by Anne Fraser
Louise nodded. ‘I’ll call him, and in the meantime I’ll go and have another word with the parents.’ She sent him a quick glance. ‘I take it you’ve signed everything that needs to be signed?’
‘I have. The secretary is going to give you a ring to confirm that, any time now.’
‘Good. Under normal circumstances you’d be treated to an induction day, but I dare say that would be irrelevant in your case.’ Her mouth curved. ‘It might be a good idea for you to pair up with Tim for the next couple of weeks and, if there’s anything you want to know, I’m usually around.’
He returned her smile. ‘I’ll hunt you down if I need anything.’
Somehow, Louise had the feeling that was more of a threat than a promise. She told herself that she wasn’t going to let him get to her, and went in search of the boy’s parents once more.
Mr and Mrs Wainwright were visibly shaken when she told them that Dean needed surgery. ‘I knew something was badly wrong,’ the boy’s mother said. ‘He couldn’t move for a while after he fell.’ She looked anxiously at Louise. ‘Is this the sort of operation that’s done all the time?’
‘The surgeon will have done lots of these operations,’ Louise told her. ‘Quite often, though, the spleen will heal itself without any intervention, provided that the patient rests completely for some time and then takes it easy over the following weeks. In Dean’s case, I don’t believe that will work. We really need to repair the tear.’
‘He won’t lose his spleen, will he?’ Mr Wainwright asked. ‘I’ve heard that it’s bad if that happens.’
‘The spleen helps us to fight infection,’ Louise explained, ‘and that’s why doctors prefer not to remove it if it’s at all possible. As I’ve said, in your son’s case, it’s not very likely that it will heal with rest alone, but the surgeon will look at the scans and decide what is best to be done. I think he’ll most likely want to patch it up.’
Once she was sure that they understood the situation, Louise left them and went to attend to her other patients. There were a number of casualties brought in by ambulance, and it was almost lunch time before the hectic pace began to ease off a little.
She saw that James was in one of the treatment rooms administering nebulised medication to a little boy who was suffering from an asthma attack.
‘I’m going to give him steroid therapy, along with intravenous antibiotics,’ he was telling the mother, who was sitting by the bedside. ‘He’s feverish and we need to do tests to find out what type of infection it is that we’re dealing with. The antibiotic that I’m giving him is a powerful one, but we may need to change that when we get the results. In the meantime, I think you’ll find his breathing will improve in a little while.’
‘Thank you, Doctor. He looks so much better already.’
James nodded, and Louise couldn’t help but admire the gentle way in which he treated the little boy. He coaxed him into accepting the nebuliser mask, and his quiet, friendly manner seemed to help the child to relax. The boy seemed to be recovering, even as she watched.
Seeing James with the child made her heart fill with warmth and she stood for a moment, not saying anything, just drinking in the moment. What was it about this man that made her feel everything as though it was new and wonderful? Why was she always at loggerheads with him when he had such special qualities that took her breath away?
James left the treatment room a few minutes later, and Louise said quietly, ‘I thought you were very good with that little boy. It’s always very frightening when a child can’t breathe properly, and it makes all the difference when you handle it in a calm manner.’
‘I’m just thankful to see that his blood oxygen level is rising.’
‘It looks as though he’s going to be all right.’ She smiled. ‘I was thinking about the possibility of going to get something to eat while there’s a lull. Perhaps you ought to do the same.’
Just then, Alice came over to them. ‘James,’ she said, ‘someone’s here to see you. He’s waiting by the main doors.’
James looked where she indicated, and excused himself.
‘They look so much alike, don’t they?’ Alice murmured, glancing over to where James stood with the visitor, and Louise had to agree. The men were both tall and lean, with black hair cut in a short neat style.
‘Dishy’s not the word, is it?’ Alice murmured. ‘It doesn’t do either of them justice, does it? See, I’ve come over all hot and bothered now.’ She pretended to fan her cheeks and Louise laughed.
