Reunited: A
Miracle
Marriage
Judy Campbell
Dear Reader
Let’s face it—wouldn’t we all be curious to know how we’d regard someone we used to be head over heels in love with and then unexpectedly met—and intrigued to know how his life had fared without us? In Sally’s case, it shows her what true love really feels like!
I do so hope you enjoy reading about Sally and Jack as much as I had fun writing their story.
Best wishes
JUDY CAMPBELL is from Cheshire. As a teenager she spent a great year at high school in Oregon, USA, as an exchange student. She has worked in a variety of jobs, including teaching young children, being a secretary and running a small family business. Her husband comes from a medical family, and one of their three grown-up children is a GP. Any spare time—when she’s not writing romantic fiction—is spent playing golf, especially in the Highlands of Scotland.
IT WAS stuffy in the lecture theatre, and the professor of cardiac medicine had a monotonous, droning voice. Sally Lawson smothered a yawn and looked around the room, amused to see that a few people had given up the unequal fight and were quietly nodding off to sleep. She knew exactly how they felt.
Her gaze wandered over the audience, wondering if she recognised any of the people there besides Jean Cornwell, her colleague, who was sitting next to her.
Suddenly she blinked, jerked out of her lethargy as she noticed a man several rows below her, or rather the back of a man’s head. Of course it wasn’t…it couldn’t possibly be him, could it? She shifted in her seat to try and see the man from a different angle as from where she was sitting he looked amazingly like Jack McLennan. A funny little tremor of apprehension fluttered through her even thinking of his name. Odd how just seeing the back of a stranger who had the same thick russet hair and broad shoulders of a man she used to love long ago could kick-start all kinds of memories…
Sally leaned forward to get a closer look at this guy’s profile. Of course Jack McLennan was hundreds of miles away in Australia and had been for years—he was probably director of the Australian health service by now, or something equally imposing, she thought wryly. She gazed into space, the professor’s lecture a mere background drone to her thoughts. It had been six years since she’d last seen Jack, the love of her life—six years since he’d told her out of the blue that he wanted to finish their affair and concentrate on his career. And she’d thought she’d known the man so well after their year’s passionate affair—they had even discussed marriage. She would never have guessed that he had been using her, had just wanted a fling before he finished his training and disappeared….at least, that was how it had seemed to her.
The lecture was drawing to a close, and the professor’s voice rose slightly, bringing Sally back to the present.
‘And so, ladies and gentlemen, I hope I’ve given you some insight into the challenges of treating hypertension and the benefits of tackling a major cause of cardiovascular disease as early and aggressively as possible.’
He beamed around the hall and there was enthusiastic applause from the audience, glad of the chance to stretch their legs at last. People began to get up from their seats and hurry away from the hall, amongst them the man who’d caught Sally’s eye. It was extraordinary—even the way he held his head slightly to one side as he listened to the person talking to him was so like one of Jack’s mannerisms. He was laughing, his deep-toned voice carrying over the crowd, and it could have been Jack’s voice—that easy laugh reminding her that, despite everything that had happened, they’d had a lot of fun together.
Sally picked up her handbag and started to follow Jean out of the lecture hall. Of course, it was neither here nor there that a strange man at the other side of the room should remind her of Jack and their long-ago affair. After all, she was engaged now and going to be married very soon.
‘What time do you want to be off tomorrow, Sally?’ Jean asked. Sally was contemplating the figure now moving towards the exit of the hall.
Jean waited a few seconds for a response then, grinning, dug her friend gently in the ribs. ‘Hey! You’re in another universe, aren’t you?’
‘What? Oh…yes, sorry. I thought I saw someone I used to work with, but it can’t be him—I believe he works abroad now. What did you say?’
‘Tomorrow—when do you want to leave? There’s a lecture in the morning but do you mind if we go after breakfast? If you want to stay, I can always get a lift back to Crachan from someone else.’
‘Suits me to leave early,’ said Sally absently, her eyes drifting back to that tall figure. ‘I think I know all I want to know about cardiac health at the moment, thank you!’
Suddenly the man turned round and Sally gave a quick shocked intake of breath, her whole body stiffening in amazement. Good God! She wasn’t imagining a likeness, no doubt about it—it really was Jack! She looked in stupefaction at the good-looking, strong face and the lock of hair falling over his forehead as it always used to…and the years fell away as she saw the man who’d given her the most gloriously romantic time of her life—and had then broken her heart so cruelly and inexplicably six years ago.
For a second his eyes locked with hers before he turned away, and then suddenly he did a double-take, a frown of uncertainty flickering across his face as he stared at her in puzzlement. Then his eyes widened in recognition and, mumbling something to the person beside him, he began to make his way through the crowd towards her.
Sally stood rooted to the spot, gazing at him in disbelief until he was standing before her and those familiar periwinkle-blue eyes set in a tanned open face held hers in total amazement. The babble in the hall seemed to recede and for a few moments it was as if there were just the two of them alone together.
‘Oh, my God—it’s Sally, Sally Lawson,’ he said softly.
He had a lovely voice, deep and warm, and it brought all sorts of memories tumbling back through Sally’s mind—quite unsuitable memories considering she was engaged to another man now. The first time Jack had kissed her, the feel of his body against hers when they’d danced, the first time they’d… She swallowed hard. She was damned if she was going to go overboard welcoming Dr Jack McLennan. Since he’d left her after a year together, there’d never been a letter or a phone call to ask how she was—not even a Christmas card. He’d treated her abominably and she couldn’t forget that.
She pulled herself together and stood tall, gazing at him steadily. ‘Why, hello,’ she said coolly. ‘I…I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you lived in Australia now.’
His eyes hadn’t left her face, raking her features as if to convince himself that it was her. ‘Sally Lawson!’ he repeated, ignoring her remark about Australia. ‘What a surprise!’ His lips curved in that slightly lopsided smile of his that used to melt her heart. ‘At least, that’s what you were called six years ago. I guess your name could be something else now.’
Sally swallowed hard, a lot of confused emotions flooding through her. Jack still had that rangy, athletic figure that looked as if he ran ten miles a day, and the power to send any girl’s pulse racing—his physical presence was as potent as it ever had been. But damn him—the man had broken her heart once and led her up the garden path. He was a deceiving rat! She forced a stiff smile.
‘Yes,’ she admitted. ‘I’m still Sally Lawson—for the moment. How are you, Jack?’
‘Just fine. It’s good to see you again. I wasn’t quite sure it was you for a moment because your hair’s different.’ He paused for a second, his glance sweeping over her. ‘It suits you short like that.’
Could Sally see any change in him? Not really. He’d kept time at bay very well—a hint of grey around the temples, a few more lines creasing the corners of his eyes perhaps. She saw his glance flicker over her hands, obviously noting her engagement ring with its enormous glinting diamond. Tim liked flamboyant gestures and wouldn’t have entertained buying his fiancée something restrained. She put her other hand over it almost protectively. Funny how heavy it felt and how huge it looked on her slim finger—almost as if it were shouting, Look at me! I’m getting married to someone who’s loaded! She had to admit that sometimes she felt it was a tad ostentatious.
