by Anne Fraser
When she next woke up, the wind seemed to have died down a bit, and the rain only lashed against the windows sporadically. Cameron had also changed into scrubs and was just replacing the radio handset.
‘The coastguard is taking off. They’ll be with us in about twenty minutes,’ he said. ‘They are going to pick me up so I can go with them. They’ve re-established contact with the fishing boat and it seems that one of the crew has a suspected head injury. They are going to winch me down so I can make an assessment.’
How could he look so calm? Meagan thought. But his brow was furrowed and lines of tiredness were evident around his eyes.
‘I can go instead of you,’ Meagan offered. ‘I’ve had a rest so I’m probably fitter.’
Cameron looked at her and grinned, the dimples at the corners of his mouth evident.
‘You are a brave woman, Dr Galbraith. And thanks, but no. I’m a volunteer member of the coastguard and I’ve been trained for this. You haven’t. You stay here and wait for our return.’
Meagan could see that while she had been asleep one of the doctors from the other practice had arrived. There were more than enough people to cope at the hospital.
‘Let me come on the helicopter at least,’ she pleaded. ‘I’ve never been on one before. I promise I won’t get in the way.’
Cameron frowned, considering her proposal.
‘All right, then, but only if you promise not to get in the way. It’s probably not a bad idea to have another doctor ready to assess any casualties. But if there is any chance at all that you’ll be frightened, let one of the others go. The last thing any of us need is a scared doctor getting in our way.’
‘Don’t you know by now, Dr Stuart, that nothing frightens me? At least, nothing physical,’ she added under her breath, turning away so he wouldn’t catch her words.
The airport where the helicopter would be landing was only a few minutes away by car and had already touched down when Meagan and Cameron arrived.
‘This is Dr Galbraith.’ Cameron introduced her as a member of the crew helped them on with suits and harnesses. ‘She’s coming too.’
The crewman nodded. ‘Been up before?’ he asked Meagan as he made the final adjustments to her harness. Meagan shook her head. ‘But I love flying.’
The crewman, who introduced himself as Jamie, smiled and handed her a set of headphones. ‘It gets pretty noisy up there. You’ll need these. I have to warn you it’s going to be a bumpy ride.’
Meagan glanced over at Cameron. He looked perfectly at home in his outfit, as if he had been flying all his life. He searched her eyes as if checking out her anxiety levels before, satisfied, grinning at her and giving her a thumbs-up.
He reached over and made a slight adjustment to her helmet. Meagan felt the warmth of his fingers sweep across her jaw.
‘It’s going to be rough out there. Last chance to change your mind,’ he murmured, his voice low. ‘No one will think any the worse of you.’
She held his glance. His eyes were warm and steady. She felt her heart flutter. Maybe she was a little nervous, she thought. Why else would her heart be racing?
‘Let’s get on with it,’ she said, climbing into the helicopter. ‘We don’t want to keep those poor men waiting any longer than they have to.’
It was as turbulent in the air as Jamie had warned. Once the helicopter lurched and dropped. Despite herself, Meagan gasped and grabbed Cameron’s thigh, momentarily squeezing her eyes closed. When she dared to open them again it was to find Cameron looking down at her, amused.
‘Did any one ever tell you that you have strong hands Meagan?’ He grinned. Embarrassed, she forced herself to uncurl her fingers and remove her hand. But the sensation of his rock-hard thigh muscles stayed in her fingertips. Now was not the time! She had to concentrate on the job ahead.
‘When we locate the vessel, they’ll winch me down.’ Cameron’s voice crackled through her headphones. ‘I’ll make an assessment, then they’ll send down the stretcher. While I’m getting the patient strapped onto the stretcher, they’ll lift anyone who doesn’t need assistance. Once they are on board, you’ll need to carry out another assessment and make sure they receive any treatment they need. Get them warmed up at least. OK?’
‘Aye, aye, sir,’ Meagan said, getting into the swing of things. ‘Or should I say Roger that? Like they do in the movies?’
