Return of the Rebel Doctor

It was Jessie’s role that bothered Katie. She must have gone there in the first instance knowing full well her parents had forbidden it. It was a dangerous place and there were signs all around warning people to keep away, but perhaps she had simply decided to throw caution to the wind.

‘You were very badly injured. It was lucky for you that Jessie was there. She must have saved your life by ringing for the emergency services.’ Even now Katie tensed, thinking about what might have happened if the paramedics and fire service hadn’t arrived within a few minutes of her call.

‘Yes, she did.’

‘You were so ill. A fractured skull—I was so worried about you. We all were.’

He reached across the table and covered her hand with his. ‘I remember you came to visit me in hospital. That was like a ray of light shining down on me. It meant a lot to me, you being there, but I felt wretched knowing that you thought badly of me.’

She was startled. ‘You knew I was there? But I thought…I didn’t realise. I know I talked to you, but you didn’t answer. You’d been in a coma. It was awful, I felt so wretched, seeing you like that, not being able to do anything.’ Her voice trailed away. ‘There was a time when we didn’t think you would recover.’

‘Well, all I can say is I must have the luck of the devil. Thanks to the surgeons I was up and about after some extensive physio and ready to do battle.’ His mouth flattened. ‘I knew I had to make some changes in my life after that.’

She nodded, finishing her drink. ‘So did I. That’s when I decided I had to study medicine. I was so impressed by the way everyone handled things, from the paramedics, the nurses, through to the doctors. It had a huge impact on me.’

He grinned. ‘I’m glad I had some influence on your life in a good way. But as for myself, I knew I had to get away, to start afresh where no one had any preconceived ideas about me.’

She raised her brows. ‘It was a bit drastic, though, going off and joining the army, don’t you think?’

He laughed. ‘Maybe.’ He picked up her glass. ‘Will you have another?’

‘Yes, thanks. It’s certainly done the trick.’ While he was at the bar, she undid her jacket and slipped it off, placing it over the back of her chair. She was wearing a crocheted top over a cotton shirt blouse, and when Ross came back he gave her an admiring glance.

‘You’re a sight for sore eyes.’

Her mouth twitched. ‘I bet you say that to all the girls.’

‘Yeah. Especially those who give me the run-around. A bit of flattery goes a long way, I find.’

She laughed. ‘I expect it does. You’ll go far.’

‘I’ll drink to that.’ He raised his glass and she answered the toast with hers, clinking their glasses together.

‘So, here’s to the future,’ she murmured. ‘May it bring us both what we want.’

‘Mmm…I’d be more than happy to settle for you,’ he returned, as quick as a flash, a light dancing in his blue eyes.

She shook her head. ‘Poor, deluded man,’ she said softly, swirling the amber liquid in her glass. ‘Such passion…such persistence…such a waste.’

‘We’ll see.’ He looked so confident and quietly sure of himself that she felt a momentary qualm. He wouldn’t succeed, though. He was chivvying her along, playing her on a long line, but it wouldn’t get him anywhere. She was immune, wasn’t she? How could she fall for someone who had such a reckless nature?

She tasted the brandy once more and felt a giddying surge of heat rush to her head. She frowned. Could it be that the strong spirit was getting to her? She’d had breakfast, but that had been a while ago, and she hadn’t eaten all that much then, just a bowl of cereal and a round of toast.

She started to talk, to cover her confusion. ‘How was it that you turned to medicine? I meant to ask you when we met up at med school a few years ago, but we had so little time together it went out of my head.’

‘Yes, I remember thinking it was almost a pity I’d secured a place on the accident and emergency rotation. I’d hoped we could work together for a while, but you were doing paediatrics then, as I recall, and our shifts always seemed to clash.’

She nodded. ‘You said the army had organised the training for you—but what was it that made you want to go in for medicine? I thought you were all set in your career with the army?’

He frowned. ‘It was the general nature of the work I was doing, I think. I was in a lot of areas where there was fighting, and there were injured men being evacuated on a regular basis. The medics would come in and do what they could for the men, and then they were whisked off to hospital. I began to feel that I would like to have some part in that.

