The Rebel and the Baby Doctor (4 page)

Phoebe went on her way. The man was incorrigible, but he certainly had a magic touch where the boy was concerned.

She was more than ready for her break when suppertime came around. The baby had been suffering from seizures, and they were all worried for her safety.

‘You go off and get something to eat,’ Katie told her. ‘You’ve been on duty for hours, and it will do nobody any good if you start to wilt. It’s quiet enough around here for the moment.’

Phoebe acknowledged the truth of that, and made her way down to the restaurant on the ground floor. Connor
was already in there. He looked as fresh and energetic as if he had only just come on duty, and it was all she could do not to scowl at him. ‘I don’t know how you manage it,’ she said. ‘How do you stay so jaunty and unruffled? It’s as though nothing touches you.’

‘It comes from years of practice.’ He nodded towards the glass doors at the side of the restaurant. ‘Shall we go and sit out there? There aren’t too many people in the courtyard just now. It will be peaceful.’

‘Okay. I’ll come and join you just as soon as I’ve collected my food.’ There was no sign of Jessica or Alex, and it was already after seven o’clock. Perhaps they wouldn’t be able to make it down.

She chose a light cheese salad with crusty bread and a fruit tart to follow. Connor cast a swift glance over her tray as she set it down on the table. ‘It’s no wonder that you never put on any weight,’ he said. ‘You don’t eat enough to keep a sparrow alive.’

She gave him a withering smile. ‘Unlike you. I don’t know where you put it all—and yet you never add an ounce of fat to your waistline, do you? You’re all lean and fit, as though you’ve just come from working out in the gym.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘In fact, I suspect that’s what you do. Otherwise, it’s just not fair.’

He laughed, and stabbed his fork into a substantial cottage pie. His gaze wandered over her, taking in the fullness of her curves beneath the light cotton top she was wearing, and then drifted down over her narrow-fitting skirt to explore the length of her shapely legs. ‘It has to be said, though you’d still look good even with extra padding.’

Her cheeks heated under that appreciative scrutiny. To distract herself from the hectic play of emotions that he evoked in her, she fixed him with an exasperated stare. ‘That’s it, isn’t it? That’s what you do all the time…you lead people astray. It’s what you did when you encouraged your friends to stay out all night on Exmoor, and it’s what you did when you produced those bottles of cider a few weeks after you turned sixteen. You shared them among your friends. No thought for the consequences, just live for the moment.’ She glowered at him. ‘Just try telling Jessica to pile on the pounds, and she’ll give you short shrift.’

He paused, his fork midway between his plate and his mouth. ‘Now, there you have one lady I wouldn’t like to cross.’ He nodded, a brooding expression on his face. ‘When she gets that look in her eyes, I know she means business.’

Phoebe took a sip of her coffee. ‘I doubt a little bit of trouble would bother you. I heard that you were still causing mayhem, even here in the hospital.’

His brows lifted. ‘You must have me confused with someone else. What kind of mayhem would I be causing?’

‘There was a rumour going round about you trying to change how things were organised around here—something about improving waiting times and persuading doctors to treat more patients.’ She frowned. ‘It seems to me that you’re quite likely to be treading on toes with that kind of venture. Didn’t you have a word with Mr Kirk about the waiting list for some of the cardiology patients?’

His eyes widened. ‘Word certainly gets around in this place, doesn’t it? Why should it matter if I decide to have a chat with a few people?’

‘You know very well why. The consultants won’t like it if you start making waves. You’re still a junior doctor as far as they’re concerned. Besides, you don’t even work in cardiology.’

He shrugged, and speared broccoli with his fork. ‘I don’t see the point in keeping quiet when I know that things can be put right. We have theatres that aren’t in use at the weekend. How many more patients could be treated all the sooner if we made proper use of the facilities?’

She made a wry smile. ‘So, if you became a consultant, you’d be prepared to give up your weekends and spend them working in Theatre or seeing patients, would you?’

‘Of course. It goes without saying. You bring in a rota system and keep things moving. There’s too much inertia holding people back. What we need is to bring about change and shake things up.’