Cameron rolled his eyes at her, then smiled. Meagan admitted to herself that she loved the way the dimples appeared in his cheeks when he smiled. Then, just as quickly, she berated herself. What was the matter with her? She was behaving like a hormonally charged teenager. It must be the adrenaline.
She was interrupted from her wayward thoughts by the pilot announcing that they had found the missing fishing boat. Meagan peered through the rain but could see nothing except waves stretching as far as the eye could see. Cameron touched her shoulder and pointed slightly forward from where Meagan was looking. Eventually her eyes could just make out the shape of the stricken vessel beneath them. It wasn’t a particularly big boat. Probably just big enough for the four man crew and their catch. The fishing boat was listing to the side as if it had taken water on board. On the deck stood three of the fishermen, waving frantically. One was gesticulating at the deck, but apart from that they seemed unharmed. It seemed it was the only the fourth absent fisherman that they would have to worry about.
As the helicopter hovered, Cameron made his final preparations to be winched down.
‘I’ll send up the three men while I’m checking out the injured man,’ he reiterated. Hopefully it won’t take too long to get everyone on board.’ Then before Meagan had a chance to reply he was being lowered towards the boat.
She watched, her heart in her mouth, as the cable holding Cameron swayed in the wind. Underneath them the fishing vessel was also continuously moving, one minute rising towards them, then the next falling away. Meagan now knew that she had completely underestimated the risk Cameron was—they were all—taking. She knew if it weren’t for the skill of the crew the helicopter could crash or, and she shuddered at the thought, Cameron could be crushed against the moving boat. She could barely bring herself to watch until finally Cameron was on the boat and unhooking himself from the winch. ‘Thank God,’ she prayed under her breath. He’d made it.
But the danger wasn’t over yet. They still had to get everyone on board. A few heart-stopping minutes later the first fisherman appeared in the doorway of the chopper. Meagan and Jamie pulled him on board, where he lay gasping and shivering. Meagan had only enough time to satisfy herself that he was cold and shocked but otherwise unharmed before the next fisherman was pulled in.
As she examined the second man, she could feel the first man pulling at the sleeve of her jacket. He leant close, shouting in her ear.
‘It’s Jock who’s hurt. The rest of us are all right. But Jock was hit on the back of his head by the equipment we use to lift the fish. He’s in a bad way.’
‘Try not to worry.’ Meagan had to yell to make herself heard above the roar of the helicopter and the sound of the wind. ‘Dr Stuart will look after him.’
‘I don’t think he can move him,’ the man yelled back. ‘I think he’s hurt his spine. He hasn’t been able to move his arms or legs since.’
Meagan, satisfied that the second man was also essentially unhurt, moved on to the last man who by this time had been winched on board. At the same time she was thinking frantically about what she’d been told. What if Jock had sustained injuries to his spine? Could they take the risk of moving him? Even strapped to the stretcher, surely it was too much of a risk? But what else could they do? They couldn’t leave him there.
Once again Cameron’s voice crackled in her ear, this time confirming her worst fears.
‘I’m sorry, guys, but you’ll have to leave us here for the time being. I think Jock may have fractured his spine. I don’t want to take any chances trying to manoeuvre him onto the stretcher. Even with help it’s too much
of a risk.’
‘Roger that,’ came the pilot’s reply. ‘Is the boat capable of staying afloat until we can get someone to tow you in?’
‘It had better be,’ came the grim reply, ‘otherwise you could say we are truly sunk. I’m going to take off my radio for a couple of minutes so I can listen to Jock’s chest. I’ll speak to you again when I’ve finished.’
The last man on board was shouting something at Jamie. Meagan couldn’t make out the words but she could tell Jamie was worried.
‘What is it?’ She asked.
‘He says Cameron hurt himself when he landed on the deck of the boat. He took a blow to his forehead.’
‘In that case, I’m going down. He’ll need help.’
