3 The Surgeon's Blade

by Faith Mortimer

  It was Lisa’s turn to give her a hug. “I am sorry it hasn’t worked out. Can I ask why or is it too private?”

  Libby thought over her words. “If you don’t mind, I don’t want to talk about it yet, at least not until I’ve spoken to Nigel. There are one or two things I want to have out with him, and I don’t think it’s fair to tell you before him. I promise I’ll let you know as soon as I can.”

  “Of course, you must speak to him first. I’m sure you owe him that. All I’ll say at this stage is that I’m not really surprised. You didn’t come over as ‘blushing bride’ material. Perhaps it’s for the best.”

  “Perhaps,” Libby echoed her despondently.

  “I’m sure the right man is waiting for you somewhere. You just have to find that somewhere,” she said, giving her a friendly squeeze on the arm.

  Libby nodded looking unconvinced. “I’m beginning to believe I’m hopeless when it comes to finding the right man. But that may be the least of my worries.”

  “Why? What’s happened now?”

  Libby exhaled loudly. “I’m sure I had an intruder over the weekend.”

  Lisa covered her mouth with her hand in horror. “Oh my God! That’s awful! Tell me what happened.”

  Libby went over the events of that night, missing nothing out, even down to her suspicion that she believed the police thought she had an over-fertile imagination.

  “The strange thing is there was absolutely no sign of any break-in. Not a window broken or a door left open, nothing. And finally, Rommie turned up injured. For one awful moment, I did wonder if it was anything to do with the intruder, but I can’t be sure.”

  “It’s downright curious and spooky, and perfectly horrid for you.” Lisa looked suitably shocked.

  “I can only think I forgot to deadlock the Yale on my front door, and somehow, someone managed to trip the lock and get in. The window safety catches are all new and perfectly secure. I had Robert check them earlier that weekend.”

  “Robert? Oh, I remember, the helicopter rescue pilot. What was he doing there, you dark horse? And why would he check the locks for you?”

  Libby sighed and flashed Lisa a guilty look. “It’s a long story, and I’ll tell you about it some other time. All you need to know is that I’d told him only that day I’d been having some odd feelings of being watched. He was so nice and a perfect gentleman. While I was getting changed, he checked the doors and windows over for me.”

  Lisa didn’t say anything immediately, but looked a bit sceptical over Libby’s explanation for a few seconds. “So while you were upstairs changing your clothes, you left a relative stranger in your house, touching your windows and doors! What if he’d ‘accidently’ left one open? Libby, how well do you know this man?’

  Libby looked uncomfortable and replied. “Fairly well. No nothing like that! We’re just good friends, and I don’t believe he’d have done anything so stupid. He was very thorough in checking the place over and even suggested another lock for the back door.”

  “Okay, but I’m just saying you don’t really know him. He’s only been around for a few weeks. What about keys? Has anyone got a spare one, like a neighbour as an emergency, or do you keep one hidden in the garden?”

  “No. No one has a spare.”

  “Have you lent one to anyone recently? And you do realise it’s very easy to take an imprint of a key in a lump of children’s plasticine don’t you?”

  There was a short silence while Libby thought. When Lisa saw her cheeks go pink, she knew she was right.

  “Well? You have, haven’t you?”

  “The only person who has had ready access to my keys is Nigel when I was in hospital. I lent them to him when he came over to get some of my clothes and toiletries.”

  Lisa expelled her breath noisily. “I see. And, of course, Robert could have taken an imprint.”

  “Lisa, you have a terrible mind! Both of these men are friends and one I’m supposed to be engaged to! I’m sure neither would do anything to frighten me. Why would they?”

  “Libby, call me an interfering old busybody if you like, but right at this minute with all that’s been going on around here and with nurses, I don’t trust anyone! You’re an attractive woman, single, you live alone, and you’re a nurse! You say you’ve been experiencing some odd feelings about being watched, and yet you’re so silly, letting strange men into your house. Honestly!”

  “Okay, okay. I get the message.” She held her hands out in front of her friend demonstrating her understanding. “You’re right. Maybe I have been foolish and too trustworthy. I’ll get the locks looked at by a locksmith and have extra bolts fitted. If it makes you happier, I’ll change the front and back door locks too. I don’t know when I can do it, but I’ll ring someone this afternoon.”

  “Good! I’m pleased, and I’m going to check that you do, even if I have to get my own man to do it for you. What’s more, in case you haven’t already told Jem, I’m going to do it for you. If there’s anyone you can trust it’s him and Simon. Jem will certainly keep an eye on you. Right now, let’s get moving. We have a ward to run and at least four more theatre cases to get ready for this afternoon. The first two have had their pre-meds and the other two – here are their notes – are due in about half an hour,” she said, casting a quick glance at her fob watch and passed the patients’ papers to Libby. “I have just about time to pay a quick visit to another ward. If you can hold the fort here for me, I’ll only be about ten minutes.”

