‘Welcome to the Desert Rose Hotel,’ Alma said. ‘You look like you could do with a nice cold lemon squash.’
The woman sighed. ‘That would be excellent.’
Nobody said ‘excellent’ around here, Alma thought. Except maybe Blanche Mackay.
‘Thank you.’ The doctor put down her case and pulled up the handles and glanced around.
Alma didn’t understand why she hadn’t done that before. If the case rolled, why the dickens would she carry it all the way across the carpark? ‘Don’t the wheels work?’ she couldn’t help asking.
‘I didn’t want to drag it across the dust.’ She straightened as she said it. A fine-boned woman with straight-cut blonde hair and direct blue eyes that looked weary but fiercely intelligent, and when she did lift her head she stood a good three hands taller than Alma. Alma was used to looking up at others, but this one was tall for a woman.
‘I can’t wait to relax and take you up on that squash.’
Right, then. Alma pushed the big leather-bound guest book and a pen at the other woman to sign in and turned to grab a cold glass out of the fridge. ‘Blanche Mackay has paid and all food and drink has been taken care of.’
‘Has she,’ she said with dry sarcasm.
Alma’s mouth twitched again and she returned with the drink and a healthy curiosity by the time the woman had written Dr Sienna Wilson and a Victorian phone number. Not giving out the mobile, Alma noted with amusement. It wouldn’t do her any good. There wasn’t much service anyway. When her guest settled in, in a couple of days, Alma had some women in town who needed a Virginia doctor. They were the ones too shy to show the male RFDS doctors who flew in. But she’d hold that thought until she’d checked the lie of the land with this newcomer.
‘Blanche likes to dot her i’s. I’m to meet your needs,’ Alma said, tongue-in-cheek. Maybe the doctor had been railroaded? Not an uncommon occurrence around the Mackay matriarch. ‘There you go, love. And your room is at the top of the stairs, last room on the right.’
Maddy came down the stairs again and Alma pointed to the bag. ‘You want Maddy to carry your bag up for you?’
The woman glanced at the girl and smiled as if she knew her. ‘No. Thanks, Maddy. I’ll manage.’
Now that was friendly, Alma thought and noted the smile Maddy gave the woman. ‘You two met?’
It was the doctor who answered. ‘Outside the police station. Maddy gave me directions.’
Alma snorted. ‘There’s only one direction around here. Straight up the street.’
The lemon squash disappeared and Sienna put the water-beaded glass down with another heartfelt sigh. ‘That was good. And thanks to Maddy, I didn’t get lost.’ Then she picked up the case and turned towards the stairs.
Alma spoke to her back. ‘One thing.’
Dr Sienna Wilson paused and turned at the bottom step.
‘When you need food, just ask. Either Maddy or I will cook, and the times don’t really matter long as it’s not after ten p.m.’
The doctor nodded. ‘That’s very kind of you. Thank you. I’ll know more when Sergeant McCabe returns.’ Then she frowned. ‘Do you have a nurse, or health clinic person in town?’
Alma screwed up her face and shook her head. ‘Not now. Two days a week, Monday and Wednesday mornings and after lunch for a couple of hours. They haven’t been able to replace the full-timer who left. But the RFDS doctor comes every second Monday and the baby health nurse comes alternate Mondays. She’s the midwife, too. You have to make an appointment to see them. They get busy. Unless you’re dying.’ Alma decided to test the water. ‘The dentist and the Virginia doctor come every two months.’ Alma hoped for a sense of humour.
The city slicker fell right in. ‘What’s a Virginia doctor?’
Alma grinned. ‘Thought that’s what you were. Ones that look at a woman’s Virginia.’
To Alma’s delight the doctor laughed. ‘I won’t be looking at any Virginias while I’m here.’
‘That’s what they all say.’
The doctor didn’t comment on that. She just gave her a slight smile. ‘What about the office they use? Can I work from there?’
Alma lifted her sun visor and rubbed her sparse hair where it had stuck to her head, reminding herself that she needed a haircut. Then put the visor back on again. ‘Should be able to. Or the police station. That has the best office.’
The doctor stilled as she studied the handle on her case. ‘That might work. I need a base with decent internet and plenty of bench space. We’ll see. What about a librarian?’
