Return of the Rebel Doctor

by Joanna Neil

  ‘This is delicious,’ Ross said a short time later as he tucked into braised beef and tender vegetables. ‘They serve up good meals at McAskie’s but nothing to compare with this. I can’t remember the last time I had a home-cooked meal. It’s the one thing I really miss.’

  Katie was startled. ‘Do you never cook for yourself—surely you must have done from time to time?’

  ‘Sometimes,’ he admitted, ‘but only basic stuff. Anything you can have on toast, or maybe a grilled steak, or pizza, but beyond that I’m hopeless.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t know about that,’ Jessie put in, smiling. ‘I remember a long time ago when you bought a throw-away barbecue pack and cooked sausages for us down by the river. I thought it was the best meal I’d ever tasted.’

  ‘Well, you were younger then.’ He laughed. ‘I don’t suppose you even cared about the blackened bits. They probably just added to the adventure.’

  They reminisced over old times for a while, ending the meal with a fresh fruit salad, and then Katie made coffee while Jessie and Ross stacked the crockery in the dishwasher.

  ‘Why don’t you let me show you around the place?’ Jessie said, when they were finished. She tucked her arm into Ross’s and urged him towards the sitting room.

  Ross turned as they headed out of the kitchen. ‘I’ve not forgotten about the leak, Katie,’ he said. ‘I’ll take a look at it as soon as we’re done.’

  Katie nodded, and absently stroked the puppy’s fur as he came to her. ‘I guess it’s just you and me, then, Baz,’ she murmured into the emptiness of the kitchen. It was strange how painfully it wrung her heart to have Ross here in her home. Every instinct told her that falling for him would be a big mistake. He was her boss, and that was a definite no-no.

  The situation was fraught with danger. She fought against her feelings for him at every turn, yet she was fast coming to the conclusion that it was a losing battle, and that scared her.

  She’d been hurt once before, but deep down she knew this time would be different. This time there would be no recovering from a broken heart.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  JOSH MOVED THE large terracotta container to a sunny spot on the patio and glanced up at Katie. ‘Is it okay for you if I put it here?’

  ‘That’s just fine. Thanks, Josh.’ The hybrid rose looked good in its new position, and the delicate fragrance drifted on the air to where Katie stood by the open patio doors. She smiled. ‘I can see I shall have to start building up some muscles if I’m going to get into gardening in a big way.’

  He gave a mock grimace. ‘Please don’t do that. Anything you want done, you know you only have to ask.’

  ‘Thanks. I appreciate that. Usually, Jessie and I manage things between us, but that container is particularly heavy.’

  He nodded. ‘I wondered if Jessie might be with you today. She doesn’t work every weekend on the family estate, does she?’

  ‘No, she doesn’t, but she had to go over to her house to see how the extension’s coming along, and then she said she was going shopping. She’s in desperate need of some new clothes, apparently.’

  Jessie had confided that she wanted to find a new outfit for the barbecue being held at McAskie’s Bar the next weekend. ‘Ross will be there,’ she’d said. ‘It’ll be great fun. I’m really looking forward to it.’

  ‘I expect it will be a great day.’ Katie had glanced at her sister. ‘You like him, don’t you?”

  Jessie had nodded. ‘He’s a good person,’ she’d said, her voice quiet and distant as though she had been preoccupied in some way. ‘He’s not at all bad, the way some people think of him, like Mum and Dad, for instance.’ She’d sighed. ‘I owe him so much.’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Katie had asked, but Jessie had simply shrugged.

  ‘Nothing. Nothing at all. Take no notice of me. I guess I’m rambling a bit.’

  Katie had frowned. Something had obviously been on Jessie’s mind and had been, in fact, since Ross had returned from the mainland. She’d often been distant lately, lost in thought.

  ‘Are you all right?’ Josh’s voice brought her back to the present. ‘You suddenly have a far-away look in your eyes.’

