Читать книгу The Italian Doctor - Jennifer Taylor, Jennifer Taylor - Страница 8

‘HI, THERE. Sorry I’m late. I had trouble finding a cab.’

Luke smiled around the assembled group. His eyes seemed to linger a fraction longer on Maggie than they did on anyone else, but that was probably her imagination, she told herself sternly.

‘Dalverston night life isn’t much to shout about so taxis tend to be rather thin on the ground,’ Robin explained as he got up and edged past her. ‘Anyway, it’s my round so what will you have to drink?’

‘Beer, but only if they serve one that’s chilled.’ Luke laughed when there was a chorus of catcalls. ‘I know, I know. But it isn’t my fault that I have an uneducated palate and can’t appreciate the finer points of warm beer!’

‘We’ll have to attend to his education post-haste, won’t we, folks?’ Robin replied with a grin. ‘You can’t live in England and not learn to enjoy the delights of a nice pint of bitter!’

‘I don’t know if my taste buds are ready for it.’ Luke groaned. ‘I’ve only just learned to drink that revolting stuff you claim is coffee so have some pity. There’s only so much torture a guy can take!’

‘I suppose we shall have to make allowances a while longer, then,’ Robin declared as everyone laughed. ‘Anyway, sit yourself down and I’ll fetch the drinks.’

Luke turned to her as Robin hurried away. ‘Is there room for me or will it be too much of a squeeze?’

‘Of course not.’ She scooted along the bench to make room for him, feeling the shiver that raced along her nerves when he eased himself into the gap. His thigh was pressed hard against her own, his hip bumping hers when he tried to get comfortable.

‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to squash you.’

‘It’s fine…really,’ she said quickly, then hurried on when she heard how breathless she sounded. ‘I… I didn’t know you were coming tonight,’ she said, more for something to say than for any other reason. His nearness was having the strangest effect on her, making her whole body tingle with awareness. She didn’t like the feeling and was determined to nip it in the bud before it got worse.

‘No?’ He shrugged so that his shoulder brushed hers this time, sending another spiral of sensation flowing through her before she could stop it. ‘I never thought to mention it. It isn’t a problem, is it?’

‘Of course not! Why should you think I have a problem about you being here?’ Maggie heard the defensive note in her voice and bit her lip. She almost jumped out of her skin when he suddenly reached over and squeezed her hand. Her eyes flew to his face and she was stunned by the look of regret she saw there.

‘Because you and I got off on the wrong foot when we first met and it was all my fault.’ Luke’s fingers tightened around hers and her heart bumped up and down in her chest when she felt the gentle increase in pressure. ‘I can understand why you wouldn’t be pleased to see me after what I said to you that night at your grandmother’s house, Maggie. I was way out of line then and I apologise for it.’

‘I don’t know what to say.’ She was telling the truth because she was so surprised that it was hard to think straight. Whether it was the unexpected apology or the fact that Luke was still holding her hand which was causing the problem she wasn’t sure, but her thoughts seemed to be completely clogged up.

He smiled ruefully as he released her. ‘You don’t need to say anything because your face says it all. I can’t believe I actually said what I did that night. You must have thought I was the biggest jerk you’d ever met!’

Maggie felt the blush reach her hairline in two seconds flat. ‘Oh, well, you know,’ she muttered uncomfortably.

‘I do! Unfortunately.’ He laughed wryly. ‘It makes me cringe when I think about that night. My only excuse is that I had totally misread the situation. I hadn’t realised that you and I were in the same boat.’

‘What do you mean?’ She looked at him uncertainly but Robin arrived back with their drinks just then. He shook his head when Luke offered to let him have his seat back and moved to the other end of the table, squeezing into the space Angela had made for him. Everyone was discussing a film that had been on television that week; nobody seemed to be taking any notice of her and Luke. It lent a strange kind of intimacy to their conversation, a feeling heightened when he lowered his voice so that only she could hear what he was saying.

‘That your family is putting pressure on you to get married, like mine is. I heard what you said this afternoon and it was like a rerun of what’s been happening to me over the past few years. I can’t count the number of suitable women my mom has tried to fix me up with!’

Maggie couldn’t help laughing at the wealth of disgust in his voice. ‘It’s a nightmare, isn’t it? And the worst thing is that you feel so guilty about it. I mean, you don’t want to get married but somehow they make you feel that you’re letting them down.’

