‘Five,’ Maxine said, standing up. She glared at Ben as though he were to blame. ‘So I don’t know where you think I’ll get the time to be boiling bedding. I’m run off my feet as it is!’
She stormed out without another word and certainly not a thank-you. Ben grimaced as he got up to wash his hands. He’d not exactly won her over, had he? That made two women he’d managed to upset in under an hour.
He sighed as he dried his hands on a paper towel. Emily’s reaction to the news that he’d be working at the surgery had been nothing less than he’d expected, yet it had still stung. She had made it clear that he was the last person she wanted to be around and he couldn’t help comparing how she felt now to how she’d felt three years ago. Back then, she’d made no secret of the fact that she had enjoyed his company and it was painful to know how much her opinion of him had changed.
‘I’m sorry to interrupt you, but I need a word about a patient.’
Ben felt his heart lurch when he looked round and saw Emily standing in the doorway. She was dressed in her customary working attire which comprised a navy blue cotton tunic with matching navy blue trousers yet he couldn’t help thinking how much the outfit suited her, emphasising the rounded fullness of her breasts and the trimness of her waist. Her light brown hair was drawn back from her face and held at her nape with a tortoiseshell clip, and he felt a little flurry run through him when he found himself remembering how it looked when it was loose. How many times had he woken to see her hair spread across his pillow? How many times had he buried his face in its softness? He’d never allowed himself to remember things like that before, yet all of a sudden the memories were as sharp and as clear as ever.
‘Of course.’ Ben adopted a carefully neutral expression as he returned to the desk. He couldn’t afford to let Emily know what he was thinking in case it jeopardised his plans for Theo. He must be the last person she wanted lusting after her after the way he had behaved! ‘What can I do for you?’
‘I’ve got a woman with me who’s presenting with all the symptoms of angina—chest pains, sweating, dizziness. She’s staying here on holiday and woke up this morning feeling very unwell.’ Emily shrugged. ‘Lizzie asked me to have a look at her, but I really think she needs to be seen by a doctor.’
‘And you’ve tried Tom and Hannah but they’re busy,’ Ben put in wryly.
‘Yes.’ She didn’t prevaricate and he swallowed his sigh. If it were up to Emily then he wouldn’t have been consulted at all.
‘In that case, I’d better take a look at her. Do you want to fetch her through here or shall I come with you?’
‘You’d better come through to my room,’ she said stiffly, turning to leave.
Ben caught her up in the corridor, moderating his pace as they made their way to the opposite end of the building where Emily had her room. She paused outside the door and he could tell that she was deliberately putting up a barrier between them. Emily wasn’t prepared to give an inch which made his task all the harder but he wasn’t going to be deterred, if that’s what she hoped. He would be a proper father to Theo whether she liked it or not, although he really and truly hoped that she would.
‘The patient’s name is Helen Scott. She’s fifty-two years old and recently widowed,’ she informed him before opening the door.
‘Thank you,’ Ben said quietly as he followed her in. He would get nowhere if he pushed her. He had to give her time and hope that he could win her round. At least by working here, they would be in daily contact for the next week, which was why he had offered his help. Hopefully, the time he spent at the surgery would lay the groundwork for their future relationship.
The fact that there was no guarantee his plan would work worried him but he pushed the thought aside as he went over to the couch. ‘Hello, Mrs Scott, I’m Benedict Legrange. I’m covering for one of the doctors here. Emily tells me that you aren’t feeling very well.’
‘No, I’m not, Doctor.’
Helen summoned a smile but Ben could tell the effort it cost her. He sat down on the edge of the couch and checked her pulse, preferring to do it the old-fashioned way rather than use the machine. Although it was rather rapid, it wasn’t worryingly so, and he smiled at her. ‘Your pulse is a little fast but that’s understandable. Emily told me that you have pains in your chest. Where about does it hurt exactly?’
‘Just here.’ Helen touched the centre of her chest.
‘And how bad is it on a scale of one to five, with one being the least severe and five being the worst?’ He knew that Emily was listening, but he did his best to block out everything except his patient. There would be time enough to worry about Emily later.
‘I don’t know... I’ve not had a pain like this before,’ Helen said uncertainly.
‘So this is the first time it’s happened?’ Ben queried.
‘Yes.’ Helen bit her lip and he could tell that she was struggling to hold back her tears.
He patted her hand. ‘Take your time, Helen. We’re here to help you.’
‘I know. It’s just that it’s so hard...’
Tears began to stream down her face and Emily stepped forward. She bent down and put her arm around the other woman’s shoulders. ‘Is there anyone we can call, Helen? A friend or a family member, perhaps?’
‘No, there’s no one. I’m here on my own. It’s my first holiday since Richard died and I wish I hadn’t come now!’
Ben moved out of the way so that Emily could take his place. She was so good with people, he thought, as he watched her, genuinely kind and caring. How had he ever imagined that she would try to trick him?
The guilt he felt was more than he could handle right then. Walking over to the desk, he phoned Lizzie and asked her if she would mind making a cup of tea for their patient. It arrived a few minutes later and he thanked her warmly before carrying it over to the couch.