  ‘Do I? Sorry.’ Hastily, she made an effort to pull herself together. ‘Yes, I’m fine.’ She bent down to inspect the gnarled stick that Baz dropped at her feet. ‘That’s great, Baz,’ she murmured. ‘But enough of throwing sticks for now. Go and find your hide chew bone. It’s around here somewhere.’ She straightened up and looked at Josh once more. ‘I suppose I was wondering if she’s going to break the bank with her purchases.’

  He laughed. ‘That’s a strong possibility, I guess. She always looks good, doesn’t she?’ He glanced around. ‘Is there anything else you need moved before I go? I have to drop by the office to see to some urgent paperwork, otherwise I’d be tempted to stay longer. It’s so peaceful here—so different from the frantic world I live in day to day.’

  ‘Yes, it is. I find I need to come out here after a busy day in Emergency. It helps to calm me down.’ She looked around the garden, at the bird table where colourful finches came to see what titbits were on offer, and the shrubbery where bright yellow gorse and deep blue wallflowers vied for space.

  ‘There’s nothing else that needs doing, thanks. You’ve been a great help. And it was good of you to come over and let me know about Finn’s case. I’ve been worrying about him.’

  ‘I know. We’ve both known him all his life and it’s bound to be upsetting to see him getting into trouble. Ross has been into the office regularly to make sure that everything that can be done is being done—but we’ve finally sent off our statements, disputing the so-called evidence, so all we can do now is wait.

  ‘And as for Finn’s injury—the dog owner has been reprimanded and has to obey strict conditions, otherwise the dog will be taken from him. He’s very lucky that he was given a reprieve. I think Finn had a lot to do with that.’

  ‘By all accounts the owner was pretty shaken up by the whole thing, almost as much as Finn. He apologised and told Finn the dog was spooked by something and ran out of the house when the door was opened. He must have thought Finn was on his territory.’

  Josh nodded. ‘Finn’s lucky the outcome wasn’t much worse.’ They walked along the path to the front of the house, and there Josh turned to give her a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek. ‘Don’t forget, any time you need me to help you with anything, you only have to call.’

  ‘I won’t. Thanks, Josh.’

  He hugged her again and then reluctantly walked to his car. Glancing across the drive, it was only then that Katie noticed another vehicle was parked at the roadside. Ross’s car.

  Ross nodded briefly to Josh and then came along the path towards her, his eyes narrowed. Even as she waved goodbye to Josh she felt the intensity of Ross’s gaze fixed on her.

  ‘You and Josh seem to be getting along very well,’ he said on a thoughtful note. ‘Like a house on fire, I’d say.’

  She nodded. ‘We always did. Is that a problem for you?’

  ‘Not at all,’ he murmured. He glanced back at Josh’s car, now fast disappearing along the road. ‘At least, it’s nothing a well-aimed garden hose wouldn’t put right.’

  She laughed. ‘You’re a wicked man, Ross McGregor. Always have been...’

  ‘Hmm, I deny it all. I’m the very soul of innocence. I believe in looking after my own, that’s all.’

  She gave him a chiding look. ‘That’s very presumptuous of you, don’t you think?’

  ‘Not at all.’ He slid his arms around her waist. ‘You’re definitely mine, always have been. You just don’t know it yet. You look gorgeous, by the way.’ He moved in closer.

  ‘I hardly think so, but thanks all the same.’ It was good that he thought so, and his comment made her feel warm inside. She w
as dressed for gardening, in jeans that moulded themselves to her figure, along with a loose-fitting shirt, and she’d pinned her hair back so that her curls were held away from her cheeks.

  Smiling, she evaded his seeking mouth as he bent to kiss her, and she managed to wriggle out of his grasp, gently pushing him away.

  ‘Behave yourself, Ross. It won’t do at all. I work for you now, remember? Tell me why you’re here.’ Her expression changed. ‘Is it a problem with Finn?’

  ‘No, nothing like that.’ He accepted defeat with good grace. ‘The opposite, in fact.’ He shook his head. ‘Finn’s doing all right. He had the stitches removed from his wound, and everything’s healing up nicely. You did a great job there with the sutures. With any luck there’ll only be the faintest of scars.’

  ‘I’m glad about that. How’s he doing otherwise? I don’t often get to see him now—I gave him a key to the house so he can come to see Baz, but then he goes off to work on the farm before I get home.’

