Dear Reader

This is the second story in my duet, Rebels with a Cause, set around my Disease Prevention Agency. This story looks at another aspect of the DPA and their international role in the fight against polio—a disease that is the subject of a global eradication programme.

Violet Connelly has her own reasons for wanting to be part of the programme. After hiding away for the last three years at a desk job, she feels the time is right to get back out there. Evan Hunter isn’t so sure. He’s already worked with Violet in the DPA and knows she’s hiding something. But is here, the heart of Africa, the place to find out what’s been stopping her from forming relationships with those around her and, more importantly, him?

There are some serious issues at the centre of this story. Stillbirth is a very sensitive issue—particularly for Violet, as her circumstances mean she hasn’t shared with her family what has happened to her. And Evan already has issues with Violet’s brother.

The bad blood between Evan and Sawyer is one of the key linking elements of these stories. Evan was in charge of the mission where Sawyer’s wife died. Neither of them has ever spoken about it, but now, with Violet at the heart of things, it’s time for them to resolve their issues.

Because—as we all know in the world of Mills & Boon®—everyone deserves a Happy Ever After!

Please feel free to contact me via my website and let me know what you think of these stories:

www.scarlet-wilson.com. I love to hear from readers!

Scarlet

About that Night…
Scarlet Wilson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

In my late teens and early twenties I had the most fabulous group of friends. We’ve all grown older, maybe a little wiser, and families and continents keep us apart.

So, to the nights in the Metro, Sullivans, Club de Mar and Ayr Beach Promenade with Julie Paton, Gillian Lapsley, Joyce Kane, Jaki Lynch, Shona Kennedy and Marianne Stevenson. I’ve never laughed so much.

Whose turn is it to drive?

And to @stephenfry, @justinpollard and the lovely elves at QI who gave me sleeping sickness just when I needed it!

CHAPTER ONE

VIOLET WAS SHAKING in her shoes—literally.

The walk to the director’s office had never seemed so long. On every one of the thirty steps her legs felt more like jelly and her brain like laundry on a permanent spin cycle.

Her hand gripped the piece of paper in her hand tightly—the only evidence that she’d actually done any of the work she was supposed to have completed days ago. The three sentences didn’t exactly help her defense.

But inside her, next to her churning stomach, rage was building. Rage against Evan Hunter, her boss.

It was his fault she was in this situation.

He’d asked her to find out background information on her brother, Matt Sawyer, who’d been at the heart of the most prolific outbreak in the history of the Disease Prevention Agency. Granted he hadn’t known Matt was her brother, but that did nothing to quell the anger in her belly.

She’d used her other work as an excuse not to comply with Evan’s request. Plotting the potential spread of the suspected smallpox virus was surely more important than finding out about the ex-DPA doctor who’d made the preliminary diagnosis. Too bad Evan didn’t feel that way.

Her legs trembled as she reached the door.

Stay calm, she repeated in her head. Erupting in front of the director would do nothing to help her cause.

But there was a surprise. Evan’s broad shoulders immediately towered over her. It seemed like he was waiting for the director too.

There he was. Blocking her way to the boardroom. His arms were folded across his chest. In another world she might have found him attractive.

In fact, a few months ago and after a couple of glasses of wine, she had found him attractive and had ended up locked in a heated embrace that neither of them had admitted to or acted on again.

Evan could certainly turn heads. His tall frame and broad shoulders, combined with his dark brown hair and blue eyes, attracted female attention wherever he went.

To say nothing of the sexy three-day stubble currently on his chin.

Too bad he was about to be her executioner.

So why did he look a little twitchy?

“What are you doing here?”

She jerked at the tone in his voice. “I could ask the same of you. The director sent for me.”

“He did?” Evan looked surprised. Surely he’d initiated this by complaining about her?

“Why do you think we’re here?”

Evan’s eyes met hers. They were steady, uncompromising. “I can only guess it’s about the report I sent him.”

She could feel her stomach turn over. “What report was that?”

“The one about Matt Sawyer—you know? The one I asked you to write days ago.” He shot her a steely glare. “It seemed a remarkable coincidence that a former DPA employee was around when a provisional smallpox diagnosis was made.” It was almost as if he was trying to bait her.

“What’s the supposed to mean?” The words were out before she could stop herself.

“Oh, come on, Violet.” His words were frustrated. “You must appreciate that the chances of smallpox occurring naturally are virtually impossible. All situations in our current plan are around a terrorist attack. What are the chances of a former DPA employee being around when it happens? You were asked to compile a report of Matt Sawyer’s recent history. It was essential that we found out exactly where Matt Sawyer had been and who he’d been consorting with.”

Violet couldn’t hold her tongue any longer. “Consorting with? You’ve got to be joking, Evan.”

But he continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “You ignored my requests for information—even after I gave you a warning. That information could have meant the difference between preventing a terrorist attack and putting more lives at risk. You still haven’t handed over any information on Matt Sawyer. What exactly have you been doing with your time, Violet?”

The rage that had been simmering beneath the surface was threatening to erupt. Idiot. The man was clearly an idiot. And the implication in his words meant she couldn’t think straight any more.

“You honestly thought that Sawyer was a terrorist? That idea actually crossed your tiny, warped mind? You have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about. How dare you?” Her voice was rising in crescendo and in pitch.

Evan towered over her. He was furious. “How dare I? I was the lead on this investigation. It was up to me to cover every eventuality—including the possibility of terrorism. How dare you, Violet? How dare you obstruct me?”

But Violet wasn’t even listening to the words he was saying. She was still stuck on the ridiculous thought that her brother was even remotely connected with this. “I can’t believe you thought Sawyer was a terrorist. I can’t believe you considered he’d have anything to do with the outbreak. The last thing Sawyer wanted was to be involved with the DPA again. I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous in my life.”

Evan stepped closer. A dark expression swept across his face. “What is it with you and Sawyer, anyway? How do you even know him? He left long before you even got here.” His face was only inches from hers. “Why should you have any loyalty to him? What was he—your lover?”

What kind of a question was that? And what was it to him, anyway? Was he jealous?

“What?” The red mist was descending. She couldn’t even see his scrunched-up angry face any more. “He’s my brother, you idiot!”

There was a hiss. A sharp intake of breath. Evan jerked back as if she’d just delivered an electric shock.

“Your brother?” His voice was barely audible and he looked horrified. “But how can he be your brother?”

Her heart was thudding against her chest wall. Oh, no. She’d just revealed the secret that she’d kept for the past three years.

She couldn’t think of anything sensible or rational to say. But, then, Evan had just asked a pretty stupid question. “The same way anyone can be someone’s brother,” she murmured.

But that clearly wasn’t enough for Evan. He hadn’t finished with her.

“Sawyer is your brother?” His voice had started to rise.

She nodded. But it obviously wasn’t sinking in for him.

