‘So, what time shall we meet and where? Do you know the area at all? Do you know if there are any shops around here that specialise in things like Christmas decorations? It’s not something I’ve had much experience with buying.’
She gave her hand a little tug and for the briefest second he seemed strangely reluctant to release her, then let go of her hand with a jerk as though suddenly remembering where they were and what he was doing.
‘I’m due to finish at three, but—’
‘But that will depend on whether you’re in the middle of a delivery,’ he finished for her. ‘You don’t have to tell me how it works.’ He thought for a minute. ‘I’ll come up at three to see how the land lies and we can take it from there. Did you drive to work this morning or shall we go in my car?’
Ella’s head was still whirling with the speed of events long after he’d left the room. Thank goodness the department was so quiet. She wasn’t at all sure that she would have been capable of concentrating on managing even the most straightforward delivery.
Even the simple task of wandering around the department to get an idea of just how many doors and windows there were seemed to be beyond her. It wasn’t until she nearly tripped over her own feet that she finally got her head on straight and began to think logically. She even managed to take a wicked delight in weaving a web of suspense about what she was up to, carefully keeping Seth’s part in the plans strictly to herself.
It nearly drove the rest of the staff mad as they pestered her for details. It was only when a couple of them cornered her during her lunch-break that she realised that the decorating of the department was an annual bugbear that everyone tried to palm off to whoever didn’t run fast enough in the opposite direction.
As the newest member of staff she had been a sitting duck.
‘Well, this duck won’t quack,’ she murmured to herself, knowing that her mysterious grins and misleading hints were putting everyone off the scent. As if she’d actually intended taking the tinsel home to iron the crumpled sections!
On the other hand, the patients were thoroughly enjoying the situation, taking an almost evil glee in winding the rest of the staff up for her.
As she’d gone into each room, from the four-bedded wards to the single-occupancy rooms, she’d sworn each inmate to secrecy before explaining what she was doing.
Several of them had offered suggestions, either of decorating schemes or of good places to find the decorations at a reasonable price.
By the time three o’clock came around without a potential new arrival in sight, Ella had a notepad full of diagrams, measurements and totals and was ready to go.
The sight of Seth’s dark head appearing round the door of the staff lounge was enough to double her heart rate, but she determinedly told herself that it was just a result of their subterfuge.
‘You’re ready,’ he said with a satisfied nod. ‘I’ll get the car and meet you down by the entrance to the staff car park.’
‘Um…’ She paused, suddenly tongue-tied because she didn’t know what to call him. ‘Ah, Mr Gifford, I don’t know—’
‘Ella, it’s Seth,’ he interrupted quietly. ‘I’m only Mr Gifford in front of the patients. OK?’
‘OK.’ She swallowed, surprised by how intimate it felt to be invited to use his first name. ‘I was only going to say that I don’t know what your car looks like.’
‘It’s white. A BMW, 3-series.’
She couldn’t help the grin.
‘What’s wrong with that?’ His forehead pleated in a swift frown.
‘I wouldn’t know a 3-series from a moon-rocket,’ she explained with a chuckle. ‘But I do know what the BMW logo looks like on the bonnet and I know the colour white.’
He raised his eyes in typical male exasperation and one corner of his mouth actually lifted in a wry grin before he raised a hand in farewell and let the door close behind him.
CHAPTER THREE
‘BRR! I hadn’t realised it was so cold out here!’ Ella exclaimed through chattering teeth as she slid hastily into Seth’s car.
‘And the forecast is for worse to come,’ he warned as he leaned forward to turn the heater up to maximum then glanced across at her, obviously checking that she’d fastened her seat belt before he set off. ‘Apparently, there’s some local man who’s been doing his own forecast for the last forty years or so—gets it right more often than the pundits with their electronics, by all accounts—and he reckons it’s going to be another long cold wet winter.’
‘Thanks! That’s just what I needed to hear! Couldn’t he at least have sweetened the pill by mentioning a few brief spells of sunshine and unseasonable warmth?’
He laughed. ‘Sorry. Not a balmy breeze in sight. Still, what are you worried about? You work in a fully heated hospital, warm enough for people to wander about in their shirtsleeves all year round.’
‘That’s the trouble. It makes coming out into the cold so much more of a shock to the system.’ Almost as much of a shock as finding herself sitting side by side with Seth Gifford in the intimate confines of his quietly luxurious car. Thank goodness they had the weather and other allied subjects to talk about or she’d be sitting here tongue-tied.
‘I’m sure that central heating has a lot to do with all these flu epidemics we keep having each year,’ she continued hastily, not wanting the silence to stretch too long in case she leapt into the void with something embarrassing. ‘My grandmother always maintained that people aren’t nearly so hardy as they used to be when they lived in virtually unheated houses.’
‘Tell that to the ones who died of the flu pandemic just after the First World War,’ he argued. ‘Twice as many died of that in a matter of weeks as were killed in the four years of the war itself, and none of them were living with central heating.’
‘I know, but they didn’t have access to the Health Service or the variety of drugs we have now, so there would have been far more people in the “at risk” category.’