‘I see you’re engaged,’ he remarked lightly.
She nodded. ‘Yes…I’m getting married in a few weeks.’ She was about to ask him if he was married and then thought better of it. She wasn’t interested in his domestic life, was she? It was better to stick to work-related matters.
She said flippantly, ‘And what brings you to Glasgow? I’d have thought you were running the Australian health service by now. Did you reach the top of the ladder?’
‘What?’ He suddenly looked discomfited, as if reminded of the career he’d told her he’d wanted to follow rather than carry on with their relationship. Then he said briefly, ‘It worked out fine—but my mother died suddenly, and I came back for her funeral. I’ve a younger brother just starting at university so I decided to stay to keep my eye on him.’
Sally flicked a look at his bleak expression. ‘Oh, that’s sad…about your mother I mean. It must have been hard for you.’
She felt a flash of sympathy for him. Obviously his mother had died before he’d been able to see her again. In the year she’d gone out with Jack she had never met his parents—they had lived in a village in the wilds of the Highlands. There was a short silence and the sound of the voices in the room reasserted themselves. Sally suddenly realised that Jean was waiting patiently by her side.
‘Oh, sorry, Jean. This is Jack McLennan, an old… er…colleague of mine from my days at St. Mary’s hospital six years ago. We did our A and E rotation together. Jack, this is Jean Cornwell, the senior partner in the G.P. practice I work for.’
Jack took his gaze off Sally and turned to shake Jean’s hand. ‘So are you local?’ he asked.
‘We’re on the west coast in a town called Crachan. Sally and I thought we’d take up the offer of two nights in Glasgow being pampered at a good hotel with this refresher course in cardiac care,’ explained Jean.
Jack grinned. ‘That echoes my thoughts too. I’m doing a locum job in a practice round here but it comes to an end soon, so I’ll be looking for somewhere else for a few months before I start a permanent job in the autumn.’
Jean turned to Sally with a broad smile. ‘Aha! Hear that Sal? Someone who wants a temporary job! That could be helpful!’
Sally felt her stomach give a nervous little jump of anticipation at what she was sure Jean was going to say next. ‘Oh, I don’t think Jack would be interested in our practice,’ she intercepted quickly.
‘Why on earth not?’ asked Jean, arching an eyebrow. ‘Surely it’s not as bad as all that!’
‘Well, it’s a bit of a backwater…’
Sally bit her lip. It shouldn’t matter to her whether Jack McLennan worked at the practice or not—as long as he was good at his job, that was the important thing wasn’t it? After all, he meant nothing whatsoever to her now. Perhaps a lingering sadness that she’d misread his character and not realised that he was an opportunistic creep underneath that charismatic veneer, regret over the wasted years of sadness after their break-up—but maybe the real reason was that she didn’t feel like revisiting the past if they became colleagues again.
Jack looked from one woman to the other. ‘What’s this about, then? Are you looking for someone to work with you?’
Jean nodded. ‘I want to go and help out my sister in New Zealand—she’s in her third pregnancy and her husband is in hospital himself after a bad car crash. I’d like to go over for three months, so Sally’s going to need help in the practice. She just mentioned that she used to work with you at St. Mary’s so at least you’d know each other.’
He flicked a glance at Sally as if aware of her misgivings, his blue eyes slighted hooded. ‘Perhaps you’d better discuss it with each other…’
‘A good idea,’ cut in Sally hastily. ‘There are one or two local people who might do locum work with us.’
‘That’s true.’ Jean nodded. ‘Although it’s mostly a week here or there, nothing very sustained. It would be good to get someone who could do the whole three months and get to know the patients. Anyway, if you’d like to come and discuss it with us, this is our number.’ Jean gave him a card and smiled at Sally. ‘Come on—let’s get some lunch and maybe go for a shop this afternoon to wake us up after that fascinating lecture.’
‘A good idea,’ agreed Sally. She looked coolly at Jack. ‘Goodbye,’ she said in an offhand voice.
They walked out of the lecture hall and Jack McLennan stared after them. He might have gone anywhere this weekend—to stay in London with friends, go walking in the hills—but he had to choose at the last minute to come to this particular conference. He felt as if someone had hit him hard in the solar plexus, He hadn’t realised how devastating it would be to see Sally Lawson again. She was still a knock-out, with those smoky grey eyes and honey-blonde hair cut now in a thick bob that framed her face—and still with the power to knock him sideways. He clenched his fists in his trouser pockets, trying to get to grips with the fact that he’d just come face to face with the girl he could have married six years ago—the girl he should have married if circumstances had been different.
He started to walk slowly out of the hall, heedless of the crowds milling around him, and allowed himself to step back in time as the emotions he’d felt then came back with vivid intensity. He had realised that he had to finish their romance and by a twist of circumstance it had happened at the end of the hospital annual ball. Sally had looked absolutely stunning in a sheath silk dress of ice blue, showing off her curvaceous figure beautifully, and there had been a particular bitter-sweet intensity about their happiness for him, knowing that by the end of the evening he would leave her for ever. Like the rewinding of a film, he could still visualise so clearly her bewildered face as he’d told her that he needed to get away to fulfil his medical ambitions.
At first she’d laughed. ‘You, Jack McLennan? Concentrate on your career? You’ve got to be joking!’ She’d looked up at him impishly. ‘You’re too fond of your sport and…other things,’ she’d said coquettishly, putting her arms around him. ‘You’re not getting rid of me that easily!’
He hadn’t reacted, just looked back at her rather grimly, trying to keep his emotions under control, and her eyes had widened in disbelief as eventually she’d realised that he’d meant what he’d said. Tears had slowly rolled down her cheeks, and it had been unbearable for him to witness her distress. He’d been deliberately brutal because Sally had needed to be under no illusion that things could ever be rekindled between them—he hadn’t been able to tell her what had lain behind his decision.
Oh, yes, his career had flourished in Australia. He’d worked hard, plunged himself into his job heart and soul, trying to put Sally and the nightmare scenario of what had happened in his family out of his mind, and the terror that he might end up like his father—a drunken brute who’d terrorised those around him.
He flicked a glance at his watch and sighed as he went to pick up his key at Reception. He’d have to go to the dinner tonight—there were several old friends at the conference he’d promised to catch up with, but he’d check out of the hotel first thing the next day, and out of Sally Lawson’s life once more. He had no rights over her—she was some other lucky beggar’s girlfriend, and looking at her expression when they’d been standing face to face a few minutes before had told him very plainly that the only emotion she felt towards him was dislike.
‘So, Sally, tell me about this Jack McLennan you used to work with.’ In the steamy atmosphere of the little café, Jean looked at Sally enquiringly. ‘I got the impression you were less than enthusiastic when I suggested he apply for the job. Didn’t you get on, or was he no good?’