“Sawyer is your brother? How can that be possible? You have different names—and you’re not married.”

Her brain was starting to work in another direction. She had deliberately kept this a secret. Could it be considered fraud? There hadn’t been anywhere on her application form to state if family members worked at the DPA. But, then, there would have been an expectation of disclosure. Would she get in trouble for this?

She took a deep breath. “Yes, Matt Sawyer is my brother. I’m well aware that he left here under a cloud and thought it best not to mention our connection. We have different surnames because our mother remarried when I was young. I took my stepfather’s surname—Matt didn’t.”

She held the crumpled piece of paper up in her hand, trying to ignore the fact that it was shaking. “As I’m sure you were aware, Matt hasn’t made much contact over the past few years. He struggled with Helen’s death. I’ve never known where he’s been working. It turns out he’s been in Borneo, Alaska and Connecticut.” She hesitated. Should she say any more? “And I never found that out for myself. I’ve been trying to find out where my brother’s been for years. Matt told me and I checked the details.”

Evan erupted. “Why on earth didn’t you tell me he was your brother? I asked you to investigate him and you said nothing! You had a conflict of interest that you should have declared. Of all the unprofessional—”

Violet flinched and stepped forward instantly, her face inches from his. “Unprofessional? Well, let’s talk about unprofessional behavior, shall we? Because I’m not the only one to indulge in that. I’m not the only one keeping secrets around here.”

“Ahem.”

The loud noise of someone clearing their throat made them both jump.

The director was standing behind them both with a pile of papers in his arms, looking less than impressed. He pushed open the door to the boardroom. “Let’s take this inside, please, and stop entertaining the masses.” How much had he heard?

Violet’s jaw dropped and her head shot round to the office space where just about every member of staff was standing on their feet, their heads above their cubicle walls, staring at her and Evan.

How long had they been like this? And why hadn’t she noticed? She felt heat flood into her cheeks and hurried into the boardroom behind the director.

She couldn’t breathe. She couldn’t think. All the nerves that she’d felt a few minutes ago on the walk to the boardroom instantly returned.

The director seemed cool and unfazed. He walked around the desk and sat down in his chair. He placed his paperwork in front of him and gestured to the chairs on the other side of the desk. “Take a seat please. Violet, Evan.”

What was that paperwork? Was that the HR documentation he needed to fire her?

She swallowed. A tennis ball was sitting in her throat. Just get this over with.

There was a few minutes’ silence as the director looked at the paperwork in front of him. It was agonizing. The wait seemed to stretch on and on for ever. She couldn’t stand it.

Evan obviously couldn’t either. “Director, if you’ll just let me explain—”

The director held up one hand. “Enough.”

Evan tried to speak again, his face flushed. “But—”

“From both of you.” The director’s voice cut him dead. He pulled some papers out from the file in front of him.

Violet felt her chest tightening and she struggled to breathe. Was this it? Was she about to get fired?

The director looked her in the eye. He had pale grey eyes. She’d never really noticed before. She’d always been too busy keeping her head down and stopping herself being noticed.

“Dr. Connelly.”

She gulped. He was addressing her formally. This couldn’t be good.

He sighed. “Putting aside what I just witnessed outside, I actually came here today to let you know that your transfer request has been approved.”

“What?”

“What?”

Their voices rang out simultaneously, as if neither of them could really believe their ears.

He folded his hands in front of him. “But with hindsight it seems as if there are a number of issues we need to address here today.”

“Transfer request? What transfer request?”

Evan’s head was spinning. He’d had no idea why he’d been called to the boardroom. He’d assumed it was regarding the missing report. The report on her brother.

Now it seemed as if the director hadn’t even noticed the report was missing.

The director shot him another steely glare. He obviously didn’t like to be interrupted. “Dr. Connelly had requested to be transferred to the emergency operations center and join the stop transmission of polio program.”

His brain whirred. Violet Connelly had been driving him crazy for months. Ever since they’d kissed on that night out and both of them had pretended it hadn’t happened.

But the issues in the past few days had been serious. Serious enough for him to consider reporting her. No matter what their history was. As team leader he had a responsibility to ensure everyone pulled their weight.

Since when had Violet wanted to do field work? And why had she never mentioned it?

“I had no idea. She obviously didn’t see fit to mention it to me.” The hard edge in his voice was crystal clear and he could hear the way his words must sound to her—cold.

Did that hide the fact he couldn’t explain how he was feeling?

Was Violet leaving because of him? Was she leaving because of their mistaken, fumbled kiss?

And why did the thought of not seeing her any more drive him just as crazy as working with her every day?

He watched as she seemed to sag into her chair. As if all the tension had just left her body. Disbelief was written all over her face.

“Really? You’ve approved my transfer? When can I start? Where am I going? What will my role be?” It was obvious her mouth was running away with her and her brain had gone into overdrive.

Meanwhile, he was still getting over the shock that he wouldn’t be seeing Violet anymore. It almost squeezed the air from his lungs.

“Hold on.” The director raised his hands. “I think there are bigger issues here.” He looked between the two of them and leaned back in his chair. “I have to say that I’m disappointed in you both.” Evan felt his heart sink like a stone. This couldn’t be good.

“Evan, I’m surprised that Dr. Connelly didn’t tell you about her application to transfer. As her line manager I would have expected you both to have discussed this.” The implication was clear. Why couldn’t Violet speak to him? He kind of wondered that himself. Was he really so unapproachable?

“And Dr. Connelly …” He turned his head back to Violet. “Unlike Dr. Hunter, I don’t really care that Matt Sawyer is your brother. I can’t think why you thought it necessary to hide that, but I’m very happy with the work your brother has done over the past few days for us. And I’ll be keen to work with him again in the future.” He tapped his pen against the desk, as if he was contemplating what to say next.

“It’s my opinion that your reaction to Dr. Hunter was unreasonable. He was just exploring every angle regarding the possibility of a smallpox outbreak. We would have checked up on anyone who reported a suspected outbreak, no matter who they were. But what’s clear to me is that Dr. Hunter didn’t explain his rationale for his request very well. But then again, why should he? He was in charge of the team.”

Evan had no idea where this was going. He could see Violet struggling to swallow. She was finding this as difficult as he was. One second he’d thought the director was going to come down on Violet, and the next second he thought his own head was going to be on the chopping block.

Something struck him. Was. The director had said he was in charge of the team. Oh, no.

Violet’s face had fallen again. And he hated it when she looked like that. One minute she was getting her dream transfer the next she was thinking she was being given her marching orders.

“What’s most clear to me here is that the two of you need to learn to work together as a team. I don’t care what your personal issues are. What I do care about is how the staff at the DPA work together. It’s one of the most vital components of our jobs.” His eyes narrowed, “And the display I’ve just witnessed gives me great concern.”

He turned on Evan. “You’re one of my most experienced and senior doctors. I would expect better from you. The exchange outside seemed unprofessional.”