‘I know just what you mean.’ He picked up the chilled bottle of imported beer that Robin had bought him and took a swallow. ‘Mothers really know how to lay a guilt trip on you, don’t they? There’s all the little hints to begin with about how their friends’ children are getting married and how wonderful it must be to have a wedding to plan. Then things start to get really heavy and before you know it there’s the pointed comments about whether they’ll be too old to enjoy their grandchildren by the time they arrive…’

‘Or if they’ll still be around to see said grandchildren,’ Maggie put in, shaking her head in despair. ‘It’s an impossible situation, isn’t it? No matter how you try to explain that you’re perfectly happy the way you are, they don’t believe you. They think that we—and them—are missing out because we don’t want to get married.’

‘Exactly. I couldn’t have put it better myself. It’s so good to be able to talk to someone who understands, Maggie.’ He grinned crookedly. ‘Maybe it also means that you understand why I behaved like such an idiot when we met and can find it in your heart to forgive me?’

‘There’s nothing to forgive,’ she assured him, feeling her heart lift. It surprised her how pleased she felt to know why Luke had acted the way he had. She laughed when he offered her his hand.

‘Truce, then?’

‘Truce!’ she agreed, placing her hand in his. They let the matter drop after that, joining in the conversation as it flowed around the table. However, she couldn’t deny her relief that there was no longer any reason for her and Luke to be at loggerheads. Why she should be so pleased about the change in their relationship was hard to explain so she didn’t waste time worrying about it. Most likely it was because she hated being at odds with anyone.

They finished their drinks then moved on to the party. It wasn’t far to walk but Maggie was limping by the time they reached the house where her friends, Ruth and Greg, lived. The blister on her heel had broken and each step was pure torture as the sandal strap rubbed against it.

‘Are you OK?’ Luke put a steadying hand under her elbow when she stumbled as she made her way up the steps to the house.

She grimaced as she lifted her foot and showed him her heel. ‘A blister. I should never have worn these wretched sandals. I should have known they would rub.’

‘That looks really nasty. You’re going to need a dressing on it. Let’s see if Ruth has a first-aid kit and get you sorted out.’

‘Oh, I don’t want to be any trouble—’ she began, but he cut short her protests.

‘Doctor’s orders, Staff. No arguing, now,’ he said sternly but with a definite twinkle in his eyes.

Maggie laughed. ‘Oh, far be it from me to argue with you, Doctor.’

‘Well, that’s progress.’ His tone was wry as he helped her up the last step. ‘From what I overheard you saying this morning I didn’t think you would ever agree with anything I said.’

‘I’m sorry—’ she began

‘Only teasing.’ He held up his hand. ‘You had every right to say what you did. It wasn’t your fault that I made such a rotten impression when we met. However, that’s all in the past, isn’t it, Maggie? Let’s move on from there.’

She smiled, feeling her heart going pitter-patter inside her chest. Of course, it was relief at having ironed out their differences that caused it to react like that, she assured herself. But it was hard to believe that was the only reason so she didn’t dwell on it. ‘That sounds like a good idea to me, Luke. I’d like to think that you and I can be friends.’

He smiled but there was the strangest gleam in his eyes as he looked at her. ‘Friends it is, Maggie.’ He bent and kissed her lightly on the cheek then glanced round when there was a burst of exaggeratedly noisy coughing behind them.

‘I hate to butt in but Ruth wants to know what you two would like to drink,’ Angela announced with the biggest grin.

Maggie could feel herself blushing even though the kiss had been no more than a token to seal their new-found friendship. However, she knew that she would come in for a lot of teasing once the news got round that Luke had kissed her.

‘Would you tell Ruth that what we need more than a drink at the moment is a first-aid box?’ Luke appeared unfazed by Angela’s amusement but, then, why should it have upset him? Maggie thought. The kiss had meant nothing when all was said and done.

Her spirits plummeted although she had no idea why. It was a relief not to have to think about it when Angela immediately demanded to know why they needed first-aid equipment. Maggie showed her friend her heel then murmured her thanks when Angela offered to find her something to put on it.

Angela came back a few minutes later with a green plastic box and handed it to Luke. ‘Ruth said to tell you that there’s antiseptic in the bathroom cabinet as well if you need it.’ She glanced round as Robin called her. ‘Right, I’ll leave you to it, then. At least you two should know how to play doctors and nurses properly!’