‘Hmm. You won’t last long in the medical profession if you go about rattling cages like that. There are some powerful people running the hospitals, and they won’t thank you for stirring things up.’ She sent him a thoughtful glance. ‘Perhaps you should wait until you’re a fully fledged consultant yourself before you start getting up people’s noses.’

‘Nah. That would be totally boring, and I doubt I could wait that long.’ He pushed his empty plate to one side and reached for his apple pie. ‘I leave it to people
like you, Missy Play Safe, to follow the rules and support the status quo.’

She pretended to be affronted. ‘Well, thanks a lot for that. If you’re going to be insulting I’ll have to think twice about joining you for supper another time.’ She frowned. ‘And don’t think I haven’t sussed out that I’m here under false pretences. Jessica and Alex aren’t going to put in an appearance, are they?’

‘Ah…’ A momentary flush of guilt washed over his face. ‘I meant to tell you about that. Jess has been asked to help out in Theatre with a cardiac case—the man who was involved in the accident earlier today—and Alex is looking after the woman who gave birth to the little girl who’s up in Neonatal. She suffered a leg injury, among other things, in the crash, and they’re keeping her under observation.’

She gave a heavy sigh. ‘It’s a tragedy, isn’t it? Three lives devastated.’

‘It is…but with any luck they’ll come through this in one piece, eventually.’

‘I hope so.’ She winced. ‘The baby isn’t doing so well. She needs specialist help, and the consultant is thinking of transferring her to the children’s hospital in Somerset.’

He nodded. ‘Yes, I heard that. I spoke to my boss about it, and it looks as though they’ll be assembling a neonatal transport team to take her over there. It’s possible I’ll be part of it. My rotation is supposed to cover the full spectrum of paediatric A and E so that would be another one to notch up for my specialist training.’

She looked at him and blinked, trying to take that in. Her name was already down to be part of that
team…which could only mean that they would be travelling together. That was not good news.

She kept her feelings to herself. ‘Alex would have given anything to be able to do that.’

Connor’s glance trailed over her. ‘Yes, well, I’m sorry that I took his job from him. It wasn’t personal. I know you wanted to work with him, but I’m afraid it looks as though you’re going to be stuck with me. Our paths are likely to cross on a regular basis, given the nature of the rotation.’

He discarded his spoon in his now empty dessert bowl. ‘Perhaps I could make up for whatever it is I’ve done wrong, or may do wrong at some time in the future, by taking you out somewhere special. It’ll be late when we finish here tonight, but we could go and try out the new Blue Bay Club, if you like. It’s open till the small hours, and neither of us has to work until tomorrow afternoon, do we?’

She shook her head. ‘Thanks for the offer, but I don’t think I’ll take you up on it this time,’ she murmured. ‘Alex asked if I would drive him home later. His car is being serviced, and we were planning on stopping off at the Griddle Bar for half an hour or so after work.’

Connor’s mouth twisted. ‘I thought it strange that you weren’t too worried about him not putting in an appearance. I always seem to come in too late, don’t I? How about if I book a date with you for tomorrow and maybe another one for the day after that?’ He spooned sugar into his cup and began to stir the coffee. ‘I suppose you’ve already made arrangements for then, too, haven’t you?’

She gave him a thoughtful glance. ‘As it happens, I have, but that shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise to you, should it? After all, you were the one who called me Missy Play Safe. Perhaps you ought to familiarise yourself with my other title, Missy All Planned Out. That way, you’ll always know what to expect, won’t you?’

His mouth took on a rueful expression as he watched her over his coffee-cup, and Phoebe smiled as she tasted her fruit tart. Was he finally getting the message?

Somehow, it was a bitter-sweet victory.

‘S
O, IS
your car running smoothly now?’ Phoebe met up with Alex as they both headed for the doctors’ lounge. ‘Has the garage mechanic managed to sort everything out for you?’