This was it. He was going to be fired.

Unprofessional.

The word that he and Violet had just flung at each other. Hearing it come from the director’s mouth was an entirely different matter.

It was the most offensive word you could say to a doctor. Particularly when it hit home.

“You are two of the best clinically competent doctors that I have and it’s time to put your skills to good use. So I’ve come to a decision. Violet, you will be joining the polio team in Nigeria. I’ve already approved the transfer. They are on the final push to try and stop the spread of polio. Your field assignment will last three months and you’ll be leaving in a week. Start packing.”

Evan swallowed nervously as the director turned to face him. “Evan, I think it’s time for a change of scene for you. And maybe a change of climate. I’m happy with the way you handled the potential outbreak. I’m even happier that it turned out to be monkeypox instead of smallpox, but I think it’s time you learned a different skill set.

“I’ve had no complaints about you—no complaints at all. I am conscious, though, that working in the same area of the DPA can make a doctor complacent. I need adaptable team leaders who can work anywhere, covering every eventuality. You need to work on your interpersonal skills. Specifically, your interpersonal skills with Violet.”

He tilted his head to one side, almost as if he was lost in thought for a moment. “I think, at times, you can be a little hard on your team.” A smile drifted across his face, “A little too alpha. I need a team leader for the polio program at short notice and was struggling to find someone appropriate—someone who could take care of the strategic work alongside the clinical. It seems like I’ve just found him.”

“Me?” Evan could hardly get the word out. This couldn’t be happening. This was like a bad movie.

The director nodded. “That’s why I was late for our meeting. I was taking a call from Africa. One of our team leaders needs to get back home in a hurry—his father has been taken seriously ill. I’m sure you understand.” The words hung in the air—along with the implication.

What a terrible position. There was no way Evan could say no now.

The director gave him a little nod. “You’ll be assigned to work with a national counterpart. The Healthly World Federation and Global Children’s Support Organization are our partners in this area. You’ll have to plan, implement, roll out and monitor the program in your designated area.

“You’ll have to manage a team of civilians and train them to help administer the program.” He almost gave a little smile. “That will take all your people powers. You’ll have to learn to be flexible, working under difficult conditions with people from different cultures.” He gave a curt nod. “It could be the making of you, Evan.”

The director was moving now, picking up his paperwork. He glanced from one to the other. “Maybe three months in a hot climate will help you two sort out your differences.”

The realization of what was about to happen hit him like a boulder on the head. “We’re going together? To Nigeria? I’m going to be Dr. Connelly’s team leader?”

He couldn’t possibly mean that. From the little Evan knew about the polio program it worked across a number of countries. Surely, the director didn’t plan on sending them together on the same field assignment?

“Of course. This is perfect. Hard work in an area uncluttered by other distractions. The two of you are there to represent the clinical expertise of the DPA, so I expect you to iron out any personal issues. Both of you report to Dr. Sanday tomorrow morning. He’ll give you all the background information and travel arrangements that you need.”

“But what about here? What about infectious diseases?”

The director gave him a wry smile. “Donovan’s served his time well. I think he’s ready to take the next step—a more strategic direction. It will stretch him, do him good—just like it will you.”

And then he was gone.

Violet sat in the chair, unmoving. Evan could almost sense she didn’t want to meet his gaze.

There was so much going on in his head right now. And most of it concerned her. She was shifting constantly in his mind. Violet, Sawyer’s sister. Violet, his colleague who’d ignored his instructions. Violet, the woman he’d kissed a few months ago. Violet, the woman who’d asked for a transfer without talking to him first.

Violet, the woman he was going to spend the next three months with—in close proximity.

Was that better or worse than her leaving? Right now he didn’t know.

It didn’t help matters that he was being replaced by a guy he considered a cocky upstart.

“Are you going to say something?” She’d rested her elbow on the desk and was leaning her head on her hand. She looked exhausted.

Then again, she’d barely slept in the past few days. None of them had, thanks to the crisis.

Her eyes were closed. For the first time he noticed she had little dark circles under them. They marred her usually perfect complexion. Her blond hair was swept back with a clip but little strands had escaped around her face. Even in a state of exhaustion Violet Connelly was a thing of beauty.

But her beauty couldn’t distract him from the thoughts rattling around in his brain.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Sawyer? No. Why didn’t you tell anyone that he’s your brother? Are you ashamed of him?”

Her eyes shot open, sparks of fury shooting in his direction. She opened her mouth to speak then pressed her lips together firmly for a few seconds, obviously having second thoughts. Maybe she’d been outspoken enough for one day. She bent forward, putting her head on the desk in exasperation.

“You do that to me,” she mumbled.

He was thrown. “What?”

She lifted her head, so he could only see one pale green eye. “You make me mad at the drop of a hat. It irritates me. And I’m just too exhausted to fight with you.”

He nodded slowly. This wasn’t exactly where he thought this conversation would go.

“Of course I’m not ashamed of my brother. I love him dearly. But he’s had issues. He needed time. He needed space. Ever heard of the expression ‘If you love someone let them go’? That’s Sawyer. The past six years have been hard.” Her pale green eyes looked off to the side and she nodded slowly. “But I think he’s on his way back.”

Wow. Nothing like getting to the heart of the matter. But he didn’t have time to think about what she’d said because she wasn’t finished.

“But I don’t know where you fit into this picture.”

“What do you mean?” Her conversation seemed to jump all over the place. What was going on in her mind? Was this lack of sleep?

She folded her arms across her chest and straightened herself in the chair.

“I know you had issues with my brother but I don’t know what they were. Sawyer never told me. Will you?”

Now, there was a question. The words hung in the air. Could he really put into words the complexity of what had happened between him and Sawyer and how he felt? He almost didn’t know where to start. And did he really want to have this conversation with a woman he would spend the next three months with? The answer was easy.

“Probably not.”

She sucked in a deep breath. “Well, where does that leave us?”

“What do you mean?”

“Does your irrational hatred of my brother extend to me too?”

He swallowed, not really sure how to answer. The truth of the matter was that it did change how he perceived her. His bias against Sawyer was already affecting how he felt about her. Would she exhibit the same traits as her brother? Would she walk out on a mission when it was at its most vital stage?

He set his lips in a firm line but he couldn’t look at her and his voice was low. “You know I don’t hate you, Violet.” His brain was painting pictures. Pictures of Violet in that red dress she’d been wearing a few days ago with a thick black belt cinching her waist. He was sure she’d worn it to distract him from the fact she hadn’t produced the report. And she had been right to, because it had worked.

Her eyes drifted off to one side. “I thought I was going to get fired.”

He nodded slowly. “Me too.”

Her green eyes met his. “I don’t want to get fired,” she said steadily. “I love my job.”

“I don’t want to get fired either. My job’s the best thing in my life right now.”

Why had he said that?

