The Secret Doctor

by Joanna Neil

  ‘That’s quite a gash you have there, Sam,’ Emma commented. ‘Still, it’s clean and straight, so it should heal nicely once it has been stitched.’

  ‘You’ll have to stay out of the water for a while, though,’ Lacey warned him as she applied the sutures. ‘You don’t want it to become infected.’

  He nodded. ‘I suppose I’ll have to make do with sitting around the poolside instead.’ He smiled. ‘Do you do any surfing, or watersports of any kind?’

  ‘I’ve never tried out a surfboard. I don’t think I’d have the balance,’ she answered, putting the last stitch in place. ‘I’ll prescribe some antibiotics, just to be on the safe side.’

  ‘What about you?’ Sam turned his head to glance at Emma, who was jotting down notes in his file. ‘Do you go in for watersports?’

  ‘I enjoy snorkelling,’ Emma said. ‘But scubadiving’s the best, for me. You can go deeper and get a closer look at the coral reefs. What I really want next is an underwater camera so that I can take pictures.’

  ‘I have a camera. Maybe we could go together some time?’ he suggested. ‘Unless you’re already dating someone?’

  Emma’s cheeks were flushed. Clearly, she hadn’t been expecting such a direct invitation. ‘Well, uh…no, but I…uh…’ She sent him a cautious glance. ‘Um…I’ll think about it.’

  ‘Good. That’s a start, anyway.’ He looked pleased with himself, and Lacey decided it was time to remove herself from the treatment room and leave the two of them together. Emma would put a dressing on the wound and clear away the suture equipment so that Lacey was free to attend other patients.

  ‘Just make sure you keep that wound dry until the stitches have been removed,’ she reminded Sam.

  ‘I will.’

  The rest of her shift passed quickly. They were inundated with people bearing all kinds of wounds and ailments, but Lacey was glad of the diversion. Otherwise Jake would have intruded on her thoughts far more than she would have liked.

  As it was, he was waiting for her when she returned home later that night. Or, at least, he was stacking the lobster pots along the wharf, and paused to come over and talk to her after she had parked her car.

  ‘How did it go?’ he asked. ‘Is there any news of Rob?’

  She nodded. ‘The implant was a success…it’s working fine, and he’s feeling much better now that the medication has started to calm his heart down.’ She smiled. ‘He says thanks for the fruit basket. It was a lovely gesture on your part.’

  Jake shrugged, and she couldn’t help noticing the way his powerful biceps strained against the material of his navy coloured T-shirt. ‘It was the least I could do. We may not get along too well, but that doesn’t mean I don’t sympathise with his predicament.’

  She glanced towards the lobster pots. ‘Do you manage to trap any?’

  He nodded. ‘Enough to send off to the local store and restaurant.’ He looked at her, but his features were shadowed in the darkness. ‘I’d still like the chance to take you out in my boat. You’d be its very first passenger, and maybe I could convince you that sailing and scubadiving around here is fun. We could head out to the reefs on Sunday, if you like.’

  She pressed her lips together, looking doubtful. ‘I don’t know… I’m very busy, with the new job, and small decorating jobs around the house.’

  ‘Can’t I persuade you?’ His voice dropped into a low, coaxing tone. ‘I’m sure you would love it…and you know what they say about all work and no play…’

  ‘I’m not going to let that worry me,’ she said lightly. ‘I’m perfectly happy as I am. And as to going anywhere with you, I have to tell you I’ve been warned to be on my guard.’

  ‘I can guess who was the one giving the warning.’ He made a wry face. ‘Seriously, if I promise to be on my best behaviour, would you reconsider? I know where the best reefs are, and it would be an experience to remember, I’m sure.’

  She gave it some thought. Where was the harm after all? Hadn’t he been considerate enough to think of Rob when he was ill in hospital?

  ‘Well, maybe I’ll give it a try.’ The words were out before she had a chance to stop them, and he swooped on her, giving her a hug.

  ‘That’s my girl.’ He was smiling as he looked down into her eyes. ‘I’ll come and fetch you bright and early on Sunday morning. You won’t regret it, I promise.’

