‘So how did you get pregnant?’

Alice laughed. ‘I would have thought that you of all people would know by now where babies come from.’

Jeremy grinned, but pressed on unfazed. ‘It’s a natural question to ask. Was it planned?’

‘That’s none of your business,’ Alice responded. ‘You were the one who said I didn’t have to reveal anything I didn’t want to.’

‘But that was to the patients,’ Jeremy answered straightforwardly. ‘I’m a friend.’

Alice looked at him. ‘You’re also my boss.’

CAROL MARINELLI did her nursing training in England and then worked for a number of years in Casualty. A holiday romance while backpacking led to her marriage and emigration to Australia. Eight years and three children later, the romance continues…

Today she considers both England and Australia her home. The sudden death of her father prompted a reappraisal of her life’s goals and inspired her to tackle romance-writing seriously.

The Pregnant Intern
Carol Marinelli

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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CONTENTS

Cover

About the Author

Title Page

Dedication

PROLOGUE

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

EPILOGUE

Copyright

PROLOGUE

‘YOUR blood pressure’s up.’

Alice let out the breath she had inadvertently been holding. She had been trying to keep her breathing even and think only pleasant thoughts as Brett Halliday, her obstetrician, checked her blood pressure, apparently to no avail.

‘By very much?’

Brett shook his head as he unwrapped the cuff. ‘Not much. It’s just up a touch, and still within a safe margin, but still...’ He sat down at his heavy wooden desk and leant across the table as Alice, avoiding his gaze and desperately trying to avoid the ensuing conversation, concentrated rather too intently on rolling down her sleeve.

‘I’ve been rushing around this morning, and it’s terribly hot. Anyway, you know how nervous I get at these antenatal appointments.’

Brett nodded. ‘All of which I’ve taken into consideration, but it still doesn’t alter the fact that your blood pressure is a little higher than I’d like it to be.’ He flicked through the pile of pathology results in front of him.

‘Your blood work all looks OK, though your haemoglobin level is only scraping into the normal limits range. You’re still taking your iron tablets, I assume?’

Alice nodded.

‘Well, try to increase your iron intake from natural means also. Lots of green leaf vegetables and iron-rich foods—and plenty of vitamin C,’ he added. ‘It helps with iron absorption. You know the routine.’

‘But everything is all right with the baby?’ she asked anxiously.

Brett gave her a reassuring smile. ‘The baby’s doing nicely—nice size, lots of movement. It’s the mum I’m more worried about.’

‘Honestly, Brett, I’m fine.’ Her words came out rather too harshly. Alice could hear the anxiety in her own voice and paused for a second to regain control. It was imperative to have Brett Halliday onside. With a stroke of his expensive fountain pen he could sign her off work and that was absolutely the last thing she needed at the moment. ‘Really, I’m fine,’ Alice said, more evenly, even managing a small smile.

But she wasn’t going to escape a lecture. ‘Look, Alice, you’re twenty-five weeks now. Most women at this stage are starting to wind down and looking forward to their maternity leave, not about to commence a three-month surgical internship at a busy city hospital. You don’t need me to tell you how busy Melbourne City is—you’ve spent the last nine months there for yourself. And Jeremy Foster may be a fine surgeon, but he’s coming back from a long stint on sick leave. He’s going to have a large backlog to catch up on and, more to the point, a lot to prove.’

‘What do you mean?’ Alice asked, her curiosity about her new boss for a moment overriding the issue of whether or not she worked.

‘Well, it was a serious motor crash he was in. No one really expected him to live, let alone walk. And now here he is, less than a year later, returning to work, apparently none the worse for wear. There’s going to be people watching him—rightly or wrongly, he’s going to have to do a lot of spadework to convince them he’s up to the job.’

‘But he’s a brilliant surgeon,’ Alice argued defensively. She hadn’t yet met Jeremy Foster, but you didn’t have to meet Jeremy to feel as if you knew him. He had broken more hearts throughout the hospital than Alice could keep track of. But despite his somewhat scandalous reputation there had never been any question as to his surgical brilliance. ‘He was the hospital’s rising star—I’m lucky to have got a place on his team.’

‘“Was” being the operative word. Look, Alice, Jeremy’s going to be under the pump and that means more work for you.’

