‘All right…I think,’ she replied, ‘although I suppose Dr Baker may have thought otherwise.’
‘Rest assured that you would have heard about it if she did. Not one to keep her criticisms to herself is Bettine.’
Nina nodded. They were in agreement about that. So why couldn’t Rob see it? Maybe he did and treated it as part of her professionalism.
There was no sign of him when she went into the consulting area, but Gavin was in evidence. He and Vikram had been taking the afternoon surgery and now he was off to somewhere more relaxing if his outfit was anything to go by.
‘Fancy a game of golf?’ he asked, on the point of making a quick departure.
‘I couldn’t even manage noughts and crosses at the moment, she told him. ‘I never seem to come up for air these days.’ Unable to help herself, she added, ‘Where’s Rob?’
‘Gone out on an emergency call.’
‘Where to?’
‘Don’t know. If you’re that keen to find out, ask one of the receptionists.’
There was an edge to his voice and she wondered if he guessed that she had leanings in that direction, but he was still pushing his charms when they teamed up at the Gun and Target later.
Tonight was no different, except that it was Friday and an empty weekend loomed ahead after her parents’ departure.
‘Want to go out somewhere tomorrow?’ Gavin was asking.
Nina shook her head. He was pleasant company but she didn’t want to be alone with him. She knew instinctively that it wouldn’t be a good idea, but a thought occurred to her.
‘Why don’t I have a party?’ she suggested impulsively. ‘With Dad and Eloise away I’ve got the house to myself. You know more people than I do, so spread the word around, will you?’
‘Are we talking about the “in” crowd, or a gathering from the practice?’ he asked.
Firmly putting to one side thoughts of dark, close-cropped hair, eyes of chestnut brown and a mouth that was unexplored territory as far as she was concerned, she said casually, ‘No, leave the practice staff out of it. We see enough of them as it is. Ask some of the crowd from here and anyone else you think might put some sparkle into the event.’
If Rob came so would Bettine and, although their private lives rarely intruded into the practice, to see them together for hours on end was more than she wanted to contemplate.
There was also the possibility that they mightn’t want to come even if they were invited, but she decided it was best to take no chances.
As a large assortment of trendy young people began to arrive by car and on foot on Saturday evening, Nina began to feel uneasy.
She wouldn’t have thought there had been so many of her own age group in the village and the surrounding areas, but it seemed as if there were, and as they came breezing into her parents’ neat home, most of them with the token bottle, she couldn’t believe that she’d given Gavin a free hand with the invitations.
Nina had provided drinks and tasty nibbles. She’d also made a huge pile of sandwiches, but as people continued to arrive she had a sinking feeling that coping with this lot was going to be like the feeding of the five thousand in biblical times.
Luckily, it was a warm night so the gardens would be occupied just as much as the house, with taped music equally as clear outside as in.
‘So!’ Gavin said with a smug smile when he arrived. ‘I’ve done as you asked.’
‘What?’ she snapped. ‘Invited the whole of Cheshire? I meant a couple of dozen, not droves of this size. I’ll have to make some more sandwiches and heaven knows if we’ll have enough to drink.’
‘Don’t panic,’ he said easily. ‘If we run out I’ll go and get some more and I’ll help you with the butties.’
His calmness had the desired effect and she began to unwind, giving her mind to playing the hostess in a long black dress that clung to her slender curves like a second skin.
However, as the night progressed and still guests continued to turn up, the atmosphere of good humour began to change and a quarrelsome note crept in amongst some of them.
A vase that Eloise was fond of had been broken and the crush on the stairs had split one of the polished wooden spindles of the banister.
Nina was beginning to get anxious again. Eloise wouldn’t bother too much about the vase but her father would be furious when he saw the staircase.
‘That’s it, folks,’ she called. ‘The party’s over.’
Gavin was at her elbow. ‘It’s not twelve o’clock yet,’ he said in a scandalised whisper. ‘They’ll be expecting it to go on for hours.’
‘They’re in for a disappointment, then, aren’t they?’ she snarled. ‘Your friends are wrecking the place.’
He looked uncomfortable. ‘They’re not exactly my friends, although I do know some of them. I put a notice up outside the Gun and Target telling anyone who was interested to come along.’
‘So you don’t know half of them!’
‘Afraid not, but you did tell me to spread the word.’
‘Not to all corners of the globe! And whether they like it or not, the party’s over. You brought them here—you tell them!’
But either they couldn’t hear him above noise or if they did they chose to ignore him, as no one took the least bit of notice.
Nina was becoming desperate. Another ornament had been broken and wine had been spilt on the carpet. She must have been insane to have come up with an idea such as this, and she had no idea what she was going to do about it as she was outnumbered.
Having failed to make himself heard, Gavin had given up on it and was dancing out on the terrace with a dark-haired girl wearing black lipstick.
Nina watched them in silent anguish. She had bitten off more than she could chew and knew it. The party would go on all night. By morning the house would be wrecked, and that might be the least of the catastrophes as swaying couples were drifting off upstairs and into the shrubbery amidst ribald comments.