  ‘He’s bearing up well, and he’s been full of enthusiasm ever since you had a word with your father and arranged for him to have a job on the estate.’ He studied her, his gaze intent and appreciative. ‘I didn’t realise you were going to talk to your father about him. That was very thoughtful of you. I appreciate it, and so does Finn.’

  He slid his arm around her as they walked round the house towards the garden, and she tried not to let the closeness affect her. He was clearly not taking any notice of her protests.

  ‘I talked things over with Finn,’ she said. ‘I know he has always loved being outdoors, and working in forestry is something that will suit him perfectly, I think.’

  ‘It will. He’s even talking about doing a college course.’

  ‘Yes, my father will arrange all that for him. He looks after his workers. He likes to see them get their qualifications and do well.’

  He nodded. ‘Yes, well, by way of returning the favour ever so slightly, I’m here to fix the tiles on your roof. I’ve managed to find matching ones, and once they’re in place they should put a stop to your problems.’

  A rush of anxiety overwhelmed her all of a sudden and she said hurriedly, ‘You don’t have to do that, Ross. In fact, I’d really rather you didn’t. You’re not a roofer—what if you slipped and fell? I couldn’t bear to have that on my conscience.’ She didn’t want him up there, trying to keep his balance while he removed broken tiles and fixed new ones in place.

  ‘Thanks for your concern,’ he said softly, ‘but there’s no need for you to worry. I’ll be fine. It’s something I need to do.’ They came to the garden, and he gazed around, smiling at the pleasing picture it made, with the carefully planted rockery and the green expanse of lawn that was edged on one side with a wide border filled with cottage-garden flowers. ‘You’ve worked hard on this the last few weeks. It looks a picture.’

  ‘Thanks. I was determined to get to grips with it.’

  ‘Maybe you could help me to plan out my garden at Loch Sheirach? It’s been left to grow a little wild, but there are some elements I’d like to keep.’

  Her eyes widened. ‘You managed to buy the property, then? It’s yours?’

  ‘It is. The paperwork and tying up all the loose ends will take some time, but I’ve signed the contract. I’d really like your input on how I should do the place up. You’ve an eye for making a house look homely and welcoming.’

  She swallowed her dismay at him owning the house she loved. ‘I’ll be glad to help.’ At least she would get to see the place and have a small part in its renovation. She smiled at him, despite her feelings, pleased that things were working out for him. He returned her gaze until they gradually became aware that the garden wasn’t quite so tranquil any more.

  Baz was hunting among the flowers, his nose burrowing into the wood chippings that Katie had spread between the plants, and bits were flying in all directions as he nudged them out of the way.

  ‘Baz, stop that right now,’ she said, worried about the precious blooms that were being flattened. The scent of crushed lavender wafted on the air as he trampled the nearby shrub.

  In response to her sharp admonition, he looked up at her briefly, wagging his tail, and then his nose dipped down again into the earth. A moment later he padded over to her, triumphantly holding his chew bone between his teeth. Pleased with himself, he dropped it at her feet.

  ‘Well, yes, thank you. You are a clever little man, I must say, and I did ask you to go and find it, but you have to leave my flowers alone, do you hear?’

  Ross chuckled as Baz came to him for some attention. He stroked him and patted his flanks. ‘He’s certainly made himself at home here, hasn’t he? Are things working out all right with Finn coming to walk him every day?’

  She nodded. ‘Finn’s been great with him. He’s taught him to sit and stay and to fetch things. He has a great nose on him—Baz, I mean, not Finn. He’s always hunting things out.’ She frowned. ‘I shall miss him when he goes but from the sound of things, it won’t be too long before that happens, will it? Finn says he’s planning on moving in with you. I’m not sure that’s a good thing. He’s very young to be leaving home.’

  ‘It was his idea, and I’ve told him it’s okay with me as long as he squares it with my father and Stephanie first. I don’t think they’ll be too pleased, and I’d prefer it if he stayed on good terms with both of them.’ He pressed his lips together briefly. ‘Things haven’t been going too well for him at home, though. I had to tell my father about the bail situation and he’s very annoyed. I put it to him the best way I could, but he went off like a rocket all the same.’

