A loud knock on the door brought them sharply back to reality. They broke apart, panting for breath. How could he have forgotten where they were? Lauren’s eyes opened, dark grey and smoky with unfulfilled passion, her regret at the interruption matching his own. They stared at each other and he watched as she stepped back a pace, raising shaky fingers to lips that were moist and plump from the incendiary kiss that had taken him to paradise. He could see the pulse beating wildly at her throat, mimicking the way his own heart pounded a frantic rhythm beneath his ribs.
‘Damnez-le,’ he cursed, drawing in a ragged breath. ‘Wrong time, wrong place.’
‘Yes. Gabe…’
No one had ever shortened his name before. He liked it. Liked it that Lauren was the only one who used it, who spoke it with such husky intimacy. Renewed heat prickled through him as they looked at each other, her eyes dark with an answering desire and need. Another knock at the door had Lauren moving farther away, adjusting her clothes and smoothing down the hair he had tousled.
‘Just a minute,’ she called out, her voice sounding shaky and rough.
He licked his lips, still able to taste her. Her subtle sweet-pea scent had invaded him, familiar, arousing, sensual. His whole body was charged with excitement. There was bitter disappointment that they’d had to stop, yet raging anticipation at the thought of how explosive the experience of making love was going to be for them when the time came. As it inevitably would.
‘I’d better get that.’ She forced the words out but they sounded hoarse.
Knowing he couldn’t delay things now, Gabriel sighed. ‘I know.’
He retreated behind the curtain, listening as she opened the door and had a conversation with Adam.
‘Sorry to bother you, Lauren. I hope Gabriel’s OK. We’ve brought down two more team players needing treatment,’ Adam explained. ‘I’m just going to stitch Jack’s cut—we won, so I’m at him with the needle!—and Dan Somers has pulled his hamstring. It looks a bad one so he’s going to need follow-up treatment. Can you see what you can do for him?’
‘Of course.’
Gabriel heard the thread of reluctance at being interrupted mingle with genuine concern in her voice as she agreed. The son of one of the local farmers, Dan had played for the Penhally team and Gabriel had met him for the first time that day. Hurrying so as not to embarrass Lauren in any way, Gabriel pulled on his shorts then sat down to sort out his socks and football boots. Once he was done, he drew back the curtain in time to see Lauren glance over her shoulder at him, her expression flustered.
‘We’re just about finished here,’ she told Adam. ‘Give me a few moments to make sure Gabriel is all right and I’ll be happy to help Dan.’
‘Thanks, Lauren. He’s in the waiting room. We’ll help him through.’
When Adam had gone, Gabriel moved up behind her and, hidden by the door, turned her to face him, cupping her cheek with one palm, enjoying the feel of her warm, soft skin.
‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered, and it was an effort to drag his gaze away from the temptation of her mouth.
‘It’s not your fault. Next weekend we’ll have some privacy. I don’t want to rush things and have to steal odd moments like this.’ He felt the tremor run through her in response to his words. ‘Thank you for making my leg feel so much better.’
Her smile held a spark of mischief and he chuckled, not sure if it was the expert massage or the fiery kiss that had most eased the pain in his cramping leg. Hearing people approaching along the corridor, Gabriel released her and stepped back, allowing her to open the door again so that Adam and Oliver could assist Dan Somers into the room.
‘How are you feeling Gabriel?’ Oliver asked as Lauren and Adam settled Dan on the treatment table.
‘Like a new man, thanks to Lauren.’
Gabriel noticed the warmth bloom on Lauren’s cheeks as she rejoined them. ‘He should be fine,’ she said.
‘I’m heading home with Chloe,’ Oliver continued, apparently oblivious to the charged atmosphere. ‘Do you want a lift as Lauren’s going to be busy for a while?’
‘Sure. Thanks, Oliver.’
‘Thank you for all your help. The match was a huge success. And we won—thanks to our secret weapon in our French star!’ Oliver smiled, his humour infectious.
‘We’ll leave you to get on, Lauren,’ Adam decreed. ‘I have an appointment with Jack and a needle!’