A skinhead in designer clothes with a gold ring in each ear came along at that moment and draped a muscular arm across her shoulders. When she moved away he pulled her back and said with a leer, ‘Don’t go rushing off, Dr Lombard. I’ve got a complaint that I want to ask you about.’
She glared at him. ‘Really? Then you’d better make an appointment at the surgery.’
His grip on her wrist tightened and he began to pull her towards the bushes. ‘We’ll talk about it now,’ he said drunkenly.
It was Saturday night and it felt strange for it to be free of Bettine’s presence, but free it was and Rob had no complaints about that.
So far he’d told no one about the broken engagement and neither had she, which wasn’t surprising when he thought about her remarks at the time.
There’d been a couple of comments at the practice about the missing ring but she’d fobbed them off with the excuse that a stone was loose.
As he picked up Zacky’s lead and prepared to take the Border terrier for his nightly walk his smile was wry. It was incredible that his life had been turned upside down in so short a time…and that his footsteps should automatically turn in the direction of the Lombard residence.
And if his subconscious hadn’t propelled him towards the house in question, the noise coming from there would have made him curious enough to walk that way.
His eyes widened at the sight of all the cars outside and the light from the windows of every room beaming out across the lawns and flower-beds. Music was blaring out and there was loud laughter and shouting coming from all parts of the house.
He hesitated, debating whether he should make his presence known in case…In case what? The tone of the party needed quietening down? Or to issue a word of warning to the young hostess who needed her head read?
From the sight and sound of it, Rob guessed that there must be at least sixty people there. His jaw tightened. It looked as if the city girl was determined to liven up the countryside.
But if she was that starved of the bri
ght lights, why, for goodness’ sake, hadn’t she gone there tonight? There’d been nothing to stop her. Her father and Eloise were away and Nina had transport. She was turning his beloved village into a venue for lager louts!
As his anger mounted he saw her in the garden, standing in a pool of light beneath one of the windows. A fellow with a shaved head was beside her and as he watched, Rob saw him grasp her arm and start to drag her off into the shrubbery.
That was enough to have him invading the rowdy gathering. As he sprinted up the drive he caught a glimpse of Gavin’s astonished face, which did nothing to reduce his rage. But before he tore a strip off his junior partner he had to get to Nina.
As he reached the bushes she came staggering out, her hair tangled and a scratch on her cheek, while from behind her he could hear a howl of pain.
When she saw him she burst into tears and ran straight into his arms. If the circumstances had been different Rob would have made the most of the moment, but all he could think of was that if she’d organised this disruptive gathering she should have been prepared for this sort of thing to happen. That he couldn’t bear the thought of anyone else touching her was a side issue.
He put her away from him with an abrupt movement and moved towards the shrubbery, determined that, if nothing else, he was going to send the lout on his way, but before he could do so the bushes parted and the youth in question came limping out sheepishly.
‘Did he harm you?’ Rob grated through clenched teeth.
Nina managed a smile through her tears. ‘No. He was the one who came off worst.’
‘But he could have done!’ he persisted as the culprit hobbled off. He looked around him grimly. ‘It’s insane to invite this many to a party unless you’re sure you can keep it under control. I see that Gavin’s here, but he wasn’t much use to you just then, was he?’
‘No,’ she mumbled.
She’d been so thankful to see Rob standing there when she’d lurched out of the bushes, but it was clear that the feeling was one-sided. He was looking at her with cold, dark eyes and if she could have blotted out the last few hours she would have done.
‘I’m going to get rid of this lot,’ he said grimly.
She nodded wretchedly. ‘Yes, please.’
‘So you do realise that this sort of thing can soon get out of hand?’
‘It wasn’t meant to be like this, Rob.’
She wasn’t going to tell him that Gavin was partly to blame because the main fault was hers. She’d not put a limit on the number he’d been allowed to invite, but she was desperate that Rob shouldn’t think too badly of her.
‘Stay there while I clear the place!’ he commanded, ‘and that partner of mine can give me a lift. I shall have something to say to him on Monday.’
‘But I’m going to get my telling-off tonight?’ she said with an attempt at a smile.
‘How did you guess? What you do in your own time is none of my business, but allowing your parents’ home to be abused and putting your own safety at risk are the actions of someone who needs straightening out, as I see it.’
‘And you’re the one to do it?’
‘If no one else is around…yes.’
CHAPTER FIVE
THERE was peace. The invaders had gone, some reluctantly, others good-naturedly. But the main thing was that they’d gone.
As Nina looked at the chaos they’d left behind she groaned. Cans, cigarette ends and half-eaten sandwiches were scattered around in abundance. Thank goodness her father and Eloise weren’t due home until the following weekend, she thought as she stood amongst the debris.
If they hadn’t wanted to take any notice of Gavin and herself, the presence of Dr Carslake, with a face like thunder and a voice to match, had done the trick.
Gavin would have departed with them but Rob had other ideas. ‘Don’t go slinking off,’ he told him. ‘You can assist with the cleaning up.’
When his young partner opened his mouth to protest he snapped, ‘Save your breath, Gavin. I don’t know what part you had in this affair, but I’m damn sure that Nina didn’t know all those people from the short time she’s been here. They were your friends, weren’t they?’