‘True,’ he conceded, more than half his concentration on manoeuvring the car into a parking space in the car park attached to the shopping centre. ‘There are fewer deaths from flu these days than back in 1918, but…Oh, for goodness’ sake, what are we debating this for?’ he exclaimed with disbelief clear in his voice as he turned to face her with the keys in his hand. ‘We’re on our way to buy Christmas decorations, so let’s declare a truce.’
‘A Christmas truce, like they had in the trenches during the War?’ she proposed cheekily.
‘Does that mean that hostilities could break out again as soon as the last mince pie has been eaten?’ Seth frowned as he pretended to consider the idea seriously. ‘Still, a Christmas truce that starts now means that there should be at least two weeks of peace, so I accept.’
He held out his hand and without a moment’s thought Ella took it.
It didn’t matter that she was wearing gloves this time, the effect of the contact between them was just as strong and just as startling. What was going on here?
His hand tightened briefly around hers and her eyes flew up to meet his. He was frowning again, his gaze flicking from her face to their joined hands and back again before he suddenly released his hold on her.
‘Well,’ he said, his voice rather too hearty for the enclosed space as he turned away to open his door, ‘I hope you know where we’re going to be able to get these things because I haven’t a clue.’
So, what happened there? she mused as he strode off to fetch a parking ticket from the dispenser. It didn’t seem very likely that he had felt the same reaction that she had, there’d certainly been no evidence of it in his expression. Dear God, she hoped he hadn’t seen something in her own face. It would be just too embarrassing if he knew how strongly he affected her.
‘Time for a little self-control,’ she muttered grimly as she found herself watching his long legs eating up the distance as he returned with the ticket in his hand, then deliberately looked away to let herself out of the car. ‘That�
�s the last time you let your stupid hormones get the better of you.’
‘Ready to go?’ he said as he stuck the ticket to his windscreen and shut the door. The car bleeped obligingly when he pressed the button to lock it. ‘I’m in the mood to spend some money on glitter and glitz, so lead the way!’
Two and a half hours later they were both laden down with parcels, none of which had anything to do with decorating the department.
‘Well, all I can say is thank goodness that shop was willing to deliver!’ Ella exclaimed breathlessly as she struggled to untangle her fingers from various loops and strings. ‘We’d never have been able to carry all those decorations as well as this lot.’
‘You didn’t mind me hijacking you like that?’ he asked with a frown. ‘I did ask you if you’d help me choose some gifts for my brother’s family.’
‘I didn’t mind at all,’ she said with a laugh. ‘How else was I going to be able to get free transport to get this lot home? I’ve actually been able to find something for absolutely everyone on my list, and there’s still two weeks to go till Christmas. That’s an all-time record for me. I’m usually one of those demented souls racing around as the shops are locking up on Christmas Eve.’
‘What? You?’ Seth said with every evidence of amazement. ‘Calmness and order personified actually gets into a flap about buying Christmas presents? I don’t believe it. You’ve ordered me about like a seasoned field marshal barking at his troops. You knew exactly where we needed to go and what we needed to buy.’
‘That was just the decorations and I was only so well organised because I’d made a list of everything we needed. It’s different with presents for family and friends. There are either too many choices or I haven’t got a clue what to get.’
‘Well, I shall certainly be taking all the credit for your inspired suggestions this year. My lot aren’t going to know what’s hit them when they don’t get the usual box of chocolates and bottle of booze.’
He slammed the boot down on the dozens of bags and packages as she let herself into the passenger side and sank into the blissfully comfortable upholstery.
‘Oh, that feels so good,’ she groaned aloud. ‘Excuse me moaning, but my feet are killing me and I only worked a short day today.’
‘You probably did several miles walking up and down corridors and stairs, though,’ he pointed out as they left the car park into the darkness that had fallen while they’d been cocooned in the artificial daylight of the shopping precinct. ‘With a hospital that size, it’s like running round a small town to get anywhere.’
‘That’s true. And it doesn’t help if you don’t know exactly where you’re going. I probably did a few extra miles just trying to find my way around.’
Silence fell between them but this time she was quite content to let it grow. Somehow, their time together seemed to have taken the edge off her awareness of him and she could almost persuade herself that the new ease between them was the start of a good friendship that would develop with time.
She gave him directions and all too soon he’d drawn up outside the old Victorian house in which she was renting a little bedsit and she found herself very reluctant to end their time together.
It took her a moment or two to screw up her courage but by the time he’d helped her to carry her share of the booty to the front door she was ready.
‘It wouldn’t take me long to have a meal ready—nothing cordon bleu but definitely something better than microwave hell. Would you like to join me…to say thank you for helping me with my Christmas shopping today?’
She’d gabbled her way to the end of her invitation then waited breathlessly for his reply. She was convinced he was going to accept until he glanced at his watch.
‘Is that really the time?’ he said with a strange expression on his face. ‘I’d completely lost track. I’m sorry, Ella,’ he said hastily, almost as if he wasn’t really aware of what he was saying as he deposited the handful of bags he’d carried for her. ‘I’ve got to go. An appointment…a meeting I’d already arranged to go to. If I don’t go now, I’m going to be late.’
