The Rebel Doctor's Bride

‘If you’d rather see Logan, go ahead. My feelings will remain intact.’

‘I’m not thinking about your feelings,’ she said tartly. ‘I’m thinking about my health. I assume Logan knows you’re here?’

‘You think I broke a window and climbed in? Looking for drugs, maybe?’

She gave him a reproving look. ‘Don’t give me sarcasm, Conner MacNeil. I’m not afraid to admit that you wouldn’t leap to mind as someone to turn to in times of trouble.’

Clearly recalling the details of their last encounter, Conner relented slightly. ‘I don’t blame you for that.’

She studied him from the safety of the doorway, her mouth compressed into a firm line of disapproval. ‘So you’ve mended your ways. Are you really a doctor?’

‘Apparently.’

‘There’s plenty on this island who will be surprised to hear that.’

‘I’m sure that’s true.’ Conner kept his tone level. ‘Are you going or staying? Because if you’re staying, you may as well sit down. Or we can carry on this consultation standing, up if that’s what you would prefer.’

‘Not very friendly, are you?’

‘I presumed you were looking for a doctor, not a date.’

Susan Ellis gave a reluctant laugh. ‘You always were a sharp one, I’ll give you that.’ After a moment’s hesitation she closed the door and sat down gingerly on the edge of the seat, as if she hadn’t quite decided whether she was going to stay or not. ‘I’m not sure if I can talk about this with you.’

Conner sighed. It was going to be a long day. ‘As I said, if you’d rather see Logan, I quite understand.’

She fiddled with the strap of her handbag and then put it on the floor in a decisive movement. ‘No,’ she said firmly. ‘I’ve never been one to live in the past. Times change. People change. If you’re a doctor then—I don’t suppose you’ll be able to help me anyway.’

‘Try me.’

‘It’s hard to put a finger on when it all started, but it’s been a while.’ She glanced at Conner and he sat in silence, just listening. ‘Probably been almost a year. I’m tired, you see. All the time. And I know doctors hate hearing that. You’re going to say it’s just my age, but—’

‘I haven’t said anything yet, Mrs Ellis. You speak your lines and then I’ll speak mine.’ He could have been wrong but he thought he saw her shoulders relax slightly.

‘Fair enough. Well, I feel washed out and exhausted a lot of the time. It doesn’t matter how well I sleep or how much rest I take, I’m still tired.’ She hesitated and then sighed. ‘And a little depressed, if I’m honest. But that’s probably because I just feel so…slow. If this is getting old, I want none of it.’

‘Have you gained weight?’

She stiffened. ‘Are you going to lecture me on my eating?’

‘Are you going to answer the question?’

Susan shifted self consciously, automatically pulling in her stomach and straightening her shoulders. ‘Yes, I’ve gained weight, but I suppose that’s my age as well. You just can’t eat so much when you get older and it’s hard to change old habits. Aren’t you going to make notes? Logan always keeps meticulous notes.’

‘I prefer to listen. I’ll do the writing part later.’ Conner stood up and walked towards her, his eyes concentrating on her face. ‘Your skin is dry. Is that usual for you?’

‘Didn’t used to be but it’s usual now. My hair’s the same.’ She tilted her face so that he could take a closer look. ‘Observant, aren’t you?’

‘Sometimes.’ Having looked at her skin, Conner took her hands in his and examined them carefully. Then he looked at her eyelids. ‘You have slight oedema. Can I take a look at your feet?’

‘My feet?’

‘That’s right.’ He squatted down and helped her slip her shoes off.

‘I never thought I’d have Conner MacNeil at my feet.’

‘Savour the moment, Mrs Ellis. Do they bother you?’

‘They’re aching terribly and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re a bit swollen…’ She wiggled her toes. ‘I assumed it was the heat.’

Conner examined her feet and ankles. ‘From what I’ve seen, Glenmore is in the middle of a typical summer. Wind and rain. I’m not expecting any cases of heatstroke today.’ He was sure that her feet were swollen for a very different reason.

‘We had sunshine last week. You know Glenmore—the weather is always unpredictable. A bit like you.’ She looked at him, her gaze slightly puzzled. ‘You’re very gentle. I hadn’t expected that of you.’

‘I prefer not to leave marks on my victims.’ A faint smile on his face, Conner rose to his feet. ‘The swelling isn’t caused by heat, Mrs Ellis. I can tell you that much.’ He washed his hands and picked up the IV tray that Flora had left on the trolley. ‘I’m going to take some blood.’

‘Is that really necessary?’

‘No. I just want to cause you pain.’

His patient laughed out loud. ‘Revenge, Conner?’

‘Maybe. You called the police that night.’

‘Yes, I did.’ Susan stuck out her arm. ‘You were out of control. Only eight years old and helping yourself to what you wanted from my shop.’

He ran his fingers gently over her skin, searching for a vein. ‘I needed some stuff and I didn’t have the money to pay.’

‘And how often did I hear that from the children? Plenty of them did it.’ Her laughter faded and she shook her head as she watched him. ‘But I remember you. You were different. So bold. A real rebel. Even when John, our island policeman, gave you a talking to, you didn’t cry. It was as if you were used to being shouted at. As if you’d hardened yourself.’

Conner didn’t falter. ‘You have good veins. This shouldn’t be hard.’

‘You’re not going to excuse yourself, are you?’

‘Why would I do that?’

‘Because we found out later that there were things happening in your house.’ She spoke softly. ‘Plenty to explain why you were the way you were.’

Suddenly the room felt bitterly cold. Conner slipped a tourniquet over her wrist. ‘Everyone’s family is complicated. Mine was no different.’

‘No?’ Susan looked at him for a moment and then sighed. ‘I remember how you looked on that day. You just stood there, all defiant, your chin up and those blue eyes of yours flashing daggers. Oh, you were angry with me.’

‘As you said, you’d called the police.’

‘But it didn’t have any effect. You were never afraid of anyone or anything, were you, Conner MacNeil?’

Oh, yes, he’d been afraid. ‘Don’t do it. Don’t touch her—I’ll kill you if you touch her.’

With ruthless determination Conner pushed the memory back into the darkness where it belonged. ‘On the contrary, I was afraid of my cousin Kyla.’ Keeping his tone neutral, he tightened the tourniquet and studied the woman’s veins. ‘She had a deadly punch and a scream that would puncture your eardrums.’