  They went over to the chairs that were set out on the patio and sat down by the wrought-iron table. ‘As for the dog, it’ll be a couple of weeks before I move into the house, and then when I’m settled, after, say, another week, Baz can come to stay with me. My only problem is what I’m going to do to make sure he’s looked after in the daytime while Finn and I are both at work. It was never a good idea to take him on.’

  She nodded. ‘I know. I’ve been thinking about that, too.’ Her green eyes were troubled. She really would miss the puppy when he left her.

  ‘I’ll do my best to find a reliable dog walker.’ He studied her, taking in the unhappy jut of her mouth. ‘It’ll make life easier for you, Katie, and you know you can come and see us any time. You could even stay over, if you wanted, for as long as you liked. Purely for Baz, of course.’ There was a wicked gleam in his eyes that belied his innocence, and Katie smiled wryly.

  ‘That would be great,’ she said, with a spark of mischievousness in her glance. ‘I know Baz would absolutely love to have me stay with him.’

  She poured juice from a jug on the table and handed him a glass. ‘Gardening’s thirsty work,’ she murmured, topping up her own glass, ‘especially in this sunshine. I’ve been deadheading and generally tidying up for the last couple of hours.’

  ‘Was that why Josh was here, to help out?’ He accepted the drink she offered him and took a long swallow, watching her over the rim.

  She smiled. ‘No, although he did help with some heavy lifting. He came to tell me how things were going with Finn, and what was happening with the case. I think it will take a while longer before we know whether they’ll go ahead and prosecute.’ She frowned. ‘It’s a worry.’

  Ross’s expression became serious. ‘Yes, it is. Which makes it all the more surprising that your father agreed to give him a job. You’ve told him about the trouble he’s in, haven’t you?’

  ‘Yes, of course. But my father is willing to give him a chance. He knows Finn has been working on the farm, and he’s heard good things about him from the farmer.’

  ‘I’m surprised, I’ll admit. Folk around here—including your father—always thought of the McGregors as trouble—we’re from the wrong side of the track, so to speak. I’d no idea that your
parents would consider giving Finn the benefit of the doubt.’

  She sipped her cool drink. ‘I suppose they’re still in two minds about things. And to be fair to Finn, he has a chance to make something of his life. Maybe that had something to do with their decision.’

  ‘Hmm. I wonder,’ His expression was brooding. ‘They seem to be okay with Finn, but Jessie’s been saying that they’ve been talking about the Old Brewery episode—she’s not so sure they are able to dismiss it as something that was simply youthful folly. It seems to be on her mind quite a bit these days. She says she feels weighed down with guilt, though I’ve told her there’s no reason for her to feel that way. It all happened a long time ago.’

  ‘Is that what it is?’ Katie frowned. ‘She’s been a bit quiet lately, but she doesn’t really want to talk about it when I ask her what’s on her mind. I assumed it was the problems with the house that were troubling her.’

  ‘Perhaps there’s that, too.’ His mouth quirked, and he seemed to be making an effort to lift the mood. ‘Still, if your parents are feeling a bit more amicable towards the McGregors, maybe I’m in with a chance after all—how do you think they’d feel about me going out with their elder daughter? Would I have their blessing after all this time?’

  She pretended to give it some thought. ‘Oh, I wouldn’t go as far as to say that. They do have certain standards...and it seems once again you’re assuming I’d be in agreement with your plans...’

  She was teasing him, but even though he understood that, his mouth made a crooked shape. ‘Yeah. Putting that aside, I expect they’ve lined Josh up as a suitor for you. He has the right background, the breeding...’

  ‘Are you serious?’ Her brows lifted. ‘You can’t really imagine they would think that way?’

  ‘Oh, I’m sure they want the best for their girls. I’m not convinced that I’d fit the bill.’

  She reached over to him and delicately probed his shoulder with her fingers. ‘That’s an enormous chip you’re carrying around,’ she murmured. ‘It must weigh you down at times.’