She nodded. ‘Lightning struck a scarecrow in the field where I was sheltering against the wall, and I thought I was going to be next. So, you see, I’ve now got this phobia about thunder and lightning.’
‘Not without cause,’ he told her, and vowed to himself that in future he would do any home visits on the higher levels in bad weather. But they could discuss that another time. Megan was an independent creature and might take some persuading.
He went across to the window and reported, ‘There’s a break in the clouds and the rain has eased off. We’ll soon be able to leave here and get you to where you feel safe.’
You make me feel safe, she wanted to tell him. Wherever you are I want to be. But it wasn’t quite that simple. Luke was holding back because of the way she’d told him that, having been married before, he wasn’t exactly what she had in mind for a husband.
She knew now that he was everything she could want… and more, but would he believe her if she told him that? He was already convinced that the practice was the only thing in her life that she held dear.
* * *
As they walked back the way they had come a watery sun had appeared, filtering apologetically across the rain-soaked moorland.
‘So much for a quiet Sunday lunch,’ Luke said wryly when they stopped outside her cottage. ‘That was some storm.’
‘And some fuss I made,’ Megan said awkwardly. It was the first time she’d spoken since they’d left The Moorend and he’d glanced at her questioningly a few times.
‘Forget it,’ he said easily. ‘We all have our vulnerabilities.’ He glanced around him. The sun’s appearance had been brief and daylight was fading. ‘Are you sure you’ll be all right, Megan? We can stay for a while if you want.’
She shook her head and managed a smile. ‘I’ll be fine, Luke, and thanks for being there for me. I don’t usually flip like that.’
‘I know. You don’t have to explain. Just take care. I’ll ring you later this evening to make sure you’re all right. OK?’
‘Yes,’ she told him, and when they’d disappeared from sight she went inside, sank down onto the sofa and let her mind go back to their time in The Moorend during the storm.
Luke had picked up on her panic straight away and taken charge. He’d held her close and calmed her fears, and she knew that was what she wanted more than anything in the world, him holding her, loving her.
But supposing life with Alexis had left such a bad taste behind that he hadn’t needed to be told he didn’t fit the bill, that he’d no intention of stepping onto the marriage-goround again?
She was curled up on the sofa half-asleep when he rang, and Luke’s first words were ones of apology. ‘I’m sorry to be late ringing you, Megan,’ he said. ‘It’s been a bit hectic here. Sue invited Ned to stay for dinner and once that was over I discovered that the boys had a pile of homework they hadn’t done and were showing no signs of tackling it. So while she was entertaining Ned I stood over them until they’d finished it, and in the middle of all that Connie rang to say that she’s had a phone call to say they’re going to operate on her feet next week, so she will be missing from both the surgery and Woodcote House.’
‘What about her husband?’
She could tell that he was smiling at the other end of the line as he said, ‘I knew that would be the first thing you would ask. He’s going into care for a few weeks until she is mobile again. She’s not looking forward to any of it, of course, but let’s hope the result will make her feel it was worth it.’
He sighed. ‘In the midst of all the bedlam at this end I’ve been envying you the tranquillity of your cottage tucked away on the hillside.’
‘I thought you were the man who could live at the side of a coal tip if the company was right,’ she teased. ‘What’s happened to that boast?’
‘Nothing. It still stands.’
‘Mmm. I see, but getting back to what you said about my peaceful life, remember there’s only a fine line between tranquillity and boredom.’
‘I’ll bear that in mind,’ he told her, ‘and now, regretfully, I have to go. The first thing I’m going to do in the morning is send off Sonia’s blood tests with a request for urgent attention. So I’ll see you then, but before I go, have you recovered from this afternoon’s trauma?’
‘Yes, I’m fine,’ she said breezily. ‘As you saw, I’ll do anything to gain your attention.’
There was a moment’s silence and then with his voice deepening he said, ‘You have my attention every second, every hour of every day. Goodnight, Megan.’