‘Yes, he has, and it’s good,’ he said, nodding and pushing open the door for her. ‘Not that it will ever match up to Connor’s speed fiend.’ His eyes narrowed and he looked thoroughly put out. ‘I didn’t think I’d ever be green with envy, but if you were to colour me all over in grass, spinach and lime jelly with emerald sprinkles, then you have it. I don’t think I’ll ever be the same again.’

She laughed. ‘Poor Alex. What are we going to do with you? Nothing ever goes quite the way it should, does it?’ She went over to the worktop at the side of the room and lifted up the coffee-pot. ‘Tell me you’re getting on better in Orthopaedics, at least.’

‘It isn’t too bad, I suppose.’ He came to stand beside her and pulled two mugs down from a shelf. ‘I’ve been putting in extra hours on the job to cover for people on sick leave, and that seems to have gone down fairly well with my boss. I’m just a bit worried because I’ve
been pulled out of the training day seminars on a couple of occasions to attend emergencies, and that’s not going to bode well for my monthly review meeting.’

Connor must have come into the room while they were pouring coffee, because he appeared alongside them and said, ‘Training days are supposed to be protected. You should talk to your consultant about that.’

‘Oh, sure, and he’s going to have me down as a complainer, isn’t he? Where will that leave me when the references are being written?’

Connor shrugged and helped himself to coffee. ‘Sometimes you have to make a stand, and stick up for what’s right.’

‘Yeah, right. Coming from someone who can always fall back on Daddy’s money to keep him going if the worst comes to the worst, I’d say that was rich—if you’ll forgive the pun.’

‘I’ve no idea what you’re talking about,’ Connor murmured. ‘I don’t rely on my father for anything, least of all his money. What I have is mine through my own endeavours.’

‘Did I get it all wrong?’ Disgruntled, Alex took his coffee over to the window and gazed out briefly at the landscaped gardens, before turning around once more. ‘Sorry…but you seem to have done pretty well for yourself, all the same. And you always land on your feet, don’t you?’ Alex’s eyes took on a mischievous glint. ‘I couldn’t help noticing that the new senior house officer in children’s A and E—Lisa, is it?—was bowled over with your flash car. I heard you had taken her out in it.’

‘She needed a lift home.’ Connor’s gaze was thoughtful. ‘Is that a problem for you?’

Alex’s mouth turned down at the corners. ‘Take no notice of me. It’s pure sour grapes. I’m just jealous because I don’t have a sleek roadster for myself. It’s my own fault. I should have worked harder…or invested in oil when the price was right.’

He drank his coffee and threw Connor a mischievous glance. ‘Things worked out all right for you with Lisa, though, didn’t they? I heard you and she were all cosied up in her new house last night. Nice one.’

‘You don’t miss much, do you?’ Connor fixed him with a steady gaze. ‘Or is this the hospital grapevine working at full speed?’

Alex chuckled. ‘You know how it is. The nurses work with the senior house officers, and there’s a bit of gossip here and a long chat there…Before you know it, all your secrets are aired.’

‘Then maybe it’s fortunate I don’t have any secrets to be made public,’ Connor murmured. He swallowed his coffee and glanced at Phoebe. ‘Are we on for the neonatal transport this afternoon? Katie told me they were hoping the baby would be in a stable enough condition to undertake the move.’

She nodded. ‘Her vital signs are not too bad at the moment, so it looks as though it will go ahead.’

Despite the coffee there was a hollow feeling in the pit of her stomach. She had been wondering why Connor hadn’t returned home last night. He hadn’t been there when she’d come back to the house from the Griddle Bar around midnight, and there had been no
sign of his car returning in the early hours. That morning, as Jessica had pointed out to her, his room had been empty and the bed hadn’t been slept in.

She glanced at him. Wasn’t that the same shirt he had been wearing yesterday? Her mouth flattened. It hadn’t taken him long to find a new object for his affections, had it? Had Lisa been wined and dined at the Blue Bay? Somehow, it rankled that he had been able to replace her so easily.

For the life of her, she didn’t know why him staying out all night bothered her so much, but perhaps it would serve as a timely warning to her to keep her distance. He was fickle, and his affections could be diverted as easily as thistledown blowing on the wind.

