The man in him saw soft curves, creamy skin and green eyes that sparked and teased. He saw temptation and seduction in every graceful movement of those long limbs. Dr. Finn McBride saw guts mingled with a vulnerability that could cut a man off at the knees.

The doctor in him wondered whether Dr. Juliet Adams had enough body fat to make the strenuous assault on the world’s highest mountain. He knew that about fifteen percent of body weight was lost after three months at high altitude. He had a better than fair experience with women’s bodies and he was willing to bet money that Dr. Adams couldn’t afford to lose fifteen percent.

Would she make it to the top of Everest?

With a soft curse, Finn reminded himself that her fitness wasn’t his problem.

The fact that she was trekking to one of the most inhospitable places on earth, wasn’t his problem.

So why did he have a powerful urge to bundle her straight back on that terrifying flight and return her safely to Kathmandu?

Dear Reader,

I’m always happiest in the mountains. I like to walk in the Lake District and ski in the Alps, but the one place I’ve always yearned to visit is the Himalayas. I’m fascinated by the growing interest in high-altitude medicine and also by the drive that makes climbers risk their lives to tackle summits over eight thousand meters high.

As remote areas of the world become more accessible, more people are exposed to the effects of altitude, and I decided that this would make a different and interesting setting for a medical romance.

The research was extensive but stimulating, and I wrote this book during the period of time that the various teams were tackling Everest. Tracking their progress on a daily basis helped to bring the book to life for me.

My heroine, Juliet, has her own demons to beat. She knows that mountains are dangerous and she won’t give her heart to a man who risks his life. But love cannot always be easily set aside, and Finn McEwan isn’t a man to take no for an answer.

This is a book about bravery and determination, about grit and courage when life seems to demand the impossible.

If you have your own personal Everest to climb, then I wish you the strength and courage to make it to the top.

Love,

Sarah

High-Altitude Doctor
Sarah Morgan

To Julian, for being perfect in every way and

for making me so happy.

Love always

CONTENTS

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ONE

Kathmandu, Nepal, 1300 metres above sea level

SHE was going to die.

The flight from Kathmandu to the tiny village of Lukla in the foothills of the Himalayas took only forty minutes and it was the longest, most terrifying forty minutes of her life. If there’d been any other practical way of travelling across this part of Nepal, she would have taken it.

Juliet closed her eyes tightly and tried to focus on something, anything, other than the clouds, the mountains hidden behind them and the ground that taunted her as it flashed beneath the aircraft.

‘Hey, doc…’ The bearded man in the next seat leaned towards her. ‘You’re looking green. You OK?’

‘I will be when we land.’

‘That bad, huh?’ He laughed in surprise. ‘And I was told you were gutsy.’

Juliet kept her eyes closed. ‘My guts are back in Kathmandu. If you want to fly back and get them, Neil, that’s up to you, but I’m only taking this flight once.’

The twin-engined Cessna only had sixteen seats and at that precise moment Juliet sincerely wished that there hadn’t been room for her. At Kathmandu Airport hordes of people had jostled for a place on the flight but the exchange of rupees had been sufficient to ensure that all the climbers and trekkers had gained seats. Including her.

She wished she’d left a month earlier and walked.

She heard Neil give a sympathetic chuckle. ‘We’ll be landing soon.’

‘And that’s supposed to make me feel better?’ Juliet opened one eye and shot him a baleful look. ‘We both know what the runway is like at Lukla.’

She liked Neil Kennedy a lot. They’d climbed together in the Alps and the Himalayas and he had proved himself to be a skilful and reliable team member. He was calm, level-headed and able to smooth over the trickiest situations—a general, all-round good guy.

‘They’ve actually built a runway?’ Neil pretended to look surprised. ‘That’s the best news I’ve had all day.’

Maybe not such a good guy.

‘Very funny, I’m sure.’

‘Well, runway is a generous description for a bit of dirt with a cliff at the end.’

‘Thanks for reminding me what it’s like.’

‘You were here last year. You know exactly what it’s like.’

‘Which is why I prefer to close my eyes.’ She did so, but carried on talking. ‘Are the trekkers doing OK? Anyone lost their breakfast yet?’

Four trekkers had opted to join them on the trek up to Everest base camp and Juliet knew that none of them had had any experience of high altitude before.

Neil swivelled in his seat. ‘The two guys are trying to look tough and macho, one of the girls looks white and the other one is gawking out of the window at the view. She obviously doesn’t know about the runway. Ten more minutes to landing and then she’ll be as green as you. But so far their insides seem to still be inside.’

‘Good.’ She didn’t want to have to think about delivering medical care to anyone at the moment. She was too busy looking after herself. ‘I haven’t even had a chance to get to know them yet. Do they look as though they’ll make it all the way?’

‘To Everest Base Camp?’ Neil settled back in his seat again and gave a shrug. ‘Who knows? Altitude is a great leveller, as you’re always telling me. They’ve got all the gear and they’re enthusiastic enough. And they’ve certainly paid enough for the privilege of trekking with Dr Juliet Adams, expert in high-altitude medicine. They think you walk on water. If anything goes wrong, they’re expecting you to fix it with one wave of your magic stethoscope.’

Despite the teasing note in his voice, Juliet didn’t open her eyes. At the moment she didn’t feel like an expert in anything and the only thing she wanted to fix was her churning stomach. ‘Well, I just hope they’re impressed so far.’

‘They’re probably wondering how a woman who can’t open her eyes in a plane managed to climb halfway up Everest last year.’

Juliet felt a flicker of regret. ‘Not the top, Neil. I had to turn back at Camp III.’ Driven back by bad weather and another climber with a severe case of pulmonary oedema who had needed to be escorted down to Base Camp. The frustration and disappointment still festered inside her. Would she have made it to the top? ‘I’m fine as long as my feet are on the ground. That’s natural. It’s flying that’s unnatural.’

‘There’s nothing natural about climbing Everest,’ Neil said dryly, leaning across her to stare out of the window. ‘And I still don’t understand what a nice girl like you is doing in a place like this. You should be at home, looking after a man and raising babies.’

‘Are you proposing?’