* * *
The results from Sonia’s blood tests were back, showing deficiencies of haemoglobin, vitamin B and folic acid.
‘Sounds as if it could be megaloblastic anaemia,’ Luke said when he’d read the report.
‘So what next?’ Megan asked anxiously.
‘A bone-marrow biopsy.’
‘To check on any large amount of abnormal blood cells?’
‘Yes.’
‘I’m relieved that it doesn’t appear to be what she thought it was,’ Megan said thankfully. ‘I’ll call on her while I’m on my rounds.’
‘Yes, do that,’ he agreed, ‘and I’ll arrange the biopsy. And, Megan, be sure to tell her that at this stage it is only what we think. The test might show something different, though I doubt it.’
* * *
Where she had been slow to notice the portrait when she’d called at the gallery with Luke on the Saturday, its absence was the first thing Megan picked up on as she walked through the door, and when Sonia came through the velvet curtains to greet her she said regretfully, ‘You haven’t sold the portrait, have you, Sonia?’
‘I’m afraid so, my dear.’
‘Who did you sell it to? I was going to buy it myself.’
‘It was bought by a man who came in yesterday and it immediately caught his eye.’
‘I don’t believe it,’ Megan groaned.
‘I know,’ Sonia said apologetically. ‘It was the best I’ve ever done and I was reluctant to let it go, but he was really keen to buy it and a customer is a customer. Though if I’d known you wanted it yourself I wouldn’t have sold it. Anyway, I’m hoping that isn’t what has brought you here this morning. Do you have news of the blood tests?’
Megan nodded. ‘Yes. I do. The results show that you might have megaloblastic anaemia.’
‘And what might that be?’
‘It is a deficiency of three things—haemoglobin, vitamin B and folic acid. All of them can cause that type of anaemia.’
‘And so what happens now?’
‘Luke is arranging for you to have a bone-marrow biopsy.’
Sonia frowned. ‘What might that be?’
‘A small sample of bone marrow will be taken from the top of your hip or your breast bone,’ Megan explained. ‘It will then be examined to see if abnormal cells are present.’
‘And if they are?’
‘You’ll need to improve your diet and will be given a course of vitamin B and folic acid tablets.’
‘And that’s it!’ Sonia exclaimed, her voice thickening. It was the first time she’d shown any emotion. ‘I’ve been an awkward old fool, Meg. I was so sure I had the other thing I didn’t look any further. It needed your Dr Anderson to make me see sense.’
Megan hugged Sonia to her. Her friend had lost a lot of weight and was pale and hollow cheeked, but hopefully they were going to be able to do something about that for her. And as for Sonia describing Luke as her Dr Anderson, she wished he was.
The attraction between them seemed to have reached stalemate, with neither of them coming out into the open about their feelings. What Luke had said on the phone on Sunday night had seemed like a move in that direction when he’d as good as told her she was never out of his thoughts, but there’d been no follow-up since.
* * *
When Megan arrived back at the surgery Luke was still on his rounds and when he came striding in shortly afterwards the first thing he sa
id was, ‘How did Sonia react to your news?’
‘Like the stoic she is,’ she told him. ‘Sonia is a strong woman, but she did crumble a little when she thought of how she’d been so sure she had cancer. I just hope that the biopsy proves us right.’
He nodded and before he could comment she said flatly, ‘You’ll never guess what. Someone came into the gallery yesterday and bought her portrait of me. I can’t believe it! I was going to buy it myself.’
‘The person must have recognised her talent,’ he said easily. ‘I remember thinking myself how good it was, though I’m no judge of that sort of thing. Maybe she’ll do you another when she’s feeling better.’
‘I hope so,’ was the reply to that, and as she went to get some lunch he was left hoping that Sonia would keep his secret. That one day when he produced the portrait Megan would understand why he’d bought it.
* * *
Winter was settling over the village. At night and in the mornings frost sparkled on the trees and grasses and only melted away when a pale sun appeared.
