Читать книгу Sarah Morgan Summer Collection - Sarah Morgan - Страница 19

THE road clung to the coast, winding high above tiny bays that were accessible only by foot, bays that had once been fiercely defended against Viking invasion. Evanna drove carefully, alert for tourists too busy admiring the view to watch the road. To her right she could see the ruins of the castle where young Fraser had found himself trapped earlier in the summer. To her left was the sparkling ocean, waves crashing onto jagged rocks and, in the distance, the outline of the mainland.

There was nowhere like Glenmore, but today the excitement of being home was missing and she felt frustrated and cross with herself. And disappointed. She’d spent a month lecturing herself about the futility of being in love with Dr Logan MacNeil and she’d genuinely thought that finally she had her feelings under control, so the intensity of her reaction in the café was disheartening.

She’d wanted so badly to feel indifferent.

Her spirits lifted slightly as she parked outside her little white cottage with its blue shutters and views of the sea. Buying it had stretched her budget to snapping point but there was never a single moment when she regretted the extravagance. As a child she’d walked past the same cottage with her parents and had stared in wonder. To her it had always looked like the gingerbread house from the fairy tale. Roses clustered around the door and snaked under the windows. It was a friendly house and the fact that it was small had never bothered her. It was hers. And she’d made it her home.

She’d thrown cheerful rugs onto the polished wooden floors, hung filmy white curtains from the windows and filled tall vases with flowers from the garden and glass bowls with shells that she’d found on the beach. And if the second bedroom was so tiny there was barely room for a bed, did it really matter? All the people she knew lived on the island anyway, so she rarely had to find room for overnight guests. Her own bedroom was large enough, and that was what counted. Light streamed through the window and she’d placed the bed so that the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was the sea. It was a perfect place to sleep, dream and wake up. A room built for lovers.

It was just a shame that she didn’t have a lover.

Letting herself into her cottage, Evanna picked up a pile of post and walked into the sunny yellow kitchen that she’d painted herself over a gloomy February weekend earlier in the year. Usually the view from the window across the cliffs cheered her up but today she found it hard to smile.

Telling herself off for being pathetic, she sifted through her post, binning all the junk mail and putting the bills neatly to one side. Then she opened a white envelope and found a quote for redoing her bathroom.

Suddenly resolute, she picked up the phone. ‘Craig? Evanna here. About your quote.’

Five minutes later she’d confirmed it all and written out a cheque for the down payment. It would be wonderfully indulgent to have a new bathroom and it was long overdue. The bathroom was the only room that hadn’t been touched since she’d bought the cottage three years earlier. It would use the last of her savings but she decided that it was worth it.

Resolving to throw open all the doors and windows at the weekend to freshen the place, Evanna showered, changed and then climbed back into her little car and made her way to the surgery in time for her afternoon surgery.

‘I gather you had a drama on the beach. You’ve a big list, Evanna.’ Janet, the receptionist, handed her a computer printout and a pile of letters. ‘Plenty of people have been holding on, waiting to see you. And Lucy wanted to know if you could call on your way home to check on the baby because the cord is looking a bit sticky and she’s worried. You can tell it’s her first. Every time the little one blinks, she rings Logan. He’s incredibly patient with her.’

Logan was patient with everyone. ‘I’ll call, of course I will. I was going to anyway.’

‘Who do I have first?

‘Sandra King. She’s sitting in the waiting room with a dopey look on her face so I think we all know the reason for her appointment.’ Janet winked and Evanna thought back to Kyla’s comment.

‘Let’s hope so. Is she first?’

‘Yes.’ Janet leaned forward and lowered her voice. ‘I made it a double appointment, just to be on the safe side. I had one of my feelings. If I’m wrong, you can use the time to catch up on some of the paperwork that your replacement didn’t touch.’