‘Sorry, no can do,’ Jamie said. ‘It’s too dangerous for a woman. Besides, Cameron will have my guts for garters if I let you go down. And I’m not having that.’
Meagan pulled herself to her full height.
‘In this scenario, don’t think of me as a woman,’ she said through gritted teeth. ‘Think of me as a doctor. And if you don’t let me go down, I’ll have your guts for garters.’
Something in the look she gave him must have convinced him. ‘What do you think, Captain?’ he asked.
‘I don’t like it,’ came the reply, ‘but I don’t know what else we can do. He needs help and I need you on board. But if we are going to drop her down, we need to do it now.’
‘OK, then, Doctor, let’s get you hooked up.’
When Meagan felt herself being lowered from the helicopter she felt truly scared for the first time. The rope swayed with the combined turbulence of the helicopter’s blades and the wind. She also knew with certainty that Cameron would be furious when he saw her. At that precise moment she didn’t know what she feared most—this awful sensation of being buffeted by the wind or Cameron’s anger.
Sure enough, when he reached out to pull her onto the deck he was livid. Meagan could see that he had sustained a nasty gash on his forehead which was bleeding profusely. He seemed oblivious to the rivulets of blood that streamed down his face.
‘What on earth are you thinking?’ he said. ‘I’m going to tell them to winch you right back up.’ Before he could act on his threat, Meagan had unhooked herself, just as Jamie had shown her, and was giving the helicopter a thumbs-up.
‘The men told me you had hurt your head. You can’t look after a patient properly if you’re hurt yourself,’ Meagan said firmly. ‘I want to take a look at it.’
She could see that Cameron wasn’t finished with her yet, but there was little he could do as the helicopter had already left.
‘Let’s get below out of the wind. Jock’s there already.’
Meagan watched anxiously as Cameron used the rails at the side of the steps to go below. She wanted to check Cameron’s injury, but she knew, for the time being, that keeping the boat afloat was the more urgent issue. It was listing to one side, rising with each wave and still taking on water. She knew she needed to keep the boat turned into the wind as best she could or there would be the danger of the boat taking on more water with every wave and capsizing. Now that she was actually on the boat she felt happier. The sea had never frightened her. Just as long as you treated it with respect and kept your cool.
She made her way to the wheelhouse to turn the stricken boat into the wind. She knew she would have to stay at the wheel until help reached them, hopefully before too long.
An irate Cameron appeared.
‘What are you doing here?’ he said.
‘I’m staying here,’ Meagan replied. ‘If you need me to help with Jock, that’s a different matter, but unless you do, this is where I’ll be.’
‘Jock’s stable for the moment. Why don’t I steer the boat and you keep an eye on Jock?’
‘Tell me, Cameron, can you do something about the wound on your head?’
Cameron touched his head gingerly. ‘It just needs a dressing—something to keep it from bleeding,’ he said.
‘It’s settled, then,’ Meagan said. ‘You go back below and sort your head out and keep an eye on Jock. You’re the one with more medical experience and I’m the one who knows how to keep a boat afloat. I’m staying here. If I need you, I’ll yell—I promise.’
The next two hours passed slowly. Meagan kept the boat headed into the wind, knowing that as long as she did that they should stay afloat. Every now and again Cameron would check to see that she was still all right. The second time he appeared he had bandaged his head—and not made a very good job of it either, Meagan thought perversely. She ignored his entreaties for her to change places with him. After a time the rain and wind began to ease and visibility improved. At last she made out the shape of the lifeboat coming towards them. She used the intercom to let Cameron know and as soon as the lifeboat was secured next to them she went below. Cameron was sitting beside Jock, explaining that soon they’d be moving him. Cameron looked exhausted, and from the lines around his mouth Meagan knew he must be in a great deal of pain.
She dropped to her knees to examine his head. It was, however, impossible to make a reliable assessment without undoing the bandage and that was likely to start the wound bleeding again.
‘You should have taken something for the pain,’ she said.
He smiled tiredly at her. ‘I needed to keep my wits about me. I’ll take something later.’