Neil lifted her hand to his lips and gave a boyish grin. ‘Believe me, if I thought I had a chance I would have proposed years ago, sweetheart. But my daughter, who is about your age, would undoubtedly die of embarrassment and my wife wouldn’t be too pleased either.’

Juliet leaned across and kissed him on the cheek. ‘Given that you’re away from home, climbing mountains, for at least half the year, there’s no way I’d marry you, but there’s no one I’d rather have as part of a summit team. And this year we’re going all the way to the top.’

Everest.

The highest mountain in the world.

Her goal.

‘Why?’ Neil let go of her hand and shot her a curious look. ‘Why would a slip of a girl like you need to climb Everest?’

Something dark and terrifying stirred deep inside her, something Juliet preferred to keep locked away. She had her own reasons for being on Everest. And they were personal.

‘You sound like one of those journalists.’ She kept her tone light and Neil settled himself more comfortably in his seat.

‘So what do you tell the journalists when they ask you that question?’

Juliet shrugged. ‘Depends on my mood. If it’s bad then something like, “Mind your own business.” Sometimes I tell them it’s because it raises my credibility when I’m lecturing a thousand doctors on high-altitude medicine.’ She tilted her head to one side and gave a wry smile. ‘It’s hard to grab the attention of an audience if you’ve never been near a mountain. Sometimes I just tell them I like pushing myself to the limit.’

‘And what a limit. Do you know how many people have died attempting to climb Everest?’

Her insides tensed and knotted.

Oh, yes, she knew.

‘Nine per cent don’t come back,’ she said flatly, ‘and I don’t know why you’re giving me this lecture, given that you’re planning to climb it, too. At least I’m single.’

And she intended to stay that way.

‘Is that why you never get involved with anyone? You never talk about your love life.’ He turned his head and gave her a curious look. ‘Do you stay single because you have a life-threatening career? Even the promise of a floaty white dress and a bunch of presents you don’t need aren’t enough to tempt you to marriage?’

‘Now you definitely sound like a journalist,’ Juliet said lightly, rummaging in her bag for some sweets to suck, ‘and the answer is mind your own business.’

‘Well, whatever the reason, I’m glad you’re our team doctor. It means you can mop my fevered brow when I’m struck down by altitude. Who knows?’ He gave her a saucy wink. ‘I might even get mouth to mouth.’

‘You should be so lucky. And, anyway, I might be the one who’s struck down. Doctors don’t have immunity to the effects of altitude, as you well know.’ Juliet risked a glance out of the window and immediately felt her stomach lurch. ‘We’re coming in to land. Let’s hope we live to climb a mountain instead of slamming straight into one.’

She didn’t even want to think about the angle of the runway.

‘There are some strong teams attempting the southeast face this year,’ Neil told her, ticking them off on his fingers as he listed a few. ‘There’s a small Spanish team, the New Zealand team are exceptional and the Americans are filming an ascent.’

Juliet caught a glimpse of the runway ahead of her and the mountain ahead of that. She tightened her fingers into a ball and tried not to notice the abandoned wreckage of a plane on one side of the field. ‘If you’re trying to distract me, I have to tell you that it isn’t working. You need to try harder.’ She closed her eyes again and concentrated on her dream.

Everest.

Soon it would begin. The thirty-five-mile trek towards Base Camp, which would then be her home for the coming weeks.

Theoretically it was possible for an extremely fit, acclimatised person to make the distance to the foot of Everest in a few days but, as expedition doctor, Juliet had insisted that they take over a week to cover the same distance. Altitude sickness had been her area of study for several years and she understood the importance of allowing the body time to adjust to the decrease in oxygen. She was responsible for the health of the trekkers who were going with them as far as Base Camp, as well as the expedition members. And she was also responsible for her own health.

And she knew that her own health was important.

Without her, the team would have no medical backup in a remote and potentially lethal environment.

And if she didn’t stay healthy, she wouldn’t be climbing the mountain.

And this year she was aiming for the summit.

She was going all the way.

Lukla, in the foothills of the Himalayas, 2850 metres above sea level

The village was tiny, little more than a cluster of huts around an airstrip, and as the plane juddered to an uneasy halt, hordes of Nepalese villagers hurried forward to unload the plane.

With her baseball cap tugged down over her eyes and her hands shoved in the pockets of her combat trousers, Juliet watched as they shifted crates and bags, checking that her medical supplies had survived the flight. Her green eyes were sharp, observant, missing nothing. Crates of vegetables, live chickens, long rolls of carpet and other cargo were mixed up with her own supplies and she watched closely as they were sorted into piles. She’d spent months calculating what she’d need to support an expedition to the world’s highest mountain and she didn’t want to lose any of it at this stage.

The sun blazed overhead as Neil gathered together the trekkers who had been on the flight from Kathmandu and would be joining them as far as Everest Base Camp. The rest of the climbers in their party had made the same journey a few days earlier.

Only when she was satisfied that all her packages had made it in one piece did Juliet turn away. She felt grubby and hot and in desperate need of a shower.

And that was when she spotted him.

He stood slightly apart from the other climbers and trekkers, a battered hat pulled down over his eyes, a disturbingly intent expression in his dark eyes as he watched her.

And Juliet watched him back.

What woman wouldn’t have?

She saw unreasonably broad shoulders and a strong, athletic physique. She saw a man who was both arrogant and confident, a man who would lead while others followed. She saw a man who was tough and uncompromising and totally comfortable in these harsh surroundings. And she saw strong masculine features designed to make a woman dream and want.

But most of all she saw danger. The sort of danger she avoided at all costs.

For a moment Juliet struggled with her breathing. Then she told herself firmly that it was nothing to do with the fact that she was on the receiving end of that intense dark gaze, and everything to do with the sudden increase in altitude. She’d just gained six thousand feet in elevation. It was hardly surprising she was breathless.

Neil followed her gaze. ‘That’s Finn McEwan. Bit of a legend. He’s climbed almost all the big ones, but Everest has always eluded him. Mostly because the guy is always playing the hero. Two years ago he risked his neck bringing an injured climber down from the South Col, the year before that he rescued a bunch of climbers who’d been caught in an avalanche. I hope he makes it this year. Handsome devil, isn’t he? Can’t believe you don’t know him.’