‘I can handle it. Honestly, Brett, I’ll be fine. This three-month stint will take me up to thirty-seven weeks. Lots of first babies come late, which will give me nearly a month to put my feet up and think baby thoughts. Heaps of women work practically until they go into labour these days.’ She sounded so confident Alice almost convinced herself that she could handle it, but Brett wasn’t about to be fobbed off.

‘True,’ he said, then added gently, ‘But those women probably have a partner to come home to, or at least a supportive family. Someone to give them a bit of help and take away some of the strain. I know how much you need this, Alice, and I don’t want to ruin your plans—but I have to be sure you know what you’re doing.’

His words, however kindly meant, tore through her. The cool, confident façade melted in an instant and as she crumpled before him Brett came around the desk and handed her a handful of tissues.

‘I’m sorry,’ she sniffed. ‘I didn’t want to cry in front of you. In front of anyone,’ she added.

‘Cry away,’ Brett said kindly. ‘I see a lot of tears in here. You’re not the only pregnant woman trying to make it all work. Trying to cram it all in before the baby comes along. Sometimes you need someone else to make the decision for you. To put the brakes on and tell you to slow down.’

Alice didn’t answer. Accepting the tissues, she wept for a moment. She felt mortified that it had come to this: sitting in a doctor’s office, begging to be allowed to work, begging for the chance to support her baby.

‘If I don’t finish my internship I won’t be registered as a doctor and that means I can’t apply to go on a GP training rotation.’

‘But you can do your surgical internship once the baby comes along.’

Alice shook her head. ‘I’m living in a bedsit. I can hardly afford the rent as it is. If I stop working—’

‘You can claim child support,’ Brett said in a practical voice. ‘You won’t starve.’

‘I don’t want my baby to start out life like that. You know how big the incentives are for country GPs. I’d have a home, a job. I could afford to have someone look after the baby while I work. I’d be able to give it a real future. If I don’t do this it will put my plans back by months.’

‘What about your parents? I know they’re in Adelaide and you’ve had your differences, but maybe they’re starting to get used to the idea now. Perhaps if you explained to your mum the problems that you’re having, trying to make it all work...’

Her stricken look said it all. ‘Then what about the baby’s father?’ Brett ventured gently. ‘Shouldn’t he be helping? After all, legally it is his responsibility.’

He watched as she stiffened. ‘He wants nothing to do with me or the baby,’ Alice said in a strained voice. ‘He made that perfectly clear.’

‘He might not want anything to do with you both,’ Brett said, making his way back to his seat, ‘but there are laws out there to protect women in exactly your position. Maybe it’s time he faced up to the truth that he’s about to become a father and the responsibility that entails. Even if it’s only financially.’

For the first time Alice didn’t have to pretend to be assured or confident; this was the one area of her life that was unequivocal. ‘I’m not asking him for a single cent. He’s either in or out of this baby’s life—not somewhere in between. Marcus made it perfectly clear it was the latter he was choosing when I found out I was pregnant, and as far as I’m concerned it can stay that way. I want nothing more to do with him.

‘Look, Brett, I really need this job,’ she pleaded. ‘If you think I’m stressed now, I’d be ten times worse if you told me I couldn’t work. If there was any question that my baby was in danger, of course I wouldn’t start, but you said yourself the baby’s fine.’

Brett didn’t answer for what seemed like an age. Instead, he started writing up her notes before finally looking up. ‘All right, then. But I want to see you fortnightly from now on. And if your blood pressure creeps any higher, or I’ve even the slightest hint that either you or the baby aren’t coping, I’ll sign you off—and I mean it, Alice. Get yourself some support tights, eat the right food and put your feet up every chance you get.’

Alice grinned as she stood up. ‘I promise.’

Brett found himself smiling back at her. He had been unsure there as to what to do. Instinct told him to sign her off, but he could understand her desperation. It was a tough call all right. Yet there was no doubt that Alice looked a lot more relaxed now she could go ahead with her plans. If he took her blood pressure now, he’d half expect it to be normal.

‘Make an appointment with Madge on your way out. I do late nights on Mondays for my working mums—that’ll probably suit you better.’

‘Thanks.’ Smiling, she made her way down the long carpeted corridor to the reception desk. ‘It’s OK, baby,’ she whispered, gently patting her bump as she walked. ‘Mummy’s going to be able to take good care of you now. We’re going to be just fine.’