‘The van comes once a fortnight with new books.’
The pretty face screwed up. ‘Is there anyone who can sort and do filing for an hour once a day?’
Alma looked at the girl beside her. ‘Didn’t you say you did that while you were travelling?’
Maddy nodded. ‘Yep. Maddy can do that,’ Alma said, ‘long as she’s back here before the six-o’clock rush.’
Sienna glanced out the window at the deserted street and then around the abandoned bar. Raised her brows and her voice was as dry as an afternoon breeze. ‘If you can spare her for an hour or two after your lunchtime mayhem that would be helpful. Say four p.m. Thank you.’ She moved to the first step then paused again. ‘I’ll have a shower and unpack. Then we’ll have a chat if that suits you, Maddy.’
‘Yes, doctor.’ The girl glanced at Alma for confirmation, who shrugged.
Then the woman said, ‘You’d better call me Sienna, if we’re working together.’
‘Yes, doctor.’
Sienna smiled at Maddy and climbed the stairs. She carried the bag carefully.
Alma wanted to know what was in it that was so darn special.
Chapter Seven
Sienna
Sienna narrowed her eyes against the glare from the late-afternoon sun. From the second-storey window she saw the dust-covered police vehicle pull into the parking area of the pub underneath her. Seven o’clock. It was about time, seeing as she’d been cooling her heels for an hour after she’d sorted her things. She’d changed into cream linen trousers and a black sleeveless top in deference to the heat.
Of its own volition, her hand rose to rest in the centre of her chest as she waited, and unconsciously she pressed over her sternum with her fingers.
The driver’s door opened and Douglas’s thick dark curls appeared first, then his big rangy shoulders. She sighed as he stood. With fluid grace for such a big man, he leaned back in and collected his hat, then as if he felt her watching him, he turned and looked straight up at her window.
His hand, still holding his police Akubra, lifted in her direction, causing the blue shirt to stretch to its limit across his impressive chest. The slow curve of his mouth caused a reaction she’d decided he didn’t deserve – her own mouth tilted in response.
The tiredness, muted by the just-adequate shower in the communal bathroom, magically faded into oblivion. She watched his finger lift in an I’ll-be-with-you-shortly sign, and then he strode across the yard to the door she’d entered through.
She said softly, ‘I don’t know what it is, Douglas McCabe, because you’re no picture postcard, but you really do turn me on.’ The words hung in the air in front of her and she shook her head, then scrubbed the empty space as if it were a blackboard. Thankfully, she had that comment out of the way without him hearing her, which was a good thing considering he was just a fling – the man had too much power already.
His lifestyle and his love affair with the outback would never gel with her world. She knew that. Just like her city-journalist mother had fallen in ridiculous lust with her publican dad, the whole situation was doomed from the start. At least Douglas wasn’t married. But the whole state of this strangely compelling relationship had no solution.
Sienna glanced one last time in the age-spotted but blindingly clean mirror. In fact, everything sparkled with elbow grease and tiny touches of very tasteful memorabilia, and she wondered fleetingly if Maddy did all the hou
sekeeping or if Alma had OCD.
Then her thoughts returned to the much more riveting topic of Douglas and a little fillip of excitement bounced around inside her chest. This was so unlike her. Dr Sienna Wilson took what she needed to achieve her goals, and she suspected she’d given in way too easily to the idea of dropping everything to come out here. Even her boss hadn’t expected her to leave this week.
Normally, she didn’t moon over ruggedly sexy men with more morals than a minister, and she needed to get a grip now. Especially as she could hear the tread of masculine footsteps on the stairs. He was coming.
Her mouth twitched. She hadn’t had butterflies in her stomach for twenty years. She wondered, not for the first time, if that was the inexplicable reason her mother had fallen in lust with her totally unsuitable, already married father. Pure animal attraction. Pheromones. Whatever. Look how that had ended. Control yourself. Be cool, business like.
Still, she jumped when the knock came. Two solid taps. Not too loud, not too soft. A demand for response and she was very happy to obey. Though, the idea of ‘obey’ made the furrows crease in her forehead. She would have none of this obey stuff. She crossed the room and opened the door. Looked at him and stoically kept her face neutral, but inside she glowed.
