‘I’m sorry you overheard that. I had no right to say what I did and I certainly had no right to involve Amy. Those were my views and they had nothing whatsoever to do with her.’
Helen’s head shot up when she recognised Lewis’s voice. All the fear and frustration she was feeling suddenly seemed to combine into one potent force and she rounded on him.
‘It’s customary to knock before you enter a room. Or don’t you believe the rules which most civilised people live by apply to you, Dr Cole?’
‘I did knock. Obviously, you didn’t hear me.’
He came over to her desk and there was something in his eyes that made her anger suddenly pale in the face of all the other emotions she was experiencing. She didn’t want him looking at her as though he cared. She couldn’t afford to let herself believe that he was interested in her. The only thing he was interested in was getting his own way!
She shot to her feet. ‘No, I didn’t hear you. I was too busy working out what I was going to say to you.’
‘And have you decided?’ he asked, his voice grating so that her hands clenched when she felt another rush of awareness hit her.
‘Yes.’
There was no way that she was prepared to give in to these feelings and let him gain the upper hand. She was in charge of this practice and she wouldn’t allow anyone to overrule her. Her job was all she had and the thought made her feel more mixed up than ever, only she couldn’t afford to let him know how painful the idea was. She looked him squarely in the eye because the best way she knew to resolve this problem was by meeting it head on.
‘You had no right to discuss me with anyone. I will not permit you to make personal remarks about the way I choose to live my life. If you cannot accept that then I’m afraid I shall have no choice other than to demand your resignation.’
CHAPTER FOUR
KRISTY was very quiet on the way home from the after-school club that night but Lewis didn’t try to draw her out as he usually did. He was too busy thinking about what Helen had said to him.
He didn’t want to have to tender his resignation so from now on he would be far more careful about what he said. He also didn’t want to upset her again and it was worrying to know that he was so concerned about her feelings when she’d made it clear that she didn’t care about his. He tried not to dwell on the thought as he drew up in front of the house. He spent far too little time with Kristy as it was and it wasn’t fair to spend it worrying about his problems.
‘Would you like to watch a video after we’ve had our tea, sweetheart?’ he asked, smiling at the little girl.
‘All right,’ she mumbled, avoiding his eyes as she scrambled out of the car.
Lewis sighed as he followed her to the house. She was always so distant with him and he only wished that he could find a way to break down the barriers she’d erected around herself. He knew he must be patient if he hoped to gain her trust, but he would have loved to receive the occasional positive response from her.
‘Can I go and see the horse?’ she asked as soon as they were inside.
‘Yes, but put your schoolbag away first.’
He went into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator as she ran off down the hall. He’d not had time to go shopping since they’d arrived so there wasn’t much choice. They’d fallen into the habit of buying a take-away supper every Friday in London and he suddenly decided that they would continue the practice. Kristy might appreciate the familiar routine and he would definitely appreciate a night free from cooking!
He went to the back door and told Kristy they were going out to buy their supper. She was reluctant to leave the horse, although she didn’t object, and once again he found himself wishing that she would show a little more spirit. Maybe some parents would be delighted by such unquestioning obedience but it troubled him. She should be making her opinions known instead of passively agreeing to everything he suggested.
It made him see how much work he still had to do to forge a bond between them, and how silly it would be to involve himself any more in Helen’s affairs. He needed to concentrate on his daughter and forget everything else.
‘Just leave everything in the tray, Janet, and get off home. It’s far too late to do the filing now.’
Helen sighed as the receptionist thanked her and hurriedly left. It was almost a quarter to seven—way past the time they were supposed to finish. Everyone else had left some time ago but she’d slotted a couple of extra patients into her list when they’d turned up without appointments. She could have refused to see them, but Ian had drummed it into her that the patients came first and that their own needs came a very poor second.
She frowned as she switched off the waiting-room lights. She’d never given any thought to that theory before, yet all of a sudden she found herself wondering if it was the right approach. Obviously, the patients deserved the highest level of care but was it really necessary to sacrifice their private lives to achieve that? Surely there should be a better balance between the needs of the patients and the needs of the staff—as Lewis had pointed out.
Her mouth compressed as she made her way to her room. Maybe she did need to make some changes to the way the surgery was run, but she didn’t need Lewis to advise her. He could keep his opinions to himself from now on. And if he couldn’t do so then he would soon discover that she hadn’t been making an idle threat when she’d promised to fire him!
She felt a little better after reconfirming her decision to put a stop to his meddling. Sitting down at her desk, she set to work on the following year’s budget. The primary health care trust was demanding more cuts and it wasn’t easy to find an area where she could make any reductions to their spending. When the phone rang, she automatically picked up the receiver before the answering-machine could cut in.
‘Helen Daniels. Can I help you?’
‘It’s Lucy, Dr Daniels…Lucy Maguire,’ a worried voice announced.
Helen frowned as she put down her pen. Lucy was a frequent visitor to the surgery. A single mother with two boisterous children to care for, she was always calling in with one child or the other. Helen was well acquainted with her circumstances and knew that Lucy had been finding it difficult to cope since she’d moved back to Summerfield after her partner had left her.