CHAPTER ONE

WHOEVER had written in the mother-and-baby magazine Alice had read in the doctor’s waiting room that there was a lot more choice in maternity wear these days either had a bottomless wallet or terrible taste in clothes, Alice thought ruefully as she dressed. Her ‘bump’ seemed to have grown practically overnight. Though somewhat excited by the rapid changes in her body, the down side was she could no longer get by with undoing the buttons of her skirts and wearing loose-fitting clothes. Her trip to the maternity departments hadn’t been a howling success. Everything was either ludicrously expensive or trimmed with a disgusting lace Peter Pan collar or bow. Finally she had settled on a ‘maternity kit’ which consisted of a black Lycra skirt, swing top and trousers, and a little black dress which showed off rather a lot of her expanding bust line. Still, it was reasonably priced and, teamed with a couple of shirts, it should get her through the remainder of her pregnancy.

Settling on the black skirt and top, she pulled her dark hair back into a low ponytail and applied her make-up. The ‘glow’ the same magazine had promised would appear by mid-pregnancy seemed to be about as evasive as a black maternity bra. But with a touch of eyeliner and mascara on her long lashes, and a dash of lipstick on her full mouth, she didn’t look too bad, Alice thought as she eyed herself in her bathroom mirror. Picking up her bag, she had a quick check in the full-length mirror and let out a groan. She looked as if she were going to a funeral. Despite the manufacturer’s claims, there was obviously no such thing as ‘sheer’ forty denier support tights. ‘You’re going to be late on your first day,’ Alice warned herself as she hastily ripped off the offending garment and grappled through her bathroom cabinet for some tinted moisturiser. She hadn’t been near the beach in months and her pale legs needed a bit of help. Finally—if not entirely happy with her appearance, at least feeling marginally better—Alice took a tram the short distance to the hospital and amazingly arrived with ten minutes to spare.

‘Morning. It’s Alice Masters, isn’t it?’

‘That’s right.’ She smiled at the friendly freckled face. ‘You must be Josh Winters, the surgical resident.’

‘The one and only. Looks as if it’s only us two here. Linda McFarlane’s probably sucking a few lemons before the ward round.’

‘I’m glad it’s not just me who thinks like that. I had more than a few reservations when I first met her. She’s not very friendly, is she?’ Alice said, referring to the surgical registrar who had been particularly condescending at her interview.

‘Tell me about it! Darren Barker, the other reg, is nice to work with but unfortunately he’s on annual leave for a month now Jeremy’s back. I wish it was Linda who was on leave—she told me to get a haircut before they’d consider me.’

‘And did you?’ Alice asked eyeing the long shaggy locks reaching well past his collar.

‘Yes, believe it or not. Though she’ll still probably take the scissors to me herself later. We clashed a few times when I was an intern. I must be a glutton for punishment, coming back to do it all again. Still, Jeremy Foster on my résumé will look pretty impressive—you can learn a lot from him.’

Alice nodded. She had been thinking absolutely the same thing when she’d applied for this rotation.

‘I thought Linda was just giving me a hard time because I was pregnant,’ Alice admitted.

‘You’re not, are you?’ Josh asked feigning surprise. ‘You poor old thing. My wife’s expecting twins any day now—she gave up work ages ago. I have to say I admire you, taking this lot on.’

‘Your wife’s expecting twins?’ Alice asked, unable to keep the surprise from her voice. Josh Winters looked like he should have had a surfboard under his arm, not a stethoscope around his neck. He certainly didn’t fit the image of a young doctor, married with twins on the way.

‘I know, I know.’ He laughed, then added, ‘Don’t worry about old sour-grapes Linda. She’s just peeved that the great Jeremy Foster is actually coming back. No one had written him off more completely than her. She was hoping for a nice fast ticket to consultant. And to make matters worse,’ he said in undertones, ‘Linda is the only woman in this hospital Jeremy hasn’t even attempted to pull.’

‘He surely can’t be that bad.’

‘You mark my words, he’s insatiable. At least you’re one female intern that doesn’t have to worry about succumbing to his charms. That bump of yours will act like a crucifix to a vampire for our Jeremy, so at least you won’t be putting Linda offside on that score. I hope she’s shaved this morning.’

Alice found herself smiling, which was quite a revelation in itself. She hadn’t been doing too much of that lately. It looked as if Josh was going to be nice to work with—heaven knew, she could use a few allies with the insatiable Jeremy and the bearded Linda breathing down her neck.