For a moment Juliet didn’t respond. She was held, locked in visual communication with the man on the opposite side of the runway. ‘I’ve read his research,’ her voice was croaky. ‘I’ve seen him interviewed and I—’

‘That’s not the same,’ Neil interrupted her with a wave of his hand. ‘It’s time you met each other in the flesh, so to speak. Come on.’ He grabbed Juliet’s arm. ‘I’ll introduce you. He’s the male equivalent of you. Both doctors, both climbers, both driven and competitive. And both single.’ His tone was dry. ‘It’s a match made in heaven.’

Panic fluttered inside her but before she could reply Neil propelled her across the airstrip and the next moment she was standing in front of the man.

‘Finn.’ Neil greeted the man with a handshake and a warm slap on the shoulder that suggested familiarity. Then he turned back to her. ‘This dizzy-looking blonde is Dr Juliet Adams. Don’t be fooled by the fact she looks like a teenager. Her qualifications are impressive. Frankly, I can’t believe the two of you haven’t met before now, given that you climb the same mountains, are on the same lecture circuit and the fact that you’re never one to let a pretty girl pass you by, but there you are. This is your lucky moment.’

Juliet tensed, stiff with embarrassment at the introduction, but the expression on Finn McEwan’s hard, handsome face didn’t flicker and his gaze lingered thoughtfully on her flushed cheeks.

‘Dr Adams.’ He extended a hand and she had no choice but to take it. Strong fingers closed around her palm and the contact made her pulse race even faster. In contrast he was totally relaxed, his voice deep and steady. ‘I read your last paper on the effects of altitude on asthma. Your conclusions were interesting. Are you carrying out any research at the moment? What’s your purpose on Everest this year?’

Juliet hesitated. ‘To climb it.’

She saw something dark flicker in the depths of those dark eyes. They continued to hold hers. Continued to probe.

‘You should stick to research.’ His tone was low and measured. ‘Or being Base Camp doctor. You shouldn’t be up on her slopes.’

She lifted her chin, needled by his unwarranted advice. ‘Why is that, Dr McEwan?’

There was a long silence while he watched her. ‘I think you know why.’

A sudden tension snapped the air tight and for a moment his eyes held hers in silent communication.

Her stomach tumbled and her pulse raced and she cursed herself silently for feeling something she really didn’t want to feel. ‘I wish I had the time to argue the merits of being a woman on Everest, Dr McEwan, but I’ve got places I need to be.’ Her tone was cool and formal and lacking in any reaction other than politeness. ‘And now we need to get going because we’ve got some walking to do before we settle down for the night.’ She jerked her hand away and turned to Neil. ‘We’re sleeping lower down the valley. It will be easier to breathe.’

Neil gave a slight frown. ‘I know our itinerary, but I thought you—’

‘We should really get going.’ Aware that she was repeating herself, Juliet shifted the pack on her back and gave Finn McEwan a quick nod. ‘See you at Base Camp, I expect.’

The sudden narrowing of his eyes was his only reaction to her almost curt dismissal.

‘Oh, we’ll see each other long before that.’ His voice was a deep, lazy drawl that hinted things that she really didn’t want to think about. ‘We’re following the same trail as you at the same pace, Dr Adams. There’s a strong chance we’ll get the chance to enjoy a yak burger together.’

Her gaze maintained a glacial cool. ‘I don’t think so. It was nice meeting you, Dr McEwan.’ And with that she walked over to the trekkers, careful not to look back in case those watchful blue eyes were still trained in her direction.

‘Well!’ Neil joined her, not even bothering to hide his astonishment. ‘What was all that about?’

Juliet bent down to adjust her boots. ‘Clearly your Dr McEwan has a problem with women climbing Everest.’

Neil frowned. ‘I don’t think so. I mean, he’s been on loads of expeditions with women. The man loves women—’

Juliet stood up. ‘Must just be blondes he has a thing against, then.’

Neil shook his head. ‘I don’t get it. You’re the most sociable person I know and normally if you meet another doctor I can’t stop you talking. Finn is the best there is but you behaved as though he were carrying the plague, not here to treat it.’

Juliet didn’t answer. Instead, she took her water bottle out of her pack and drank deeply. She knew the importance of keeping herself hydrated at altitude. And the activity gave her time to settle her thoughts. ‘Perhaps I’m just not in the mood to argue about a woman’s right to climb mountains.’ She took another drink, aware that Neil was staring at her.

‘But you love arguing. It’s what you do best. You’re sassy and sparky and you love it when people challenge you just so that you can prove them wrong.’

Juliet lowered the bottle, her peaked cap hiding the angry flash of her eyes. ‘Perhaps I don’t feel the need to prove myself today. We’ve got a schedule to keep, Neil. Let’s do it.’

He stared at her. ‘And that’s it? You just met the heartthrob of the mountains and all you can think about are schedules?’ Neil scratched his head, his expression amazed. ‘You’re the first woman I’ve ever met who hasn’t gone dizzy at the sight of him. Women usually can’t leave the guy alone. He’s Mr Super-Cool. Real hero material.’

‘Surely you mean Dr Super-Cool.’ Juliet stuffed the water bottle back in her pack. ‘And I don’t need a hero. Let’s just say that Dr Finn McEwan isn’t my type.’

‘But you don’t know him.’

She thought of those wicked dark eyes and that lazy look that could seduce a woman at a glance. She thought of the cool self-confidence and machismo that was part of the man. ‘I know all I need to know. That sort of guy you can read at a glance.’ She checked her boots were comfortable, swung her pack onto her pack and jammed her cap further down over her eyes. It was a ritual she followed before she walked. Boots, pack, cap.

‘Oh, right.’ Neil gave a disbelieving laugh. ‘You don’t go for strong, handsome guys who are clever and bold as brass?’

‘That’s about the size of it.’ Juliet shifted the pack slightly and made a mental note to remove something that evening. It was too heavy. She was carrying too much gear.

‘If I live to be a hundred, I will never understand women.’ Neil shook his head. ‘That guy scores with every female he meets. He fights them off.’