‘Hello, Lucy. What’s happened now?’
‘It’s Josh. He tripped over and banged his head on the hearth. He’s not moving and I don’t know what to do!’
‘Just try to stay calm,’ Helen told her firmly when she heard the panic in the young mother’s voice. ‘Have you phoned for an ambulance?’
‘No. I didn’t know if I should…’
‘That’s OK. I’ll do it for you. Now, can you check if Josh is breathing? Put your ear against his chest and see if you can hear the air going in and out of his lungs.’
‘I’ll try.’ Lucy dropped the receiver, and came back a minute later. ‘Yes, I can hear him breathing.’
‘That’s excellent. What I want you to do next, Lucy, is to roll him over and lay him on his side. That way he won’t choke if he’s sick. Use some cushions or a couple of pillows to prop him up if he’s a bit floppy. ‘
‘I’ll do it now, Dr Daniels.’
Helen waited while Lucy followed her instructions. She carried on as soon as Lucy came back on the line. ‘I want you to stay with Josh until I get there. If he wakes up, just keep him calm. He mustn’t start running around.’
‘I’ll try,’ Lucy said anxiously. ‘But Josh can be very difficult at times.’
‘Just do your best and I’ll be there very shortly.’
Helen hung up. There was no point wasting time by explaining that a three-year-old child shouldn’t be dictating what he would and wouldn’t do. Lucy had a hard enough time as it was, without her preaching.
She phoned for an ambulance then locked up, hesitating before she set the alarm. She was too tired to concentrate on the budget again that night so she wouldn’t come back after she’d seen Lucy. It meant she wou
ld have to finish the paperwork over the weekend—not that she had anything better planned.
She’d started to dread the weekends since the twins had left for Australia. The time seemed to drag now that she was on her own so for the past few weekends she’d come into work. There was always something that needed doing, although she wouldn’t want Lewis to know she was planning another stint that weekend. He’d made it perfectly clear what he thought of her working habits!
Lewis was on his way home with fish and chips for their supper when he spotted Helen coming out of a house in the centre of the town. There was an ambulance parked outside and he could see one of the paramedics opening the back doors. Although he was wary about interfering after what had gone on earlier in the day, he couldn’t just drive past. Anyway, Helen might be less prickly away from the surgery when she wouldn’t feel as though her authority was being threatened.
He drew up and turned to Kristy. ‘I just need to see what’s happened, sweetheart, so you stay here for a moment. I won’t be long.’
‘OK.’
He sighed when he heard the lack of interest in her voice. He really needed to find a way to rouse her from her inertia, he thought as he got out of the car. Helen was ushering the paramedics inside but she stopped when she saw him crossing the pavement.
‘What are you doing here?’
‘I spotted the ambulance as I was passing. Do you need a hand?’
‘No, thank you very much. I can manage—’
She broke off when a scream suddenly erupted from inside the house. Lewis didn’t wait for permission as he hurriedly followed her indoors and took in the scene that greeted him. There was a small boy lying on the floor, being violently sick. Another child was staring at him, wide-eyed with terror, while the mother was screaming hysterically.
‘Can you deal with Mum while I deal with the child?’ he instructed, hurrying over to the boy. He didn’t pause to wonder if Helen would be annoyed about him taking charge and, surprisingly, she didn’t object.
‘His name’s Josh and he’s three. Apparently, he fell over and hit his head on the hearth. He lost consciousness for a short time, although he was conscious when I got here.’ She passed him her case. ‘You’ll need this. I haven’t had time to examine him properly yet.’
‘Thanks.’ Lewis knelt down as she hurried over to the mother. The paramedics were mopping the little boy up and he waited until they’d finished before he attempted to examine him. ‘There’s no need to be scared, son. I’m a doctor and I just want to make you feel better.’
‘I want my mummy,’ the little boy whimpered.
‘Mummy’s right there with Dr Daniels. She’s a bit upset so why don’t I check that you’re all right before we call her over?’
The child thought about it for a moment then solemnly nodded. Lewis smiled at him. ‘That’s a really brave boy. Now, first of all, can you tell me your name?’
‘Joshua Peter Maguire,’ the child replied importantly.
‘That’s very good. And do you know how old you are, Joshua?’
‘Three!’
‘Three?’ Lewis whistled. ‘I thought you were a lot older than that.’
He opened the case, took out a small torch and showed it to the child. Now that he’d established that Josh could remember his name and his age, it was time to check for any other signs of a head injury. He switched on the torch and shone it on the back of the little boy’s hand.
‘I’m going to shine this little light into your eyes to check that they’re working properly. There’s nothing to be scared about—OK?’
Josh sat perfectly still while Lewis checked his pupils. Lewis ruffled his hair as he turned off the torch. ‘I wish all my patients were as good as you are, Josh.’
He turned to the paramedics. ‘Both pupils are dilating evenly so I think we can rule out a serious head injury. However, in view of the fact that he lost consciousness and has vomited, I think it would be safer if he was admitted to hospital for observation.’
He left the paramedics to deal with the transfer and went over to where Helen was sitting beside the boy’s mother. The woman had her arm round the other child and he could see that she was trembling violently when he crouched down in front of her.