Sally shrugged. ‘Oh, he was a good doctor, no doubt about that—very committed.’ She chose her words carefully, unwilling to reveal by any inflection in her voice that he’d meant anything to her at all. ‘He was very ambitious, actually—I’m sure he had a terrific job.’
‘But what about working with him again?’ persisted Jean. ‘Any objections?’
Sally stirred her coffee slowly and stared at the swirling liquid. ‘We…well, I suppose you could say we had a difference of opinion just before he left.’
‘A pity,’ observed Jean, ‘But perhaps you could learn to overlook your differences now. After all, it’s a few years ago since you worked together. I must say he looked rather pleasant.’ She laughed. ‘Actually, he looks absolutely gorgeous! I’m surprised you didn’t fall for him, Sal.’
‘Oh, everyone fell for Jack McLennan,’ said Sally offhandedly. She put her cup down on the table rather abruptly and stood up and stretched. ‘Now we’ve had lunch, I think I’ll go and have a run in the park before we meet this evening, Jean, if you don’t mind—need to get rid of a few cobwebs. See you later.’
Jean looked thoughtfully after Sally as she left the restaurant, then shrugged her shoulders as her mobile started ringing. Sally didn’t notice Jean answer her mobile phone, or see her expression as she answered it.
Sally unlocked the door of her room and went straight to the bathroom, peeling off her tracksuit as she went. After an hour’s run on a sunny afternoon, she was hot and dripping, but she felt invigorated and more positive—all that exercise after the unsettling meeting with Jack had helped to calm her down. It had been a shock—no, she corrected herself quickly, more a surprise, meeting him again, but her life had moved on and now she was embroiled in the excitement of getting everything ready for her wedding. It was going to be fun, albeit her instinct had been to go for a low-key ceremony, but Tim was very keen to invite everyone he knew, including business acquaintances, ‘because it will help enormously in getting my name known in the right circles, Sally,’ he’d explained.
She turned on the shower and stood under the hot water gratefully, turning her body so that the little sharp needles of spray reached all over her, and then she stepped out, her skin tingling. She grabbed a towel, wound it round her wet hair and put on the towelling robe hanging up in the bathroom. She would make herself a cup of tea and watch the news on television before getting ready for the evening’s dinner, then probably ring Tim and tell him she’d be home by lunchtime the next day.
Just as she was picking up her mobile to make the call, a peremptory knock on the door made her jump—it was probably room service, she decided, although she hadn’t ordered anything.
‘Yes?’ she called out. ‘Who is it?’
A short silence and then a deep voice replied, ‘It’s Jack—Jack McLennan. I’ve got a message for you.’
Jack McLennan? What on earth was he doing here? Six years with no contact, and suddenly he thinks it’s OK to buttonhole her in her hotel bedroom! Sally drew the bathrobe round her body tightly and walked to the door, glancing at her flustered image in the mirror as she passed. A feeling of unease flickered through her. She didn’t want to see Jack again—she simply had no interest in the man, and she resented the fact that for some reason his appearance had disturbed her.
She certainly didn’t want to see him when she was dressed in a skimpy bathrobe with a towel over her hair…once upon a time it might have been only too wonderful to be dressed in next to nothing with Jack McLennan in a hotel bedroom, but not now, not now… Coming to see her just had to be curiosity on his part, an excuse to see her again so that they could have a cosy chat about past times…and that was the last thing she was going to do with a man who’d treated her so badly.
She didn’t open the door, but called out crisply, ‘Who’s the message from?’
‘Your colleague, Jean Cornwell.’
‘Jean? Why should she give you a message—why not give it me herself?’
‘She’s had bad news and hadn’t time to get it to you. If you open the door, I can give you her note.’
Anxiety fluttered through Sally and she opened the door. ‘OK. Pass it to me.’
A pair of deep blue eyes held hers for a moment then swept quickly over her attire.
‘Sorry—rather an inconvenient time I guess,’ he apologised.
Sally pulled the robe even more tightly round herself, acutely aware of how close they were to each other. The last time they’d been this close, she thought fleetingly, had been when Jack had been finishing with her and he’d looked so stern…so implacable. Was he reminded of that time, or had it meant so little to him that he’d forgotten that episode completely? He’d probably had many affairs since then and their liaison had been long forgotten. She took the note from him, pushing those silly thoughts to the back of her mind.
‘Do you know what this is all about?’ she asked curtly, tearing open the envelope.
‘Yes—Jean bumped into me in the foyer in a very distressed state. Apparently she’d just had a phone call to say that her sister in New Zealand has been admitted to hospital with pre-eclampsia, and with her husband still in hospital himself the situation is very difficult. She tried to ring you on her mobile, but couldn’t get a signal.’
Sally looked at him in distress. ‘Oh, no! Poor Jean! She must be worried sick. What’s she going to do?’
‘She’s gone to Glasgow to get a flight, I think, but the thing is, Sally, she was extremely concerned that you would be on your own and begged me to take on the locum job at your practice. Anyway, I guess it’s all in the note.’
Sally frowned. ‘As we said before, there are other people who can help out—I can ring them when I get back to Crachan. There’s no need for you to…trouble yourself.’
‘Apparently she did ring your contacts but none of them can start immediately. However, it’s up to you, Sally. Do you think we could work together…again?’
‘Possibly,’ she replied coldly, suddenly angry that he should imagine she would be in any way affected by what had happened years ago. She had a fiancé, she was getting married soon. It didn’t matter to her who she worked with as long as they were competent.
Her eyes scanned Jean’s note quickly. Jean was obviously in a state, worrying about her sister’s family and indeed her sister’s health.
‘So sorry to land you in it like this,’ Sally read. ‘Gail is very ill, and although neighbours are looking after her children for the time being, I feel I must get over there as soon as possible. I’m going to try and catch a flight from Glasgow to Heathrow tonight and get to New Zealand from there. Do you think you could possibly work with Jack McLennan for a few weeks? After all, he’s available immediately, unlike everyone else, and he seems to have lots of experience. He was rather reluctant to take on the job without your sanction, but it really would rest my mind if I thought there was someone to help you out—and we don’t seem to have many takers. Text me when you can. Love, Jean.’
Sally stuffed the note in her pocket. There didn’t seem to be much choice in the matter—it was true she needed help and she knew Jack was a good doctor.
Jack watched her reaction. ‘I wouldn’t want to put you in an awkward position if you have any reservations about working with me,’ he said gently.
‘Why should I?’ remarked Sally rather tersely. ‘It was a long time ago when we went our separate ways, and a lot’s happened since then.’
‘That’s true.’ He nodded. ‘You’ve got engaged, for one thing. When are you getting married?’
‘In two months—that’s one of the reasons we need a locum who will know the practice quite well, because I’ll be going on my honeymoon for a week after the wedding.’
Jack’s brows lifted slightly. ‘Only a week?’ he remarked teasingly, ‘Why doesn’t he grab the chance for longer than that?’