That was far too personal. And Evan tried not to mix his personal life and with his working life. Or, at least, not usually.

“So I guess we both have to make the best of the situation.”

She didn’t acknowledge his words. Instead, she pulled out a flower-covered notebook and started scribbling.

“What are you doing?”

“I need to make plans. I need to make arrangements for my apartment. The electricity, the rent, the mail …” Her voice tailed off.

The enormity of the upheaval started to hit him too. He’d need to make similar plans—all in the space of a week. To say nothing of the handover he’d have to give to Donovan about running the team here. The next week would be a nightmare.

Violet was scribbling again. It was almost as if he wasn’t there. He watched her as her hand flew over the page. Her hair was falling over her face. His fingers itched to reach out and tuck it behind her ear. Why on earth did he think like this around her?

“Any chance of a copy of your list? It will save me doing mine.”

She raised her head and the sides of her mouth turned up. “Not a hope.” She stood up and walked toward the door. “I’m going to start going over my files, see what work I need to hand over to someone else.”

“Violet?”

She stopped, her hand on the doorhandle. “What?”

He couldn’t help it. He had to ask. Did she have the same kind of traits that he’d seen in her brother? He needed to know. The next three months were going to be a strain. Ever since that kiss he’d spent the past few months avoiding being in close proximity to her.

They’d never spoken about it. Never mentioned it. A drunken fumble on a work night out that no one knew about.

He had no idea how she felt about it.

More importantly, he’d no idea how he felt about it.

He’d woken up the next morning with the strangest feeling in his stomach. Part dread, part excitement. He was her boss. He should never have gone near her. It compromised their working relationship.

And now it seemed as if she was prepared to hold it over his head. That made Violet dangerous. That made Violet a threat.

“When the director interrupted us you were saying something about me being unprofessional. You were implying that because of the kiss. You thought you were about to be fired. Were you going to try and get me fired too? Would you do that, Violet?”

Her eyes met his and he saw a little flash of fire. She didn’t hesitate for a second. “In a heartbeat.”

She pushed open the door and walked out, leaving Evan wondering what he’d got himself into.

CHAPTER TWO

THE HEAT HIT her as soon as they stepped off the plane. It was like stepping into a fan-heated oven.

How on earth could she function in this for the next three months? Would she ever get used to it?

The sweat was already starting to run in rivulets down her back and catch in her bra strap. She rummaged in her bag and pulled out a travel-sized antiperspirant spray. “I’m heading to the ladies’ room. Can you watch for my bag? It’s lime-green.”

Evan nodded and dropped his rucksack onto the floor beside the luggage carousel. Great. A twelve-hour flight from Atlanta to Lagos, Nigeria, and he still wasn’t speaking to her.

Not that she cared. But it was unnerving to sit next to someone for that long without exchanging a single word.

She splashed some water on her face and pulled a ponytail band from her bag, sweeping her sticky hair from the back of her neck. She pulled off her white top and sprayed liberally before swapping it for a purple one in her rucksack. It was a little crumpled but it would have to do.

Was Evan planning on speaking to her any time soon? And what did he have to be so mad about, anyway? She’d only told him the truth. And if he couldn’t handle the truth …

She heard the squeak of luggage being wheeled past the doorway. People were obviously leaving so the baggage must have arrived.

She picked up her bag and headed back outside, just in time to see Evan drag her lime-green suitcase from the carousel.

It landed with a thump at her feet. “What on earth have you got in here? Did you pack the entire contents of your apartment? I’ve never seen a suitcase that size in my life. As for the weight, how on earth did you get it down your stairs?”

She watched as he pulled another suitcase—this time with one hand—from the carousel. It was a medium-sized navy blue case. She couldn’t help the smile that flickered across her lips.

She tilted her head up at him. “Oh, so now you’re talking to me, are you?” She pulled the handle up on the side of her case and tilted it onto its wheels. The initial tug was tough but once the case picked up a little momentum, it sailed along behind her.

“Do you remember the name of the person we’re meeting?” She walked in the direction of the exit.

Evan was matching her stride for stride, holding his case easily in his hand—he had no need for wheels. He pulled a piece of paper from his top pocket. “Someone called Amos should be waiting for us outside Arrivals with a car. They said under no circumstances should we get in a local taxi.” His eyes fell on her suitcase again. “Though at this rate we’ll probably need an eighteen-wheeler to move that. What do you have in there?”

Violet rolled her eyes. “Just everything a girl could need. Hold up a sec,” she said, as one of the customs officers gestured toward her.

Two hours later they finally made it to the exit.

“Of all the ridiculous, over-packed, stupid items to have in your suitcase—”

“Oh, drop it, Evan. I’m too hot and tired to listen to your whining.” She nodded in the direction of a man with a board showing their names in his hand. He looked as if he was wilting.

“Hi,” she said. “Amos? I’m Violet Connelly and this is Evan Hunter. Sorry we took so long.”

The man’s brow furrowed. “Was there a problem with the officials? I hope not.”

Evan let out a snort. “The only problems were the ones that she caused. Probably by trying to transport the equivalent of an elephant in her luggage.”

“An elephant? I don’t understand.”

Violet placed her hand over his. “Dr. Hunter is being sarcastic. The officials searched my luggage and removed certain items.”

“Items? What items?”

Violet shook her head. “Nothing important. Some U.S. candy. Some electrical items. Nothing I can’t live without.”

Evan was obviously becoming impatient. The two-hour-long inspection of Violet’s luggage must have been the final straw for him. “Do you have a car?”

Amos nodded. “The minibus is parked outside. I’ll take you to the Healthy World Federation building and give you some safety instructions. Stay next to me, please, as we leave the building. Some of the local taxis will try and encourage you to go with them.”

He grabbed hold of the handle of Violet’s case and stopped dead, obviously unprepared for the weight. He struggled to give her a smile as he dragged it along behind him. Within a few minutes they were outside the terminal building and were immediately accosted by a whole host of taxi drivers.

“Stay close!” shouted Amos as they pushed their way through. Evan’s hand appeared from nowhere and rested gently at her waist, guiding her through the shouting faces until they reached the car park.

“How far to the city?”

The long flight, followed by the search at customs, had taken their toll. Violet was ready to collapse in a heap. “Around fifty minutes. We’re just going to the outskirts. It’s a relatively safe area. Don’t worry.”

He opened the back door of the minibus and nodded to Evan. “Give us a hand with this, please.” Evan grabbed the other side of the case and between them they tossed it into the back of the minivan. Maybe a big suitcase hadn’t been such a good idea after all. But at the time she’d been packing everything had seemed like an essential.

The journey flew past. Violet could barely keep her eyes open as they sped through the city suburbs. It was immediately apparent that poverty was an issue—just like in so many other cities throughout the world.

She felt a sharp nudge on the ribs. “Wake up, Violet, we’re here.”