It took less than half an hour for them to get back to dry land. The air ambulance was standing by ready to transfer Jock to the specialist spinal unit in Glasgow, although to every one’s relief he was beginning to experience a return of feeling to his limbs. Cameron offered to travel with him, but the doctor from the other practice had already volunteered.
‘I’m rested,’ he told Cameron. ‘Besides, it looks as if you could do with a couple of stitches.’
Cameron reluctantly agreed to let Meagan suture his wound.
‘I could do it myself,’ he growled. ‘Just give me a mirror.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Meagan said. ‘Of course you can’t manage yourself. I’ll do it.’
‘I just hope you’re not seeing double with tiredness,’ he complained. ‘You need to get some sleep.’
But eventually, seeing that Meagan was determined, he let her close the wound. He hardly flinched when she injected some local anaesthesia. As she cleaned the gash, he grabbed her hand. ‘You did well out there,’ he said. ‘You’re a very brave woman, but I wish you hadn’t put yourself in danger.’ His eyes glinted as he held her gaze. Meagan felt her spine tingle.
‘Why? Were you worried about me?’ she teased.
‘You’re my responsibility,’ he said. ‘I promised Colin I would look after you. How would the practice cope if both of us had been lost?’
Meagan felt an irrational stab of disappointment. Was that how he saw her? His responsibility? Was that all? But, of course, she was forgetting about Rachel. No doubt he was still in love with her and hoping for a reconciliation. Meagan dismissed the slice of pain she felt at the thought. He had chosen Rachel over her once before, and would probably do so again. She of all people could never—would never—come between two people if there was even the smallest chance they could patch things up, especially when there was a child involved. She began to stitch, resisting the urge to stab him with her needle.
‘It seems to me that you are the one needing to be looked after. You’re the one who’s hurt after all. There’s not a scratch on me.’
He grinned and the tiredness left his features.
‘Ah, Meagan, why was our timing all wrong?’
She wasn’t sure what he was saying. Did he mean he wished he’d met her before Rachel? And if so how, did she feel about that? Her heart gave another flip. She knew how she felt. She knew deep in her bones that she and Cameron were meant for each other. She had known it the first time she had met him and she knew it now. She could love this man. She could love him with every fibre of her being. But it was too late. Much too late.
By t
he time Cameron and Meagan left the hospital, the sun was beginning to climb in the sky. The wind had almost dropped completely and it looked as if the day would turn out fine. Meagan guessed she wouldn’t be seeing most of it. A warm bath, something to eat then bed, she promised herself. Then she fell asleep.
She woke to the sensation of being lifted gently out of the car. She knew she should resist, but she felt so comfortable held against Cameron’s chest. He kicked her front door open and with her still in his arms climbed the stairs two at a time. She felt herself being lowered onto the bed. She wanted to open her eyes and say something, but they felt too heavy. For once she was unable to resist being taken care of. Besides, she didn’t have the energy to fight this man all the time.
Just before she gave in to sleep once more, she felt lips as light as a feather brush her temple. She thought she heard him murmur her name, but when she opened her eyes he had gone.
CHAPTER SIX
MEAGAN slept until lunchtime. After dressing, she checked the phone and was relieved to find the lines had been restored. The nurse at the hospital told her that all the patients from the night before were doing fine and not to worry about coming in as Dr Stuart had already done rounds a few hours earlier and was expected back shortly.
Did the man never sleep? Meagan wondered.
Conceding that there was little point in her going to the hospital, she decided to take a walk up to the big house to see Jessie. It would do her good to stretch her aching legs, she thought. It felt as if every bone in her body had been attacked with a hammer.
Jessie opened the door to her. She seemed delighted to see her. ‘Come on in,’ she said. ‘I’ll just put on the kettle and then you can tell me all about last night’s excitement. Goodness, Meagan, ever since you arrived, it’s been all go.’
Meagan collapsed into a comfy chair and related the night’s events, interrupted only by Jessie’s oohs and aahs.