‘Tim’s got a very busy schedule with his business at the moment.’
‘Ah, I see. He’s a businessman, then?’
‘Yes—he can’t be away from work for too long,’ replied Sally rather defensively. The thought flickered through her head that Tim might be just as career-orientated as Jack was—but he did at least want to commit to her! ‘Anyway,’ she added briskly, ‘about you joining the practice…’
She paused for a second as a feeling of anxiety flickered through her. Could she really work with this man who had once meant so much to her? She took a deep breath. She was engaged and what had happened between her and Jack was completely irrelevant now. The fact was that in weeks of advertising for a locum to help at the surgery, no one suitable had come forward so she had to be sensible.
‘I guess we can stand each other for a month or two until Jean gets back,’ she said.
‘I guess we can,’ he commented lightly. ‘When do you want me to start?’
‘Come in two days and I’ll have sorted out your accommodation…’ She paused for a second. ‘You didn’t tell me if you have a family. The flat I’m thinking of isn’t suitable for children.’
He smiled faintly. ‘No…no children or wives accumulated over six years—just a teenage brother at university in Glasgow.’
He was probably still too focussed on his damn career, Sally reflected scornfully. A man who refused to be tied down in a relationship. But an odd feeling of satisfaction flickered through her at this information.
‘Well,’ she said briskly, ‘you’ve got our card with the address on—it should take you about an hour to get there.’
‘I’ll look forward to it,’ he murmured, and walked off down the corridor.
He smiled grimly to himself. He was under no illusions about Sally’s feelings towards him. She didn’t like him, but she was in a tight spot and needed help—and though his first instinct had been to get out of her life again now she was engaged, somehow the opportunity to work with the woman he knew he’d never really stopped loving was irresistible. Not, he thought sadly, that the situation had changed. He still couldn’t offer her a future. And as usual when he thought about the reason he was still single, he felt a tremor of horror, which, even after six years, hadn’t diminished.
Sally went back into the room, peeled off the towel round her head and sat down in front of the dressing table. She stared at herself in the mirror and a pale, worried face stared back at her. It must be because she was tired that her heart was banging against her rib cage like a drum and her mouth was so dry. She should be mightily relieved that someone she knew who was good at their job was going to fill in at the practice. It was just that working with someone she’d once been so close to would be rather…strange, but she would keep her distance and soon get used to it. Then she picked up the hairdryer and began to dry her hair.
SALLY stood by the window of her surgery, looking out over the sea to the little isle of Hersa. Her mood was as restless as the white-capped waves lashing against the sea-wall as she waited for the arrival of Jack McLennan. How stupid it was to be so nervous about working with him, she thought irritably. After all, he would merely be a colleague, someone she could keep at a distance. She felt quite neutral about him—of course she did, she told herself sharply. Some old feelings might have been stirred up momentarily when she’d seen him again, but the aching sadness mixed with hatred she’d felt for him when he’d dumped her so shockingly six years ago had diminished now. All the same, she had to get used to the idea of working with someone who had once betrayed her.
Over time, she’d learned to live without Jack, although it had been a slow and painful process. She’d felt rootless and alone. There’d been liaisons with a few men, none of them permanent, none of them able to offer her the settled life she craved. She seemed to live in a world of happy couples, many of whom were starting families. Gradually, however, she’d reconciled herself to the life of a singleton, and had thrown herself into taking up as many interests as she could.
Then, only a few months ago, she’d met Tim Langley, a man going places big time with an IT company in Glasgow, having built it up from nothing. He had sown his wild oats and was longing to get married, and Sally was everything he’d pictured a wife of his should be—successful in her own right, beautiful, and connected to the right people.
She had met Tim through her father, whose well-known firm of solicitors acted for Tim’s company. Mr Lawson was a respected lawyer in Glasgow, very much involved in the city life, and he admired Tim’s get-up-and-go and ambition and had encouraged his daughter and Tim to get together. Her parents had been devastated at their daughter’s unhappiness when she and Jack had broken up and had longed for her to find stability and love again. They had been thrilled when her new romance had seemed to be going well.
At first she and Tim had been thrown together when asked to make up numbers for business parties that Mr Lawson had arranged. They’d become good friends and it had been fun to be part of a group. They suited each other and it seemed right that two lonely people should end up together. Perhaps they were both aware that their commitment to each other was based more on need for a partner than all-consuming passion, but once they’d decided to get married, and almost before she’d known it, Sally had been caught up in the whirlwind of organising the wedding.
In two weeks she was having the final fitting of her wedding dress, although she felt a little shiver of guilt at the expense of it. But Tim had said that she must have only the best—and that was rather flattering. Sally had to dress for the part even if she did sometimes feel that she was being asked to take the lead in an enormous dramatic production on behalf of the guests.
She let the window blind drop with a snap and turned back towards her desk with a small sigh, flicking a look at her watch. It was still early—half an hour before surgery began—so she’d just have time to do some paperwork and catch up on her hospital admission e-mails.
Joyce Farquahar’s abrupt voice came over the intercom. ‘Dr McLennan’s here to see you. Do you want me to send him in?’
An inexplicable skip of her heart at this information made Sally tell herself sternly,
Then she said aloud, ‘Thanks, Joyce. And if you’d rustle up some coffee, that would be great.’
Joyce said in her usual brusque manner, ‘I can’t do everything at once. It’ll be a few minutes if you want me to finish printing off all the immunisation letters first.’
Sally grinned to herself. Joyce Farquahar was hard working and well organised, but charm didn’t feature in her many attributes. ‘I think the letters can wait a few minutes,’ she said drily.
A few seconds later there was a light knock on the door and Jack walked in, looking tall and imposing in a well-cut dark suit that emphasised his strong build. There were no two ways about it, he had style! How well she remembered those compelling blue eyes with the dancing amusement in them that had made her go weak at the knees. Sally drew in a deep breath. It was hard to believe that underneath that debonair and charismatic aura he was a complete rat! She wondered how many other women he’d conned over the years.
He smiled down at her easily, and before she knew it had taken her hand in his in a firm handshake. ‘I’m looking forward to working with you again, Sally,’ he said in that deep attractive voice.
His hand was warm and strong and Sally removed hers quickly from his clasp. ‘We won’t be working in each other’s pockets,’ she informed him coolly. ‘Once I’ve shown you the ropes we’ll have a weekly meeting. Jean and I divided up the clinics between us and I guess we can do the same.’
‘Whatever you say.’
A wry look of amusement flickered in Jack’s eyes. He didn’t blame her for keeping him at arm’s length. From her point of view he was the man whose word couldn’t be trusted, the man who had led her to believe they’d had a future together, and she was bound to hate him for what he’d done to her. He’d thought it would be for the best for her to think of him as a heartless brute, someone not worth loving, and that way she’d get over him quickly, realising that she’d made a mistake and get on with her life.
