to establish if it’s broken or not. Is there anyone who can drive you to the hospital, your husband perhaps?’

‘No, Nigel’s in court this morning and I don’t want to bother him,’ Madeleine Walsh said quickly. ‘Can’t you put a bandage on it, Dr Saunders? I’m sure it’s not broken and just needs some support while it heals. I wouldn’t have bothered you if I could have done it myself.’

‘I really think it needs to be X-rayed,’ Daniel insisted. ‘If it is broken then the last thing you want is for it to set badly and end up with a deformed wrist. If you don’t want to contact your husband then I can arrange for someone to drive you to the hospital. We have a team of volunteers who very kindly ferry people there and back in situations like this.’

‘Oh, I don’t know...I’ve no idea what Nigel would say about that.’ She looked so stricken that Daniel almost wished he hadn’t suggested it. However, it was vital that she have her wrist X-rayed to avoid any future problems.

‘I’m sure he will take the sensible view and be pleased that you got it attended to. I’ll phone Mrs Goodison and see if she’s free. She used to be a teacher at the junior school and she’s very nice,’ he added encouragingly as he reached for the phone.

‘But what about Alice?’ Madeleine Walsh protested. ‘There’s no one to look after her and I can’t leave her.’

‘You can take Alice with you. I know for a fact that Mrs Goodison has a child seat in her car—she has grandchildren, you see. She’ll be more than happy to look after Alice while you have the X-ray done too.’

Daniel made the call, not wanting to give Madeleine Walsh any more opportunities to wriggle out of the hospital visit. Fortunately, Barbara Goodison immediately agreed to run Mrs Walsh to the hospital and bring her back again afterwards. Once he had explained to Madeleine that she would be collected from home, he saw her out. He intended to follow up the case and find out if he was right to suspect that the woman was being abused by her husband. He didn’t know Nigel Walsh personally as the man had never been to the surgery since the family had moved to Beesdale just over a year ago. However, from what he had heard Walsh was very high up in legal circles.

Daniel sighed as he went to ask Marie if she would wait a few minutes before sending in his next patient. Sadly, social standing had no bearing on that type of behaviour. It crossed all boundaries. Had Eleanor been a victim of abuse? It was obvious that something awful must have happened to her, something so bad that she had left her job and relocated to a different part of the country. His hands clenched. The thought of Eleanor suffering such treatment was more than he could bear.

* * *

‘You’re doing great,’ Ellie said encouragingly as Beth breathed her way through another contraction. She checked her watch, frowning when she realised how close together the contractions were coming. It was obvious that the baby was going to be born very soon and she couldn’t help feeling anxious. It was several years since she had delivered a baby during her rotations and it had been in the safety of a modern maternity unit with a couple of experienced midwives standing by. The thought of delivering Beth’s baby by herself was decidedly scary. According to Marie, Polly was on her way back from one of the local farms and would get there as soon as she could; however, it seemed to be taking her an awfully long time. Ellie looked round when the door opened, hoping it would be her, but her hopes were dashed when Daniel came into the room. Even though she could do with some support, she wasn’t sure if she was glad to see him after their run-in earlier.

‘How are we doing in here?’ he asked as he came over to the couch. He smiled at Beth. ‘Not quite how you planned it, I imagine.’

Beth laughed then grimaced as another contraction began. Daniel turned to Ellie, his mouth still curved into a smile, and she felt some of her unease dissipate. Surely he wouldn’t smile at her like that if he was still annoyed with her?

‘I’m sorry about before. I didn’t mean to snap at you. Suffice to say that I was worried about the patient who was with me, not that it’s any excuse.’

‘It’s all right,’ Ellie said quickly, not wanting him to suspect how thankful she felt. She hated being in the wrong and had always done so ever since she was a child. Oh, she knew what lay behind it—she had worked that out a long time ago. Learning that she was adopted had made her aware of how different she was from Gemma, their parents’ natural daughter. Gemma hadn’t needed to be on her best behaviour all the time to earn their love; she hadn’t needed to be kind or considerate because their parents would always adore her. Gemma, with her golden curls and laughing blue eyes, was the child they had longed for whereas Eleanor, with her straight black hair and solemn demeanour, had been the cuckoo in the nest.

Ellie pushed the thought to the back of her mind. She wasn’t a child any more and she didn’t need anyone’s adoration to prove her worth. ‘The contractions are coming roughly two minutes apart now. Do you know how long it will be before Polly gets here? Marie said she was on her way back from Outhwaite Farm.’

‘Oh!’ Daniel grimaced. ‘It’s the farm that’s probably furthest away from here. It’ll take Polly a good thirty minutes to get back, I expect, but I’ll go and check where she is.’ He strode to the door then paused to glance back. ‘I meant what I said, Eleanor. I didn’t mean to snap at you.’

He didn’t wait for her to answer and Ellie was glad. She turned to Beth after he left, forcing down the bubble of happiness that had risen up inside her. She didn’t need Daniel’s approbation any more than she needed to be adored, she told herself sternly, but to very little effect.