‘Good thinking.’ Evanna walked through to her room and sat down at her desk. It felt good to be back. She turned her head and glanced around the room. In the corner was a basket stuffed with toys that she’d selected herself and the walls were covered in posters that she’d chosen from the wide selection available to her. Everything was just as she’d left it. The heaviness that had settled inside her lifted and she switched on her computer and pressed the buzzer.

Sandra tapped on the door a few seconds later, her husband by her side. ‘I’m pregnant, Nurse Duncan.’ She was bursting to tell the news, her smile dominating her pretty face. ‘I missed a period and I did the test yesterday and it was positive.’

Full marks to Kyla for observation, then. ‘That’s great, Sandra. Congratulations.’

‘I couldn’t sleep at all last night, just thinking about it. I want to have it here, on the Island, and I want you to deliver it,’ Sandra blurted out, and Evanna gave a careful smile.

‘Why would you want to have him, or her, at home?’

‘Because I was born on Glenmore and I want the same for my children.’

‘You were the third child,’ Evanna said evenly, opening her drawer and pulling out the appropriate forms. ‘First babies are better born in hospital, Sandra. I can quite understand your wish for the delivery to be as natural as possible, but we can achieve that in hospital.’

‘But I’m young and healthy. Is it because it makes more work for you?’

‘It isn’t the work for me that’s a problem. I love the home deliveries. But having a baby at home does come with risks,’ Evanna said, her voice level. ‘No obstetrician would ever advise a woman to have her first baby at home. And the other problem is that Glenmore is quite remote. No matter how carefully we monitor you, things can change very quickly in childbirth. Emergencies do happen and when they do, you want to be within easy reach of a specialist unit.’

‘But there’s the helicopter.’

The memories came rushing back. The evil weather. Catherine critically ill. ‘If the weather is bad, it can’t fly,’ Evanna reminded her gruffly, and Sandra was silent for a moment.

‘I’m sorry. I didn’t think. You’re thinking about what happened to Dr MacNeil’s wife, aren’t you? When Catherine became ill they wanted to fly her to the mainland but the helicopter couldn’t get here. She died because of it.’

And Logan, griefstricken and racked by guilt, had made a heroic effort to save the baby.

His daughter. Little Kirsty, now a bouncy, healthy one-year-old.

Evanna felt sadness swamp her but kept her expression neutral. This wasn’t the time to think about Logan. ‘Catherine MacNeil was an extremely unusual case. It’s unlikely that the outcome would have been different, even if she’d been in a consultant unit on the mainland.’

‘But we all know that’s why Dr MacNeil won’t consider home births.’ Sandra sighed and glanced at her husband. ‘I hadn’t really thought about it properly. Perhaps it would be more sensible to have it in hospital. What do you think?’

Her husband nodded, visibly relieved by her change of heart. ‘Definitely. You know that was always my preference.’

‘The community unit is lovely. I just spent a week there as part of my refresher course,’ Evanna told them. ‘I did three weeks on the labour ward in the hospital and a week at the unit. They’ve done up their delivery rooms to look like bedrooms so it’s home away from home, really. I think you’ll like it.’

‘But I can have most of my care with you and Dr MacNeil?’

Evanna nodded. ‘Absolutely.’

‘Will I need to go to the hospital at all?’

‘You’ll need to go to there for an ultrasound scan between ten and thirteen weeks,’ Evanna told her, reaching for a leaflet, ‘and then again between eighteen and twenty weeks for another scan. Apart from that, providing there are no problems, we can do everything else here. Today I’ll take some blood from you so that we can check your blood group and screen you for some conditions.’

She ran through all the tests that could be done and Sandra looked at her husband.

‘We want all of it, don’t we? I’m not taking any chances. You know how long we’ve waited for this to happen.’

‘Can you step on the scales for me, Sandra?’ Evanna stood up and reached for some blood bottles. ‘I’ll just weigh you and check your blood pressure and then I’ll take the blood. You can make an appointment with Dr MacNeil to discuss the results and he can listen to your heart and lungs and that sort of thing.’