The spirit of Christmas was in the air now, with the garden centre behind Woodcote House getting ready to attract extra customers and the tickets for the ball at Beresford Lodge selling fast.
The café and Santa’s grotto, which were due to be functioning by early December, were taking up their evenings and weekends, with Luke and Ned, a quiet, fair-haired bachelor in his forties, doing the hard work, and Sue and Megan the creative side of the projects, with the occasional suggestion from Owen who was turning out to have an eye for colour.
The grotto was being arranged in the shop area where customers paid for their purchases, and a large conservatory at the back of the house was being transformed into a café.
Amongst the extra work and bustle of the season Sue was too tired each night to do anything other than sleep, and as Megan and Luke watched over her the plan seemed to be working. There was no way they wanted Gareth to be forgotten at Christmas by any of them, least of all by his family, but hopefully it would be with gentle sadness rather than bitter regret.
Sue had asked Megan and Ned to join them on Christmas Day and she’d accepted with pleasure. Her parents were coming over but not until the New Year, and the thought of being with Luke on the most festive day of the year was a joy to look forward to.
Her involvement with the alterations at the garden centre had arisen when he’d said one day as they’d been leaving the practice, ‘You remember telling me that tranquillity can soon become boredom? How are you fixed for helping out with the Christmas preparations at the garden center?’
They were together, yet separate, during the day, he thought, and to have Megan around in the evenings would be magical, with no patients or house calls to take her away from him.
He was delighted that Sue had invited her for Christmas Day. It would have been a dull affair without her and he could have seen himself chasing off up the hill to be with her the moment the meal was over and then fretting because he’d deserted Sue on her first Christmas without Gareth.
‘I’d love to,’ she’d told him, and he’d smiled his pleasure.
* * *
Sonia’s results from the biopsy had shown what the two doctors had suspected. Because her body wasn’t absorbing vitamin B and folic acid, the abnormal cells had appeared. Tests had also shown that the cause wasn’t a poor diet, which meant that she would need injections and tablets for the rest of her life to solve the problem.
When they’d told her what the prospects were, she’d smiled. ‘It could have been so much worse, my dears,’ she’d told them. ‘I owe you a lot, both of you. You, Meg, for worrying about me, and you, Luke, for taking me in hand.’ With a twinkle in her eye she added, ‘I might even get around to painting your portrait again, my dear.’
‘That would be lovely.’ Megan had sparkled back at her. ‘It will be something for me to look at when I’m old and grey.’
‘Get away with you.’ Sonia had chuckled and there had been a warm feeling inside her. She’d noticed the way Luke looked at Megan and thought that maybe another portrait wouldn’t be necessary.
* * *
When Megan called at the post office on her way to the practice on a morning in the middle of November she was dismayed to see a notice on display informing anyone interested that all tickets for the Christmas ball had been sold.
She’d been so busy at the practice during the day and the garden centre in the evenings that it had gone completely out of her mind, and now it was too late. Luke hadn’t mentioned it, so either he’d got his ticket or wasn’t going because he was too busy, she thought, and felt gloom descending.
She decided that she would ask him when she saw him and then thought better of it. He’d suggested way back when she’d first mentioned it that he should take her, and she’d given him a pert reply instead of being truthful. So maybe he wasn’t going to risk a snub again. Much as they enjoyed being in each other’s company, she knew that he wasn’t going to forget something else she’d said that couldn’t have been more offputting. It was up to her to put it right. But how?
To add to her confusion, Sue rang as the day was about to get under way and said, ‘Have you time for a quick word?’ She sounded flustered and Megan wondered what was amiss.
‘Ned has got tickets for the Christmas ball and he’s asked me to go with him,’ she said awkwardly. ‘Do you think I should?’
‘I don’t see why not,’ Megan replied slowly, ‘As long as it’s what you want.’
‘Do you think it’s too soon to be seen with someone else? We’re just friends, that’s all.’