  ‘Well, I dare say we’ll see about that,’ Lacey murmured. Her mind was already clouding over with indecision, and being wrapped in his arms didn’t help a bit. She wasn’t at all sure she was doing the right thing, and by agreeing to go along with him she was probably setting herself up for trouble. He was a pirate by nature, a devil of the high seas, a man who lived life by his own rules.

  It was too late to take it back, though. Jake released her, and was already striding back along the dock towards his house, whistling a cheerful tune, his step jaunty.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  ‘I’M ASSUMING the water will be warm enough so that I won’t need a wetsuit,’ Lacey said, when Jake came to call for her on Sunday morning. She was wearing a T-shirt and shorts over her swimsuit, and with the sun shining over everyone and everything it was an easy bet that she would dry out soon enough when she came out of the water.

  ‘Yes, you can rely on it. In fact, you could swim naked if you wanted.’ He sent her a hopeful look, but she fixed him with a glittering blue gaze.

  ‘I don’t think so.’

  ‘No?’

  ‘Definitely not.’

  ‘Oh, well,’ he sighed. ‘I suppose it was worth a try…’ He grinned. ‘But as to water temperature, that’s the beauty of a tropical climate…life just gets better and better. In fact, when you think about it, everything in the Keys is hassle free, laid back, and it’s all about simply having fun.’

  ‘I’ve noticed.’

  ‘Well, we all succumb to the atmosphere in the end. They call it Keys disease, because it creeps up on you before you realise what’s happened.’

  She smiled. ‘You would go along with that. You’re a hedonist, through and through.’

  He shrugged. ‘The way I see it, life’s too short to be working and worrying, if it’s not necessary.’ His glance moved over her. ‘Today will be good for you. You need to loosen up a little.’

  ‘Do I?’ She raised a brow. ‘You’re beginning to sound like my ex-boyfriend. He thought life was all about having a good time, taking days off to laze in the sun with a cool drink by the lounger, or chill out in his apartment.’

  ‘Are you saying you didn’t go along with that?’

  ‘Naturally I did, to some extent. Who wouldn’t want to relax and enjoy life? But obviously we had different opinions as to the timing.’ Her mouth turned down at the corners. ‘That’s partly why he’s an ex.’

  He gave a soft chuckle. ‘So tell me about him. There must have been more to him than pure pursuit of pleasure, or I can’t see you going with him in the first place. Didn’t you want to pull up your lounger alongside him?’

  ‘Of course, and I often did…but not when we had to study for specialist exams, or when I was expected to put in an appearance for an important tutorial. Anyway, it wasn’t just about that.’ She frowned. ‘He started drinking heavily and I could see it was taking its toll on him. He didn’t see that there was a problem, and if I said anything he made me feel as though I was a swot and a spoilsport, and it ruined everything between us.’

  Her expression was sombre. ‘I didn’t want to pour cold water on his plans, but my career’s important to me, and I wasn’t happy to make do with second-class results. I don’t think Nick ever really understood that.’

  ‘Is that what he finished up with…second-class results? I’m assuming he’s a doctor, like you?’ He leaned against the nearby worktop, watching her as she gathered up various bits and pieces and added them to the holdall on the kitchen table.

  She nodded. ‘He had to do retakes, and managed to scrape by, but it was such a waste when he had the ability to
do so much better.’ She sighed. ‘I suppose that didn’t really matter, if he was happy with the way things were going. It was his choice, but I felt that he was sliding downhill, losing control, and I wanted to help him, but he wouldn’t listen. He said some harsh things to me and made me feel that I was the one who was in the wrong, the one who needed to change. I suppose it was a defensive reaction on his part.’

  ‘So you split up?’

  ‘Yes, eventually. I felt guilty, because I could see him going off the rails, and I wanted to do more to get him back on track, but it became obvious I was wasting my time. He didn’t want my help.’

  She added a towel to the bag. ‘I was going through my own problems, after losing my parents, and he wasn’t there for me when I needed him. There should have been more understanding between us, of how we each felt as individuals, but when that was missing, we just began to realise that we were miles apart in our outlook on life. It was better to end it.’