Her eyes shot open. When had she fallen asleep? The last thing she remembered was staring out the window at a group of children playing football in the street.

Somehow she’d fallen asleep with her head on Evan’s shoulder, and the heat from his body in the air-conditioned van had been comforting. She pulled herself up straight and rubbed at her cheek. Great. She could feel the creases of his shirt embedded in her face.

She looked out the window as Amos opened the door and let the heat flood inside again.

She’d had a little handheld, battery-powered fan in her suitcase. Too bad she hadn’t thought to put it in her hand luggage.

She jumped down onto the street and immediately pulled her sunglasses down from her forehead. She glanced at her watch. It was still set to Atlanta time. Lagos was only five hours ahead, but the jump between time zones had totally disorientated her. It felt as if it should be the middle of the night.

Amos hauled her case up the front steps of the building and pushed open the glass doors. Air-conditioning again. Bliss.

A woman in traditional dress met them at reception. “Dr. Hunter? Dr. Connelly? Welcome to headquarters.” She gestured toward the rear of the building. “If you want to head to the lifts, I’ll give you a key to your rooms. You’ll have a chance to freshen up, but we need you back down here later to meet the members of your team and have a safety briefing.”

“No problem.” Evan obviously wasn’t suffering from the same travel effects that she was. Right now she just wanted to lie down on some cool cotton sheets.

Evan glanced at the number of the key and pocketed it. Both of them stood for a few more seconds, waiting for the second key to appear.

It didn’t.

The lady looked back up. “Oh, didn’t someone explain? We’re a little short of space. You’ll be bunking up together. That won’t be a problem, will it?”

Her manner was so relaxed it almost disarmed Violet. What Violet really wanted to do was scream and shout and stamp her feet on the floor. Her patience and fatigue was at an all-time low.

“No problem at all.” Evan’s cool voice cut through the strop she was currently throwing in her head and he headed off toward the lift.

She bit her tongue and tugged her case after him, struggling to pull it over the seam between the floor and elevator door. Evan’s hand slid over hers and he gave it a final tug, sending her hurtling backward into the lift. She landed against the back wall with a thud.

“Thanks.” She couldn’t hide her sarcastic tone and wasn’t even going to try.

“My pleasure.” She could hear the edge of amusement in his voice and she really wasn’t in the mood at all.

He pressed a button and the elevator slid smoothly upward, opening onto a brightly lit corridor with a procession of identical brown doors.

“Can you manage?”

“Of course.” She tugged her case with both hands, smiling as his foot came into contact with one of the wheels. It really did feel as if she had a dead body inside.

He flinched. “We’re in here.” He slid the card into the door and pushed it open, revealing a regular-sized room with a large white bed.

One large white bed.

Silence.

Who would react first?

It was Violet. It was the final straw.

“You have got to be joking!”

Evan’s eyes swept the room, obviously looking for somewhere else to sleep. No stowaway bed. No pull-down couch.

One bed. Or nothing.

Violet stomped over to the bathroom and stuck her head inside. Clean. Functional. White bath and a separate shower.

“What are you looking for, a secret bed?”

His voice made her jump, his warm breath tickling the hairs at the back of her neck. She spun round. “Don’t do that!”

He smiled and it caught her unawares. The sun was streaming through the window, lighting up his face. When had been the last time she’d seen him smile? She couldn’t remember.

One thing was for sure. Evan Hunter should smile more often.

There were little lines around his blue eyes but they didn’t detract from how handsome he was. They only added character. And he was so close she could see little flecks of gold in them.

She was so tired right now. All she wanted to do was lean forward, bury her head in his firm chest and go to sleep. The bed in the middle of the room was practically shouting her name. But there was no way they could share a bed.

Especially after what had happened a few months ago.

The kiss had been steamy enough. But the two of them in a bed?

No. The picture that was conjuring up in her brain was too much. This fatigue was stopping any rational thoughts whatsoever.

Evan folded his arms across his chest.

“I don’t know about you, Violet, but I have no intention of sleeping on the floor.”

He was right. She knew he was right.

She glanced around at the floor. There wasn’t even as much as a rug to lie on.

Sharing a room in close proximity to Evan would be hard enough. But sharing a bed? It didn’t even bear thinking about.

There was a small table and chairs in front of the window in the room.

“How about we sleep in shifts?” She moved quickly, crossing the room in strides and jumping onto the bed. “I’ll go first.”

Her head sank instantly into the pillow. Perfect. She didn’t care what he thought. She needed to get some sleep. Now.

Evan sat down on one of the chairs, leaning forward and pulling a thick wad of papers from the zipped pocket in his case. His eyes ran over her body as she shuffled her shoes off and kicked them to the floor. Was he looking at her curves? Was he thinking about the last time he’d had his hands on her body?

That sent a whole new sensation prickling across her skin.

“Cranky when you’re tired, aren’t you? Fine. You sleep. I’ll read. I’ll wake you up in a few hours, in time for the briefing. Okay?”

“Okay,” she said instantly. There was no way she was getting off this comfortable bed.

How bad could this be? Maybe in a few hours they would be able to find someone else to share with?

Her eyes flickered shut.

She and Evan Hunter in a shared room.

Not the best start to her new life. Three years ago she’d originally applied to be part of this program but circumstances had changed and the thought of mainstream clinical work—potentially with lots of children—had been too difficult for her.

It hadn’t helped that her grieving brother hadn’t been in touch. Neither were her parents. They still hadn’t recovered from the loss of their daughter-in-law and first grandchild some years earlier. Telling them about her own circumstances would only have added to their pain. And they hadn’t needed that.

So she’d gone through everything herself.

Oh, she’d had some good friends who’d been there for her but it wasn’t the same as family, no matter how much she tried to spin it in her mind.

But life had come full circle. Time was supposed to be a great healer.

Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t.

She was ready for a change. She was a doctor. She’d spent the past three years in the epidemiology and planning department of the DPA.

It had been fine—for a desk job. But Violet was a people person.

The conflict—and incursion—with Evan Hunter had given her the impetus she needed to apply for a transfer. She wanted to have contact with patients again. She wanted to help people. She wanted to make a difference.

And out here, in Nigeria, she could certainly help to make a difference with the polio program.

It was time to get back out into the real world. And you didn’t get much more real than the heart of Africa.

She had her mind set on this. Getting involved again. Having contact with families. Having contact with mothers. Having contact with children. Having contact with babies.

Evan Hunter was nothing more than an inconvenience.

A handsome inconvenience.

She had work to do here, and he’d better not get in her way.

She snuggled further into the pillow and prayed she didn’t snore.

Evan gave her shoulder a little shake again, raising his voice just a little. “Violet. Violet. It’s time to wake up. We’ve got the briefing in half an hour.”

She stirred and mumbled something. It almost felt unfair to wake her. She was much nicer while she slept.