Lauren walked them to the door, and Gabriel hung back, allowing Adam and Oliver to leave ahead of him. He paused, leaning in to whisper in her ear. ‘Later, chérie. Next weekend we’ll have time for us,’ he promised, gratified by the flare of desire in her eyes.
Filled with impatience at the wait and disappointed to be leaving her, Gabriel walked away. The time until they could be alone together with no threat of interruptions couldn’t come soon enough.
The frustration and anticipation was every bit as bad as he expected as the following week unfolded and he had little time alone with Lauren. One bright spot on the horizon was the arrangement to spend a morning accompanying her on her home visits. He was happy to give up his time off on Thursday because it meant being with her.
Finally it was Wednesday. His late-afternoon surgery was typically mixed, with cases including a young man with psoriasis, a fifty-two-year-old woman with menopausal symptoms, a teenage girl with a nasty stye, who needed some antibiotic eyedrops, an elderly man with signs of blood in his urine, who needed further tests to rule out infection and determine the source of the bleeding, a toddler with earache and several cases of colds, sore throats and influenza.
‘You done for the day?’ Oliver asked, tapping on the open consulting-room door and stepping inside.
‘Yes.’ Gabriel smiled, waving Oliver to a chair and saving the notes he had written up on his computer to back up his handwritten ones. ‘What can I do for you?’
‘I hear you are going out on home visits with Lauren tomorrow.’
And the time couldn’t come soon enough, Gabriel thought, nodding at his friend. ‘That’s right.’
‘You’ll be visiting one of our regular patients, Gertrude Stanbury. She’s quite a character, as I am sure Lauren will explain to you!’ With a bad-boy smile, Oliver sat back in the chair and hooked one ankle over the opposite knee. ‘Would you mind giving her a flu jab? I found out today that the district nurses missed her off their schedule by mistake, and I’m not due to see her for a fortnight. I don’t want her to wait that long. I’d go myself, but I have a full list tomorrow and I’m off on Friday. I could get one of the nurses to fit her in, but as you’ll be there anyway…’
‘No problem, Oliver.’
‘Great. Thanks. Chloe’s free on Friday, too, so we’re planning to get off early for our weekend in Plymouth.’
‘I hope Rachel Kenner is coping.’ Having heard the full story of how the troublesome youth Gary Lovelace had targeted the vicar’s daughter so cruelly, he felt sad for the girl. ‘I’m sure she will be delighted to see you.’
Concern shadowed Oliver’s expression. ‘Chloe is fretting about her. It will set our minds at rest if she’s settled in as happily as possible with her aunt and uncle, as well as managing her pregnancy. Goodness knows how she is dealing with all that on top of losing her father.’
‘Grief affects people in different ways.’ Realising that his tone of voice had revealed more than he had intended and had roused Oliver’s interest, Gabriel cleared his throat and changed the subject, unwilling to think of home and family. ‘Don’t worry about anything here. I’ll see to Ms Stanbury’s flu vaccination tomorrow. And I know Lauren will take care of the cats for Chloe while you are gone.’
A knowing gleam shone in Oliver’s dark eyes. ‘Somehow I doubt that you and Lauren will be sorry to have us out of the way for a while. We’ve cramped your style a bit, having to move into Gatehouse Cottage after the flood.’
‘It’s fine.’
‘You look much more relaxed than when you first arrived,’ Oliver cont
inued after a moment.
Gabriel nodded. ‘I feel it. It’s been enjoyable and I’ve learned a great deal. I’m glad I came here.’
‘Moving to Penhally Bay certainly changed my life.’
‘How so?’ he prompted, interested to know more about the man who had become a close friend in such a short time.
‘I was dissatisfied with my life in London and knew I wanted something different. I’d planned to take time to settle in and establish myself before I started thinking about the future and a family. But then I met Chloe. I knew from the first moment that she was the one for me.’ He glanced across with a smile that was both reminiscent and wicked. ‘It took me a while to acknowledge the truth of it to myself—and a bit longer to persuade Chloe I was serious. She’s the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ve never been this contented.’
‘I’m pleased for you. Anyone can see how great you are as a couple.’
‘I hope Penhally will bring you the same contentment.’
