Heart Surgeon in Portugal (22 page)

‘Charlotte’s not coming. Too busy.’

‘Oh. Oh dear. I’m sorry.’

‘I’m not,’ he said cheerfully. ‘I know what you need – a nice strong cup of tea, you’ve had a very nasty experience.’

There in the kitchen Ellie perched on a chair, pulling Jon’s stripey shirt down over her knocking knees, protecting her modesty. And what, jeered a voice in her head, makes you think Rafe’s bedroom’s going to be any safer than your own? Just look at him – gorgeous buff hunk of a guy in white boxers and a suntan…

The hot sweet drink did its work. Ellie yawned and rubbed her eyes.

‘Come here,’ murmured Rafe fondly. With a hand on either side of her ribcage he lifted her as if she were feather-light and sat her on the worktop. Against her bare thighs, the tiled surface was cold and again she shivered. When his hands reached for the buttons of her scruffy old shirt – the one he had told her not to wear - Ellie's reaction was melodramatic. ‘No!’ Her hands gripped the much-washed cotton so fiercely it almost ripped under her tense fingers.

She twisted away from him, avoiding his eyes. OK so Charlotte wasn’t going to join him. OK so he must have been lonely, stuck for weeks on end with a naïve little nurse for company. He would only regret this in the morning and be glad to see the back of her. No, she would not allow a moment of indiscretion to sour Rafe’s memories of Ellie Robey in Portugal.

Rafe looked at those determined little white knuckles and gave a roar of laughter. A hand clamped down on her head and Ellie was forced to look down at her front. ‘I was going to tidy you up,’ he teased, ‘you dishevelled little creature. You seem to need help with dressing yourself.’

Mortified, Ellie fixed her own buttons while he towered over her, hands on hips, looking undeservedly pleased with himself.

‘Come along, Ellie.’ He plucked her off the dresser and strode out into the hall, ignoring her vain struggles as with infuriating purposefulness he carried her up the stairs and dumped her none too gently on his unmade bed.

All the fight went out of Ellie. The sheet was still warm from his body. If it really was what he wanted she would give in, especially when it was all she wanted too … As he leaned over the bed, her arms reached up and clasped around his neck and she caught him off balance, twelve stone of Alpha male falling on top of her and pressing her down into the mattress. Her hand reached for the back of his head, holding him there and her mouth sought his … and miracle of miracles he was kissing her back just as fiercely, as if this was what both had been aching for all these weeks …

Suddenly passion turned to dismay as Ellie found herself rejected, pushed harshly back against the pillows. With an oath Rafe swung himself off the bed and strode to the door, needing to get away from her, his voice hard and cold. ‘Since neither of us seems very responsible tonight you'd better stay here and I'll take your bed.’

Ellie lay rigid with shame and misery. She had let her feelings run away with her. Made the first move. Betrayed herself in spite of all her good intentions …

In the doorway Rafe turned and looked at her. For one heart-stopping moment Ellie thought he was going to come back into her arms. ‘Tell Giovana to change the sheets,’ he said curtly, ‘your feet must be filthy, running about like that outside.’

Ellie hurled a pillow at the door. Too late - he was gone.

Rafe’s first thought when he woke next morning was that it had been a close shave, but he could congratulate himself on keeping his head and doing the right thing by Ellie Robey.
Ok, so she’s got a crush on me. It doesn’t mean to say I won’t be forgotten. Once she’s back home and immersed in hospital life she won’t give me a second thought. Me? … I’ll be okay. I can make myself get over this.

The wind had died away so completely it was hard to believe there could have been such a gale. But the garden looked ravaged and the air felt oppressively humid. In daylight, the evidence of intruders was even more clear. Rafe went over to the farm to check all was well with Giovana’s family. Something had certainly set their dogs barking.

When he got back, there was Ellie in the kitchen, the rich smell of brewing coffee and warm fresh bread filling the air. She was wearing a long-sleeved khaki top Rafe hadn’t seen before and in place of her usual eye-popping shorts, loose silky cargo trousers. Concealing her assets to make him understand that last night was the result of heightened emotions and nothing more should be read into it.
I get the message, Ellie dear,
mused Rafe with a wryly raised eyebrow.
Loud and clear!

Ellie for her part was concerned that the surgeon wanted so little at the start of his working day. ‘Are you sure I can’t get you anything else?’