‘There you are. I assume your letters of confirmation did explain it was this Monday you started.’ Linda McFarlane’s tone was anything but friendly. ‘We’re all waiting for you at the nurses’ station.’

‘You said to meet outside the ward,’ Josh argued, apparently unruffled by her tones.

‘I most certainly did not. What are you going to learn here? The medical students have been at the nurses’ station, going through the patients notes and X-rays for half an hour now. At least they’re showing some initiative.’ And, turning on her heel, she walked smartly onto the ward.

‘But she did say to meet outside,’ Alice whispered furiously to Josh as they followed her onto the ward. Linda McFarlane, with her cold grey eyes and severe hairstyle, did nothing to endear herself to Alice.

‘What Linda says and what she actually admits to are somewhat conflicting,’ Josh said darkly. ‘Watch your back.’

But Alice wasn’t listening. The only back she was watching at the moment was the impeccably suited, wide-shouldered back of her new boss as he held an X-ray up to the light. His blond hair, expertly cut, tapered into his long neck. He looked as immaculately groomed and tastefully dressed as any film star from the glossies, and by hospital standards he was the closest thing to a legend Melbourne City was likely to produce.

‘Finally, we can start,’ Linda said pointedly, and Alice found herself holding her breath as Jeremy Foster turned and gave the briefest of smiles, his blue eyes flicking briefly down to her bulging stomach. Alice felt a small blush appear as she remembered Josh’s ‘vampire’ comment.

‘Pleased to meet you.’ He held out his hand as the introductions were made, and Alice was painfully aware of her moist palms as she returned his handshake. No amount of gossip—and there had been plenty—had done him justice or even come close to adequately describing him: sun-bleached blond hair, blue eyes and an arrogant haughty smile. Momentarily stunned, she stared back at him, lost in her thoughts.

‘We’ll get started, then,’ he said in a clipped voice, and Alice looked away, suddenly embarrassed.

She tried desperately to concentrate as they made their way around the ward, to ignore the flutter of butterflies Jeremy seemed to so effortlessly have started. Linda had the most to say—after all she had already met most of the patients and seemed to take every available opportunity to ram home how well she had coped. Jeremy didn’t seem fazed by her attitude, listening intently. But every now and then he overrode a decision Linda had made or changed a drug regime, effectively assuring all present that he was the one in charge. It soon became apparent to everyone that Linda was having a lot of trouble accepting her boss’s return. Her simmering resentment became increasingly obvious as they made their way around and at the final patient’s bedside Linda let her bitterness surface.

‘Mrs Marshall came in on Thursday with acute pancreatitis. She has a history of alcohol abuse. She’s been nil by mouth on IV fluids with a pethidine infusion to control her pain. Currently, we’re weaning her off the pethidine and she’s now on five mls an hour. I was thinking of starting her this morning on clear fluids.’

‘Good morning, Mrs Marshall. I’m Mr Foster, the surgical consultant. How are you feeling this morning?’

Mrs Marshall was struggling to sit up. ‘A bit better, but I’d really like a drink of water.’ Alice looked on. If this was Mrs Marshall looking better she’d have hated to have seen her on Thursday. Pancreatitis could either be acute or chronic. It caused severe abdominal pain and the patient rapidly became seriously ill. Although managed medically, it still came under the domain of the surgeons. In this case it had been precipitated by Mrs Marshall’s ingestion of large quantities of alcohol.

Jeremy flicked through the patient’s blood results as Mrs Marshall fiddled in her locker. ‘Her amylase levels are still very high.’

‘But they’ve come down markedly,’ Linda said.

‘Still, it might be a bit early to be starting her on fluids,’ Jeremy responded calmly.

‘Just small sips—you can see yourself how agitated she is,’ Linda pointed out. ‘She’s making a lot of work for the nursing staff, trying to get out of bed and get a drink.’

‘Which is probably more related to her pain and her alcoholism. Keep her nil by mouth for now and increase her pethidine,’ Jeremy said.

Linda pursed her lips. ‘Surely we’re just replacing one addiction with another. A few sips of water must be better than increasing her pethidine.’

Jeremy picked up the drug chart. ‘Mrs Marshall is in pain, and that needs to be addressed. A PRN order of Valium might be wise also, given her withdrawal from alcohol.’

He turned from Linda’s angry gaze and addressed the patient.

‘Mrs Marshall, we’re going to keep you nil by mouth for now. I know you want a drink but it really is safer not to at the moment. We’ll increase your pain control and I’ve written up an order for some Valium which will help you to settle.’