‘I don’t even dare look at how much I weigh. Mind you, I’ve been feeling so sick that I’ve stopped eating so that might help.’ Sandra closed her eyes tightly and pulled a face. ‘Is it awful?’

‘No.’ Evanna scribbled the number on a pad ready to input into the computer. ‘Have you actually been sick?’

‘Oh, yes.’ Sandra stepped off the scales and slipped her shoes back on. ‘The moment I wake up I just need to dash to the bathroom. It’s awful.’

‘Try eating a dry biscuit before you move in the morning.’ Evanna checked her blood pressure and recorded the result. ‘That’s fine. Now, I’ll just take that blood sample and you can do me a urine sample and then we’ll leave you in peace for a while! Let me give you a pack of information that you can flick through when you have a moment.’

‘Is it still all right for me to use the gym?’

‘Absolutely.’ Evanna took a pack out of her desk and handed it to Sandra. ‘It’s important to stay fit and active. You’re not ill, you’re pregnant.’

Sandra smiled. ‘I know. And it feels fantastic. I don’t even care about the sickness, I’m so excited.’

‘It’s normal to feel sick in the first few months of pregnancy but we’ll keep an eye on the sickness. Let me know if it gets worse. Make an appointment to see Dr MacNeil and another to see me next week. That way, if you have any questions from what you’ve read, we’ll have plenty of time to go over it. I’ll send the forms through to the hospital and they’ll contact you about the scan. They always try and give islanders a late morning or early afternoon appointment so you have time to get the first ferry out and the last ferry home.’

‘Thanks, Nurse Duncan.’ Sandra virtually floated out of the room and Evanna watched her go with a wistful smile.

What would it be like, she wondered, to know that you had a new life growing inside you?

Giving herself a mental shake, she stood up and walked into Logan’s room. ‘I’ve just seen Sandra. She’s pregnant and she’ll be making an appointment to see you for a check-up.’

Logan had his eyes fixed to the computer screen. ‘Tell me you talked her out of having a home birth.’

‘I talked her out of it. How did you know she was even thinking about it?’

‘I heard a rumour in the pub.’ His long fingers tapped several keys and the printer whirred. ‘Why does everyone around here seem to be pregnant?’

‘Because it’s a natural consequence of relationships?’ Evanna kept her voice steady. ‘I’ve put all Sandra’s observations onto the computer so it should be easy enough to just add in the results of your examination.’

‘Thanks. Ethan just rang from the hospital. They’ve admitted Jason to keep an eye on him.’

‘I can’t believe she let a six-year-old go out into the Atlantic in a blow-up boat.’ Evanna shuddered as she thought of what might have happened. ‘Why do people leave their brains behind when they go on holiday?’

‘I don’t know.’ Logan rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. ‘That beach is clearly marked as unsafe for inflatable boats but perhaps she didn’t see the sign.’

‘The baby is obviously wearing them out.’ Evanna thought about what the woman had said. ‘I might call later in the week and check on them. I hope Jason is going to be all right. I dread to think how long he was under the water for.’

‘Hypothermia can actually give some protection against hypoxia. There have been cases of children recovering after being submerged in cold water for more than forty minutes.’ Logan shrugged. ‘Once the core temperature drops below thirty-two degrees Celsius, the brain needs less oxygen. Because children get cold very quickly, generally much faster than adults, they might reach that low core temperature before damage occurs from lack of oxygen.’

‘But presumably you’re worried or you wouldn’t have called for the helicopter.’

‘There can be late complications, obviously, which is why we transferred him to hospital, just to be on the safe side.’ Logan stood up. ‘But on the whole the prognosis is reasonable. He was submerged for less than ten minutes, he’s young and his core temperature was thirty-four. On the downside, all the signs were that he did aspirate seawater, so they’ll need to keep an eye on him until they’re sure he’s all right. They’re going to miss a few days of their holiday.’

‘In the circumstances, they’re lucky that’s all that they’re missing.’