‘Josh seems to be fine but I think it would be best if he’s admitted to hospital overnight.’
‘Hospital!’ the woman exclaimed in dismay.
‘It’s for his own good, Lucy,’ Helen put in, quickly backing him up. ‘Josh lost consciousness and he’s been sick so he might have a mild concussion. It would be much safer if he was in hospital so they can monitor him.’
‘Well, if you think it’s really necessary,’ Lucy agreed hesitantly.
‘We do.’ Lewis smiled at her, hoping that Helen wouldn’t mind him speaking for her as well. ‘There’s no point taking any chances, is there?’
‘No, of course not.’ Lucy took a steadying breath then stood up. ‘I’d better pack a few bits and pieces that he’ll need.’
It took just a few minutes for the paramedics to load the child into the ambulance. Lewis knew that he didn’t need to wait but he was loath to leave before he’d had a word with Helen. Maybe this wasn’t the ideal time to try and make his peace with her but he couldn’t think of a better one.
‘Thanks for everything, Dr Daniels. I’m really sorry to have called you out. I should have phoned for an ambulance instead of ringing the surgery, but I get so scared when anything happens to one of the boys.’
Lewis didn’t hear what Helen said—he was too busy thinking about what he’d heard. He hadn’t given any thought to how Helen had come to be at the house, but now it struck him that she must have responded to the call instead of allowing their on-call service to take it. And once again he found his frustration spilling over.
‘How come you took the call?’ he demanded as she came over to him. ‘The on-call service should have deal with it.’
‘I happened to be in the surgery when Lucy phoned.’ A wash of guilty colour ran up her cheeks but she stood her ground. ‘Not that it’s any of your business. We already agreed that it isn’t your place to comment on what I do, Dr Cole.’
‘I didn’t agree to anything. You told me to mind my own business and threatened me with the sack if I didn’t do so.’
‘Then obviously you must care very little about your position at The Beeches,’ she snapped back, unlocking her car and tossing her case into the back.
‘Oh, I care all right.’ He stepped forward and blocked her way when she went to open the driver’s door. ‘I don’t want to lose this job for several reasons—first of all because it would disrupt Kristy’s life if we had to move again and secondly because I enjoy working here. However, I can’t just stand by and watch you working yourself into an early grave.’
‘Why not?’ She laughed scornfully. ‘What possible difference does it make to you what I do?’
Lewis winced. Helen obviously thought he was meddling for some unknown reasons of his own but that couldn’t be further from the truth. He wanted her to understand the mistake she was making for her own good, although it didn’t seem a good idea to tell her that.
‘Because you’re setting a dangerous precedent, Helen. If you keep responding to calls after hours, the patients will expect everyone to do the same. It isn’t fair to expect us all to give up our free time.’
‘I see. Then I must apologise for putting you in such a difficult position. I shall make it clear that I am the only person who should be contacted in an emergency.’
‘And you really think that’s the answer?’ It was hard to hide his dismay so he didn’t try. ‘Come on, Helen, that’s just plain stupid. You pay for an on-call service so use it! You deserve more out of life than always being at the beck and call of your patients.’
‘I am perfectly happy with my life the way it is,’ she told him, coldly enunciating every word.
Lewis knew that if he hadn’t been watching her so closely, he might have believed that cl
aim. However, he saw the pain that flickered in her eyes and knew it was a lie. His voice softened because he didn’t want to scare her when it appeared he might be making a breakthrough at last.
‘Then you’re very lucky. There aren’t many people who are completely satisfied with their lot. Most folk would like to make a few changes to their lives. I know I would.’
‘Then my advice is to concentrate on your own problems and leave me alone.’
She wrenched open the car door, forcing him to step back as she slid into the driver’s seat. Lewis knew that she was going to drive away and knew, too, that he would lose the small advantage he’d gained if he let her. He’d made a little headway and he needed to capitalise on it while he could.
‘Look, Helen, I’m sorry. Again!’
His tone was wry, the shrug he gave when she glanced at him filled with contrition. Maybe the apology wasn’t one hundred per cent genuine but he would square that with his conscience later. Right now it was more important that he didn’t let her solder up that chink that had appeared in her armour.
He crouched down so that their faces were level, feeling his heart squeeze in an extra beat when he inhaled the fragrance of her skin. It wasn’t perfume he could smell but her own natural scent, and it was doing all sorts of crazy things to his libido. However, that wasn’t the issue at the moment, he reminded himself sternly. He wasn’t trying to seduce her. He was trying to make her see sense so any feelings of a less than altruistic nature had to be put on hold.
‘I know I’ve apologised more times than you can count today but I’m truly sorry for upsetting you.’ Deliberately, he tried to inject a touch of concern into his voice and was surprised when he discovered how easy it was to strike the right note. ‘Will you forgive me?’
‘Well…’
She wavered and he hurried on because it was essential that she didn’t go storming off. If she had a whole weekend to think about what he’d said, she would find a reason not to believe him. And he simply wasn’t prepared to let that happen.
‘Please?’
‘Oh, I suppose so.’
In His Loving Care Page 5