‘Here you are. I have it on good authority that a cup of tea works wonders,’ he said with a smile.
‘Thank you.’ Helen smiled shakily as she accepted the cup. Emily looked up and Ben felt his heart lift when he saw the approval in her eyes. Maybe it was foolish, but it felt good to know that he’d done something right for once.
By the time Helen had finished her tea, she seemed a lot better. Emily took the cup off her and put it on the desk. She couldn’t fault the way Ben had handled the situation, she thought, glancing at him. He had been both kind and patient, taking his time as he had reassured Helen. He had been exactly the same the night he had brought that missing walker to her house and she had to admit that she was impressed. The thought was disquieting bearing in mind that she wasn’t looking for things to admire about him. But it was obvious that Ben genuinely cared...or, at least, he cared about his patients, she amended. When it came to anyone else, it was a very different matter.
The memory of how he had treated her in Paris was still very raw. Emily forced it from her mind as he sat down beside the couch. Maybe she would be able to forgive him in time but not at the moment.
‘You said that you hadn’t had pain like this before, Helen, so do you know what caused it today?’ Ben asked. ‘Were you doing something strenuous perhaps?’
‘Not at all. I’d just made myself some breakfast when it started,’ Helen explained. ‘I’ve rented a cottage near Denton’s Cove and all I’ve been doing for the past week is reading and walking.’
‘How far do you walk each day?’ Ben said quickly.
‘Oh, not far. Just a couple of miles, if that.’ She sighed. ‘Richard was a keen walker. He used to go out for the whole day but I never went with him. He used to tease me about it, said my legs would stop working if I didn’t use them more!’
Ben laughed. ‘But he didn’t manage to convince you?’
‘No. I prefer my comforts, I’m afraid,’ Helen replied, smiling. She looked so much better that Emi
ly was amazed by the change in her.
‘How long is it since your husband died?’ Ben enquired gently.
‘Six months next week,’ Helen replied, her smile fading.
‘I imagine it must be very difficult for you,’ he continued. ‘It sounds as though you and your husband had a wonderful relationship.’
Emily frowned, unsure if it was wise to raise the subject when Helen was looking so much better.
‘We did. We were married for almost thirty years and I miss him so much,’ Helen admitted, her voice catching.
‘I’m sure you do. It takes time to get over losing someone you love, Helen. I have a feeling that you haven’t really given yourself time to grieve, have you?’
‘I try not to give in to it,’ Helen confessed. ‘I don’t want the children to see me crying. Oh, I know they’re grown up now but I still worry about them. The last thing I want is them finding me crying my eyes out.’
‘I understand, but it doesn’t help to bottle up your feelings.’ Ben’s tone was firm. ‘It could be that the pain and everything else you’ve experienced today was caused by stress. You’ve been trying so hard to hold it all together for the sake of your family and now that you’ve taken some time for yourself, your body is rebelling.’
‘Do you really think so?’ Helen asked in surprise.
‘I think it’s possible, although I am not ruling out any other causes at this stage which is why I want to send you to the hospital for an ECG. That will show if there’s anything wrong with your heart.’
‘I’ve always been extremely fit,’ Helen protested and he nodded.
‘I’m sure you have. However, I’d feel happier if you’d have the ECG. I’d also like you to make an appointment with your own GP when you return home. He may want to do some blood tests to check on your general health.’
‘Well, if you think I should, Dr Legrange,’ Helen agreed reluctantly.
‘I do. It would also be a good idea if you had counselling to help you deal with your loss. Your GP should be able to give you details of any groups offering bereavement counselling in your area. You may not feel that you need it, but it can help enormously so I hope you’ll think about it.’
He gave her his most winning smile and Emily sighed when she saw the older woman immediately melt. Few women could resist when Ben turned on the charm, she thought wryly. She certainly hadn’t been able to.
Ben phoned the hospital and arranged for Helen to be seen that afternoon then escorted her out. Emily laid fresh paper on the couch in readiness for her next patient, thinking about what had happened. So Ben had proved that he was a good doctor, a caring doctor—so what? It didn’t alter the fact that he had treated her appallingly three years ago. Maybe he’d had his reasons for not believing her; she was willing to concede that. However, he had never even considered the idea that she may have been telling him the truth.
That’s what hurt the most, the fact that he had been so sure that she’d been lying. It made her see that all those claims he’d made that meeting her was the best thing that had ever happened to him had been so much hot air. He’d been spinning her a line, telling her what she had wanted to hear to get her into bed. Not that she’d been exactly reluctant—definitely not! However, she had slept with him because she had been falling in love with him, whereas Ben had slept with her because she’d been convenient. Love hadn’t entered the equation so far as he was concerned. And it wasn’t part of the equation now.
Emily took a deep breath then summoned her next patient. So long as she remembered that, everything would be fine.
Ben saw Helen out and went back to his room. He sat down, thinking about what had happened. Helen’s grief had affected him deeply, mainly because it reinforced all his doubts about long-term relationships. He hated to think that any woman would have to go through that kind of heartache because of him. It also made him wonder if he was right to involve himself in Theo’s life. If anything happened to him, he couldn’t bear to think that his son would suffer.