‘Evanna, about Saturday …’ Logan glanced towards her. ‘Kyla and I are having a barbecue in your honour. Usual crowd. Six o’clock, my place. We’re starting early so that Kirsty can join in. Is that all right with you?’

Evanna’s heart lifted and then sank. She should say no. Hadn’t she promised herself that she wasn’t going to spend so much time with him? It was bad enough seeing him at work, without seeing him socially. But to refuse would look odd because they always socialised in a big group. She just had to adjust her own attitude. She had to try to look at him differently. ‘I—That will be lovely.’

‘What’s the matter?’ His eyes searched her face. ‘You don’t seem your usual cheerful self.’

What could she possibly say to that?

She could hardly confess that she was trying not to be herself because she badly needed to stop loving him! At the moment she would have happily become someone entirely different. Not that that would necessarily help, she thought gloomily, because half the women on the island were in love with Logan MacNeil. The other half was either too old or happily married.

He was perceptive, she acknowledged, about absolutely everything except her feelings for him. And perhaps that was just as well. She didn’t really want him knowing how she felt. It would damage their friendship and make things too awkward.

‘I’m fine, Logan.’ She kept her tone light. ‘Just a bit tired after the drive.’

He was still watching her. ‘It’s probably being in the city. It’s far more exhausting than living here, on the island. Well, get some rest before Saturday. Meg, Kyla and a bunch of the cousins are going to be there and I know they’ll be disappointed if you don’t make it. And Kirsty has really missed you. You have a way with her that no one else has.’

What about you, Logan? she wanted to ask. Did you miss me, too? Instead, she smiled through stiff lips. ‘In that case, I’ll try and be there.’ She left the room and bumped into Kyla, who grabbed her wrist and dragged her into the treatment room.

‘You look as though you’ve just been to the dentist for root-canal treatment. What’s wrong?’

Evanna told her and then gave a wan smile. ‘What am I supposed to do? If I avoid him then I also avoid all the people I love, like Kirsty, you, Meg—your cousins—’ She broke off and chewed her lip. ‘That’s the trouble. I promised myself that I was going to spend less time with him but if I do that then I don’t have a social life.’

‘It would be much simpler if he just realised that he loved you,’ Kyla said gruffly, resting her hips on the couch. ‘I’ve come up with plan B. Plan A, which was for you to forget about him, obviously isn’t going to work. So plan B is to make him notice you. Once he notices you, he’ll realise that he’s been in love with you all his life.’

‘He married Catherine. He was in love with Catherine.’

‘Maybe. But life moves on and I also know that you’re perfect for him.’

‘Don’t start that again.’ Evanna started to turn away but Kyla grabbed her arm.

‘Just hear me out.’ Kyla’s voice was urgent. ‘I think one of the problems is that you grew up with Logan. You’ve been my best friend for ever and he’s used to seeing you around. He sees you as my friend. His practice nurse. So we need to change all that.’

‘And how are we going to do that?’

Kyla grinned. ‘Operation makeover. Don’t be offended. You’re already stunning, it’s just that we need to make your charms a little more obvious, so that my thick brother sits up and takes notice of something other than your skill with his patients.’

‘What do you want me to do?’ Despite her love for her friend, Evanna found it hard to keep the exasperation out of her voice. ‘Strap a sign to my body?’

‘Figuratively speaking.’ Kyla tilted her head to one side. ‘Fancy a shopping trip after work tomorrow? Alison has some really nice dresses in the boutique and she’s open until eight in the summer. We could grab an early supper in the café afterwards. It would be fun.’

Evanna thought of her mortgage. Of her new bathroom. ‘I already have a perfectly good wardrobe.’

‘But whenever you meet up with my brother you’re either in uniform, because you’re working, or you’re in jeans, because you’re looking after Kirsty. That red top looked fabulous on you, but let’s make it a red dress.’

‘I wear jeans because they’re practical.’

‘True. But how about forgetting the practical for once and going for the glamorous?’

Evanna stared at her. ‘If I turn up to babysit Kirsty in a tiara and diamonds, Logan will have me locked up.’