Over the years he’d often wondered what she was doing, what path her life had taken. Seeing her standing in front of him now dressed in a trim navy blue trousersuit, with those wide grey eyes and blond, shining hair, he realised that his feelings for her were still very near the surface. Only now it was too late, he thought sadly. Even if he had been able to commit to her, she was about to get married to somebody else.
She cleared her throat and said briskly, ‘Then shall we get on with things? Please sit down and I’ll give you the lowdown on the practice before we start work, and later I’ll show you the little flat above the surgery where you can stay—we’ve just had it renovated.’
If Jack noticed her peremptory manner he didn’t show it. ‘Sounds a good idea,’ he said evenly, hitching up his trousers and sitting down on the chair in front of the desk. ‘It’ll be very convenient to live over the shop. Do you live near the practice?’
‘I have a little cottage at the end of the village.’
Jack’s gaze slid to the picture of Tim on her desk and turned it more towards him. ‘And is this your fiancé?’
‘Yes… He lives in Glasgow,’ she replied, slightly irritated at his probing questions. She continued crisply, ‘He comes here at the weekends when he can—or I go to stay with him.’ She turned the conversation firmly back to the matter in hand. ‘Now, about the practice—we have six thousand patients scattered over a wide area, and I’m afraid we’re responsible for an on-call service at night, which we share with two other practices down the coast, but we only do it once a week. I hope that won’t be a problem?’
Jack shook his head and looked out of the window where the view could just be seen through the half-closed blinds. ‘It’s a lovely area to work in,’ he commented. ‘Do we have any patients on the island over there?’
Sally nodded. ‘Yes—there’s a ferry that comes and goes, but the sea can be treacherous. Although the island is so near it means that the ferry can’t always get across and in an emergency the rescue helicopter has to be used.’
There was a loud bang on the door and Joyce stumped in with a tray of coffee. ‘Here you are, then. I’m afraid there’s no sugar left,’ she said tersely, putting the tray on the desk. ‘I’ll send Sharon out for some when she gets here.’
Sharon was the other receptionist, a constant thorn in Joyce’s side, giggly and good-natured and addicted to women’s magazines with the latest tips on how to improve oneself—which she was always trying to persuade Joyce to follow, without much success.
‘Joyce, this is Jack McLennan, who’s going to be helping out while Jean’s in New Zealand.’
Jack stood up and smiled down at Joyce. ‘A pleasure to meet you. I’ll be relying on you to keep me on the straight and narrow!’
He gave her that melting lopsided grin, and even as Sally watched, Jean’s dour face relaxed into an unwilling smile.
‘Och, I’ll be pleased to help if I can. Just let me know if you’re not sure about anything,’ she said as she went out.
Jack obviously hadn’t lost his skill in turning on the charm, thought Sally, almost amused by his ability to bring a smile to Joyce’s face. Thank goodness she herself was immune to it now! She opened one of the desk drawers to give Jack a sheaf of papers relating to the practice and the local health authority, and just as she did so, loud screaming started outside.
They both looked up, startled, then Jack frowned and put down his coffee, getting up from his chair and striding to the window.
‘Sounds as if someone’s in trouble,’ he murmured, pulling aside the blinds to look outside. He gave a sudden horrified exclamation as he leaned forward to look at the scene.
‘My God!’ he exclaimed. ‘There’s someone in the water, and it’s hellish rough. A little girl’s watching it from the side—she’s the one that’s screaming. I’d better go and see if I can do anything.’ He dashed out of the room and Sally gazed openmouthed after him, before pulling herself together and running after him through the waiting room.
‘Get the emergency services, Joyce. It looks like someone needs rescuing from the sea,’ she shouted as she followed him.
Outside she stood transfixed. A few yards out, a man and a dog were being tossed like corks on the surface of the heaving sea. Waves were crashing against the breakwater, throwing white spume into the air. Clinging to the railings overlooking the sea a small child was screaming, and Jack was pulling off his clothes frantically, preparing to dive into the water. Sally ran up to the child and put her arms round her.
‘It’s all right, sweetheart, don’t worry. Help’s on its way very soon. You come inside with me for a minute…’
The child clung obstinately to the railings. ‘I want my grandpa and Fudge,’ she screamed. ‘Get them out.’
Sally had to get the little girl away from watching this scenario. A traumatic scene like this could stay with the child for the rest of her life and she didn’t want her to witness a tragedy if they couldn’t get the man out of the water soon. She bent down, picked up the struggling child and took her into the surgery.
‘Joyce!’ she shouted above the child’s crying, ‘Can you get this little one a drink and a biscuit and distract her while I go back and see if there are any lifebelts?’
Joyce might normally have an abrupt manner, but in an emergency she was a stalwart. She took the little girl behind the desk, talking soothingly to her all the time, then sat her on her knee with some milk and began showing her a comic from the waiting room. Sally dashed out again and ran to the lifebelt fixture on the wall a short distance away.
‘My God,’ she muttered. ‘The damn thing’s been vandalised!’
She stared at the rusting remnants of the hooks that had held the lifebelt in place—obviously it had been stolen. She looked back at Jack, now stripped down to his underpants, his suit and shirt flung in a heap on the ground behind him, preparing to leap into the water. It was still early in the day and the road as yet was deserted. There was no one to help.
‘Wait, Jack!’ she screamed. ‘Let me get a rope from somewhere…please!’
‘No time!’ he shouted back. ‘Don’t worry!’
Sally caught her breath as he dropped into the water and began to swim laboriously towards the bobbing heads of the man and dog, making slow headway in the heaving water. She looked around desperately—what the hell could she use to help him? His head kept disappearing in the swell of the waves. Each time she thought he’d gone, and then he’d reappear again slightly nearer the stricken man. Where was everybody? To her immense relief, a van came down the road, and Sally ran up to it, waving for it to stop. It drew into the kerb and a burly man dressed in overalls got out.
‘What’s the matter?’ he asked.
She pointed breathlessly to the sea and the man and dog in the water. ‘Have you got a rope…anything to throw to them?’ she yelled.
Without a word the man opened the doors and miraculously produced a coil of thick nylon rope.
‘I’ll get it to them—don’t you worry,’ he shouted.
Sally watched on tenterhooks as he quickly tied one end of the rope to the railings, then he took off his overalls and within a few moments had also jumped into the water, holding the rope as he did so. People were beginning to gather round now and all of them watched tensely, murmuring to each other as the two men tried to reach the man struggling tantalisingly close to them but behind a great wall of waves.
Jack was a strong swimmer, that was easy to tell, but even so it took him a nerve-racking few minutes to get within touching distance of the distressed man. The man was panicking, shouting and throwing his arms up, and when Jack took hold of him he struggled, clutching at Jack’s neck so that it was impossible to get a firm hold of the man to tow him back.
Sally gripped the railing, her eyes glued to the drama being played out before her, willing Jack to calm the man so that he could be helped. Gradually the van driver, although not as good a swimmer as Jack, made headway towards them and somehow they both managed, despite the heavy swell, to pass the rope round the man’s chest.