It was something he needed to think about, he realised. He had acted instinctively when he’d found out about Theo; he hadn’t stopped to consider the consequences. However, if he became an important part of Theo’s life and the cancer did return, he could end up hurting him. On the other hand, if he didn’t make every effort to get to know Theo, he would always regret it, especially if he remained fit and healthy.
He sighed. If only he could look into the future and see what it held, it would be so much easier, but that wasn’t possible. It would help too if he could talk it through with Emily and find out what she thought, but he couldn’t see that happening. Emily’s only concern was Theo’s welfare and he couldn’t blame her for that. If he put doubts in her mind then she might very well refuse him access to the child. Until he was sure about what he was doing, he couldn’t risk upsetting her. However, he would proceed with caution. Although he longed for the day when Theo called him daddy, he mustn’t rush things. He had to take it slowly, accept that he might only ever be on the periphery of his son’s life. Maybe it wasn’t what he wanted but it was better than running the risk of Theo getting hurt.
* * *
The day came to an end and Emily was glad to be able to leave. She headed out to her car, wondering how she was going to get through the rest of the week. Being around Ben had been a strain. She was so aware of him that each time she’d needed to consult him, her heart had raced and she’d had problems breathing. Maybe he’d be here only for a matter of days but a lot could happen in that time, as she knew from experience. It had taken just one week, just seven days, for her to fall in love with him, after all. Her mouth compressed. She wasn’t going to make that mistake again!
She left the surgery and drove across town. Her parents had collected Theo from nursery and taken him back to their house for tea. Although Emily knew how much Theo enjoyed spending time with his grandparents, she couldn’t help wishing that she could have gone straight home. Her mother was far too astute and would soon realise that there was something worrying her.
What was she going to tell her? Emily wondered as she turned into the lane leading to Jackson’s farm. She had never mentioned Ben to her parents but she would have to tell them about him soon. After all, if Tom had spotted the resemblance between him and Theo, other people would notice it too. It wasn’t fair to keep her parents in the dark when everyone knew that Ben was Theo’s father.
Emily had no idea how to set about it and racked her brain as she drove along the lane. Now that haymaking was finished, the fields were being ploughed ready for planting and she slowed when she spotted her father driving one of the tractors. Maybe it would be easier if she told her dad first and enlisted his help to tell her mother?
Noel Jackson brought the tractor to a halt when Emily beeped her horn. He smiled as he watched her climb over the gate. ‘Theo’s helping your mum feed the chickens. They should be just about finished by now, I expect.’
‘He loves feeding the chickens,’ Emily agreed, picking her way across the rough ground. She hesitated, wondering how to begin. Her parents had been so good about Theo. They had never tried to force her to tell them about his father and had done everything they could to help her. She only hoped they wouldn’t be too disappointed in her when they found out their beloved grandson was the result of a brief affair.
‘What’s up, love? I can tell something’s worrying you.’
‘It’s Theo,’ Emily said when she heard the concern in her father’s voice.
‘There’s nothing wrong with him, is there?’ Noel said anxiously. ‘He seemed right as rain to me.’
‘No, no, he’s fine,’ she said hurriedly. She took a deep breath then rushed on before her courage deserted her. ‘It’s just that...well, his father has turned up.’
CHAPTER SIX
‘NOW you sit there and watch this new
DVD that Granny has bought for you.’ Emily got Theo settled on the sofa. ‘I’ll just be in the kitchen talking to Granny and Grandpa. Okay?’
She left Theo watching his film and went back to the kitchen. By tacit consent they hadn’t discussed the issue uppermost on their minds during tea. Although her father had briefly told her mum about Ben turning up, they’d avoided speaking about him in front of Theo. Now she guessed that she would have a lot of questions to answer and sighed. She didn’t want her parents to think too badly about Ben, oddly enough.
‘Tea or coffee, darling?’ Frances Jackson looked round when Emily entered the room. She smiled at her. ‘Your dad and I are having tea but it’s no trouble to make coffee if you’d prefer it.’
‘Tea’s fine, Mum. Thanks.’ Emily sat down at the table and looked around. ‘Where’s Dad?’
‘He thought it might be easier for you if he wasn’t here,’ Frances explained as she brought the pot over to the table. ‘He’s taken his tea through to the office to drink it there.’
‘He didn’t need to do that,’ Emily protested. ‘He has to know what happened at some point.’
‘Of course. But I think he was worried in case he said the wrong thing.’ Frances smiled ruefully. ‘The idea of any man leaving his little girl in the lurch does tend to send him off at the deep end, I’m afraid.’
‘I had no idea,’ Emily admitted. ‘I’ve caused you both an awful lot of heartache, haven’t I?’
‘Nonsense! On the contrary, you’ve given us the most wonderful gift we could ever have had—a gorgeous little grandson.’ Frances patted her hand. ‘I’ll fill your dad in later, so don’t you worry about that. From the sound of it, you’ve enough on your plate.’
Emily sighed. ‘You’re right. I never expected Ben to turn up like this.’
‘So that’s his name, is it—Ben?’
The Son That Changed His Life Page 5