‘Thank you, no. This is fine.’ He stood with his back to her, staring out of the window as he swallowed down the hot black coffee, pondering on life without Ellie, watching as a light drizzle began to fall, gradually darkening the ochre soil. Not sufficient to be much help to the farmers, but the countryside would take on a new life.

If it was fine tomorrow he would suggest a picnic up in the hills.

Ellie longed to challenge him over the shock-news of her imminent departure, but last night was making her hold back from any kind of confrontation. Rafe hid his feelings so well she could never tell what was on his mind. But something most definitely was.

Suddenly her mobile rang, loud and shrill in the silence. The sound made her jump! Was she turning into a nervous wreck? She went outside to get a better signal, sheltering under the verandah as she took the call. When she came back he was still there, staring out at the rain.

Her expression was troubled. ‘That was Rico – Vivienne’s son, you know?’

‘And?’
said Rafe coldly.

‘He’s in Tokyo of all places and he can’t get back for a whole week! Can you believe it? His mother has major surgery and off he flies to Japan.’

Rafe raised a cynical eyebrow. ‘Well well,’ was his only comment.

‘I just can’t believe it. How utterly selfish!’

Rafe made no comment but all the while he was watching her intently.
Interesting. This didn’t sound like love’s young dream.

‘If I ever see him again he’ll get a piece of my mind.’

Still Rafe said nothing and she was now aware of his close regard. Colour bloomed in her face. ‘I’ll – I’ll get finished here and then I’ll drive over and see Vivienne.’
Stop staring at me, have I got a smudge on my nose?

‘As you wish. I must be away.’

It was a relief to get the house to herself for a short while. Ellie stacked the dishwasher and then went outside to clear up the terrace before Giovana arrived. The poor woman had quite enough to do without this mess and another pair of king-size sheets to launder …

While her hands were busy her head was full of what had happened last night – what had
nearly
happened. What she could have sworn they both
wanted
to happen. Deep in thought she gathered up broken branches, leaves and twigs and swept the cover over the swimming pool as best she could, adding the debris to the bonfire pile over in the far corner, out of sight of the house.

By the time Giovana arrived the terrace was tidy and Ellie was sitting at the kitchen table making out a shopping list.

‘Giovana – I go home. Soon,’ she said sadly.

‘Home?’ Giovana leant on her broom and listened carefully.

‘Home – London. England.’

‘To England – ha!’ Giovana dropped the broom and gave Ellie a hug. ‘Doctor Rafe? England?’

‘I don’t know.’ Ellie’s shrug said it all… Rafe’s plans were as unknown to her as his unfathomable mind.

After shopping and a quick lunch of left-over gazpacho, she headed to the Centre, oppressed by the knowledge that she soon she’d be saying a final farewell to all the good kind friends she had made there. As for Vivienne, she and the actress were now friends for life. And come hell or high water, Ellie and her family would be in the front row of the theatre for Viv’s first night.

As it happened, Dr Flora was in the car park, just getting into her car. Of the big Renault there was no sign. Flora said the surgeon had driven over to Sitges to examine a cardiac patient with a view to urgent admission before he too left for London. ‘Mrs Carr’s doing very well and we’re cautiously pleased. We kept her overnight in High Dependency just to be on the safe side, you understand, and now she’s back in her room. Still very drowsy, of course.’

Ellie’s face brightened at this good news. ‘I shan’t stay long – but I do feel bad that her son hasn’t managed to visit.’

‘Well,’ said Flora cryptically, climbing into her old Seat Ibiza and winding the window down, ‘he may have his reasons.’

The car rolled away down the slope and out on to the road, leaving Ellie pondering.
Reasons? What reasons? …

In the changing room she slipped out of her clothes and put on her white uniform dress. It helped prevent cross-infection and Vivienne was at a vulnerable stage of recovery. Her fair hair hadn’t been cut now for months and reached below her shoulder-blades, but a few practised twists and it was neatly pinned at the back of her head. Passing the conservatory she waved to Kev and made a sign to let him know she would be in to see him later.

The actress’s room was a sight to behold, every available surface crammed with flowers - anthuriums, star lilies, agapanthus and birds-of-paradise, exotic blooms flown over from Madeira.

‘Ellie darling – you are my first visitor.’

Ellie leaned over Viv and gently kissed the pale cheek. ‘What incredible flowers, Viv!’