‘Douglas.’ He loomed over her. He did it very well. She savoured the fact that his top button sat parallel to her vision, and even as she lifted her eyes to his she admired a couple of tiny dark hairs curled in the sunburnt V of his chest. My, my, she loved that chest. That big rock wall she wanted to climb right onto. Such amazing handholds. Her heart squeezed. Stop it.
‘Sienna. It’s good to see you.’ Deep, rumbling, freaking sexy voice. She wanted to fling herself into his arms.
She looked away from those inflexible blue eyes that were searching her face with a thorough intensity. In a moment of clarity, despite the pirouetting delight of her senses, she saw that Douglas had himself under rigid control, so she wasn’t the only one holding it all in.
That helped. ‘Oh, hello, Douglas,’ she said, as if she’d seen him yesterday. ‘Come in.’ She waved a languid arm towards the room. It was not easily accomplished, but she was mildly successful. ‘I’ve not long arrived and haven’t started my investigations yet.’ Clever move. That made her invitation to join her so innocent and all about the reason she was here. The real reason. Nothing to do with sex.
He hesitated and she wanted to raise her brows and dare him to enter her lair, double-dare him, but she’d learned he couldn’t be forced. She glanced away and looked pointedly at the pile of documents on her rickety desk. She would leave the decision up to him, she thought, and took a purposeful step that way herself. ‘I’m not sure where to start.’
She heard him step inside and shut the door. He crossed the floor to where she stood with her back to him, flicking nonchalantly through the pile of reports.
‘You,’ he said to her back, with a long pause and a stream of warm breath against her neck that had those tiny hairs fluttering in hope, ‘are incorrigible.’
Then, thank goodness, he put his hand on her shoulder and turned her slowly to face him. She dared a glance at his face, trying not to laugh with delight at her success at getting him in here and with the door shut.
‘Who, me?’ She tried for a haughty eyebrow raise but could feel her face dissolving into a secret sultry smile. He looked so damn good.
‘You.’ Then he pulled her against him with one strong arm and lifted her chin with his other hand. ‘I’ve missed you.’
She didn’t get to answer. His mouth came down and swallowed any response she might have made, and despite the initial tenderness she could sense the massive restraint, his iron control. So much emotion swirled between them. Her eyes stung with the impossibility of this incredible attraction lasting, because he touched her at a depth she still couldn’t believe was possible. She had never felt anything like this with any man except Douglas. Then she wasn’t thinking anything at all because he spun her away like a whirlwind, and she was lost.
After a most thorough kiss and another quick follow-up as if he couldn’t quite stop, Douglas moved her very deliberately away from him and gave her the tiniest squeeze. ‘You will be the death of me,’ he said grimly as he loosened his delightful grip on her shoulders.
‘But what a way to go,’ she said cheekily and his stern face softened a millimetre and he smiled. A smile that warmed Sienna more than the heatwave outside warmed the interior of her car.
‘Yes, well, that’s the kicker,’ he said and turned away to look out the window. ‘Let’s talk about the babies.’ He walked to the door and opened it. Held it for her. ‘But not here.’
‘Douglas, you are such a spoil sport.’
His voice stayed very low. ‘This won’t end well and we both know it. I’m a boots-and-all guy and you’re a grown woman playing with me.’
Bugger, thought Sienna, as she picked up her handbag and checked that her notepad rested inside. She hoped she was playing.
‘You asked me to come. Not the other way around.’ But down to business. ‘I need an office,’ Sienna said as she led the way to the stairs. ‘A place I can gather all the information, a printer for my computer, somewhere I can sit, plus space for an office assistant for an hour a day for collation and typing forms. Preferably with air conditioning and no visitors.’ Sienna reeled off the list over her shoulder, punctuating each need with the next descent, as she walked down the stairs to the tiny reception area beside the bar.
‘Watch where you’re going.’ Douglas loomed behind her as if ready to steady her if she tripped. Sienna felt like flipping her hair. It was her sister who tripped over everything. Sienna knew exactly where she put her feet, but to tease him she slowed right down to draw him near, and accentuated the swing of her hips, though of course he backed off. Cornering Douglas felt as elusive as trying to catch a wisp of smoke in her fingertips.