At least now there was a lifeline to be used, and people rushed to hold the rope and started pulling it towards the wall. The man was shouting something—difficult over the roar of the waves to hear what it was but suddenly Jack veered away from escorting him back and made for the bobbing head of the dog. There was a groan of dismay from the crowd.
‘Don’t do that!’ shouted Sally desperately. ‘You’ll drown! Oh, you stupid, stupid man!’
He didn’t hear her, of course, and continued doggedly making his way towards the animal. By a miraculous sudden stroke of luck the swell pushed the dog towards him. He grabbed its collar and slowly, very slowly, managed to gain ground towards the shore. Sally started to make her way carefully down the slippery steps, ignoring people’s cries to keep back. She bent down to grab the animal as Jack, the van driver and the rescued man were hauled up by one or two of the onlookers. She kept hold of the dog with grim determination, soaked by the spray from breaking waves against the wall, and then she too was helped back up the steps.
An overwhelming sense of relief flooded through her—they were all safe! Jack was standing feet away from her, bent over double, his hands on his knees, chest heaving as he caught his breath. Then he was handed a towel and started briskly towelling himself dry. There was no disguising his impressive physique: he was still as tautly muscled as he’d been when he and Sally had been together. He stood up and looked across at her, feeling her gaze at him, and Sally turned away abruptly. What a stupid observation to make, she told herself crossly. There was an emergency to be dealt with!
She squatted down by the rescued man, now laid out on the ground on someone’s coat, and recognised him immediately as a patient at the Harbour Practice—a man of over seventy. She put her fingers on his wrist, checking his pulse, noting his shallow breathing and that his lips were tinged blue. His eyes tried to focus on her, but he seemed confused and rather drowsy.
‘Callum,’ she said loudly, trying to rouse him. ‘We’re going to try and warm you up a bit before the ambulance gets here.’ She turned round and saw Sharon hovering anxiously nearby.
‘Get plenty of blankets from the surgery, Sharon, and bring a few mugs of warm coffee—not too hot.’
Sharon tottered off in the high heels she always wore to work, then in the distance Sally heard the whine of an ambulance siren. She took hold of the man’s hand and squeezed it. ‘You’ll be all right—the paramedics are here.’
The man mumbled something and she bent down to hear him. ‘The dog. What happened to the dog…and my little granddaughter?’
‘The dog’s going to be fine. Don’t worry, he’s wrapped in a blanket and I can see him wagging his tail now! And as for your granddaughter, she’s in the surgery across the road, being well looked after.’
This was no time to tell Callum how foolish he’d been in trying to rescue the dog by himself—and she reflected grimly that two other people could have drowned trying to rescue the man in trouble.
A few minutes later the ambulance drew up in front of them and a paramedic leapt out, quickly assessing the scene before him. He recognised Sally and came up to her, squatting down next to Callum and feeling the man’s pulse.
‘Hello, Dr Lawson.’ His eyes swept round the group of people. ‘Looks like a few of you are rather damp. I take it this gentleman’s been in that cold water for a while—do you know his name?’
‘Yes, it’s Callum Brody, he’s a patient of ours and he’s about seventy-three years old. His pulse is slow, about sixty-five per minute, and as you can see he’s cyanosed and drowsy.’
‘Definitely hypothermic,’ agreed the paramedic. He slipped his hand into the man’s armpit. ‘This is an area of his body that should be warm, but it feels quite cold.’
He turned to his colleague who was standing nearby, watching them. ‘Get some space blankets out of the van—enough for this patient and the two men over there,’ he said, indicating Jack and the van driver. He looked at Sally. ‘Looks like you could do with a blanket too—you’re shivering. We’ll get you one, and then you go straight inside.’
Sally didn’t object when she was wrapped in a space blanket with its layers of heat-reflecting material. She felt exhausted and her whole body shivered. Jack came up to her, also enveloped in a blanket.
‘That was a narrow squeak,’ he remarked.
Relief at their safety made her sound waspish. ‘You shouldn’t have gone in until we’d got you a rope,’ she said brusquely to Jack. ‘And you’re to go in the ambulance to be checked out at the Rannoch Hospital.’
Jack laughed. ‘Certainly not! I’m a bit chilled, but I’ll get warm in the surgery and my clothes are dry.’
‘But you ought to—’
‘No “ought to” about it. I’ve come to start work today, and that’s what I’m going to do.’
The paramedics had loaded Callum Brody into the ambulance and came forward to try and persuade Jack and Des, the van driver, to come with them to be checked over, but they both refused, Des saying he preferred to go home and get warm. Sally was left alone with Jack.
‘You should have gone for a check-up—you were in the water for ages,’ she said brusquely.
‘You’re a doctor—you can check me over,’ he replied cheekily with a grin.
She couldn’t help smiling back at him and briefly there was a tremor between them of…what? A slight rapport, a ripple of the old attraction? Perhaps it was just relief. The incident had had a happy conclusion—with-out Jack’s quick intervention Callum and the dog would probably have drowned. It had been foolhardy of Jack, but courageous to say the least. He hadn’t stopped to think of his own safety, she had to acknowledge that.
‘You…you were very impetuous, but very brave,’ she murmured. ‘You must be freezing.’
He turned to look at her, eyes steely blue through dripping dark hair. ‘You can’t be too warm yourself. Look at you—you’re shivering despite that heat blanket.’ Someone had handed him a towel from the practice and he put it round her head, rubbing her hair to dry it. ‘You must get those wet things off. Go inside like the paramedic said,’ he remarked.
Of course she should go inside, thought Sally, but for a few seconds she stood absolutely still, bowing her head as Jack’s strong hands massaged her head and neck with the towel. God, that felt good. She almost forgot she was out on the pavement on a cold and windy day. It was wonderfully relaxing after the tension of the last quarter of an hour. Her body still shook slightly. Perhaps it was a reactive response to the situation they’d been through; perhaps it was because he’d pulled her against his shoulders, hugging her comfortingly.
For a brief second time went backwards and she was supported against Jack’s familiar hard-muscled body once again. A funny mixture of longing mixed with loss went fleetingly through her. This was how it had once been between them—she leaning against his chest, solid and dependable. She bit her lip, reminding herself that he hadn’t been dependable at all. He’d told her he loved her, but that had been a lie. She pulled roughly back from him in embarrassment, flicking her damp hair back from her face. Why the hell had she allowed herself to loll against him in that ridiculous manner? she thought angrily. He mustn’t get the impression that he still had any place in her heart. That was in the past now, and her life had turned in a different direction with Tim.
Jack put his hands on her shoulders and smiled down at her. ‘Go inside and get warm,’ he said gently, not giving any sign he was aware of her reaction.
‘Of course,’ she said lightly. ‘We should both go and get ready to start seeing patients.’