‘Sounds exhausting. I’m sure he’ll be relieved to know that I’m one less woman he’ll have to keep at a distance.’ She strolled towards the trekkers who were hovering, determined not to let her mind linger on Finn McEwan for even a second. He didn’t think she should be on Everest. But she wasn’t interested in his opinion, she reminded herself. His opinion didn’t matter to her. ‘I just want to watch them load my medical equipment and then we’ll start the walk to the village. The sun is hot at the moment but once it dips behind those clouds the temperature will drop sharply so make sure you have an extra layer handy.’

Sally, one of the trekkers, walked over to her. ‘That flight was amazing. I couldn’t believe the angle of the runway.’ She was obviously eager to ask questions. ‘Is it true that it’s possible to walk to Everest Base Camp in three days from here?’

Juliet ignored Neil’s pained expression. The trekkers had paid to be guided by a doctor with experience in high-altitude medicine. They had a right to ask questions and she was more than happy to answer them. This was her job. It was what she knew. And she was happy to be distracted from thoughts of Finn McEwan. ‘If you want to risk cutting your holiday short, yes. But from this point on you’re going to feel the effects of high altitude. If you don’t give yourself time to acclimatise, you’ll suffer. You need to give your body time to adjust to having less oxygen. Climb too high, too fast and your trip will be over. And not just the trip. Over supper tonight I’m going to give a talk on altitude sickness so that you all know the basics.’ A small crowd of Sherpas converged on the luggage and Juliet’s face brightened as one of them approached her, a broad smile on his face. ‘Pemba Sherpa! Our Base Camp leader. Namaste.’

Using her rusty and very limited Nepali, she greeted the Sherpa whom she’d met on previous expeditions and who would be responsible for running the camp that they established at the base of the mountain. She switched to English to discuss the transportation of her medical equipment and watched as a string of yaks were led onto the landing field.

Yaks, a type of hardy cattle, were used to transport packs and equipment up to Base Camp and Juliet watched in trepidation as the Sherpas placed blankets and wooden frames on the animals’ backs and then started tying on her crates. Would they be too heavy? She’d barely been able to lift half of them but the animal didn’t flinch and she relaxed slightly when she saw that the Sherpas were loading still more on top. Clearly they didn’t consider her supplies to be excessively heavy.

Which was a relief, because she’d carefully run through all the possible medical scenarios that she was likely to encounter on the barren, frozen flanks of Everest and she’d packed accordingly. She didn’t want to leave any of the equipment behind.

Juliet stood and watched, slim as a blade, her blonde hair falling in a plait between her narrow shoulder-blades, her mind totally focused on the job in hand. Only when she was satisfied that it was all safely loaded did she turn her attention back to the trekkers.

‘This isn’t a particularly nice place to linger and I want us to sleep at a lower altitude tonight to make breathing easier, so we’ve got a short walk ahead of us down to the hamlet where we’ll be staying.’ She’d planned the route carefully with Billy, their expedition leader, who would be meeting up with them at Base Camp.

The trail was hard-packed dirt and easy to follow and Juliet soon settled into her stride, enjoying the rhythm and the stimulation of physical exercise, taking the time to review the people walking with her. In fact, she was careful to think about everything except Dr Finn McEwan.

A clear vision of him came into her mind and she dismissed it instantly.

Base Camp was going to be busy, she assured herself. Once the season started there could be as many as six hundred people camped on the glacier. It was like a small town and each expedition had their own goals and objectives. Dr Finn McEwan would have plenty to occupy him.

He wouldn’t have time to concern himself with her or her reasons for being on Everest. And she certainly wouldn’t have time to concern herself with him.

Sally closed in behind her, still eager to talk. ‘I can’t believe I’m really here. In the Himalayas. It’s been my dream for so long.’

Grateful for the distraction, Juliet encouraged her to chat and learned that she and the other trekkers were all medical students.

They were an enthusiastic and lively bunch and Juliet hoped that they weren’t underestimating the effects that altitude would have as they climbed further down the valley. Many people who had never been exposed to the effects of high altitude were taken by surprise.

Just as she’d predicted, as soon as the sun vanished behind the clouds, the temperature dropped dramatically. Juliet stopped to pull a jumper out of her pack. ‘The air doesn’t hold much heat up here,’ she told Sally. ‘Once the sun goes, it’s freezing.’

Sally also added another layer and Juliet noticed that she was slightly out of breath.

Lack of fitness, excitement or the sudden increase in altitude? Juliet wondered at the cause and made a mental note to keep an eye on Sally.

They continued down the trail to the river, crossed a wood and cable suspension bridge and arrived in the tiny hamlet that would be their home for the night.

A group of climbers was sitting outside a lodge with their feet up, drinking Coke, and Juliet exchanged a few words of greeting and then took Sally up a set of steps to a top-floor room that was full of wooden bunks.

‘We’ll bag a space now,’ she told Sally, ‘ready for when our duffel bags arrive. Make sure you keep your day pack as light as you can. Only carry the things you really need. Everything else—spare film, sleeping bags—put in your duffel.’

All items not needed during the day and which were to be carried by the Sherpas were packed into duffel bags, leaving the climbers and trekkers to carry the bare minimum as they negotiated the trail through the foothills.

Sally glanced around her, her gaze sharp and interested. ‘How do they build these things in the middle of nowhere?’

‘Hard work.’ Juliet rummaged in her pack for another jumper. ‘You see Sherpas and yaks transporting impossible loads up and down the valley. Teahouses and lodges are springing up all over the trail now to accommodate trekkers and climbers, some of them more sanitary than others, to be honest. When we get higher up we’ll be moving into tents. Come on—let’s join the others and get something to eat. Then I’m going to brief you all so that you’re prepared for what’s ahead.’

CHAPTER TWO

THEY ate sardines and French fries and afterwards, she and Neil gathered the trekkers together in the small, smoky room of the teahouse that served as a dining area when it was too cold to sit outside. In one corner a fire burned and at a table in the corner sat two climbers. One of them was Finn McEwan.

The moment Juliet entered the room their eyes met and held. Then she forced herself to give a nod of acknowledgement and turned her attention to her own party. She would have preferred that he wasn’t sitting in the corner while she talked, but there was nothing she could do about it. So she set about ignoring him.