  Before Libby could answer, Lisa had already left the office. Libby stared at the bundle of notes in her hands, not really seeing them. If she knew Lisa as well as she thought she did, then Libby knew full well where she had dashed off to. It didn’t take a lot of imagination to guess Lisa was enlightening Jem about Libby’s so-called foolishness. She didn’t know whether to be pleased or miffed at her friend’s good intentions.

  ~~~~~

  The afternoon proved to be manic. As well as the theatre list, there was a major road traffic accident and all free beds on the surgical wards were soon occupied with the victims. As fast as Libby sorted her theatre patients, the bed manager was breathing down her neck for her to free up more beds for the accident cases that were still being brought in. Libby couldn’t remember a day like it and really couldn’t see herself getting off at nine o’clock that evening – there was just too much to do, especially with so many staff calling in ‘sick’.

  As nine o’clock approached, she decided she might just as well stay here for another hour or so and give the beleaguered night staff a hand before she went off duty. She had nothing to go home for anyway, and she still hadn’t managed to get in touch with Nigel, who apparently was up in London once again. He was proving to be as enigmatic and elusive as the Scarlet Pimpernel she thought. She couldn’t even tell him about her intruder! This was becoming ludicrous.

  Libby was in two minds about telling Nigel what she had decided over the weekend. She felt sure he would fly off the deep end in a temper, and she wasn’t sure how she would handle him in her exhausted state. She also wanted to tell him face to face. Despite feeling more and more annoyed with him each hour he failed to get in touch with her, she felt she owed him that much. They were meant to be engaged, after all.

  The late day workers were beginning to depart as the night shift gradually took over. Just before midnight, Libby decided she had had enough, and things were finally settling down. Thankfully, her ward was now fully covered, and she wasn’t required to work through the night, which she would have loathed. After handing over to a senior staff nurse, Libby changed out of her grubby uniform into her own casual clothes. After wearily dragging a comb through her hair, she was about to leave when her mobile telephone rang. Resisting a sigh, she glanced at the LCD screen and realised she didn’t recognise the number, nor could she imagine who would be calling her at that time of night.

  “Libby? Where are you?”

  “Nigel! I could ask you the same question,” she said, irritati
on clearly evident in her voice. “Where the devil are you? I’ve been trying to get hold of you all day. Your secretary was useless and so tight-lipped, I couldn’t get any information out of her. You have no idea what I’ve been through the last few—”

  “Darling, I’m still in London. I lost my telephone and didn’t realise it until late in the evening. I couldn’t arrange another one as it was too late in the day.”

  “I know all that.”

  “You know?”

  “Yes. I rang you some time over the weekend, and the police answered my call to your phone. Apparently, they found it.”

  “Ah. Ah yes, of course. When was this?”

  Libby thought. She couldn’t really remember because so much had happened during the last three days, she was now almost reeling with fatigue. If only he would listen.

  “Sorry, Nigel, I can’t recall off hand, I’m so tired. You've heard what’s happened here today, I expect?”

  “Yes. We saw it on the television news. Terrible business”

  “Why are you still up there? Why didn’t you get in touch sooner? You could have borrowed a phone surely?” She felt like screaming at his lack of understanding. We? What was going on?

  “Well actually, I was involved in a bit of an accident myself.”

  Instantly, Libby felt alarm run through her. “Oh no! What’s happened? Are you hurt?” How could she have been so awful? She had just given him a real grilling concerning his whereabouts and whinging about why he hadn’t contacted her, and all the time he had been in an accident.

  “Nothing serious. Don’t worry your pretty little head. I was careless. I slipped and fell and injured my leg. Just some bruising and a few cuts. It’s a little difficult to drive at the moment, but I’ll be home in a day or so. I’m quite comfortable staying in the London house. Besides, you won’t know this, but Stella, my ex-wife, is here with me. She’s used to me of old and is quite happy to lend a hand while I recover.”

  “Oh Nigel, and here I am behaving like a fishwife. I’m so sorry, but I’m glad you’re not badly injured. Can you walk okay? If not, at least I can ferry you around.” So his ex-wife was part of the ‘we’.

  “Oh yes. I just told you, I’m just bruised. It’ll heal pretty quickly, and Stella can drive me if needed. Libby, I’ve been thinking—”

  “Yes?”

  “About you moving in with me.” Libby listened as he continued. “I think, in view of what you said last week, we need to take things slowly, give ourselves time to think and a bit of breathing space. Just for a short while, if that’s all right with you; about a couple of weeks?”

  Libby could hardly stop herself from breathing a sigh of relief. At least she wasn’t going to have to tell him immediately what she thought her true feelings were. She could work up to it gently.

  “I understand. That’s fine with me, Nigel. We’ll wait. All you need to do is get fit again.”

  Surprisingly, Nigel ignored what Libby had said and asked her what she had told the police about him.

  “Nothing much. I just told them who you were and our relationship. Was that okay? I didn’t divulge anything private about you. Why?”

  “Oh nothing. That’s fine, Libby. I was just checking.”

  “Where did they find your mobile anyway?”

  “Oh, somewhere around the hospital grounds. I must have lost it before I left for London. It doesn’t matter because I have this as a replacement until I get back to Southampton. Make a note of this number will you, in case you need to ring me?”

  “Of course.”

  Nigel said 'goodbye' and Libby ended the call. She still hadn’t managed to tell him about her intruder. How unfortunate he should have met with an accident, she thought. Libby knew how livid being immobile would make Nigel, and yet again how fortuitous it was his ex-wife was on the scene to keep an eye on him. Libby would have liked to ask about Stella. She was curious about Nigel’s former wife. She wondered how long she would be over from America and whether they often met up in town during her visits. Libby knew about the London house in Knightsbridge and idly speculated on just who owned it. Nigel had told Libby he and Stella were divorced, but he had never said who retained which of their various houses. Libby presumed Nigel owned his penthouse apartment in Southampton because he had moved there after the split. Again, she pondered whether Stella ever stayed with Nigel there. It was unlikely; Nigel had never mentioned it, and when Libby had first been shown round the place, she hadn't noticed any items belonging to a female visitor, guest or otherwise.

  Chapter 24

  After finishing his call to Libby, Nigel replaced his mobile in his trouser pocket and poured himself a last glass of Rioja before calling it a night. He looked pensive as he carefully went over what he and Libby had been discussing. He had seen the dreadful accident on the Southampton area motorway on the televised evening news, and he could well imagine the carnage caused in the twelve vehicle pile-up. Libby had sounded quite drained and almost tearful as she took his call. While he was pouring the wine, Stella limped into the kitchen, perched herself onto one of the bar stools and propped a bandaged leg up onto an adjacent one.

  “Like another?” he asked, indicating the bottle and noting enough wine for one more glass.

  “Better not. I’ve just taken another couple of painkillers and they might not agree with each other. Besides it’s getting late. Why are you still drinking, Nigel? You don’t usually have as much.”

  He shrugged. “It’s been a long day, and I felt like one. I’ve just spoken to Libby.”

  Stella smiled. “Was she all right? Did you tell her?”

  Nigel looked at Stella thoughtfully before immediately replying. “She was fine, just sounded very tired and strung up.”

  She nodded. “I’m not surprised. Dealing with a major accident is usually ghastly, especially if you’re on a surgical ward as you have to deal with patients’ wounds and their mental anguish. What I really meant was, did you tell her about us?”

  “Yes. But in a roundabout way.”

  Stella frowned and looked annoyed, so he explained. “I didn’t say it was you who’d had an accident. I said it was me, and you happened to be here in London, and very conveniently, you are able to take care of me.”

  “Nigel, you never change do you? You really are a coward at times. You never said a word, did you?”

  “Maybe it’s for the best, Stella. Why should I hurt her unnecessarily?”

  Stella gave a short almost bitter laugh. “Nigel, you never care about the pain you cause. You must have had dozens of women over the years, and not once has it meant anything to you, except for adding another notch to your bedpost, so why would you start now?”

  “Stella, please darling. We’ve both had a long day after a long weekend. I don’t want to quarrel with you.”

  Stella looked immediately contrite. She edged down off her stool and put her arms around him. “I’m sure you know what you’re doing, sweetheart. Anyway, don’t let’s talk about her anymore. Let’s talk about us; that’s so much more interesting. I want to know what you’re planning for our future. Perhaps I will chance another glass of wine after all.” A look of mischief mixed with anticipation flitted across her features.

  Nigel gathered Stella into his arms and gazed into her face. Her body was slim and lightly tanned, and as he drew her closer to him, he realised how well-muscled she was these days. Stella was a recent member of some gym or other, and her newfound keenness was evidently paying off. As her hand brushed against his groin, he recognised the old familiar ritual of seduction.