‘Saturday isn’t about babysitting. It’s a party and I’m not talking about a tiara and diamonds, just something more sexy and frivolous than you would normally wear. Let’s just try it. Anyway, shopping is always fun. I’ll pick you up from your house.’

‘Kyla—’

‘Just try it, and then if Logan still doesn’t notice you, I’ll back off.’

‘He won’t notice me,’ Evanna said flatly. ‘It wouldn’t matter if I turned up to the barbecue stark naked. He still wouldn’t notice me.’

‘Trust me,’ Kyla said smugly. ‘He’s going to notice you.’

Evanna dropped in to check on Lucy on her way home from the surgery and was pleased to see her outside in the garden with the pram.

‘I thought she might enjoy being out of doors,’ Lucy explained as she walked up the path to meet Evanna. ‘I’ve kept her in the shade but she’s been crying a bit and being pushed around seems to soothe her.’

‘It often does and I quite agree that taking her outside is a good idea. Janet said you’re worried about her cord.’

Lucy pulled a face. ‘It looks a bit gooey. Do you mind taking a look?’

‘Of course not. That’s why I’m here. And I’d like to take a look at you, too. How have you been feeling?’

‘Excited. Nervous. Being a mum is scary. Knowing that I’m completely responsible for her keeps me awake at night.’ Lucy carefully lifted the baby out of the pram. ‘Her eyes are a bit sticky, too. Logan gave me some gauze and told me to use that and boiled water to clean them.’

‘That sounds like a good strategy. Let’s go inside so that I can have a proper look at her.’

‘It’s so hot today, I’ve had all the doors and windows open because none of us can sleep at night. I’m really worried that the baby will overheat.’

‘Lay her on her back and keep the window open a crack,’ Evanna advised, carefully placing the baby on the couch and undoing the poppers on her vest. ‘Hello, you gorgeous thing. Can I look at your tummy?’ She spoke softly to the baby and Lucy sighed.

‘You’re so confident when you handle her. I wish I was like that. I’m all fingers and thumbs and I’m terrified that I’m going to drop her or do something wrong. I feel completely ignorant.’

Evanna’s eyes slid to the stack of baby books on the coffee-table and she suppressed a smile. ‘You’re not ignorant, Lucy,’ she murmured, turning the nappy down, ‘just naturally apprehensive. Mothers should be mothers.’

‘I keep ringing Logan,’ Lucy confessed. ‘Any day now he’s going to scream at me for bothering him with trivia.’

‘Logan’s never yelled at a worried patient in his life. Her cord looks fine, Lucy. Just keep cleaning it the way I showed you in hospital.’

‘It isn’t infected?’

‘No. But try to fold the nappy over so that it doesn’t rub.’

‘She’s so tiny the nappies swamp her.’

Evanna smiled and closed the poppers on the little vest. ‘She’ll soon grow. How’s the feeding going? Are you feeding her yourself?’

‘Yes. I really wanted to, you know that. It’s hurting quite a bit, though.’

‘Is she latching on properly?’

‘I suppose so. I don’t know really. We’re both amateurs.’ Lucy gave a helpless shrug. ‘She’s due a feed now. Could you watch and tell me if we’re doing it right?’

‘Of course. You make yourself comfortable and I’ll go and fetch you a drink of water. It’s important to drink plenty when you’re feeding, especially when the weather is as hot as it is today.’

Evanna walked through to the kitchen, fetched a glass of water and returned to the sitting room.

‘I’m trying to start on a different side each time, like you told me. Ouch.’ Lucy winced as the baby’s mouth closed over her nipple and Evanna put the glass down on the table and walked over to help.

‘She needs more of your breast in her mouth. What’s happening is that she’s just playing with your nipple, which is why you’re getting sore.’ Evanna gently repositioned the baby and watched closely as the little jaws clamped down again. ‘There. That’s better. Does that still hurt?’

‘No.’ Lucy gave a smile of relief. ‘Will you move in with me? I need you here for every feed.’