‘Ridiculous isn’t it, the room looks like a hotel lobby.’ She smiled up at her visitor, still weak from the surgery but comfortable and cared-for and so relieved the ordeal was over. ‘I’m going to ask for them to be distributed among the other patients.’ She accepted Ellie’s simple bouquet of garden lavender with true appreciation. ‘Now this I shall keep right here beside me. Rico’s flowers are a sight to behold but they don’t smell of anything.’

Ellie was still marvelling at the profusion. She had never seen a display like this, not even when working on the private wing in her student days… Rico had certainly spared no expense. Ellie hoped Flora was making him pay through the nose for his mother’s treatment.

‘Poor boy,’ sighed Vivienne, ‘he’s stuck in Tokyo and having the most
boring
time. He’s so very sorry he can’t be here with me.’

Ellie took the actress’s thin hand in hers, warm now, the fingernails a healthy pink. Gone the mitral stenosis, gone the struggle to breathe. ‘Rico knows you’re being extremely well looked after,’ she said comfortingly. ‘All you have to do is rest and get strong again. Dear Viv, you’ve been so brave. Already you’re looking amazingly well, you truly are.’

‘Thanks to your clever, clever man,’ responded Vivienne putting her other hand over Ellie’s. ‘I don’t know what to say to him. There is no script for this. Mr Harland has given me the greatest of gifts: my life.’ It was a statement so heartfelt that a lump rose in Ellie’s throat as she thought of all the good Rafe had done and would go on to do.

‘When I’m discharged I’m to be taken to a suite at the Belmira - with
three
specialist nurses to look after me. I am so spoiled. My Rico thinks of everything.’

‘I know he does,’ agreed Ellie, stitching an encouraging smile on her face.

They chatted quietly until Vivienne’s eyes drooped and she began very gently to snore … Ellie slipped away and was just in time to meet Sister Judith scurrying along the corridor, white winged-cap bobbing, a covered bedpan in one hand and a book in the other. ‘Ellie, I know you’re just visiting but would you be a dear and give this textbook to young Mary. You’ll find her in Room Ten.’

‘Certainly, Sister.’ Ellie wanted to share her misgivings about Ricardo Schiapa abandoning his mother at such a time, but Sister Judith was clearly dealing with an emergency of the nether regions. ‘I’ll be in to see Mrs Carr next,’ she called back over her shoulder. ‘Operation was a success. Rafe’s pleased. Just a matter of time…’

Ellie perked up. She had never yet been sent to Room Ten whose patient had her own team to special her - Mary, Sister Cecilia, the anaesthetist Lilian, two staff nurses. And, of course, Rafe.

I must take my chance. Rafe’s mysterious long-stay patient… time to find out what young Mary knows - Mary who sits with her every day.

But Mary wasn’t alone. Sister Cecilia was there too and they were turning their patient, rubbing her back and making her comfortable, taking care not to detach any of the leads connecting her to the life-support machinery whose ceaseless hum went on in the background. However many times she witnessed this, Ellie found it awesome to contemplate another human being suspended between life and death, linked by a breathing tube to the bulk of the ventilator. And it struck her afresh, the contrast between the lifelessness of the face, the stillness of the narrow shape beneath the coverlet and the intrusive clatter of the machinery keeping her alive.

Poor thing, quite young by the look of her – though the fleshless face made it difficult to be sure. The eyes not quite closed, a faint line of white showing beneath translucent mauve-veined lids. Sallow skin stretched over the frail bone structure, the mouth partially obscured by the breathing tube, the hair cropped short for comfort and ease of care.

Ellie took a pair of disposable gloves from the trolley and moved to the bedside, helping them change the bed linen, gently rolling the flaccid body from side to side, putting her into a fresh gown, gently settling her back into bed, Sister Cecilia chatting softly all the while as if her patient could hear and understand each reassuring word. ‘There we are, Little Flower. There we are, Teresa. That’s better isn’t it, dear, all clean and comfortable.’

Ellie handed over the book to Mary and before the nun could leave, put her urgent question to the senior nurse. ‘What has happened to this patient?’ It was blunt and outright and it was clear that Ellie badly needed an answer.

Sister Cecilia nodded her head towards the door and Ellie followed her outside, leaving Mary sitting by the bed and watching over this unusual patient, this Little Flower.