There was no mistaking what she meant. Maggie shook her head in despair as the younger woman hurried away. ‘Trust Angela to come out with something like that. Sorry.’

‘Don’t worry about it. In fact, it’s given me an idea. But first things first—let’s get you sorted out before I tell you about my brainwave.’

Maggie had no idea what he was talking about. However, it was obvious that he had no intention of explaining until he’d attended to her heel. She slipped off her sandals and went upstairs in her bare feet to avoid making the blister any worse.

The bathroom was surprisingly large so that the vast, claw-footed bath, old-fashioned basin and stately lavatory didn’t look at all out of place. Luke looked round approvingly as they went into the room.

‘I love these old fitments. They were made to be used, weren’t they? Unlike the bathroom suites you get nowadays.’

He went to the sink and turned on the tap, talking over his shoulder. ‘My hotel room has everything you’d expect but the bath is minute. I’ve given up all hope of having a lovely, long soak while I’m staying there because it’s just too uncomfortable.’

Maggie laughed as she closed the lavatory lid and sat down. ‘I suppose it’s difficult when you’re tall. I never gave much thought to how long a bath needed to be, to be honest.’ She frowned as a thought struck her. ‘But why are you staying in a hotel? I should have thought you would prefer to rent a place of your own while you’re over here.’

‘I would. But it’s not been easy finding anywhere suitable.’ He took a pack of sterile gauze from the first-aid box and ripped it open. He wetted the gauze with warm water then crouched in front of her and washed her heel. His hands were so gentle that she barely flinched despite how sore it was.

‘I’ve not had time to look around since I got here because I’ve been too busy working. I called a couple of agents and they’ve sent me details of various properties but it’s actually finding the time to go and see them that’s proving difficult.’

‘It must be awkward. I’m surprised that Roger Hopkins wasn’t able to find you a place to stay, though,’ she said thoughtfully, referring to the hospital’s manager. ‘He’s usually so helpful and I know that he’s found accommodation for people in the past.’

‘He did offer when he first contacted me about taking up the post here, but nothing came of it.’ Luke got up and went to rummage through the first-aid box. ‘I haven’t mentioned it to him since because he’s got enough to do with the rebuilding programme the hospital is undergoing.’

She sighed. ‘That’s true. We’ve been waiting for the area health authority to give the go-ahead for ages. There’s no doubt that Dalverston General needs to have its facilities upgraded. The trouble is that it’s going to cause such upheavals.’

‘It is. But look on the bright side—you’ll have a wonderful state-of-the-art hospital to work in once the programme is completed. I’ve seen the plans for the new surgical wards and, believe me, they are going to make a big difference to everyone’s lives—patients and staff alike.’

‘I know and I’m not really moaning. It’s about time this town had the best facilities available to it.’

‘Amen to that.’ He suddenly frowned as he opened the bathroom cabinet and took out a small bottle of antiseptic. ‘Mind you, the best facilities in the world aren’t worth a cent unless you have the best staff to work in them.’

‘You’re thinking about what happened at lunchtime, aren’t you?’ She saw his surprise and sighed. ‘Robin told me what had gone on with that motorcyclist. He said that it was only thanks to you that the poor fellow made it.’

Luke’s face was set as he poured a little of the antiseptic onto a fresh pad of gauze. ‘It was touch and go, all right, but it should never have happened. Something is going to have to be done about Dr Jefferson soon. The hospital can’t afford to take any more chances like that.’

Maggie agreed, although she didn’t say so. She sat quietly while Luke deftly swabbed her heel with the antiseptic. He taped a lint pad over the blister then stood up. ‘Right, that should help but you won’t be able to put your shoes back on.’

Maggie sighed as she looked at the dainty sandals with their wickedly high heels. ‘I should have gone for sensible rather than glamorous. It’s not really me, is it?’

‘Oh, I wouldn’t say that. You look fabulous tonight, Maggie. I love your hair like that.’

His tone was so warm that she felt a tide of heat sweep through her in response to it. ‘Oh…well, thank you,’ she murmured. ‘I don’t often wear it loose because it tends to get everywhere!’

He laughed as he picked up a long dark curl and gently ran it through his fingers. ‘I guess that’s because it’s so fine and silky.’

She couldn’t possibly have felt him touching her hair! It was a scientific impossibility. Yet there was no other explanation for the tingle that seemed to race right up the curl and across her scalp.