He was halfway down the cracked concrete path before he half-turned to call over his shoulder, ‘Thank you for the offer. And thank you, again, for helping me with the shopping.’
‘You’re welcome,’ she called weakly, but her words were lost under the sound of the car unlocking to his command.
For some reason she stayed there watching as he climbed in and fastened his seat belt then started the engine, and was left feeling completely stupid with her hand raised to wave when he drove off without another glance in her direction.
‘So much for rapport,’ she muttered, her cheeks warm with embarrassment in spite of the chilly wind as she retrieved her packages and made her way to her room.
She tried to persuade herself that she really didn’t care where he’d been going in such a hurry. After all, he was a very busy consultant and there could have been any number of meetings he’d been scheduled to attend.
‘Except he wouldn’t have suggested going out for a shopping trip if he still had meetings to go to. Surely he would have chosen another day?’
The only other possibility she could think of was that he’d already had a dinner date and had completely forgotten about it until she’d mentioned cooking for him.
Perhaps he had a girlfriend, partner or even a wife somewhere who was waiting for him with a home-cooked meal. The fact that the hospital didn’t know anything about his private life didn’t mean that he didn’t have one, and the fact that the two of them had spent a couple of hours or so together didn’t mean that he was duty bound to give her any more details than he’d told anyone else.
She started to unpack the presents she’d chosen so light-heartedly such a short time ago and then sighed. Somehow part of the pleasure had gone out of it although there was no logical reason why it should have.
Still, she couldn’t find the enthusiasm to do any wrapping up tonight. That would have to be done another day—probably in a rush on Christmas Eve, as usual, she thought, then realised that even that brought Seth and his unexpected teasing to mind.
‘Oh, stop it!’ she growled and slouched against the edge of the sink while she waited for the kettle to boil. Instead of concerning herself over the possibility that the obs and gyn consultant had some gorgeous woman waiting for him at the end of each shift, she should be thinking about what she was going to eat.
She wouldn’t bother to make the same effort just for herself as she would have done if she’d been sharing the meal with Seth…
‘For heaven’s sake! Don’t start!’ She reached for a couple of slices of bread and a small tin of baked beans from the cupboard. ‘I’ll have scrambled eggs and baked beans on toast with some fresh fruit to follow…and at least two cups of tea. But first I’ll sort out a load of washing so it’s in the machine while I’m eating and catching up on the news. Then I’m having a bath and an early night because tomorrow I’ll probably be run off my feet.’
‘I must have jinxed myself last night,’ Ella groaned. ‘I had an early night in case we were busy today.’
‘I reckon you jinxed the lot of us,’ Serena complained as she slid her feet out of her shoes and wriggled her toes. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen the department this busy.’
‘Except in September when all the Christmas and New Year babies start arriving,’ Jo added. ‘Don’t you remember what that was like, nine months after all those Millennium parties? It was nearly as bad as all those people who tried to have the “first” Millennium baby.’
It had been the same story at Ella’s last post and they all groaned in unison just as there was a knock at the staff lounge door.
‘Excuse the interruption, ladies,’ said the porter with a cheerful grin. ‘Some of us don’t have time to sit around with our feet up. We’re rushing here, there and everywhere at everyone’s beck and call. It’s “Fetch this, Mick. Deliver that, Mick,” all day long.’
�
��Well, this time it’s “Get to the point, Mick,” or we might be tempted to see if we can do something about that verbal diarrhoea,’ Jo said with a pointed glare.
‘Just thought I’d tell you how it is for us lesser mortals,’ he said with a mock cringe. ‘We could get hernias lugging great boxes like this around.’ He pulled a wheelchair into view and expertly swung it into the room in spite of the fact that it was piled high with several boxes.
‘Labels on each of them say they’re for G. Buchan. Personal. Maternity.’ He looked at them for help. ‘So who’s this G. Buchan, then? Doctor, nurse, midwife or patient?’
‘Actually, they’re for me,’ Ella said as she scrambled to her feet. She was as mystified as the rest of them as to what it was about.
‘G. Buchan?’ Serena repeated. ‘But you’re called Ella.’
‘It’s a nickname. Short for Gabriella, courtesy of my Italian mother,’ she explained absently as she tried to work out who had sent her the parcels and what they contained.
Suddenly she caught sight of the logo on the corner of the label and knew what they contained, and the quizzing about her unusual name faded into oblivion.
‘Great! They’ve arrived!’ she exclaimed with a whoop. ‘Thanks, Mick.’
‘You be careful how you lift them boxes. Could do yourself an injury,’ he warned with a wink as he hefted the first one up out of the wheelchair as if it weighed at least a ton.
Ella picked the second one up and tucked it under her arm to take it across to the table to the accompaniment of a chorus of laughs when her colleagues realised just how little they weighed.
Mick gave them a cheeky wave and a grin as he wheeled the chair out and shut the door behind him.
‘Anyone got a knife or a pair of scissors?’ Ella asked as she tried to pick at the corner of the tape with a fingernail. ‘This little lot is going to be a real tonic. I bet it’ll even make us forget we’re overworked and under-appreciated.’
Mistletoe Mother (Medical Romance) Page 4