‘Some of them, yes,’ Gavin admitted reluctantly. ‘But she did tell me to pass the word around. There was no mention of limiting numbers.’
‘The pair of you are totally irresponsible. It’s a wonder that the police haven’t been round to see what the racket was.’ Rob pointed to the sink. ‘After you’ve collected all the rubbish that’s lying around you can start washing some glasses, and after that—’
‘Steady on, Rob!’ the bleached-haired charmer protested. ‘I need my beauty sleep.’
‘Huh! You wouldn’t have been worrying about that if the party had been still in full swing,’ he said relentlessly. ‘There’s an apron behind the door. I suggest you put it on.’
‘And what are you going to do while I’m slaving over the sink?’
‘I’m going to find Nina.’
He found her staring gloomily at the broken banister, but her expression changed to surprise when she saw the bowl in his hand.
‘Sit down,’ he commanded, and as she sank onto the nearest step he produced lint and a tube of antiseptic cream.
‘I foraged for these in the kitchen. I hope you don’t mind,’ he said levelly.
‘No, of course not,’ she said warily. ‘What are you intending to do with them?’
He rolled his eyes heavenwards. ‘Well, I’m not proposing to use them to repair the staircase, if that’s what you’re thinking. I’m going to bathe your face, of course. That’s a nasty cut.’
Nina touched her face absently where the branches had caught it. ‘I thought it was stinging but my mind has been on other things, I’m afraid. My dad will be so angry when he sees the broken banister.’
‘You don’t deserve it, but I’ll ask the joiner who’s working on the alterations at the surgery to come round and repair it on Monday,’ Rob said flatly.
‘Oh! Thanks, Rob!’ she breathed. ‘I know I don’t deserve it, but thanks.’
‘I’m not doing it for you,’ he told her in the same cold tones. ‘I’m thinking of your father and Eloise. And now, if you’ll keep quite still, I’ll attend to your face.’
His touch was more gentle than his voice had been, and as he crouched down beside her and began to bathe the gash on her cheek Nina was conscious of his face close to hers.
She wanted to reach up and brush his lips with her fingers, trail them around the dark eyes that were so intent on what he was doing, caress his strong neck…Desire was rising in her like a floodtide.
‘Stop it, Nina!’ he commanded harshly.
‘What do you mean?’
‘I mean that I know what you’re thinking.’
‘And what’s that?’
‘That everything and everyone is yours for the taking when the mood strikes you.’
She slumped back against the wooden stair, feeling as if she’d just been struck in the chest. So that was what he thought of her. Spoilt! Selfish! Greedy! Couldn’t he see that she was in love with him? That the way she felt about him wasn’t a here-today-and-gone-tomorrow sort of thing?
As he watched her mouth droop in dismay and the beautiful green eyes cloud over, Rob’s anger drained away. Tonight Nina Lombard had been the victim of her own impetuosity, which was a fact that would be brought home to her when she started the mammoth clean-up that would have to be done.
But as his eyes dwelt on her downcast face, Rob was having to admit to himself that his anger had come not from the stupid thing she’d done but because she’d put herself at risk at the hands of some local stud. Adding insult to injury, she’d invited that preening oaf, Gavin, to the party, but hadn’t contemplated asking himself. He’d come in useful for the clearing-out process and that was all.
Then in his pique he’d just told her in no uncertain terms that he wasn’t available for whatever she might have in mind. Since when had his thou
ght processes been in such a mess?
She was still crouching on the step, and as the clatter of pots continued to come from the kitchen Rob reached out to help her up.
When their hands met the effect of the touch was electrical. The only time they’d ever been in physical contact before had been when she’d planted a butterfly kiss on his cheek. This was hardly a lovers’ embrace, but it was enough to make his blood run warm and his pulses race.
As she came upright to stand hesitantly before him, everything else but the two of them ceased to exist. Was this what he’d been missing? he asked himself, and realised that he’d never know if he didn’t take this opportunity being offered.
He heard Nina gasp as his mouth took possession of hers and then she was pressing herself to him and kissing him back as if the world were about to end.
So that’s how the land lies, Gavin thought as he stood in the hallway below with a glass cloth in his hands and soapy splashes down the front of his smart waistcoat.
Washing pots wasn’t his scene. At home everything went into the dishwasher, and it was that fact which had brought him out of the kitchen to protest that he’d had enough and was going home.
However, he’d been stopped in his tracks at the sight of Nina and Rob locked in each other’s arms.
So that was why he was making no progress with her, he thought wryly as he let himself quietly out of the back door. The party girl had other fish to fry.
Totally engrossed in each other, they didn’t hear him go. But if Gavin hadn’t been prepared to butt into the moment, common sense and logic had no such scruples.
Even as he held Nina close Rob’s mind was beginning to function again, and the messages that were issuing forth were telling him that she wasn’t the only one who’d been stupid on this mellow summer night.
He’d already made it clear to Bettine that they had no future together. So what was he thinking of? He was the one who frowned on relationships within the practice and yet here he was, ready and willing to make a fool of himself with another of its doctors. This time its youngest one.
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