She sighed. It had taken her a long time to develop a sense of her own worth. Growing up, she had always felt second-best compared to Gemma. Although her parents had been unfailingly kind and supportive, they had found it impossible to hide their delight in their natural daughter. Gemma had been so pretty and precocious and everyone had adored her—or so it had seemed to Ellie. Ellie had faded into the background after Gemma was born when Ellie was eight years old. It was only when she went to university that she had come into her own—made her own circle of friends, had her first boyfriend. She had slowly gained confidence and, once she had qualified and started practising, she had forgotten about the disappointments of her childhood. When she had started dating Michael Ross, another of the doctors at the practice where she’d worked, and had become engaged to him, her life had felt complete. And then she had let herself into his flat that morning and found him in bed with Stacey Roberts, one of the practice nurses, and her world had fallen apart...

‘Ooh!’

Beth’s groan brought Ellie back to the present. Bending down, she checked what progress they were making, her heart racing when she discovered that the baby’s head was crowning. ‘You’re almost there,’ she told Beth, trying to inject a note of confidence into her voice. ‘Baby’s head is crowning so it won’t be long now.’

‘The sooner the better,’ Beth muttered through gritted teeth. Her face screwed up as another contraction began and Ellie quickly gathered together everything she would need once the baby was born. Fortunately, they had birthing kits in the supply cupboard so she put on a pair of gloves and placed everything close to hand—scissors to cut the cord, a soft cloth to dry the infant, some narrow tubing to clear its airway if it was necessary. The head was emerging now and she slid her hand beneath it, gently supporting its weight as first one shoulder and then the other followed.

‘One more push should do it,’ she told Beth, thanking her stars that Beth was so clued up about what to do. ‘Here we go!’

The baby slithered out, screaming lustily, which was more than Ellie could have hoped for. It was a little girl, slightly on the small side, but absolutely perfect in every respect. Ellie wiped the mucus off the little one’s face, smiling as she wrapped her in a towel and handed her to Beth. ‘Congratulations. You have a beautiful little daughter.’

‘A girl!’ Beth exclaimed as she took her first look at her daughter. ‘I was convinced I was having a boy!’

‘Not disappointed, are you?’ Ellie teased her.

‘No way! She’s gorgeous.’ Beth dropped a kiss on her baby’s head.

Ellie turned away when she felt her eyes fill with tears. She had always dreamed of having a child of her own. Maybe it had become even more important because she and the baby would have been related by blood and that would have been even more special. Now the dreams she’d harboured had been bagged up and disposed of along with all that unwanted clothing. She wouldn’t have a child now because the last thing she planned to do was to fall in love again and risk being let down a second time. It hurt to know how much she would miss because of what had happened.

‘Well, it looks as though you’ve managed fine without me!’

Ellie swung round when the door opened to admit a tall, red-haired woman. Taking a quick breath, she hurriedly composed her features into a welcoming smile. Maybe her life wasn’t going to turn out how she had hoped it would but she would make the best of it. ‘I take it that you’re Polly,’ she said, holding out her hand. ‘I’m Eleanor Munroe, the new locum.’

‘Polly Davies.’ Polly shook hands then went over to Beth, smiling as she looked at the baby. ‘What a little poppet! And not a bad size too considering you had another three weeks to go.’

‘She’s gorgeous, isn’t she?’ Beth murmured, stroking the baby’s wrinkled little cheek.

‘Oh, so it’s a girl?’ Polly laughed, her pretty face lighting up with amusement. ‘That’s ten pounds you owe me.’ She looked round, deliberately drawing Ellie into the conversation. ‘Beth was convinced she was having a boy but I was equally sure it would be a girl so we had a bet on it. Looks as though I’m the winner!’

‘We’re both winners,’ Beth corrected her, laughing.

Ellie laughed as well but she couldn’t pretend that her heart wasn’t heavy at the thought of never having children of her own. It was hard to rid herself of the thought as she helped Polly deliver the afterbirth then get Beth and the baby ready for the transfer to hospital. Although Beth was reluctant to go, Polly managed to persuade her that it would be in her and the baby’s best interests. By the time Daniel led in the paramedics, everything was ready.

‘Let me know if they keep you in, Beth,’ he said, planting a kiss on his partner’s cheek. ‘We’ll set up a rota—that way you won’t be inundated by everyone wanting to visit at the same time.’

‘That would be great.’ Beth’s voice caught as she looked at the baby nestled in her arms. ‘It’ll be nice for this little one to have all her aunties and uncles there for her, even if her father isn’t interested.’

Ellie stepped aside as the paramedics wheeled Beth and the baby out to the ambulance. Polly was following on by car and she left as well. Daniel sighed as he watched them go.

‘I can’t believe that Callum doesn’t want anything to do with his own child, but he’s never even bothered to contact Beth since she wrote to tell him she was pregnant.’

‘So she said,’ Ellie said quietly. ‘It must be very difficult for her.’

‘It must. It’s hard enough bringing up a child on your own when it’s the result of circumstances beyond your control, but it must be much worse when it’s because the other parent doesn’t want to be involved.’

There was real regret in Daniel’s voice and Ellie found herself wondering if he was speaking from experience. She knew nothing about his personal life, whether he was married and had a family or what. However, before she could attempt to find out, he made an obvious effort to collect himself.

‘Anyway, leaving all that aside, I wanted to thank you, Eleanor. Talk about being thrown in at the deep end!’ He laughed ruefully. ‘And here was I, trying not to put too much pressure on you!’

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