  She closed the zip on the holdall as though she was closing off that part of her life for ever. It hadn’t felt that way at the time, but perhaps now that she could look back on it, she was relieved that it was over.

  He frowned. ‘Sometimes people have to discover for themselves that they’re losing control. Until they do that, all their friends and relatives can do is pick up the pieces.’

  ‘I suppose so.’

  ‘What happened to your parents? Do you mind talking about it?’

  She shook her head. ‘It was a car accident. The only consolation was that it was all over very quickly for them. I don’t think they knew what had hit them.’

  ‘I’m sorry. That must have been hard…for you and for your sister.’

  ‘Yes, it was.’ She pressed her lips together. It wasn’t a subject she wanted to dwell on. Besides, he must have gone through the same process of grief if both of his parents had passed on.

  He picked up the holdall from the table. ‘Is this what you’re taking with you? Is it all packed and ready to go?’

  ‘Yes. I’ve hunted out all my old scuba equipment, mask, fins and jacket, but I’m assuming you have the compressed air tanks?’

  ‘That’s right, I do. They’re stowed away on board the boat, along with a picnic hamper so that we can have lunch. All you need to bring is yourself.’

  Her mouth curved. ‘Sounds good to me. And a picnic, too…that was a great piece of thinking. I wondered whether to bring along anything to eat, but then I decided we’d probably be able to pick up something if we tied up alongside a waterfront eating place, or some such.’

  ‘We can still do that. The picnic is just to tide us over in case we get ravenous along the way.’ His gaze wandered slowly over her shapely curves. ‘Of course, there’s hunger, and then there’s hunger…’

  Her brows lifted a fraction, her blue eyes sparking, so that he lifted his hands in submission and said quickly, ‘Okay, I promise, I’m on my best behaviour. I’m an absolute saint.’

  ‘Well, that’s good to hear,’ she countered, ‘because I’m really looking forward to exploring these reefs, and the only reason I’m doing it is because you said I could trust you.’

  He pulled a face. ‘Life can be sheer torture sometimes.’

  She laughed. ‘Show me this boat, Jake. I can’t wait to see how you’ve finished it off.’

  ‘I think you’ll like it.’ He led the way to where the boat was moored by the dock, and Lacey stood for a moment, taking it in.

  ‘It’s beautiful,’ she said, looking at it in awe. ‘It looks so much bigger out here on the water, and I didn’t realise there would be a cabin.’ Perhaps the cabin section had been in another part of the barn, under wraps. ‘This is a work of art,’ she murmured. ‘You must be really proud of what you’ve done.’

  ‘I guess I am.’ He smiled. ‘There’s a galley, with facilities for cooking—nothing grand, of course, given the space, but enough to heat a pan of something or boil water for coffee. And I’ve managed to fit in a small icebox. There are a couple of sleeping berths as well, in case they’re needed.’

  ‘It looks as though there’s still room on deck for the lobster pots, too.’ Lacey was full of admiration for his handiwork. She couldn’t take her eyes off it.

  ‘We won’t be needing those today.’ He held out a hand to her. ‘Let me help you aboard.’ His fingers grasped hers, warm and strong as he steadied her. ‘I thought of calling her Lacey, since your arrival here spurred me on to finish her quickly. What do you think?’

  Her eyes widened. ‘I think I’m honoured, but I’m not sure I deserve such a tribute.’

  The boat was truly a work of craftsmanship. It was a small cruiser, fitted out with upholstered seats that converted to sleeping berths with storage compartments underneath. The galley was a masterpiece, with everything you would need for home comfort, a fridge, icebox and small cooker all neatly placed to make good use of available space, with a table alongside where you could sit and eat. There was even a cupboard for medical equipment, and a lock-up box for valuables. It was all finished to perfection.

  Jake started up the motor, and it purred into action. Lacey stood beside him, looking out through the clear glass windows of the cabin, as he steered them out onto the open sea. The doors at the back of the cabin were open to allow the breeze to waft through, and there was a sun hatch that was open to assist with the airflow.