‘I wanted to become a surgeon so that I could make a difference to the men who were severely wounded—I wanted to give them the chance of life. So in the end I decided to specialise in accident and emergency and neurosurgery.’

‘But you left the army after all that. When did it happen?’ She sipped more brandy and felt warm all over, and began to worry that she was becoming a little light-headed.

His gaze trailed over her, and she was conscious of the hot tide of colour that must be flooding her cheeks. His glance was interested and speculative at the same time. ‘Only quite recently, actually. I had to stay with the army for a few years after they supported my training. I can’t say I decided it was time to put down roots, exactly, but I think I’d had enough of being in conflict zones.

‘It’s easy to become hardened to it after a while, and I didn’t like that. I didn’t like what it was doing to me. I began to wonder if I could do just as much good by working in Accident and Emergency here at home.’

‘I expect your father’s pleased you made that decision.’

He shrugged. ‘I wouldn’t know. I don’t see all that much of him. He’s away on business a lot—he always was.’ He appeared to be unperturbed by that, but there was a faint edge of regret in his voice.

After a while they finished their drinks and he said quietly, ‘Shall we make our way down to the car deck? We’ll be docking soon, and we might as well get ready to go.’

She gave him a quick look. ‘You bought a car?’

‘I hired one.’ His mouth indented. ‘So I’ll be able to drive you to Cragail. That will make things easier for you, won’t it?’

‘Yes, it will. Thanks.’

She started to get to her feet and swayed slightly, so he put out a hand and helped her find her balance. ‘Are you all right?’

‘I’m fine, thanks.’ Her brows drew together. ‘I think perhaps I should have eaten more at breakfast or avoided the brandy. It seems to have gone to my head.’ They walked out of the bar and along the corridor leading to the stairwell.

‘I’ll get you something to soak it up—a bun, a sandwich, a pack of biscuits or something,’ he said. ‘What would you like?’

‘A bun would be great—but I can get it for myself.’ She turned to walk towards the cafeteria, but he retained his hold on her, and she realised he didn’t think she was steady enough to go on her own.

‘Honestly, I’m all right,’ she said. The dizziness would pass soon enough, she was sure, though she was ashamed of herself for getting into this state.

‘Of course you are.’ A couple of passengers approached, wanting to get past them, and he tugged her gently towards him so that her soft curves were lightly crushed against his hard, masculine frame. A wave of heat raced through her body.

He pulled in a deep breath. ‘You’re more than all right, Katie.’ He looked into her eyes and let his glance shift over the pink flush of her cheeks and down to the ripe swell of her lips. ‘More tempting than you could possibly imagine. In fact, you’re perfect. Delectable, and as sweet as luscious strawberries.’

And he was a charmer, a devil in disguise, who would play havoc with her feelings if she gave him half a chance. His hand smoothed over her spine, coming to rest on her hip, and despite herself she arched against him sinuously, like a cat, revelling in the gentle caress.

His smile was inviting, a small glow of satisfaction flickering in the depths of his eyes. ‘I’m really glad we’re going to be together at Castle Cragail,’ he murmured. ‘I’ve been longing to have you all to myself ever since we met up again at the station.’

‘Hmm.’ Katie wasn’t so sure about that. All at once she could see all manner of pitfalls opening up in front of her. ‘I’m not thinking too clearly,’ she said, pushing the palms of her hands lightly against his chest, ‘and I think I should take your advice and go and get something to eat. I have the feeling I need to keep a clear head.’

‘What a shame,’ he said softly. ‘I was getting to like being with this new, befuddled Katie.’

She nodded. ‘That’s what I’m afraid of.’

CHAPTER THREE

THE SUN APPEARED from behind the clouds as Katie and Ross approached Cragail Castle, and Katie gave a small gasp. ‘Oh, look at that, Ross—it’s so beautiful. I never imagined it would be like this.’