Gabriel hesitated a moment, finding it surprisingly easy to share confidences with Oliver—something that was uncharacteristic for him. ‘I have issues to work out from home…things to consider about my future. And a year here in which to decide on the direction of my life.’
‘Penhally is a good place to think. If you want to talk, I’m here. And there’s Lauren,’ he added, a teasing glint in his eyes. ‘The sparks between you are obvious. I hope you’ll find your time in Cornwall brings you the same happiness and direction it gave to me.’
‘Thank you, mon ami.’
Gabriel wondered the same thing. Would his time in Penhally not only lead him to some answers about his family dilemma but also open up a whole new world of opportunity with Lauren? Their friendship had established and deepened from the first moment. It had happened quickly, but there was no denying the connection between them. The heightened awareness and desire fizzing through him whenever he so much as thought of Lauren could not be ignored.
He was looking forward to finding out what the next weeks and months held in store for him.
CHAPTER FIVE
‘WE JUST have Gertrude Stanbury left to visit,’ Lauren informed Gabriel as she steered the car away from the Mitchell family’s home and headed towards Trelissa Road.
Despite hearing good things from others, this morning was the first time she had seen Gabriel in action as a doctor for herself. She was even more impressed than she had anticipated. He had an innate warmth that set people at their ease and evoked their trust. He was interested and genuine, compassionate without being patronising. Combined with everything else she knew about him, it made her admire and care about him even more.
‘Paul Mitchell is an inspiring youngster,’ Gabriel said, and Lauren smiled.
‘He is. I always feel humbled by his bravery,’ she admitted, shaking her head at the way the eleven-year-old coped with the limits Duchenne muscular dystrophy placed on his life. ‘Paul’s faced each new challenge and stage of the disease with good humour and fortitude, although he hates having to use the wheelchair now. He loves school but doesn’t attend full time because of the difficulties, so has some lessons at home, like today. Thankfully he’s a genius with a computer…it’s his pride and joy. The family don’t have much materially but they do all they can to meet Paul’s needs with home adaptations and equipment. They are very close and wonderfully supportive of each other, not to mention grateful for whatever back-up we can give them.’
Gabriel nodded, his admiration evident. ‘They are certainly devoted to Paul and take his exercise regime seriously.’
‘Paul’s willingness to keep trying, to do the stretching exercises for his muscles and the breathing ones to keep his lungs clear, expel the mucus and reduce the risk of infections, makes my job much easier. He’s determined not to let it beat him. And we are all determined to work as a team to ensure that Paul has the fullest and most enjoyable life possible.’
‘I think you are amazing.’ Gabriel’s compliment warmed her inside. ‘I’ve seen you today helping a variety of people—Harry Biscombe with his osteoporosis, Edith Jones with her minor stroke, the after-effects of her broken knee and assorted health problems, Stella Chamberlain with her onset of Parkinson’s disease, the Morrisons with young baby Timmy’s cystic fibrosis, and now Paul.’ He paused and she could feel his gaze on her. ‘You have a special rapport with your patients, Lauren. You give so much of yourself. It’s not just a job to you.’
His praise touched her, his opinion mattering a great deal. But his own dedication and giftedness as a doctor was unsurpassed. ‘You’re the same. Medicine—caring for people in need—is part of the very fabric of who you are.’
‘Yes.’
There was a thread of sadness and confusion in his voice, along with a weary sigh. She glanced at him, wondering what lay behind his change of tone. Did it have something to do with why he had been so keen to leave France? There was so much she wanted to discover about this man.
‘Gabriel—’
‘Tell me about Gertrude Stanbury,’ he suggested, interrupting her. ‘Oliver tells me she is something of a character.’
Reluctantly, Lauren allowed the change of subject…for now. ‘You can say that again. Gertrude is retired now but she was an institution as long-time headmistress at the secondary school here in Penhally. She has a bungalow in Gull Close and suffers badly from arthritis, especially in the knees and hands, although other joints are becoming affected more seriously. She had her first knee replacement recently but is still not very mobile. Her recovery wasn’t helped by the flood, but at least she was safe. Thankfully one of the young local girls, Tassie Lovelace, was visiting her at the time, and as the water started coming in she was able to encourage Gertrude into the attic, from where they were rescued by one of the helicopter crews.’