‘You’re doing brilliantly. In a few weeks’ time this will feel like second nature. Is she doing plenty of wet and dirty nappies?’

‘Oh, yes.’

‘And are you bleeding much now?’

Lucy shook her head. ‘Just spots, you know? Nothing dramatic.’

‘Good. We’ll just let her finish feeding and then I’ll examine you. I want to feel the height of your uterus just to check that it’s contracting properly.’

Evanna stayed another hour, answered a non-stop stream of questions from Lucy, satisfied herself that all was well and then finally made her way back to her cottage.

It was hard not to feel envious of Lucy’s happiness. Would it ever be her? Would she ever be settled with a man that loved her and a baby of her own?

Reminding herself that she had a great deal to be thankful for, she let herself into her cottage and walked through to her kitchen to make herself supper.

‘That one’s perfect.’ Kyla stood back with her eyes narrowed and Evanna sighed.

‘It’s too short.’ And too expensive.

‘Too short for what? You have fantastic legs. Stop hiding them under jeans.’

Evanna stared down at herself self-consciously. ‘I’m too old for a dress this short.’

‘You’re twenty-six! And you still look like a teenager. Stop making excuses.’ Kyla was laughing as she grabbed a pair of shoes. ‘Try these. They’d look great with that dress.’

‘I wouldn’t be able to walk in them.’

‘You don’t need to walk,’ Kyla said airily, riffling through the rails again and pulling out a scarlet top. ‘You can park right outside and just teeter up the path. All you need to do is turn up and look gorgeous. And these would look nice with your jeans on a different occasion so you’ll get plenty of wear out of them.’

Evanna gave up arguing and slid her feet into the shoes. ‘I’ll break my ankle.’

‘Don’t be so negative. Take a look at yourself in the mirror.’

Evanna stepped forward with a sigh. ‘I just don’t feel comfortable in anything this short. I’m going to spend my whole evening tugging the—’ She broke off as she stared at her reflection. ‘Oh.’

‘Yes, oh.’ Kyla’s grin was triumphant as she stretched out a hand and removed the clip from Evanna’s hair. ‘And you don’t need that. Time to let your hair down, Cinderella.’

Evanna’s dark curls tumbled over her shoulders. ‘I look a mess.’

‘You look sexy,’ Kyla breathed. ‘Incredibly sexy. If Logan doesn’t notice you as a woman dressed like that, I’m willing to admit defeat.’

Evanna stared at herself, forced to admit that she did look good. In fact, she looked better than good. The dress skimmed her figure, hinting at curves rather than clinging, and it suited her colouring. She smiled and shook her head. ‘This is far too glamorous for a barbecue in the garden.’

‘It’s perfect. Why are you inventing excuses?’

Evanna was silent for a moment and then she let out a long breath. ‘Because I’m scared?’ She turned to look at her friend and the smile on her face faltered. ‘I’m scared that I’m just setting myself up for yet another knock.’

‘You’re perfect for each other,’ Kyla said softly, all the humour gone from her face. ‘Any day now he’s going to wake up and realise that.’

Evanna slipped back into the changing room and wriggled out of the dress.

The dress made her feel good. Feminine. But it was an extravagance she couldn’t afford.

Wearing her jeans and T-shirt, she stepped out of the changing room with the dress over her arm and the shoes dangling from her fingers. ‘It’s too expensive, Kyla.’

‘It’s in the sale.’ Alison, who owned the boutique, strolled up to them and named a price that made Evanna stare.

‘But it can’t possibly be that cheap. I saw the tag.’

‘I haven’t forgotten what you did for Mum when she was ill,’ Alison said gruffly, removing the tag and taking the dress and shoes from Evanna. ‘Call it a thank-you from me.’

Evanna was embarrassed. ‘You really don’t have to—’

‘I want to,’ Alison said gruffly, folding the dress around tissue paper and sliding it into a bag. ‘My mum always said you were an angel. You deserve to look like one.’