‘Tomorrow we’ve got a five-hour, three-thousand-metre climb to the village of Namche Bazaar.’ She spread out the map so that she could show them the route. ‘You could call it the last outpost of civilisation. It may not seem far but it’s really important that you walk slowly. At this altitude you can get tired very quickly and if you exhaust yourselves early on, you won’t be finishing the trek. Remember the story of the hare and the tortoise? Well, up here, it’s the tortoise that wins every time.’

One of the men settled back in his chair, his arms hooked behind his head, gym-developed muscles bunched. ‘We’re all pretty fit and well prepared.’ His gaze was slightly mocking, as if it should have been obvious from a glance that he was more than up to the job. ‘I can’t see any of us having a problem.’

Cocky.

Juliet studied him for a moment, looked at the muscles and the man and wondered whether to cut him down to size now or let him fall down by himself later. His name was Simon and she’d met his sort before on treks. Macho. Determined to stride out and prove himself, not understanding the effects of altitude on human physiology. By the next day he’d probably be gasping for breath by the side of the trail, unwilling to admit that he was in trouble.

In the interests of team harmony, she decided to watch and wait. But she delivered a polite warning. After all, that was her job and if she didn’t watch him, she’d be the one clearing up the mess.

‘The only thing that can prepare you for altitude is altitude itself.’ She spoke the words quietly, directly to him, hoping that he’d take heed. Then she addressed the group as a whole. ‘As we get higher up we’ll be sleeping two to a tent, and as soon as you arrive in the camp the Sherpas will serve tea. Make sure you drink it. It’s important to drink plenty of liquid at high altitudes and in hot weather to prevent dehydration. Due to the polluted water supplies it is necessary to boil all water, so hot tea is the best available drink. Having said that…’ Juliet gave a wry smile ‘…heartburn is a common complaint around here and it’s largely due to the tannin in the black tea. It’s abrasive and irritating to the stomach. If you find you have problems, you might want to switch to herbal.’

The two guys exchanged appalled looks that clearly stated their opinion of herbal tea.

Juliet chose to ignore them, knowing that once their stomachs started protesting they’d switch soon enough. Instead, she ran a finger over the map, showing them the route. ‘The first half of tomorrow’s trail follows the river and crosses it a few times. Then we gain some height and that’s when you’ll start to feel the effects of altitude. I’ve said it before but I’m going to say it again because it’s important.’ She lifted her head and looked directly at Simon, determined to get the message across. ‘You need to keep your pace slow and steady.’

He gave a suggestive smile. ‘I can do slow and steady when the occasion demands it. Any time you want a demonstration, Doc, you only have to ask.’

‘You’re totally disgusting, Si.’ Sally gave him a friendly thump on the shoulder and leaned forward to look at the map more closely, her expression interested. ‘Can you really develop altitude sickness at that elevation? I thought you’d need to be higher up to feel the effects.’

Juliet chose to ignore Simon’s comment but the look in his eyes was making her increasingly uneasy about the forthcoming trip. ‘Certain normal physiological changes occur in every person who goes to altitude. At night you wake more frequently and you might notice a difference in your breathing pattern. During the day you’ll find that you become short of breath on exertion and you need to pass urine more often.’

‘All the more reason to cut down on that herbal tea,’ Simon drawled, and Juliet gritted her teeth and reflected on the fact that before the trip was over she might well have stabbed the guy with the business end of her ice axe.

She didn’t like his arrogance and she didn’t like the way he was looking at her.

Something made her glance across at Finn and she was surprised to find him staring at Simon, his gaze cold and hard.

Juliet bit her lip, wondering exactly what had angered him. Perhaps she wasn’t the only person to find the guy objectionable.

Sally sipped her drink, apparently oblivious to the undercurrents of tension around the table. Or maybe she was just used to Simon. ‘And that’s all OK? All those changes are normal?’

‘As long as the shortness of breath resolves rapidly once you take some rest. The increase in breathing is an essential part of adapting to the altitude. You have to work harder to obtain oxygen and you do it by breathing more deeply and more quickly.’

‘Because there is less oxygen in the air?’

‘Precisely.’

The other male trekker, Gary, was enjoying a drink of chang, the local brew, and Juliet gave him a pointed look. ‘That can be a pretty alcoholic drink and by tomorrow you might be regretting that decision. It’s a good idea to avoid alcohol and certain drugs, anything that might decrease breathing—that’s if you want to finish the trek. Remember, you need those extra breaths to give your body the oxygen it needs to function. And even when you’re breathing faster you still won’t gain normal blood levels of oxygen.’

Simon stared at the glass. ‘No alcohol and plenty of herbal tea. Who the hell talked me into this trip?’

Sally frowned at him. ‘For goodness sake, shut up, Si.’

Silently thanking Sally for the timely intervention, Juliet continued with her talk, aware that Neil had joined Finn and was watching and listening from the edge of the room.

An oldtimer at altitude, Neil had seen it all before. And heard it all before.

Juliet carried on talking, made the points she wanted to make, answered the girls’ many questions and then called a halt to the evening.

She needed some space and time by herself.

And she needed to get away from Simon.

Leaving the group of trekkers to enjoy themselves, she dragged on her jacket and left the teahouse, braving the freezing air outside.

Juliet stood for a moment with her eyes closed, feeling the sting of the cold bite her cheeks and listening to the rush of the river just below the lodge. She breathed in the smell of smoke and outdoors and instantly felt more relaxed. Apart from the muffled laughter that came from within the lodge, the night was silent and she huddled deeper inside her jacket and opened her eyes, letting her vision adjust to the semi-darkness.

She walked a short distance, sat down on a boulder and hugged her knees, enjoying the night sounds.

‘That trekker of yours is going to give you a problem. You need to watch him.’

The deep, masculine voice came from right next to her and she gave a soft gasp, wondering how she could have not noticed the powerful figure leaning against the tree.

It was Finn McEwan.

He was obviously escaping the crowds, too.

She stared into his strong, handsome face and felt her heart beat faster. Frustration at her own unexpected reaction to him made her more irritable than usual. ‘Thanks for your concern but I don’t need your advice on how to handle arrogant men,’ she said, resisting the temptation to scramble to her feet and take refuge inside the lodge. She’d wanted some air and she was going to stay put. No one was going to drive her away. ‘Simon will be fine once he recognises the effects of altitude.’