‘Perhaps you’d better go and splash your face with cold water,’ she said.
‘Yeah, right.’ Alice went back to work, leaving Louise to wonder if this was James’s brother who had come to talk to him.
Perhaps he had noticed her glance, because James turned to her and beckoned her over to him. ‘Do you have a minute to come and say hello to my brother, Robert?’
She went over to them and held out her hand to the man. ‘I thought I could see a resemblance.’ He looked as though he was younger than James, and that prompted her to say, ‘I hadn’t expected there to be much age difference between you since you’re managing the estate, but I gather you must be the younger brother?’
Robert nodded. ‘There are around five years between us. Gemma is the middle one. I guess that makes me the baby.’ He grinned, and Louise smiled in return.
‘Robert has just dropped by to give me news of my grandfather. I was just about to take him over to the doctors’ lounge so that we could talk for a while.’
‘Yes, of course. That’s a good idea.’ She sent Robert a quick look. ‘How is your grandfather?’
His expression sobered. ‘Not good, I’m afraid. Gemma’s staying with him at the moment so that I could come into town and order some supplies. It’s all been a bit of a rush, really, sorting things out. I had to call the doctor in earlier today, and he was talking about admitting him to hospital. Of course, Grandad won’t hear of it.’
‘That must be difficult for you.’
‘It is, though I understand why he digs his heels in. I think I would probably do the same, if I were his age.’
She nodded. ‘I suppose we all prefer the comfort of home and family when we’re ill.’ Stepping back a little, she said, ‘I’ll leave you two to talk, then.’
To James, she added, ‘You should offer your brother some food from the trolley.’ And then, glancing at Robert, she murmured, ‘I don’t suppose you’ve had time to eat if you’ve been rushing about, have you?’
‘That’s true,’ he agreed. ‘Lately, meals seem to get slotted in wherever I get the chance.’
James chuckled. ‘Louise has this wonderful trolley full of goodies, so that the staff can help themselves to food whenever they feel hungry. She maintains that people can’t work properly when their blood sugar is low, and so they can snack whenever they like.’
‘Whenever they can grab a free moment, more like. We’re run off our feet here sometimes, and taking time out to eat a sandwich or a doughnut can make all the difference to your energy levels and how you feel about the job.’
James sent her an assessing look. ‘And, for all that, she never puts an ounce on that gorgeous figure.’
Louise felt the colour rise in her cheeks. He had noticed her figure? Did he really think she looked good? Why was it that he had the power to throw her off balance this way?
Robert smiled, and James tacked on, ‘Why don’t you come and join us for a while? You were talking about taking a break, weren’t you, and as far as I know you haven’t stopped yet today.’
Louise blinked and recovered from her reverie. Had he been taking note? Perhaps her thoughts about a spy in the camp weren’t too far off base after all.
Even so, the idea of a short break from the rush of A&E was welcoming just then. ‘Perhaps I will,’ she murmured. ‘I just need to make sure that the surgeon has been to look in on my patient, and then I’ll come and find you.’
A few minutes later, she went to join them
in the doctors’ lounge. Perhaps her instincts were off base, but she thought she detected sparks in the atmosphere. Had the brothers been arguing? Helping herself to coffee from the filter jug, she studied the array of food on the trolley and picked out a sandwich.
Robert was telling James about his problems running the farm, and she gathered that he wasn’t happy about the income that they were deriving from the estate.
‘You have no idea what I’m up against,’ he was saying. ‘Or, if you do, you’re closing your eyes to it.’ He lowered his voice when he saw that Louise had entered the room, but her hearing was acute and she heard everything that was said.
‘We could do so much better if Grandad would let us open the house up to visitors,’ Robert went on. ‘As it is, the income we’re getting from the farms is adequate, but not brilliant, when you consider all the ongoing repairs that have to be made. There is so much more that we could be doing.’