She rinsed her coffee-cup under the tap and headed for the door. ‘I have to go and check on a new arrival in A and E,’ she said. ‘I’ll catch up with you later, Alex.’

Alex nodded. ‘Maybe we could get together some time this week? Perhaps Thursday evening, if you’re not going to be working?’

‘That sounds fine to me.’ She went out of the door and walked along the corridor to the stairs. It gave her a breathing space, a chance to get herself together, but Connor caught up with her as she reached the flight to the ground floor.

‘Not taking the lift today?’ he commented. ‘I hope this has nothing to do with diets and losing weight. You look perfect to me, just as you are.’ His gaze shifted over her, taking in the soft lines of her blouse and the gentle drape of her skirt as it flowed around her legs.

‘Thanks. I’m aiming to stay that way. You can call this aerobic exercise, if you like.’

He made a smile. ‘If you say so.’ His expression sobered. ‘You didn’t look too happy, back there in the doctors’ lounge. Is everything okay?’

‘Of course.’ Not for one moment would she dream of telling him what had really been on her mind. But, then, she hadn’t been too keen to get back to work, had she, in her heart of hearts? ‘I suppose, if the truth be known, I’m worrying about the baby who was brought to A and E this morning. I can’t seem to get used to dealing with these fragile little infants. The very first baby I treated today needed an operation to correct a blockage in the flow of bile from the liver to the gallbladder. He wasn’t very well at all.’

Connor was thoughtful. ‘I’ve heard that there’s more chance of a reasonable recovery if the operation is carried out in the early weeks—is it likely that things will work out well for him?’

She nodded. ‘The operation went well, so I’m reasonably confident that he’ll be all right, but he’s just one among many infants who need our attention. These babies arrive here with so many different conditions affecting them, most of them serious and all of them very worrying—like the baby that has just been admitted. He has a heart defect that’s causing him to go downhill fast, by all accounts.’

Connor’s expression became serious. ‘Yes, I was the one who examined him earlier and arranged for him to be admitted.’

‘Oh, I see. I didn’t realise that.’ By now they had
reached the A and E unit, and she waited while Connor keyed in his code so that the doors swished open.

‘The poor little scrap has a number of problems to contend with,’ he said as they walked into the department. ‘He isn’t feeding well, his breathing is rapid and there’s a bluish colour around his mouth and nose. I’ve done a chest X-ray and I suspect that he’s developing congestive heart failure.’

Phoebe gave a shuddery sigh as she passed by the reception desk. ‘It doesn’t sound good at all, does it? I’ll go and take a look at him and transfer him to the neonatal unit. I imagine I’ll have to put in a call to Mr Kirk for him to come and do a consultation.’

‘Yes, that’s what I was thinking.’ He sent her a quick glance. ‘Is something wrong? You look very pale all of a sudden.’

‘I’m all right.’ She stiffened her shoulders. ‘I just have to brace myself to deal with these things. It’s just that I find these kinds of cases particularly hard as I first witnessed it with my sister’s little girl, Emily, and since then I’m always afraid that things are not going to turn out well for children with these kinds of problems. I remember the heartache we all went through with Emily when she was a baby, and I’m not sure how I would cope if things were to go badly for any child in my care. That’s why I wasn’t happy about this particular rotation, even though I didn’t have any real choice but to do it.’

‘You hadn’t done any medical training when Emily was going through all her initial problems,’ he said, frowning. ‘You were bound to feel apprehensive and
upset. You didn’t do anything wrong—you just did the best that you could at the time.’

Phoebe shook her head. ‘But my best wasn’t good enough. I still remember the panic I felt when my sister came to me and told me how ill the baby was. I didn’t know what to do, and I felt useless. She was looking to me to help her, and I should have been able to do something.’

‘As I heard it, you gave the baby chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth while you were waiting for the ambulance to arrive. I don’t see that you could have done any more in the circumstances.’ He came to a halt by the computer bay where doctors usually sat to write up their notes.

Phoebe glanced around distractedly. ‘Maybe. I don’t know. It still doesn’t sit easily with me. This is my family that we’re talking about. They mean the world to me and I felt as though I let them down.’