There was a long pause. ‘I wasn’t referring to his fitness levels, although you and I both know those muscles aren’t going to help him much up here.’ Finn’s tone was even. ‘I was referring to the way he was looking at you. And if you didn’t notice then you’re not the woman I think you are. A woman who thinks she’s smart enough to get herself up Everest should be smart enough to sense a problem when it’s staring her in the face, and that guy is trouble.’

Juliet felt a flicker of unease. She wanted to argue with him but she couldn’t because she knew he was right. Simon was trouble. ‘I can handle it,’ she said calmly, stuffing her hands deep in her pockets to keep them warm. ‘I was brought up dealing with trouble. You don’t need to worry about me.’

She certainly didn’t want him worrying about her.

She wished he’d go inside and leave her to enjoy the cold night alone but he didn’t shift, his broad shoulders planted against the tree, his eyes watchful. She was aware of the hard planes of his handsome face, the steady rhythm of his breathing as his breath clouded the freezing air. Together they shared the darkness and it felt as though they were the only two people in this corner of the world.

The forced intimacy unsettled her, especially as he seemed reluctant to drop the subject.

‘Take my advice,’ he drawled softly. ‘Keep Neil close by at all times.’

She gave a little shiver and her own sense of unease escalated. ‘I don’t need a bodyguard to keep an over-persistent man at a distance. You don’t need to worry about me.’

There was a long silence while he watched her and then he stirred, obviously intending to respond. ‘Dr Adams—’

‘No!’ Juliet lifted a hand and interrupted him hastily, before he could say what she suspected he was going to say. ‘I know that some men are very protective towards women but I don’t need your protection—and I don’t want it. I’m fine on my own. I’m used to being on my own.’

‘Calm down.’ Finn’s tone was level. Neutral. ‘I’m just looking out for a colleague.’

Juliet stared at him for a long moment and felt something stir inside her. Felt something she definitely didn’t want to feel. ‘I’m not in trouble, Dr McEwan, and I’m not your colleague. We’re two strangers who just happen to have our sights set on the same mountain. That doesn’t make us colleagues.’

It was a warning.

Don’t come any closer.

His gaze didn’t shift from her face. ‘Up on that mountain, we’re all part of the same team, you know that as well as I do. The fortunes of one person are inextricably linked with all the others,’ he drawled softly, strolling across to her and pausing only inches away from where she was seated. ‘Which brings me to my next question. What are you doing here, Dr Adams? What the hell are you doing here?’

Her heart beat faster. ‘Why shouldn’t I be here?’ Juliet rose to her feet, flustered and boiling with frustration, and then wished she’d remained seated because standing merely brought her closer to Finn McEwan and closer to Finn McEwan was one place she really, really didn’t want to be.

He stood within touching distance, hard and tough, a man with a strength, maturity and presence that set him apart from other men. It crossed her mind that he made Simon look like an adolescent—over-eager to score with women and then brag of his successes. Still very much a boy despite the outward appearance of manhood.

In contrast, there was nothing of the boy in Finn McEwan. He was all man.

She felt a throb of awareness deep inside her—something sexual that she’d long denied.

‘I’m doing exactly what you’re doing, Dr McEwan.’ In an attempt to halt the slow, insidious curl low in her pelvis, Juliet took several steps backwards, increasing the distance between them. ‘Combining my interest in high-altitude medicine with my love of climbing.’

Finn didn’t comment on her retreat but she knew his eyes had noticed the movement. She saw the sudden narrowing and the silent question in those dark depths.

‘Climbing Everest is hardly an everyday sort of hobby,’ he said mildly, and she tilted her chin, aiming for angry. Angry was so much safer than sexually aware.

‘Do you feel threatened by strong women, Finn?’ Her eyes flashed him a challenge. ‘Are you more comfortable with stereotypes? Do you expect a woman to stay at home and knit and bake cakes while waiting for her man to return from a day’s hunting?’

There was a moment’s silence while he scanned her face, his expression thoughtful. ‘I think a person should be whatever they want to be,’ he said finally, ‘and should travel in whatever direction they wish to travel in life, irrespective of sex or age.’

Her eyes clashed with his and held for a long, breathless moment. Her heart stumbled in her chest. ‘So why don’t you think a woman like me should be on the mountain?’

‘I suppose I’m just wondering whether you’re doing what you want to do or whether something else entirely is driving you.’ He looked at her with that lazy, masculine scrutiny that she found so unsettling. ‘What exactly are you doing here, Dr Adams?’

This wasn’t a conversation that she wanted to have. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

‘No?’ His gaze didn’t shift from hers. ‘Mountains are harsh and unforgiving. They make man feel strong and invincible and then reveal him as puny. They force you to take risks and then make you pay, possibly the ultimate price. Is that what you want? Are those the risks you truly want to take?’

Her heart beat a little faster. ‘I don’t take risks, Dr McEwan.’

His mouth curved into a faint smile. ‘Just being here is a risk, and you know that as well as I do. You could get seriously hurt, or worse.’

‘Maybe we have a different definition of risk. I happen to call this living.’ As if to illustrate her point, she breathed in deeply and glanced around her, her green eyes shining in the semi-darkness. ‘And as for hurt…’ She gave a tiny shrug. ‘It doesn’t matter where you go or what you do in life, you can’t avoid being hurt. I can play it safe and still manage to get hurt. I can be hit by a bus, stabbed by a patient and I can get my heart broken by a man.’

There was the briefest of pauses and when Finn spoke his voice sounded strangely harsh in the cold night air. ‘And is that what happened to you, Dr Adams? Did you get your heart broken by a man?’

Tension throbbed between them and for a moment Juliet couldn’t find the breath to speak. She pushed the memories back into the past and reminded herself that climbing a mountain was all about moving forward in slow steps. And life was like a mountain. ‘It was just a phrase. Hearts don’t break, Dr McEwan.’ She tilted her head, ignoring the fact that her pulse was dancing a jig. It was the altitude, she told herself. Just the altitude. ‘Arteries get clogged, valves degenerate and muscles weaken and die, but hearts don’t break. You’re a doctor. You should know that.’

He inhaled sharply. ‘I know that there’s a great deal about the human body we don’t understand.’