Chapter Eight
Maddy
Maddy saw the couple descend the stairs as she stood at the edge of the dining room, feet planted wide, arms above her head, sweeping cobwebs from the corner of the wood-lined ceiling. Or at least that was what she’d been trying to achieve – she couldn’t see any web-like filaments to remove. She watched the sway of the doctor’s hips in those soft linen trousers, and the poised readiness of the policeman as he hovered, as though afraid she’d slip, and decided there had to be something going on between them.
She brought the broom down with relief and leaned on it. Glanced nervously at Sergeant McCabe and then away. His kind grey eyes always seemed to see more than she intended him to.
‘Hello, Maddy. How are you?’ He paused before saying, ‘How’s Jacob?’
‘Hello, Sergeant,’ her voice squeaked. Fear of police hadn’t been her history, but she’d never lived the way she did now either. Jacob hated this man with a passion. Had never forgiven the way he’d backed Alma when she’d banned Jacob from the pub. Nor the way he had forcibly removed him from the premises. Too many people had seen it happen. Jacob didn’t like looking bad in public. Shame it didn’t bother him in private.
Maddy felt guilty that she didn’t dislike the policeman at all, but how could she?
She avoided his eyes. ‘Getting better.’ Liar, an inner voice accused. Jacob’s leg might be healing at last, but his moods had become much, much worse. The tension that surrounded her boyfriend rose like a black fog that pulled her in and then, too often, swung in to hurt her. Too many times she’d hoped that he meant it when he said he’d never hurt her again. Because he sounded so sorry. Said he loved her. And so she stayed.
Stayed so long she almost felt like she deserved his anger. Because of the crutches, if she remained careful, he couldn’t hurt her a lot if she kept out of reach. With the broken leg and all. But the plaster might be off next week. Only she didn’t want to think about that. She knew with an uneasy certainty that she should be gone by then.
‘You tell him I asked after him.’ The words were s
aid kindly about Jacob, but she had the feeling he was directing them to her. She wondered if he’d ever had kids because he would make a good dad. Not like hers. Or Jacob’s uncle. She tried to smile.
She wouldn’t breathe a word to Jacob, but she suspected why the policeman had said that and her face flamed. Did he know? Did everyone know that Jacob was changing? Maddy felt the shame creep hotly over her skin like a brand that everyone could see.
Mercifully, the doctor’s voice broke in. ‘Maddy’s going to be my office assistant.’
To her surprise the policeman said, ‘That’s good. Alma’s not the only one who thinks Maddy is a smart cookie.’
Now Maddy could feel the heat rise in her face for a different reason. She wasn’t used to compliments, not real ones anyway, and it felt like she’d lost the ability to handle something kind.
The doctor included her again. ‘The sergeant and I are going to look around and decide on an office space. When I find a suitable location, I’ll let you know where and when.’
Maddy nodded and winced at the roll of heat as they opened the side door towards the police vehicle. It was one of those days when the temperature seemed to climb late in the afternoon instead of cooling off. It had been silly-hot this week. She looked towards the doctor’s dusty car under the shelter of the carport across the yard and bet they wished the police vehicle had been parked there.
The policeman opened the passenger door and put a hand out to prevent his companion from climbing in. To let the heat out, even though he’d left both windows down. After a minute the doctor was seated and he shut her door carefully.
Now there was a funny relationship, thought Maddy, but inside she could acknowledge some wistfulness for the obvious respect. Jacob had never opened or shut her door for her. Ever. More likely he’d start to drive off before she’d shut her own.
With that thought returned the cold reality she’d almost accepted over the last few days. She felt panic not for herself, but for her baby. The thought that Jacob would be able to hurt her baby by hurting her made her stop again and lean on the broom, panting a little at what this decision meant, because like a premonition, she could feel the coating of fear at the back of her throat. Of course it was terrifyingly clear that she couldn’t let Jacob find out about the baby. Maybe ever. She couldn’t let anyone in this town find out about the baby because then he would know.
The Baby Doctor Page 5
