Dreaming

David drove her back to the hospital at half-past one when the dance ended. ‘Enjoy yourself?’ he asked after switching off his engine in the car park.

Luisa nodded, eyes bright. ‘I had a wonderful time, David. Thank you, it was terrific. I only wish I didn’t have to go back to work!’

After eating a four-course meal which included a very rich roast duck with cherries and a chocolate and orange mousse, drinking champagne, laughing and talking to friends and dancing with David to a very good band for several hours, she was in no mood to change back into her uniform and put in a six-hour shift.

‘So do I, believe me. If you had the rest of the night off we could get to know each other better...’ David softly said, and her maddening colour flowed up her face again, making him smile. ‘You’re so lovely, Luisa,’ he muttered, his fingers gently stroking her cheek and then sliding down to tilt her head back.

Their lips met and Luisa closed her eyes. Yet somehow she couldn’t give herself to David’s passionate mouth. Some part of her was cool, resistant; her body arched away from him although she didn’t push him away.

After a moment he lifted his head and looked wryly at her. ‘I picked the wrong moment, didn’t I?’

‘I’m sorry, David, I’m just not in that mood any more...I suppose it’s having to go back to work right away...’ she whispered guiltily.

He gave her a comforting smile. ‘Never mind, there’ll be other times. You had better hurry in and change. Goodnight, Luisa.’

As soon as she had changed back into uniform and Helen Jenkins had gone, Luisa went down the ward to Zachary West’s bed.

He was asleep. She stood watching him, wishing she understood the strange, driving compulsion to see him which had possessed her all evening while she talked, laughed, ate, danced. Her body had been with David, but her mind had been here, with this strange, hostile, aggressive man towards whom she felt such complicated responses.

After a few moments she went on around the ward to check on all her other patients, then back to her office to get on with her work there, but every so often she would pause, glance up, and stare down towards Zachary West, then sigh and look down again, bewildered by her own feelings.

Zachary West was in her ward throughout the following week, a little better each day, waiting for David to agree that he was strong enough to make the journey to London to the specialist hospital. Luisa wished David would agree. She would feel easier if Zachary West were not around.