‘And never will. A bit like life.’ She gave a little shiver and wrapped her arms around her waist. ‘It’s getting cold. I’m going back inside. Goodnight, Dr McEwan.’

Finn’s hesitation was barely perceptible. ‘Goodnight, Dr Adams. Sleep well.’

She knew she wouldn’t and she suspected he knew that, too.

As she walked away, she thought she heard him mutter, ‘And if there’s a lock on your door, use it.’ But she decided that she must have imagined it.

Finn stood still in the dark and the cold and watched Juliet go. He wanted to call her back, wanted to make her stay and talk long into the night until he’d got right inside her head, but instead he kept silent and watched the door swing closed behind her, his last glimpse of her focused on the blonde plait that hung down her back.

The man in him saw soft curves, creamy skin and green eyes that sparked and teased. He saw temptation and seduction in every graceful movement of those long limbs. He saw guts mingled with a vulnerability that could cut a man off at the knees.

The doctor in him wondered whether she had enough body fat to make the strenuous assault on the world’s highest mountain. He knew that about fifteen per cent of body weight was lost after three months at high altitude. He had a better than fair experience of women’s bodies and he was willing to bet money that Dr Adams couldn’t afford to lose fifteen per cent.

Would she make it to the top of Everest?

With a soft curse he reminded himself that her fitness wasn’t his problem.

The fact that she was trekking to one of the most inhospitable places on earth wasn’t his problem.

Finn was used to climbing with strong women and he would never have dreamed of offering assistance unless it was requested. So why was she different? Why did he suddenly have a need to switch teams and anchor himself firmly to her side for the duration of the expedition?

Why did he have a powerful urge to bundle her straight back on that terrifying flight and deliver her safely back to Kathmandu?

Finn let out a vicious curse and reminded himself that feeling over-protective was his problem. She’d made it clear enough that she wouldn’t welcome his interference or his protection.

And he had no right to offer it.

‘Climb, Jules, Climb!’

Juliet was eight years old and clinging to a rockface in frozen terror while her big brother grinned down at her from above. Daniel Adams. Daredevil and wild boy. To her he was a god. Fourteen years old and totally fearless, whereas she could hardly breathe for fear. It gripped her in its jaws like a wild beast, preventing movement, and now she was stuck, clinging to the exposed rockface, paralysed by the enormity of the risk she was taking. ‘I’m going to fall!’

Her fingers tightened in the tiny crack and her toes felt numb.

She was going to let go.

‘You’re not going to fall and even if you do, I’ll catch you because we’re roped together.’ Her brother’s voice was impatient. ‘Look up, not down. Concentrate. Feel the rock. Go for it, Jules, you can do it! You’re my sister!’

A moment of delicious pride mingled with the panic.

She didn’t want to go for it. She just wanted to curl up in a ball away from risk, but she’d discovered that the biggest high on earth was her older brother’s approval. And she couldn’t fall because to fall would be to fail and no one in her family ever failed at anything.

Everyone in her family was bold and fearless and kicked against the life-throttling ropes of convention. And she was going to be the same.

So she closed her eyes and tried to forget the drop beneath her.

She tried to forget that climbing terrified her. She tried to forget that heights made her stomach roll.

And she climbed.

Upwards, towards her brother’s approving smile. Her brother always smiled. And he was still smiling when he lost his footing moments later and plunged headlong down the sheer rockface, dragging her with him into a dark, dark void of terror and death.

CHAPTER THREE

JULIET woke in a sweat, her breathing rapid and her pulse thundering, a sick feeling deep in the pit of her stomach.

Darkness still engulfed the room and she had a frantic need to turn on the light, to remove the feeling of menace that pressed down on her. But the other occupants of the room were still sleeping and she knew she couldn’t make a sound. To do so would be to attract attention and she didn’t want attention. She needed privacy to compose herself and drag her mind back into a comfortable place.

So instead she sat upright on her bunk and hooked her arms around her knees, trying to breathe slowly and think boring daytime thoughts. Trying to push away the lingering tentacles of the nightmare. But even in her state of full wakefulness, the images lingered, frighteningly vivid and all too real.

Why now, when she hadn’t had the dream for years?

Why tonight?

Her mouth was dry and she reached for her water bottle and drank deeply.

She knew why, of course. She knew exactly why.

The memory would fade, she reminded herself as she replaced the top on her water bottle and lay down on her bunk, knowing that she wouldn’t sleep again that night.

She didn’t dare, in case the dream came back again.

So she lay in the dark, listening to the rhythmic breathing of the others in the room and fighting off the demons of her past.

Despite her fears, Juliet dozed off only to wake again at six, freezing cold and with a thumping headache.

Stress or the first signs of altitude sickness?

She tugged on extra layers and carefully packed her duffel bag ready for the Sherpas to add to their load. Then she joined the others for breakfast, hoping they were in better shape than her.

They were eating omelette and fried bread and instantly she could see that both Gary and Simon looked the worse for wear, although the two girls seemed quite lively.

‘How was your night?’ She addressed the two men without any great confidence that they’d tell her the truth. She’d already decided that she was going to have to find a way of breaking down those macho barriers so that she could gain a real picture of their physical state.

She made a mental note to talk to each of the young men separately, hoping that without peer pressure they might be prepared to open up.

They lingered over breakfast and were just packing up to leave when one of their Sherpas came running along the path towards them.

‘Dr Juliet, you need to come. Cook has accident.’

Juliet grabbed the pack that contained a basic first-aid kit and followed him without question, wondering what had happened.

Despite the availability of accommodation, the Sherpas preferred to set up their own tent and one of them had managed to cut himself badly while preparing breakfast.

He was sitting on a boulder, blood pouring from his finger, a horrified expression on his face.

‘I need some water, Pemba,’ Juliet instructed quickly, delving into her pack and dragging out her first-aid kit. She cleaned the wound so that she could get a better look at what was going on and decided that it wasn’t going to need stitches.

‘Wound very deep,’ Pemba said sorrowfully, and Juliet gave him a reassuring smile.

‘It’s not that deep, Pemba. I’ll give it a proper clean and put some steristrips on it.’

‘Stitches?’

‘Paper stitches,’ Juliet amended, but he nodded with satisfaction and she decided it really didn’t matter whether he thought they were proper stitches or not. The finger would be treated and that was what counted.