‘Grandad has always been a traditionalist. You know that,’ James murmured. He seemed unperturbed by his brother’s dilemma. ‘In a way, I can see his point. It’s our home, and he doesn’t want it invaded by the general public.’
‘He’s behind the times.’
‘Maybe.’
They both fell silent as Louise came to sit with them at the table. ‘James told me that one of the animals was sick,’ she remarked, glancing towards Robert and feeling a little worried in case she was intruding. ‘He said you had called in the vet. Is everything all right now?’
Robert nodded. ‘One of the mares was in foal, and she was having some difficulty. The vet sorted things out, though, and now she has a healthy male offspring.’
‘That’s delightful.’ She sent him a sparkling glance. ‘You must be so pleased. Do you have many horses—I thought the stable block had been converted into houses? Perhaps I had that wrong.’
‘No, it’s true that most of these stables have been converted, but there was another smaller block that we kept for its original purpose. We have a couple of mares and a stallion. Nothing like in the old days, but then we don’t use horses for farmwork these days. Gemma likes to go out riding, and of course the children love the new foal.’
‘I’m sure they do.’ She took a bite out of her sandwich and then after a while she said, ‘I expect that you’re very busy, managing such a large estate. It can’t be easy to do that.’
‘Well, it would be difficult at the best of times, but I have to abide by my grandfather’s wishes, and he has his own way of doing things. It isn’t always the best way, in my opinion.’
‘Wouldn’t it make a difference if you and James put up a united front?’
Robert made a brief, cool smile. ‘We have tried, but to no avail. Anyway, I think James secretly agrees with Grandad, so he doesn’t try too hard to sway him.’
He swallowed the last of his coffee and put down his cup. ‘Still, one day it will be James’s problem. He’s next in line to inherit the title and, being head of the family, he’ll be the one who has to work out the best way of doing things.’ He glanced at his brother. ‘I’m not sure how that will go down, when his main interest is medicine.’
James grimaced, and Louise said cautiously, ‘Do I detect some friction here?’
‘I don’t think so,’ James answered. ‘Robert and I rub along well enough.’
Robert’s mouth made a rueful shape. ‘That may be true, but you’re burying your head in the sand, just the same as Grandad. I’m warning you, brother—one of these days you’re going to have to take it on board.’
Robert stood up. ‘I have to get back. I’ve ordered the new fencing and loaded up the car with equipment, and now I need to go and see how Gemma’s doing. She told me she was hoping to get back to the gallery for a couple of hours.’ He held out a hand to Louise. ‘It’s been good meeting you,’ he said.
James went with him, seeing him out, and Louise lingered over her coffee for a while, wondering just how deep the problems went within the family. Was there some resentment on Robert’s part because he was left to deal with the estate?
A few minutes later, she went to the central desk to look over her patients’ charts, and James came to join her.
‘He was anxious to get back to the Manor and check on Grandad,’ he said.
‘I hope he’ll find that he’s not doing too badly.’ She sent him a fleeting look. ‘Do you think you’ll be able to smooth things over with your brother?’
‘Why should I need to do that?’
Louise gave a diffident shrug. ‘I thought I sensed a problem between you two.’ She studied him, a frown knotting her brow. ‘Perhaps I was wrong. After all, what would I know of sibling rivalry?’
‘Do you think that’s the case with me and Robert?’
‘I didn’t mean to intrude on you, but you invited me to join you and I couldn’t help noticing that there was some slight tension in the air. It seemed to stem from the problem of who does what and who has overall control.’
‘Robert is entitled to say what he thinks. He’s right, in a way. It’s a heritage I’m not ready for, and he knows it.’
‘Is that why you went overseas—to escape?’
‘I didn’t see it that way, at the time.’ He looked at her directly. ‘I can see that my brother needs help, but I’m not sure that I’m the one to give it. My calling is medicine. It has been that way for a long time, and I suppose I’m torn between that and my heritage.’