  ~~~~~

  While Stella slept, Nigel was restless as he wrestled with his conscience. Moving slowly so as not to wake her, he slipped from under the covers and padded barefoot into the kitchen, not bothering to switch on a light. Stella had always been an excellent partner in bed, and tonight her appetite almost matched his own; not quite, but there was something almost feral in her lovemaking. Sex with her nowadays was quite exceptional, and
Nigel wondered why. She was evidently looking after herself – her body was lean and hard – but in the past, sex hadn’t figured quite the same with her as it did him.

  Then there was Libby. Nigel hadn’t wanted to forestall his plans for Libby moving in with him, but with Stella showing up a few days ago and clearly indicating she was intending to stay with him when he went back down to Southampton, he knew there was no other option. What he didn’t understand was how Stella had found out about Libby in the first place. It wasn’t any of her business, but deep down, Nigel recognised that Stella finding out about his latest love was always on the cards. During their time together, Stella managed to develop an uncanny awareness of when Nigel was cheating on her. When they were first married, Nigel was able to conduct his extra-marital affairs easily without Stella’s knowledge. It wasn’t until he accidently made one of his lovers pregnant that she guessed where he was spending a major part of his spare time, and since then, she had made it her business. Being a gynaecologist, Nigel knew exactly what to do with an unwanted pregnancy, but once Stella found out, he soon realised she was having no more of his philandering – unless, of course, he was clever enough to carry on without her knowing.