As expedition doctor she was responsible for the health of the Sherpas as well as the Western climbers and trekkers, and she took that responsibility very seriously indeed. In her opinion they were all entitled to the same care. In truth, the injury was minor, but she didn’t want them to think that they were less important to her so she gave the injury more attention than she otherwise might have done.

Once the finger was securely dressed she rose to her feet and swung her pack onto her back.

‘It should be fine, but if it gives you a problem, let me know.’

The injured Sherpa gazed at his neatly bandaged finger with pride and Juliet hid a smile.

He was like a child, seeking attention.

She rejoined her party at the teahouse and finally they set off, following the trail that would lead them to the next village.

Neil led and Juliet stayed at the back, intending to sweep up any stragglers and hoping for some peace and quiet to sort out her pounding headache.

She was out of luck.

‘Good morning, Dr Adams.’ It was Finn McEwan, looking rested and relaxed and disturbingly handsome. Dark stubble covered his jaw and he’d stripped down to a T-shirt, exposing broad shoulders and hard muscle. He looked strong and fit and more than capable of tackling the word’s highest mountain.

In comparison she felt tired and weak and every step was a monumental effort.

She stood to one side to let him pass. ‘I expect you want to get going,’ she said politely, ‘so feel free to overtake.’

His eyes rested on her face. ‘You’re looking pale, Dr Adams. Bad night?’

She tensed, remembering the nightmares. And the cause of them. ‘I slept fine,’ she lied. ‘How about you?’

‘Never better.’ He looked at her thoughtfully. ‘Maybe you should spend another day here if the altitude is bothering you.’

‘The altitude isn’t bothering me,’ she said immediately, and his eyes narrowed.

‘Which means that something else is. Anything you want to talk about?’

She looked him straight in the eye. ‘What would I possibly want to talk about?’

He was silent for a long moment, his eyes on her face. ‘Obviously nothing.’

‘That’s right.’ She gave him a bright smile that took the last of her energy. ‘Glad to see you in such good form, Dr McEwan. I’m sure nothing will hold you back today. Are you walking with your group?’

He shook his head. ‘We’re all traveling independently and meeting at Base Camp. So I’m more than happy to provide extra muscle for your expedition, Dr Adams.’

Her heart sank. She really, really didn’t want him hanging around. ‘We’re fine,’ she said stiffly, ‘and we’re going to take it slowly today so you might want to just do your own thing.’

Please, let him do his own thing. The last thing she needed was his company on the trek.

But if she was hoping he’d take the hint and walk on up the trail she was doomed to disappointment because he stayed close to her, and at that moment Sally joined them.

‘Dr McEwan!’ Her pretty face flushed pink with delight when she saw him and she fell into step beside him. ‘I’ve got your textbook on high-altitude medicine on my bookshelf at home and your book on climbing. I’ve read it and reread it. It’s amazing.’

Irritated by the blatant hero-worship, Juliet gritted her teeth but Finn simply looked amused.

‘Well, that’s nice. Always good to meet a fan.’

‘Are you planning to reach the summit this time or are you doing research?’

‘Both, hopefully,’ Finn said pleasantly, ‘but you never really know. Mountains have a habit of making decisions for you. You climb when and if they allow it.’

It was still early and frost winked and flickered as they started up the trail by the side of a boulder-strewn river that sent turquoise water crashing down into the valley.

Finally Finn moved ahead of them and Juliet felt herself start to relax.

‘The water runs off the glacier,’ she told Sally as they strolled along together at a steady pace, ‘so it’s icy cold.’

They crossed a rickety bridge that ran over the river and Sally stared at a pile of wood neatly stacked to one side of the path. ‘What’s the wood for?’

Juliet shifted the pack on her back. ‘When the river floods the bridges are often washed away and have to be rebuilt. The wood is there ready for the next bridge.’ She glanced at Sally’s pale face and laughed. ‘You signed on for adventure, remember?’

Sally pulled a face. ‘Plunging into a ravine wasn’t what I had in mind.’

As they walked the sun grew hotter and they all stripped off layers and tucked them safely away in their day packs.

‘I’ve read so much about your work,’ Sally chatted away, ‘and I’ve read about Dr McEwan. I’ve drooled over his photo on the front of his book but he’s even better-looking in real life, isn’t he? He’s loaded, did you know that? His family is seriously wealthy. That’s the reason he can afford to finance all those expeditions he tackles. Last year Antarctica and this year Everest. He’s rich, good-looking, with a body to die for, and he’s still single. Can you believe that?’

Juliet concentrated on the trail.

Yes, she could believe that. She understood about being single. And she was trying hard not to think about Finn McEwan’s body. ‘The man is never in the same place for more than five minutes so I can’t imagine he’s in a position to have a relationship or consider marriage.’

Sally looked at her. ‘So when you’re not climbing, you work in an A and E department?’

‘I do locums.’ Juliet shifted her pack on her back. ‘I prefer it that way. It means I don’t get locked in. It’s hard to persuade an employer to give you three months off every spring so that you can vanish to the Himalayas.’

‘But surely you won’t want to do that for ever? Won’t you want to settle down and get married?’

Juliet kept her eyes forward. ‘I’m not very good at staying in one place,’ she said eventually. ‘And marriage isn’t for everyone.’

Something flickered inside her and she pushed it away. She’d never been interested in settling down, and she never would be.

She needed to know that she could just pack a bag and go, wherever she wanted to go, whenever she wanted to go there, without reference to another person.

She needed to know that her heart wouldn’t be broken.

She walked deep in thought as the path snaked through rhododendrons and fragrant blue pine and fir. A little later they crossed the river again into the Sagarmartha National Park.

They stopped at the guard post so that Neil could deal with the special permits that they’d purchased in Kathmandu.

‘Why all the security?’ Simon muttered, watching while an armed guard checked all the paperwork.

‘Because selling permits is big business to them,’ Neil told him. ‘No one gets in unless they’ve paid. They’re also monitoring the traders. There’s a large military base not far from here.’

The guards were clearly satisfied with what they saw because the group was allowed to pass and Juliet swung her pack off her back and drank, exhorting the others to do the same.

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