Less distracting. Less confrontational. Less a reminder of her brother.

He still hadn’t got over that. Matt Sawyer’s sister. Wow. He hadn’t seen that one coming. Not by a long shot.

She was mumbling again. She’d spent the past few hours doing that. Talking in her sleep. It was kind of cute. Not that he thought Violet was cute.

Not at all.

Plus, he didn’t have a single clue what she’d been saying. At one point it had almost sounded like someone’s name.

Her eyes flickered open and took a few moments to focus. At the exact moment a drip from his still-wet hair landed on her nose. He’d taken the opportunity to shower while she’d been sleeping and hadn’t got round to rubbing his hair with a towel.

“Eeeewwww!” She sat up sharply, her hand automatically rubbing her nose.

“Sorry.”

She glanced at her watch then screwed up her nose. “What time is it here? I’m still on Atlanta time.”

“It’s nearly six o’clock. You’d better get ready. I thought you might want to shower.”

She pushed herself up the bed. “Have you left any hot water?”

He shrugged. “You know what they say—if you’re not fast, you’re last.”

A pillow sailed from the bed and caught him on the side of his head. “Hey!”

Her head turned to the side, taking in the table where he’d been sitting. The papers and documentation had spilled over onto the other chair and across half the floor.

“Did you kill half a tree while I was sleeping?” She walked over and picked up some of the paperwork. “Do we really need to read all this?”

He shook his head. “You don’t. I do. You only need to read around half.”

She seemed to gulp. “Wow.”

She gave her eyes a little rub. “I think I will shower.” She tipped her case over and opened it up.

She hadn’t been joking. She really did have everything—despite having had some things removed at the airport. But what was more interesting was how everything was packed. Rolled-up tiny items, all in blocks of color. Nothing like the flat-folded items in his case. She even had her toiletries stuffed into her shoes.

She unrolled a light yellow dress, some white underwear and pulled some shampoo from a shoe. “I’ll only be five minutes.”

And she was. Her hair was still wet but pulled back into a braid that fell straight down her back.

It really was disarming how pretty she could look without even trying.

She picked up a notebook with purple flowers on the front. He squinted. “Are those violets?”

She nodded and smiled. “I have a whole boxful of these at home. Pretty, aren’t they? At least no one can steal my signature notebook.” The smile reached all the way up to her eyes.

It was nice to see a genuine smile. The past few weeks she’d had a permanent scowl on her face. But maybe that was especially for him. He liked her better this way.

“Did you buy them?”

“No. Sawyer did.”

How to break a moment. It was like someone had just thrown a bucket of ice over him.

He just couldn’t get past the connection.

He’d been the team leader. The one responsible for all members of staff.

And Sawyer’s wife, Helen, had died on that mission. Stuck out in the middle of nowhere with an ectopic pregnancy. By the time they’d recognized what was wrong it had been too late for her.

He blamed Sawyer. He must have known his wife was pregnant and yet he had let her go on that mission.

But Evan also had reason to blame himself, and six years on he still couldn’t get the guilt out of his head. Six years on he still hadn’t managed to shake the feeling that he was living a life his colleague wasn’t. It didn’t seem fair. It wasn’t as if he was short of offers. Sure, he dated. But the first time he even felt a flicker of something toward the woman of the moment, they had to go. Because why should he get to live, love and procreate when his colleague didn’t?

The sensation of guilt was a hideous, never-ending cycle. Sometimes it faded a little, only to flicker back into life as soon as something sparked a memory.

Violet was ready now, her eyes quizzical as if she had been reading his secret thoughts, her hand on the doorhandle. “Let’s go,” she said quietly.

He followed her to the elevators and down to the conference room. It was impressive. One wall was covered in maps of the states of Nigeria. Another had organizational charts of the team members. Another had immunization targets and notifications.

Everything they needed was right before their eyes.

“Welcome, Evan. Welcome, Violet. I’m Frank Barns, director of DPA’s Nigeria office.” He gestured to the walls. “Welcome to the operations center.”

He shook their hands and led them over to the nearest wall where the maps were displayed. “I finished a briefing for the other new staff earlier. You’ve probably realized we’re at a real tipping point with polio eradication. If immunity is not raised in the three remaining countries to levels necessary to stop poliovirus transmission, then polio eradication will fail. Nigeria is the only polio-endemic country remaining in Africa. There are several high-risk states and I’ve decided to send you to Natumba state. We’ve had sixty-two cases of wild poliovirus this year—more than half of them notified from Natumba. One third of all children there remain under-immunized.”

He gave them a little nod of his head. “You’ll have your work cut out for you there. The DPA works in conjunction with The Global Children’s Support Organization and the Healthy World Federation. But there are several issues for our workers.” His expression was deadly serious. “There have been bomb threats, killings and kidnappings. We have to make security a priority for our staff. You don’t go anywhere unescorted. While in Lagos you stay with a local guide, and the same applies when you reach Natumba.”

Evan could see Violet’s face pale. Was she frightened? Maybe she hadn’t been expecting this. He moved next to her and placed his hand over hers. Frank was still talking, outlining the things they should or shouldn’t do. He almost expected Violet to snatch her hand away. But she didn’t.

Instead she twined her fingers with his, while keeping her breathing slow and steady. She was scared.

And it scared him too. He was going to be team leader again. He was going to be out in the field, with a whole host of unknowns. A whole host of things he might not be able to predict or control.

What if something happened to one of his team again?

The guilt had almost destroyed him last time. What if something happened to Violet? It almost didn’t bear thinking about.

He pressed his fingers closer to hers and gave her a little smile while Frank continued with the briefing.

He would keep her safe. He had to.

He couldn’t think beyond that.

“Wow. What did you think of all that?”

It was an hour later and they were sitting in the dining room in the HWF building.

“So much for having a last supper before starting on the job.” She glanced around at her surroundings. They’d been advised not to leave the building at night, and neither of them had wanted to ignore the security brief.

“It’s probably for the best. We’ve got an early start tomorrow with the flight to Natumba.”

He was pushing his food around the plate, his mind obviously on other things.

“So, how do you feel about it?” She felt as if something was caught in her throat. Would he feel the same way she did? Sick with nerves? She hadn’t expected this. She hadn’t planned for it.

His eyes met hers. And she could almost see the shutters go down. It was apparent he wasn’t going to tell her how he was feeling about it all. After all, he hadn’t even wanted to come here, had he? He’d been more or less pushed into this.

She’d chosen to come here. She should have been better prepared for what she was getting into. The briefing today had knocked her for six. Would she even sleep tonight?

Sleep. That other issue.

“Did you manage to get the sleeping arrangements sorted out?” Evan had said he would try and talk to someone about finding another room.

He looked up from his plate, a smile dancing across his lips. “Yes and no.”

“What does that mean?”

“It means I’ve got us some extra pillows.”

“And what are they for?”