  ‘I thought we’d head out to a reef some twenty miles away,’ Jake said. ‘It’ll take us half an hour or so to get there, but I think it’s well worth a visit. It’s a place where a British ship ran aground back in the 1700s. All the crew survived and many of them made their way to the Bahamas, but the captain ordered the ship to be burned so that the enemy wouldn’t be able to salvage anything at some time in the future. There’s not a lot to see of the wreck these days, unless you know what you’re looking for, but the anchor and chain are very clearly visible.’

  ‘How deep will we be diving?’

  ‘Around forty feet, so it’s comfortable for someone who doesn’t dive frequently. I’ll show you the most interesting areas. It’s one of the best reefs in the region.’

  Some half an hour later, they arrived at their destination. Jake secured the boat to a mooring buoy and they both put on the scuba equipment and readied themselves for the dive. Other boats were moored nearby, so Lacey guessed this was a popular place.

  ‘Are you ready?’ Jake asked.

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Okay, then. You probably know this already, but you must be careful not to get too close to the coral because some species have razor-sharp edges that can cut into your skin, even through a wetsuit…and others are soft and look like plants, but if you touch them they break off and die. Then there are the ones that sting…’

  ‘I think I get the picture,’ she said with a smile.

  ‘Good.’ He nodded. ‘Look out for the fire coral, especially. It’s called that because of the burning sensation it can cause if you happen to rub up against it. It’s generally a beige colour with a hint of green, and it’s a bit like a stalk with short branches.’

  ‘Thanks for the warning. I’ll be extra-careful.’

  Finally, they were ready to go into the sea, and when she slid into the water she found it was warm, like silk, on her body. She loved the way it bathed her skin, and after a moment or two of acclimatising herself, she followed Jake’s lead along the line of the reef.

  It was spectacular. Straight away, she saw schools of fish swimming by. There were yellow-headed jaw fish, parrotfish and surgeon fish gliding amongst the coral.

  The coral itself was exquisite. There were soft flowerlike fronds that waved with the motion of the water, and she recognised a type of sea fan with deep purple branches that looked as though it had been woven from lace. Feathery sea plumes were everywhere among the harder, stony species, but the staghorn coral was impressive with its antler-type formations.

  She had been engrossed in her exploration, but Jake caught her attention, waving and
pointing to somewhere behind her. She turned, slowly because of the ebb and flow of the water, and as she gazed around, she saw a loggerhead turtle swimming by.

  She mimed her delight, and Jake responded by giving her a thumbs-up sign.

  They swam on until they came across the anchor that Jake had told her about. It was covered with crustaceans, and Lacey was enthralled to see shrimp darting in and out of crevices between the heavy chain and the coral.

  After about three quarters of an hour, Jake signalled to her that they should return to the surface. Their air tanks were running low, and it was essential that they get back to the boat in good time.

  He reached the boat first and waited to give her a hand getting into it. On deck, they removed their diving equipment, and Lacey wrapped herself in a bath towel for a few minutes to dry off. Overhead, the sun was glorious in a startlingly blue sky, and she sat for a while on the bench seat, while Jake went into the galley to prepare drinks for both of them.

  In the distance, where other boats were secured to various mooring buoys, people were enjoying the heat of the day, occasionally diving into the water to cool off. Some were snorkelling, whilst others were wearing scuba equipment.

  ‘It’s watermelon with a dash of Bacardi,’ Jake said, coming back on deck and handing her a long, frosted glass. Ice cubes floated in the pink-coloured juice, and she sipped gratefully, savouring it as the cool liquid slid down her throat.

  ‘I don’t know whether you prefer to have lunch out here on deck, or in the cabin,’ he said. ‘It might be quite nice to sit here and dry off for a bit longer.’

  ‘I’d like that,’ she murmured. She tried not to notice his long, lithe body, bronzed by the sun, encased only in swim trunks that clung to his hips and emphasised his strongly muscled thighs. His shoulders were broad, and he had a six-pack that would have done justice to any male, god-like creature.

  ‘Good. Then I’ll be back in a minute or two.’

  ‘Can I do anything to help?’