She took a steadying breath and moved towards the door, effectively forcing him to release her. ‘I suppose we’d better get back to the fray before they send out the cavalry.’

‘Or start wondering if we’re having a party of our own, perhaps?’

There was something in his voice that made her pause and she sighed ruefully. ‘Don’t take any notice of Angela, will you? She was only teasing.’

‘It doesn’t bother me in the least.’ He shrugged. ‘Look, Maggie, I told you that I’d had a brainwave, didn’t I? See what you think about it, but to my mind it could be the answer to both our prayers. How about if you and I let it be known that we were an item?’

‘An item?’ she repeated, not sure what he meant. Her heart leapt and she stared at him with huge dark eyes. ‘You mean that we…that you and I…?’

‘Should pair up. Or at least let our families think that we had.’ He laughed deeply. ‘It would be the perfect way to stop them trying to marry us off all the time, wouldn’t it? If they believed that we’d fallen for each other then they would stop trying to run our lives. So, what do you think? Is this the solution to our problems or not?’

‘I don’t know.’ She took a deep breath and tried to think what to say. However, it was hard to deal with the disappointment she’d felt on realising that he meant them to get together only to fool their families. He certainly hadn’t been asking her to go out with him for any other reason!

‘Come on, Maggie, what have we got to lose?’ His tone was persuasive. ‘It’s the perfect solution. We’re both happy with our lives the way they are—or we would be if we could stop our families interfering all the time. So why not let them think that we’ve done what they’ve been hoping we would do—fallen in love and are planning on getting married?’

‘But what happens in the future? I mean, we can only stall them for so long before they’ll start expecting us to name the day. What do we do then?’ she asked, wondering why she had this sinking feeling in her stomach. After all, the plan did make sense and it could be the answer to her problems, at least temporarily. She loved her family dearly but the pressure they kept putting on her to get married was placing a strain on her relationship with them.

‘We’ll just explain that we’ve had a change of heart. People break up all the time so it’s not as though it would be anything out of the ordinary. Even if this relationship only lasts for the six months that I’m in England then that’s six months of breathing space we’ll have had. That has to be a good thing, to my mind!’

Luke was right. Of course he was. Yet still she found herself reluctant to agree. He must have realised that she had doubts because he sighed.

‘Look, I didn’t mean to put you on the spot. Think about it. If you decide it’s a good idea then fine. If not…well, there’s no harm done, is there?’

It seemed reasonable enough and she smiled in relief at being spared having to make a decision. ‘Fair enough. I’ll think about it, although I don’t know if I’d feel guilty about raising my mother’s hopes unnecessarily. It isn’t that I’m against marriage, you understand. It’s just that it isn’t on my agenda at the moment.’

‘It’s not on my agenda, full stop.’ He shrugged when she looked at him in surprise. ‘I don’t have time for it. There is so much I want to do, workwise, that my days are full enough as it is. Nor am I naïve enough now to believe that a woman would be happy to take second place to my job.’

‘That sounds as though you thought it might work once upon a time,’ she observed softly.

His expression darkened. ‘I did. But I learned my lesson the hard way that career and relationships don’t mix. I don’t intend to make that kind of mistake again.’

He opened the bathroom door, making it plain that he didn’t intend to discuss the subject any further. However, that didn’t mean she forgot about it. Throughout the evening she found herself thinking about what he had said. Luke must have been badly scarred by the experience he’d had and she couldn’t deny that she found the thought rather a painful one even though it wasn’t any of her business. It also disturbed her that he’d allowed it to influence him to such an extent that he’d decided that he would never marry. In fact, it disturbed her a lot.

The party broke up in the early hours of the morning. Maggie was glad that she was off duty for the next two days because it meant that she would be able to catch up on her sleep. She borrowed a pair of rubber beach sandals from Ruth and wore them rather than her own sandals to walk home in.

Luke, Robin and Angela walked with her as they made their way through the quiet streets. It was still warm and hundreds of stars were sparkling in a clear, black sky. Luke sighed as he looked up.

‘And to think that people back home warned me that it always rained in this part of the world.’

‘Slander! We have some of the best weather in the country, don’t we, folks?’ Robin replied glibly, and Maggie laughed.

‘We do if you’ve got webbed feet! Stop trying to mislead poor Luke. You know very well that you can count glorious days—and nights—on the fingers of one hand!’