“To put down the middle of the bed.” She almost dropped her fork. They were still sleeping in the same bed? Oh, no.

Her skin was starting to tingle. The hairs on her arms were standing on end. Sharing a bed with Evan Hunter? Pillows or not, she wouldn’t sleep a wink.

“You okay with that?”

He seemed so cool. So calm and collected. His mind was obviously focused on the job and not doing a merry dance around the thoughts of a heated kiss a few months ago.

Not the way hers was.

“I’m fine with that.” She put her fork down. “I’ve had enough. I think I want to get to bed early.”

She’d said the words. She hadn’t meant them to come out sounding like that. Sounding as if she was hinting at something. She wanted to die of embarrassment and felt the rush of blood to her cheeks.

Evan kept his eyes fixed on his dinner plate. He handed over the key to the room. “I’ll let you go on ahead. I’ve got some things to work out with Frank. We’ll probably be talking late into the night. Leave the door on the latch. I promise I won’t wake you when I come up.”

She nodded and just about grabbed the key from his hand, thankful that he seemed to have missed the implication of her words. “Good night, then.” She sped off to the room. The sooner she had her head under the covers the better.

This was going to be a long night.

Evan watched her retreating back. In the artificially lit room he could see her silhouette through her thin yellow dress, showing the curve of her bottom and hips. He did his best to look away.

This was all going to end in disaster.

He’d lied. He didn’t have to see Frank about anything. He’d been given all the information he could possibly need.

The worst thing was that he’d left all the paperwork in the room. He was going to have to hang around and kill time with nothing to do.

It had seemed easier to make something up. To let her slip away and get to the room without him pretending not to watch her every move.

Leave the door on the latch. He cringed at his words. It was like something an old married couple would say to each other. Where had that come from?

Everything about this situation was just too uncomfortable.

He’d caught a waft of her floral perfume the other day and it had invaded his senses, instantly taking him back to that night in the bar.

The night when Violet had drunk too many glasses of wine and had virtually propositioned him in the corridor leading to the back exit. The night when he’d had too many whiskies and had no resistance to her in her red dress and spiked heels, her hair all mussed up on her head.

The feel of her hungry lips on his had made him forget where they were and the consequences of his actions.

By the time someone had interrupted them, he’d practically had her dress up around her waist.

Hardly the ideal position for a DPA team leader and a member of his staff.

And the next day it had been as if nothing had ever happened. He sometimes wondered if Violet even remembered the incident.

Surely she hadn’t been that drunk? Because that thought made him sick to his stomach. That would mean he’d taken advantage of her. Something he would never do.

But in the meantime her floral scent lingered around him.

How could he sleep in a room tonight with that aroma and all it conjured up in his mind?

There was no question about it.

Violet Connelly was going to drive him crazy.

CHAPTER THREE

THE LIGHT AIRCRAFT touched down in a cloud of dust.

“We’re here.” Violet pressed her nose up against the glass window, trying to take in the wide landscape ahead of her.

Natumba state covered more than eighteen thousand square kilometers, and they’d landed in the northernmost tip, at the three local government areas most affected by polio. Only a few days ago there had been another two diagnoses of wild poliovirus.

Part of her was relieved they weren’t going to be based in the capital, Natumba. There was another team already based there.

But the wide open landscape and vast terrain made her realize the huge task they were undertaking and the number of miles they’d need to cover. All in the blistering heat.

There were a few figures dressed in white next to the landing strip, along with a whole host of multi-terrain vehicles—some looking a little worse for wear.

“That must be Dr. Yusif. He said he would meet us here and take us to the campsite.”

“I didn’t expect it to be so green. I expected it to look more barren.”

Evan turned as he unloaded their bags and all the supplies from the plane. “Natumba is quite an agricultural state—they produce a lot of groundnuts. The land is supposed to be well cultivated and irrigated.”

“And the villages?” She left the question hanging in the air between them.

Both of them had read as much as they could about the surrounding area. Only half of the population in the area had access to portable water and appropriate sanitation. Health care was limited and the education system in a state of neglect.

Although the government had launched national campaigns to raise awareness about polio, the reality was the message wasn’t reaching the villagers.

“Nigeria isn’t all savannah. The far south has a tropical rainforest climate and good rainfall. There are also areas of saltwater swamp and mangroves. The border with Cameroon has highlands and a rich rainforest. It’s not the dry desert wasteland that some people expect.”

Dr. Yusif was striding across the ground to meet them. He was dressed in a white shirt and trousers with a white kufi cap on his head. “Welcome, welcome.” His smile reached from ear to ear. “I’m so glad to see you.” He shook hands with them both and guided them over to the vehicles. “Grab your bags and let’s get on the move. It will be too hot to travel if we don’t start now.”

“How far away is the campsite?” Violet asked as she slid into the backseat of the four wheel drive. The upholstery of the seats were ripped and scorched by the sun. She pulled her skirt down to stop her skin from sticking to the surface. It must be around one hundred degrees in here, nothing like the comfortable, air-conditioned vehicles they’d had in the city, or that she took for granted back home.

“It’s only around an hour, but the roads can be rough. Hold on to your hat!”

Evan slid in next to her and they listened as Dr. Yusif filled them in on some of the background to where they’d be working. Violet clung onto the grab handle on the roof as the car pitched over the uneven terrain—anything to stop her sliding across the seat and landing in Evan’s lap.

He was managing to look as cool and calm as ever. How did he do it? The sweat was already starting to trickle down her spine and she was wishing she had pulled her hair off her collar with an elastic band.

Dr. Yusif seemed to talk constantly. It seemed that he’d been here, without support, for some time and was relieved that they’d arrived. He was moving on to another area and would introduce them to the team covering the three local areas, which Evan would be leading.

Every now and then he turned and spoke to the driver of the car in another language. “What language is that you’re speaking?” Violet queried.

“It’s Hausa, the native language around these parts. Don’t worry. You’ll be assigned a local guide who’ll be able to interpret for you. And it might surprise you, but some of the villagers speak English. It’s one of the official languages of Nigeria. You’ll get along fine here.”

The countryside sped past. They passed some smaller villages, where people were working in the fields, and had to pull over as some livestock were driven along the road toward them.

Violet was feeling nervous.

This was what she’d wanted—a complete change of scenery. A chance to do the job she’d initially set out to do. A chance to test herself again—to get in among real live people and see if she could make a difference to their health and future prospects. A chance to get away from Evan Hunter.

The past few weeks had been a terrible strain. Working with Evan had been hard enough after their passionate interlude. But seeing his reactions to her brother’s involvement in the potential smallpox outbreak had made her throw all rational thought out the window.

She’d thought that by applying for a transfer she’d not only get a new start for herself but also a new start away from him.

But the director had obviously had other ideas.

Being trapped in a room with him last night had been more than a little strange. Of course she’d heard him come into the room.