They made their way through the small crowd of people that had gathered curiously at the scene of the rescue and went into the surgery. It had begun to fill up, a murmur of conversation floating across to them as patients discussed the recent excitement. Joyce looked up at they went into the office.
‘You two ought to get changed,’ she said bluntly. ‘You’ll catch your deaths. By the way, your fiancé‧s in your room, Sally. I told him you’d been involved in this rescue incident and might be some time but he insisted on waiting. Something to do with his work and the wedding.’
Joyce’s tone was slightly caustic. Sally could imagine that she would disapprove of anything she considered ‘frivolous’ being discussed in surgery hours—one’s private life should be kept until after hours was her belief! Briefly Sally also wished that Tim had waited until the evening—at the moment she was cold, wet and tired, with a roomful of patients waiting to be seen. However, that was typical of her fiancé. He was full of pent-up energy, and if he wanted to do something he was impatient to do it immediately. He wasn’t the sort of man who could defer anything or wait until a more suitable time—but that was part of his charm, Sally thought fondly: he was always filled with enthusiasm for whatever project he’d got on at the time.
He was on his mobile phone as they came into Sally’s room, talking rapidly, but he wheeled round when he heard the door open. ‘I’ll ring you back—but keep that deal on hold,’ he said briskly to the person at the other end of the line, then he snapped the phone shut and put it back in his pocket.
‘Ah! Here you are, sweetie!’ he exclaimed. ‘I’ve been trying to get hold of you for ages. Finally I got Joyce. She told me there’d been an emergency outside the practice… what happened?’
He leant forward to kiss her then drew back in a startled fashion, taking in her attire and general dampness. ‘Good God, you’re all wet, and why are you wearing this blanket? Don’t tell me you jumped into the sea as well!’ He looked at Jack standing silently by Sally, also muffled in a blanket, and raised his brows. ‘Have you both been in the water? What the hell happened?’
Sally laughed. It was typical of her fiancé to turn up unexpectedly and forget that she might be in the middle of work herself!
‘It’s a long story, Tim, but let me introduce you to Jack McLennan—my new colleague. Jack, this is my fiancé, Tim Langley.’
The two men shook hands and Sally explained rather shakily, ‘It’s been mayhem here. A man jumped into the water to rescue his dog and got into difficulties. If it hadn’t been for Jack leaping in after him, I don’t know what would have happened.’
Tim raised his brows, impressed. ‘Wow! Did he indeed? Quite a superman! You must be a strong swimmer to help someone in rough seas like this.’ He frowned, as if trying to remember something. ‘Jack McLennan, eh? Sounds rather familiar. Where have I heard that name before?’
‘Jack and I worked together at St. Mary’s many years ago…I might have mentioned it,’ she said lightly. ‘But I thought you were in Glasgow. What are you doing here at this time of the morning?’
‘I tried to get here from Glasgow early before you went to work—I wanted to surprise you.’ He looked full of suppressed excitement. ‘I’ve been up all night brokering a deal and I think I’ve managed to swing it. That means mega-bucks in the piggy bank—I couldn’t wait to tell you!’
Sally laughed. ‘That sounds exciting—we could do with mega-bucks I dare say.’
‘I want to tell you all about it of course, but there’s another thing that’s equally exciting! You won’t believe this! I’ve found a fantastic new venue for our wedding!’
Sally stared at him. ‘You’ve what? But we’ve already got a lovely place—the Old Hall just by Loch Martin. And we’ve had all the invitations printed!’
Tim laughed jovially. ‘That doesn’t matter. It won’t take long to get new ones done—and this place is much bigger than the Old Hall. I’ve thought of several other people it would be politic to invite, especially thinking of your father’s position in Glasgow. Fortunately I can get a good deal on it as the premises are owned by a guy I know.’
Sally compressed her lips. Sometimes she felt that Tim was far too impetuous, and although doing things from the best of generous motives, it was slightly unnerving and, she had to admit, rather irritating. Now she suddenly felt unutterably tired and certainly not in the mood to discuss her wedding arrangements in front of Jack.
‘I’m sorry, Tim,’ she said firmly. ‘I need to show Jack the flat above the surgery first of all. He can change there now if he wants. And of course I’ve got to put on dry clothes—we’re both really wet and cold. As you can see, there’s a big surgery to get through, and it’s Jack’s first day here. Why don’t we talk about all this tonight?’
Tim pulled a comical face of disappointment. ‘Can’t you spare ten minutes, Sally? I’ve been up all night, I’m dead beat, but I’ve been dying to talk to you about everything.’
Sally bit her lip. Surely Tim could see that it would take her at least a quarter of an hour to change her clothes and she still hadn’t put Jack in the picture regarding the computer system. As for Tim being tired, she and Jack were cold and exhausted too! But that was Tim all over, so enthusiastic and buoyed up about everything—he was like a puppy with a new toy.
She tried to mask the impatience in her voice. ‘Sorry, Tim, it’ll have to wait until later. I’ll see you back at the house this evening.’
He shrugged and smiled. ‘OK, then—of course I can see you haven’t really time for me now. I suppose we’ll just have to discuss everything when I see you later.’ He turned to Jack and said breezily, ‘Well done with the rescue.’
Then a loud jazzy tune from his jacket pocket indicated that his mobile was ringing. He put up a hand of apology and turned away to listen and answer in staccato sentences.
‘Ah, Rita! Yes. Fine, I’ll be there right away.’ He turned back to Sally and Jack. ‘Sorry about that! My secretary’s very much on the ball and when she says something needs doing, I have to take notice! I must get back to Glasgow pronto, so I’ll see you soon—ciao!’
Tim strode out, kissing Sally almost on the run, and Jack watched him through the window as he drove off. He turned round to Sally, one eyebrow raised slightly.
‘So that was your fiancé. He sounds a very busy chap. A successful businessman, I guess…’
Sally flicked a look at Jack. His expression was bland, but there was something about his tone… ‘What is it?’ she asked sharply. ‘Don’t you like him?’
Jack smiled and shrugged. ‘I don’t know him at all. He seems…very pleasant. I suppose he’s not quite the type of man I would have imagined you marrying.’
Sudden irritation flashed through Sally. How dared Jack, of all people, voice his opinion of Tim?
‘Really?’ she said sarcastically. ‘And what’s wrong with him?’
‘Nothing that I know of—it’s just that you’re more a country girl, and he seems very focussed on…well, the world of business, the city.’
Jack didn’t actually spell out the words ‘You seem ill-matched’, but that was what he’d meant, thought Sally furiously. Talk about instant assumptions!
‘So he’s focussed. I like to see enthusiasm in one’s work,’ she snapped, putting her hands on her hips and glaring at him. ‘Just what are you implying?’
Steady eyes looked at her. ‘I’m not implying anything, Sally, but will he settle down in this small community?’
‘You don’t know him. He’s an extremely generous man, quite happy to live in the country when we’re married.’