‘So why not, then? It’s the kind of event where one needs a partner and Gareth wouldn’t want you to be sitting at home, moping.’
‘Thanks, Meg,’ Sue said with a lift to her voice. ‘I knew you would sort me out. I’ll tell him yes, then.’
When she’d rung off Megan’s smile was wry. It looked as if she was the one who was going to be at home, moping. That it was going to be a case of Cinderella would not go to the ball.
But the patients in the waiting room would have more serious things than the Christmas ball on their minds and she was there to do what she could to help them. Luke had just arrived and given a cheery wave as he’d gone into his consulting room, so his world seemed to be all right, and Sue’s seemed to be improving. Only she seemed to be stuck in a rut.
At her last consultation of the morning, Megan found herself facing a new patient. The man’s notes had been transferred from a city practice to their own and he was there because of a strained back muscle.
He’d hobbled in, eased himself carefully onto the chair facing her and said, ‘I’ve hurt my back, carrying a television set, Doctor. I moved into the apartment over the antique shop yesterday and as the friend who was going to give me a lift didn’t turn up, I ended doing all the heavy lifting myself.’ He sighed. ‘I’m a maths teacher, due to start at Marley Ridge Comprehensive School on Monday, and the last thing I want is to arrive on crutches.’
The man’s name was Joel Taylor and his records said that he was twenty-eight years old. What they didn’t say was that he was attractive in a husky sort of way, with bright blue eyes and a shock of fair hair. They didn’t need to. Megan could see that for herself.
‘Can you manage to take your shirt off?’ she asked.
He winced. ‘I’ll try, but it’s agony to lift my arms above my head.’
‘Take your time, then,’ she advised. It wasn’t policy to help a patient dress or undress as it could soon be misconstrued, but, watching him struggle, she thought it would be so much quicker if she could help.
He eventually managed it with the occasional groan and when she’d finished examining him she said, ‘Everything seems to be in place, but there is some swelling there. I’m going to give you some painkillers and a gel to rub in gently. If it is no better in a couple of days, get back to me.’
‘I’ll do that,’ he said promptly, ‘and thank you, Doctor. I c
an’t say it’s been a pleasure as my back’s killing me. But as I was expecting to be seen by some elderly village type you’ve been a nice surprise.’
When he was ready to go she walked into Reception with him and was smiling at what he’d just said when Luke came out of his consulting room.
‘Who was that?’ he asked when Joel Taylor had gone.
‘New patient,’ she said briefly.
‘Really? You seemed to be getting along very well.’
‘He seemed like a nice guy.’ Without elaborating on that, she added, ‘I’m going across to the bakery. Do you want anything?’
‘Yes. A smile if you’ve got any to spare.’
‘Sorry. I’ve used up today’s supply,’ she told him, still disappointed about the ball.
He shrugged. ‘OK. Maybe when you’re in a better mood, you’ll tell me what’s wrong.’
CHAPTER NINE
WHEN Megan arrived at Woodcote House that evening to help put the finishing touches to Santa’s grotto, Rebekah was coming down the drive. She still came each day to tidy up and make an evening meal for Sue, Luke and the boys, even though the young widow was now back in charge again. Rebekah’s help reduced the stress levels Sue was under, and gave her more time to concentrate on the garden centre.
Connie wasn’t around at the moment. Her operation had been a success and she was now mobile again, though walked slowly and painfully. Yet she was happy that she’d gone ahead with it, even though she would have to face the same procedure again soon as only one foot had been operated on so far. It would be some time before she was back working at the surgery and Woodcote House.
When Rebekah saw the young doctor approaching she smiled. The household where she worked was a much happier place these days. Owen and Oliver didn’t look so lost. Their mother was gradually facing up to her new responsibilities, and Dr Anderson, who was a tower of strength, was in love with their own Megan. She was sure of it.
While she’d been vacuuming and dusting around the house she’d found a mysterious package hidden away in his bedroom and hadn’t been able to resist taking a peek.
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