‘How on earth did Gertrude manage to get up there?’
‘I’ve no idea, but it didn’t do her joints much good.’ Lauren shook her head, pausing a moment as she parked in Trelissa Road, taking extra care to make sure she didn’t have a repeat of reversing into anything…not with Gabriel as a witness. ‘Until her home is fit to live in again, Dr Tom Cornish has insisted she live in this house—it used to belong to his father and Tom inherited it. A former Penhally resident, he happened to be here, dealing with the house, when the flood hit. He’s head of Deltaron, the international rescue agency, and his team were marvellous during the emergency.’
Gabriel unclipped his seat belt and glanced at the house. ‘Why would Dr Cornish loan Gertrude his house?’
‘Apparently Tom was a bit wild when he was young and, although a formidable adversary, Gertrude always believed in him. Tom was glad to help her now and repay her faith in him.’ She chuckled at her own memories of the feisty woman who had watched over the school and its pupils with an all-seeing eye. ‘She scared the life out of most of us!’
‘I shall look forward to hearing all about your misspent youth!’
Lauren laughed. ‘The trouble is, Gertrude will be all too keen to tell you.’
‘Now I’m even more intrigued.’ He smiled back at her, and she felt the faint wash of pink that tinged her cheeks.
‘Just don’t believe everything you hear.’
‘Maybe that depends what everything is.’
His teasing deepened her blush. She was aware of him following close behind as she walked towards the house and opened the front door with the spare key they kept at the surgery. Rotund, white-haired Gertrude was propped up on pillows in a comfortable recliner in the living room. Age and crippling arthritis had brought an end to her working life, but had done nothing to dim the sharp expression in her steely grey gaze or take the edge off her shrewd watchfulness. A sense of humour and keen interest still lurked behind her outward bark and bluster.
‘Oh, it’s you, Lauren. Come in, then, if I have to be poked and prodded,’ she grumbled, a sparkle dancing in her eyes as she took her first look at Gabriel. ‘Who is this handsome creature?�
��
‘I’ve brought Dr Devereux to meet you, Ms Stanbury.’
Lauren introduced them and watched with amusement as the elderly lady regally extended her hand, a pink glow washing pale, papery cheeks at Gabriel’s gallant greeting. She was surprised, however, when Gertrude began speaking rapidly to him in his own language.
‘I’d forgotten that you used to teach French, Ms Stanbury.’
‘I did have a life before becoming a headmistress, you know,’ she barked in response.
Lauren saw the laughter in Gabriel’s eyes and struggled to contain a giggle. ‘How have you been since I last saw you? Have you been managing the exercises I gave you?’
‘Pure torture, they are.’
‘I’m sorry to hear that.’ Lauren smiled, not fooled for a moment by Gertrude’s mock complaints. As she carried out a gentle examination and encouraged her to try a few more movements and exercises, both standing and sitting, she could see the improvement in the knee that had been replaced. ‘You are doing so well, Ms Stanbury. Once your other knee is done, you’ll find your mobility will be much better. How are your hands? Are you finding the new combination of pills Dr Oliver put you on helping at all?’
An affectionate expression crossed the elderly lady’s face at the mention of Oliver, for whom it was well-known she had a soft spot. ‘These pills are an improvement.’
‘I’m so glad. We’ll run through a few more gentle exercises to keep you moving, then Dr Devereux is going to see to your flu jab.’
A groan greeted the news and Lauren shared another smile with Gabriel. When she had finished, she sat back on her heels and packed away her things while Gabriel dealt with the vaccination and chatted with Gertrude in French. Lauren didn’t catch much of the conversation, but hearing the names of Martin and her parents mentioned, she smothered a groan of her own. Maybe it was a good thing she couldn’t remember much of her schoolgirl French or she would likely be mortified at whatever Gertrude was telling Gabriel. The former headmistress possessed an encyclopaedic knowledge about her past students and embarrassing moments were recounted with glee. Feeling Gabriel watching her, she looked up. The interested speculation evident in his mocha-brown eyes made her wonder what questions she would face once they were alone.
Caroline Anderson, Josie Metcalfe, Maggie Kingsley, Margaret McDonagh Page 55