Her cheeks were flushed, large grey eyes sparking with anger, her hair damp and tousled as she raked her hand through it crossly. She looks gorgeous when she’s angry, reflected Jack wistfully. It reminded him of times past when they would have a minor tiff and then make it up passionately later. He pushed that thought away savagely—that damn Tim Langley didn’t know how lucky he was.
He put up his hands as if in surrender, and said lightly, ‘I’m sure he’s everything you say he is. You did ask me if I liked him and I’m only voicing my opinion, Sally. No criticism implied, just that he’s not what I expected. Perhaps I thought you’d go for someone more—’
‘Well, that’s neither here nor there, is it?’ she cut in bitingly. ‘It’s nothing to do with you who I marry.’
There was an unreadable expression in Jack’s eyes as his glance met hers. He murmured, ‘I suppose you think I’ve forfeited any right to be interested in your future?’
‘As a matter of fact, yes, I do think that,’ said Sally forcefully. What right had an ex-boyfriend to tell her the sort of man she should be marrying? She bit her lip. Perhaps she was being over-aggressive about the matter—after all, she didn’t give a damn what Jack thought of Tim, did she? But the warm feelings she’d had for Jack since he’d rescued Callum Brody faded, and she glanced pointedly at her watch.
‘We’d better get on,’ she said coldly. ‘Joyce will show you the flat and you can get dressed there. I’ll run through some of the procedures in twenty minutes when I’m changed. Luckily, I’ve got some spare clothes I keep in the cupboard here.’
Half an hour later Sally sat down at her desk with a steaming cup of coffee and one of Joyce’s home-made biscuits in front of her. Joyce had managed to get hold of Callum Brody’s wife to come and pick up their little granddaughter Susy and the dog so it seemed as if the dramatic episode at the start of the day had been resolved satisfactorily. And yet, instead of feeling relieved, Sally was unsettled, and Jack’s words about Tim seemed to repeat themselves in her mind.
She had to admit that on the face of it she and Tim didn’t have much in common. To be honest, there had been niggling doubts when he’d first asked her to marry him. His world was so different from hers—a commercial world with hard-headed executives who lived and played hard. Although her father worked in Glasgow, they had always lived in the countryside outside the city and hers had been a privileged childhood where she’d ridden ponies, kept dogs and even sheep as pets.
But the dazzling and glamorous life Tim offered her was such a complete contrast to the past lonely six years, so full of fun—theatre first nights and dances, even flying off to France for two days. It was hard to resist such a generous and lively man. So what if neither of them felt dizzy with passion when they saw each other? They were great friends, weren’t they, and that was a very important thing in relationships, wasn’t it?
Tim hadn’t given Sally much time to ponder on their differences. After a whirlwind courtship, they had become engaged and he’d agreed quite happily to start off their married life in Crannoch. After all, he felt he’d got a prize with Sally—he wasn’t going to let a beautiful young doctor slip out of his hands!
Sally sipped her coffee absent-mindedly. A thought crossed her mind—would Tim have another spur-of-the-moment decision like he had done with the wedding venue and decide he wanted to move somewhere more cosmopolitan? She shrugged her shoulders irritably and put her mug down so firmly on the desk that coffee spilt over onto some papers. Damn Jack McLennan and his observations for putting such a thought into her head!
She cared very much about Tim and, of course, he cared equally for her. That was all that mattered. The main thing in married life was to be together, to support each other…and if occasionally she missed the fireworks and heart-stopping thrill of attraction she’d once felt for Jack, that didn’t matter, did it?
She clicked one of the icons on the screen, bringing up the list for the morning’s surgery. She would not discuss her fiancé with Jack again—he had lost the right to comment on her private life a long time ago.
JACK tapped his pencil morosely on the desk, scowling unseeingly at the screen showing the list of patients he was to see that morning. What the hell did Sally see in Tim Langley? How could she have become engaged to him? Oh, he was probably a decent man, but he was at heart obviously someone mainly interested in business and commercial deals—did Sally really want to live in that sort of city world, where her husband’s consuming interest was financial matters? Someone whose first concern was the deal he’d just pulled off and not concern for his fiancée’s physical well-being after getting soaking wet in freezing waters?
A rueful grin lifted Jack’s expression for a second. He’d certainly hit a nerve with Sally when he’d dared to hint that Tim Langley was less than perfect! He’d quite enjoyed doing that! But he realised that that sort of little episode wasn’t going to make for a good working relationship with Sally, and whatever he felt about her fiancé he ought to keep his mouth shut in future. It was, Jack reflected wryly, the little green monster of jealousy that was getting to him. Sally had every right to choose who she wanted to get married to.
He sighed. This job was going to be a bitter-sweet experience, for even if they had no future together, being near Sally made him feel more vitally alive than he had for six years.
He pressed the button to admit the first patient. If he was going to do this job properly he had to bury his personal feelings. He couldn’t start his first day at the practice fulminating over a man like Tim Langley.
‘Mr Angus Knightley?’ he said pleasantly to the man who came in. ‘I’m the locum here for a few weeks—Jack McLennan.’
Mr Knightley walked over slowly to the desk. He would have looked quite imposing but for his stooping gait and a general fragility marked by his grey complexion and dark shadows under his eyes.
He lowered himself gingerly onto the chair in front of the desk, and remarked, ‘Oh, I know all about you, Doctor, and what happened this morning—saving Callum Brody from a watery grave! You’re a celebrity around here now!’
‘News travels fast,’ remarked Jack with amusement. ‘How did you know all that?’
‘My daughter told me.’
‘Your daughter?’ asked Jack, puzzled.
Angus Knightley smiled proudly. ‘The lass at Reception—Sharon. She helps that dragon of a woman, Joyce. The practice couldn’t do without Sharon! She told me the other day that a man was going to do a locum job here, so I thought it would be an opportunity to have myself looked at. It’s about time they had a man in the practice at last—much more satisfactory!’ Then he added hastily, ‘Not that I’ve anything against women doctors, of course!’
Jack raised a quizzical brow. ‘Of course not! I hope I can help. Tell me what the trouble is.’
He waited patiently as Mr Knightley cleared his throat and took a deep breath, as if psyching himself up to explain his symptoms. ‘The…the thing is…’ He stuttered a little and then said in a rush, ‘It’s very embarrassing, Doctor. I couldn’t have let Dr Cornwell or Dr Lawson examine me…’
How often does that happen? thought Jack wryly. So many people put their embarrassment and fear before their health and then suffered the consequences of a late diagnosis. He was well used to patients’ diffidence.
‘Now you’ve managed to get yourself here, don’t miss the opportunity to tell me,’ he prompted gently.
Another silence as Angus grappled with the need to explain his problem and the indignity of revealing it, then he said awkwardly, ‘Trouble with the…er, rear end, you know. It’s damned painful.’
‘You mean haemorrhoids?’ Jack asked sympathetically. No wonder the man looked terrible. Although piles were the subject of much cruel humour, they were amongst the most painful of common conditions. ‘How long have you been suffering with them?’
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