Her heartbeat had quickened as she’d heard the rustle of his clothes. Willing herself not to imagine what lay beneath.

She’d been very conscious of her own breathing, trying not to let it change to keep up the pretense of being asleep when the mattress had sunk as he’d sat down on the edge of the bed. Then there had been the careful placement of pillows between them.

All the while her mind had been throwing them back off the wall on the other side of the room.

But why did she feel like this? She didn’t want to like him. She didn’t want to find him attractive. It was so much easier when they were arguing and scowling at each other. But this man had crept under her skin in so many different ways that she didn’t even want to think about.

All from that one kiss.

Why had neither of them ever acknowledged it? A relationship would have been frowned on by bosses at the DPA. Particularly if things had gone on a downward spiral and affected the work of the team.

But more importantly, for Violet, it was easier to pretend it had never happened. Because then she would have to deal with how it, and he, had made her feel. And she wasn’t ready for that, not then and not now.

She wasn’t ready for anything other than the job. Thinking about a man would bring a whole host of other emotions to the surface. She was only ready to take baby steps.

Only her first baby steps had been like stepping onto the moon. A giant leap for mankind and a giant leap for Violet.

Working at the DPA had sheltered her for a while. It had almost made her feel safe. Watching the crops and dust speed past was exciting—her first visit to Africa. But it was just so, so different from being based in the DPA at Atlanta.

Could she really handle this? Or was it all just a step too far?

The car jolted to a halt outside a makeshift building. This was obviously the village. Most of it was in a state of disrepair. There was a huge variety of structures from thatched-roof huts to wooden buildings, from brick buildings to some traditionally built husa houses.

Her eyes were drawn immediately to the overhead water tank at the edge of the village. At least this village had one. From what she’d learned, access to improved water and sanitation was a daily challenge for most Nigerians, particularly in the rural north of the country where less than half the population had access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation.

She jumped out and followed Evan into the building. Although the surroundings were poor, the equipment almost made her do a double-take. Two computers sat on a bench—where the generator was she’d no idea. Her eyes widened at the sight of some mobile phones and GPS monitors sitting on another bench, alongside vaccine transporters and fridges into which the vaccines were already being unpacked.

There was whole host of people to meet. Some of the village leaders, some health staff, community outreach workers, midwives and members of another voluntary organization involved in water aid.

But most importantly, outside stood a row of women with their children. Violet cringed with embarrassment as her case thudded from the back of the car. Three months’ worth of clothes and a whole pile of other things now seemed extravagant and ridiculous.

It didn’t matter that she also had a whole host of medical supplies in her case. The size and weight of her lime-green case now seemed like a beacon of excess. She wanted to send it straight back home.

Evan’s much smaller, navy blue case seemed much more appropriate. Something else to hold against him.

Dr. Yusif was still fussing around them, probably relieved that there were finally some colleagues to hand over to. “Your accommodation is over there. I’ll get your luggage taken over. Would you like to go and freshen up?”

Violet followed where his finger was pointing at a solid brown building just a few hundred yards away.

“Separate rooms?” she asked. It was the first thing that sprang to mind.

“What?” He looked confused then started laughing. “Of course. There are single rooms for all of our staff. They are small and pretty basic, a single bed with mosquito net, a chest of drawers—” his eyes danced over her bulging case “—and some toilet facilities, but I’m sure you’ll be comfortable.”

“I’m sure we will be.” She was relieved. Being stuck in a room at night with Evan had unsettled her, and she had no idea if that would be expected in their field assignments too. Thankfully not.

She glanced at her watch, unsure what to do first. She nodded at the people outside. “Want me to get straight to work?”

Dr. Yusif looked a little taken aback. “Don’t you and Dr. Hunter want to take some time to settle in? I’ve got a whole host of things to hand over to Dr. Hunter before I leave—it will probably take the rest of the day.”

Violet shrugged. She wasn’t there to be a team leader. She was there to be doctor. And there was no time like the present.

Dr. Yusif’s hand touched her skin. “You do realize you won’t just get to administer polio vaccine straight away? Most of these people are here because their children are sick.” He lowered his voice. “This is where it gets really difficult. People come because you’re a doctor, not because of the vaccine. If you start to treat every problem, you’ll never get the job done that you’re here for.”

Violet looked at the anxious faces. She could already tell where she would fall down in this job. She couldn’t just administer vaccine. She had to look at the whole health of a person, how they lived, their home and their facilities, in order to give them the best advice possible. It was the heart of public health.

“Well, let’s just get me started in the meantime. We can reassess how things are going in a few days. Can you pair me up with an interpreter?”

Dr. Yusif nodded quickly and gestured to a young woman dressed in bright clothing to come over. “Olabisi, come over here please.”

The woman hurried over, her bright orange and red skirts sweeping along the floor. “Dr. Connelly wants to start straight away. Can you interpret for her, please, and show her around the clinic?”

Evan touched her shoulder. “Are you sure about this?”

He was leaning over her, watching her again with those blue eyes. He was close enough to see the gold flecks.

He couldn’t possibly know. He couldn’t possibly know how hard these first few steps would be.

Should she tell him?

Of course not. That would be another fault. Another black mark against her name. She’d already kept one secret from him. What would he say if he found out there were two?

He would undoubtedly question her suitability for the job.

But she wanted this. She needed this.

Even though it would inevitably break her heart.

It was time to move on.

She turned to face him and met his gaze. “I think it’s for the best. If I can get started straight away it will help build some relationships with the villagers.”

She could almost hear his brain tick, trying to decide if it was the best thing to do. “I’ll come and find you in an hour, okay?”

She nodded and smiled. “That’s fine. If there’s anyone needing immunization I can do that as I go.”

“You’re happy with the protocol for recording?”

“It seems straightforward enough. I’ll give you a yell if I run into any problems.”

He seemed to hesitate, as if he wanted to say something else, but she didn’t wait to find out. She walked to the doorway. Olabisi was already talking to some of the mothers waiting outside, forming them into two separate queues.

“Ah, Dr. Violet.” She pointed to the queue on her left. “This one is yours, all these mothers understand English. The other queue is mine. These villagers only speak Hausa. We should be able to get through more this way. Okay?”

Violet smiled. Olabisi was already looking like a professional rather than a local volunteer with rudimentary training. She could learn a lot from these people.

She turned to the first woman in the queue, who was clutching a baby in one arm and holding the hand of another small child with one limb showing clear signs of atrophy. Already they were too late. This child had already been affected by polio.

She gestured with her hand. “Please come in. I’m Dr. Violet.”

The afternoon flew past. Polio had blighted this community. Most villagers had probably never even realized they’d been affected. Ninety percent of sufferers had no symptoms.

But then there were the few poor souls—children and adults alike—where the virus had entered their central nervous system and destroyed their motor neurons, leading to muscle weakness and acute flaccid paralysis.

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