‘So now you’re not doing either to any great extent.’ She studied his proud features, taking note of his strong jaw line, the well-defined arch of his cheekbones. ‘I can understand how Robert must feel. You’ve always had it easy, haven’t you? Your brother has put in all this hard work to keep the estate running smoothly, just the same as I’ve put in all this effort to build up my unit, and it looks as though we’re both at the mercy of the people who have the power to interfere. You tried to turn your back on your heritage, but you should be glad of those family ties.’
She frowned. ‘I don’t have any, and it makes me sad to see you throwing yours away with scarcely a thought for the consequences.’
‘You don’t know anything about my family or the way we operate.’ His gaze pierced her, laser-sharp, his eyes darkening to a flinty grey. ‘We’ve always dealt perfectly well with whatever came our way and I see no reason why that should change. My brother’s happy enough with his role. A few negative comments don’t signify anything.’
‘Maybe not,’ she said. He was angry with her, and she could see that she had touched on a chord that jangled his nerves. If everything was going so smoothly, why was he so riled? ‘I’m just saying that I think you should be prepared for problems ahead.’
His mouth tightened. Then he drew out a file from the tray and walked away from her without uttering another word.
Louise watched him go. Had she gone too far? It had always been in her nature to speak her mind, but where should she draw the line? Somehow, over the past week, she had come to care deeply about James and his family. It mattered to her that things should go smoothly for them, and yet, if anyone had asked her why that was, she would have been at a loss to explain.
Had James managed to work his way into her heart? A sea change was happening, and only now was she starting to question how her life had been taken over by work. Up till now, she had been content, happy just to be with the children who came into her care, but suddenly her world was shifting, and all at once shewas beginning to feel that some vital part was missing from her life.
CHAPTER SEVEN
‘SAVE our A&E.’ The protestors, an assorted bunch of people from all walks of life—men, women, young and old—held their placards high and milled about in front of the hospital.
‘Don’t let them close us down.’ The doctors and nurses were out in force to add their points of view.
‘Do you want to travel thirty or forty miles to the nearest hospital when your child has been injured in a traffic accident?’ someone shouted.
A w
oman took up the call. ‘What will happen to your child if he’s having an asthma attack and there’s no paediatric A&E locally?’
Press photographers were taking snapshots of the scene, and Louise noticed that a TV cameraman was moving in to get a close-up of the crowd.
Then James appeared, and a young woman came and held a microphone up to him, saying, ‘This is prime time regional news. James Ashleigh—you’ve put your name to this call for closure. What do you say to these people who are frightened for the lives of their children?’
He looked into her eyes, and Louise knew a wave of irritation as the young woman’s cool veneer melted under the warmth of his smile just as though the sun had come out in all its glory.
‘I want you to know that I do understand everyone’s concern,’ he said, his voice lilting, melodic in its gentle tone. ‘Our aim as doctors is, and always has been, to save lives. But the fact is, local is not always best. We are trying to create regional hospitals that will provide the very best in care—expert care. Some treatments are by their nature more complex than others, and these will be provided in the new refurbished wing at the Royal Forest Hospital.’
‘But what will happen to those youngsters who are injured and need treatment right away?’ To give her credit, the girl stayed on target, and Louise cautiously revised her opinion of her.
‘There will be local casualty units available,’ he said. ‘You already have the walk-in centre just four miles from here, but under the plans we’re putting forward there will be another small unit created at the hospital.’
The protesters, quiet until now, suddenly erupted. ‘He’s talking about minor injuries,’ a man shouted. ‘Who’s going to take proper care of our kids? Answer me that.’
James was speaking once more, in that measured, amicable tone that he had used before, and in spite of herself Louise couldn’t help but admire him for his calm way of dealing with these people. He couldn’t have known that they would be lying in wait outside the hospital, but he’d handled the situation with his usual assured style. She decided that she had seen enough.