His glance travelled over her. ‘You did more than could have been expected. Your sister told me all about it some time later when she brought Emily to London for a hospital consultation. She said she had been scared back then because she had no idea what to do. She was the older sister, but she turned to you because you were always so capable in a crisis.’

‘All I do recall is that Emily went into convulsions in the ambulance and I couldn’t do anything but look on and pray that she would survive.’ Phoebe grimaced. ‘I think it must have been the worst moment of my life.’

He reached for her hand and held it between his palms. ‘Wasn’t it also the factor that made you decide to take up medicine as a career?’

‘I suppose so.’ She wriggled and tried to move back a pace, but he was not about to let her go. His hold on her was gentle but firm, and as he moved closer to her she knew that somehow she had to break away from him before she became wrapped up in the nebulous, enticing security blanket he was busy weaving around her.

‘Of course it was. You made up your mind that you just had to go out of your way to look after people.’ He smiled into her eyes. ‘That’s what makes you so lovable.’

Lovable? She gazed up at him, her eyes widening. Why had he used that word out of all the ones he might have chosen? It didn’t mean anything, though, did it? It was just a casual phrase, dropped into the melting pot of her confused emotions. Why was she even giving it a second thought?

She looked down at the hands that clasped hers. They were warm and protective, the long fingers lightly tanned to a golden brown, and the sense of well-being they induced travelled along her arm and invaded the whole of her body. It was because he was holding her…that was the reason she was feeling so mixed up, wasn’t it? Her mind simply refused to function properly while he was doing that.

‘I don’t know about any of that,’ she murmured. ‘But I’m rapidly coming to the conclusion that I should steer clear of paediatrics throughout the rest of my training. Treating adults is one thing, but I’m beginning to realise that working with infants and children is altogether too stressful for me. I’ve had to watch Emily these last few years, growing up with a heart condition, needing constant care and attention, and I saw how worrying it was
for my sister, bracing herself to prepare her child for different procedures.’

‘But Emily is doing fine now, isn’t she?’ Connor lightly stroked her arm. ‘All that care and attention has paid off in the end.’

‘Yes, you’re right, but it was hard watching her go through it.’ She glanced to one side at the perspex board where patients’ names were listed. ‘My little charge is in bay four. I’ll go and see how he’s doing.’

Connor nodded. ‘Drop by when you’ve had time to assess him and let me know what’s what. I’ll be in the paediatric observation ward. I have to go and look at a couple of patients who were admitted overnight. One of them had a heart operation recently, but he collapsed last night and I have to explain to the parents about changes to his medication.’

‘Okay.’

He let go of her and Phoebe hurried away before he could lure her back to his side.

Connor appeared to have no problem at all in dealing with his small patients or their parents. She’d seen evidence of it on a number of occasions when she had passed through children’s A and E, and everybody said how good he was at working with them. It would be great if some of his confidence would rub off on her.

Some half an hour later, when she had finished checking over the baby and had gathered together all the paperwork that needed to go along with him to the neonatal unit, she went in search of Connor once more.

‘Are you busy?’ she asked him, wheeling the baby into the treatment room where he was working. ‘Only
I need you to sign off on these papers before I can take the baby up to the unit.’

She smiled at the child Connor was tending, a young boy of around nine years old, who was lying in the bed, propped up by pillows. Then she nodded a greeting to the parents who were by his side.

Connor came over to her. ‘Yes, of course. I’m glad that you’re here.’ His grey eyes took on a warm, inviting glimmer. ‘You can perhaps help to explain to Mr and Mrs Brannigan about the holiday centre on Exmoor. I think you’re familiar with it because that’s where your little niece went to take a break a few months ago.’

Phoebe glanced at the parents. ‘Are you talking about the activity centre?’

Mrs Brannigan nodded. ‘That’s right. I was thinking of taking Jamie there for a few days while my husband is away on business. Jamie’s recovering from a heart operation, and he’s been feeling quite miserable lately, so I was looking for somewhere that would be fun for him, but not too strenuous. Can you recommend it at all?’