Surprisingly, Mrs Marshall seemed a lot happier with his decision than Linda and leant back resignedly on her pillows.

‘A psychiatric and social work referral would also be appropriate,’ Jeremy said, handing her folder back to the charge nurse.

‘She had all that last time she was in,’ Linda said. ‘That’s why I didn’t order the works this time around. She always swears she’s going to give up this time, and then back she bounces.’

Jeremy nodded. ‘Which, while mildly frustrating for us, must be absolute hell for Mrs Marshall and her family. See she gets the appropriate referrals.’

‘Bravo, Jeremy,’ Josh whispered, and Alice actually found she felt like cheering herself. Jeremy had certainly put the obnoxious Linda in her place.

‘I’m not entirely happy with her.’ Jeremy looked over at Alice. ‘When we finish up here, can you do some blood gases on Mrs Marshall?’

‘Sure.’

‘I’ll see you both later in pre-op clinic.’ With a small nod he walked off, as Linda marched furiously behind him.

‘I’ll start writing up the notes, then, while you do the gases,’ Josh suggested. ‘Then we can grab a coffee.’

‘I doubt it,’ Alice said with a sigh. ‘I’ve got three IVs to resite and a pile of drug charts that need writing up, and there’s a couple of bloods that need doing.’

‘Alice, Alice, Alice.’ Josh gave her a wide smile. ‘You have so much to learn. Fi,’ he called to the charge nurse, who came over with a smile, ‘this young intern hasn’t yet learnt how to ask for favours. Do you think we should teach her?’

Fi smiled warmly at Alice. ‘You’re not listening to Josh, are you? He’ll get you into all sorts of trouble.’ Fi had delicate oriental features and a kind smile but, despite her seemingly easygoing nature, Alice knew just from this morning’s ward round that Fi ran the ward with impeccable efficiency.

‘That’s not fair, Fi.’ Josh winked at Alice. ‘Fi and I worked together when I was a surgical intern,’ he explained. ‘Now, Fi, tell Alice the truth—didn’t I always come at night when you paged me? Didn’t I listen to you and call the reg when you were worried? Didn’t I always bring doughnuts in?’

Fi nodded. ‘And in return I had to do half your bloods and IVs.’

‘Cheap at half the price. Come on, Fi, don’t say you’ve gone all hard on me? You’re the only reason I came back to this ward.’

Fi laughed. ‘All right, I’ll help with your bloods, if I get the time. But I’m on nights next week,’ she warned, ‘and you’d better remember your side of the deal.’

As Josh made his way to do his notes, Fi turned her attention to Alice, who was filling up a kidney dish with blood-gas syringes and alcohol swabs.

‘When you’ve done the blood gases, I’ll show you around,’ she offered. ‘Let you know how Jeremy likes things.’

‘Thanks ever so much.’

Fi looked at her thoughtfully for a moment. ‘Listen to me for a moment, Alice. I know I always look busy but I’ve always got time if you need to run something by me. If there’s something you’re not sure about, you can always come to me.’

Alice nodded. It was a kind offer that a lot of charge nurses made when new interns started and one that was much appreciated. Heaven knew, it was a busy enough job and you needed all the support you could get. But there was something about Fi’s offer that sounded ominous, as if she almost expected trouble.

‘I’d better get those gases done.’

‘I’ll get you some ice.’

Although Mrs Marshall was on oxygen, Alice removed the mask before she took the blood gases, as the blood taken while the patient was breathing only air would enable them to get a truer picture of her condition. Although obviously unwell, the increased pain control had already kicked in and she actually seemed in the mood for a chat.

‘I’m just going to take a small sample of blood from your wrist, Mrs Marshall, so just hold still while I inject some anaesthetic.’

‘No one else has bothered with anaesthetic. How come?’

‘Maybe you were too sick and they needed the blood urgently,’ Alice suggested diplomatically.

‘Maybe they were in too much of a hurry,’ the patient said pointedly. ‘When are you due?’

‘In about three months’ time,’ Alice muttered reluctantly.

‘Your first?’

Alice nodded. She really didn’t want to discuss her private life with Mrs Marshall but, as she was increasingly finding out, her obvious condition seemed to be a licence for all and sundry to strike up a conversation about the most personal of subjects.

‘Must be hard on your own.’ She gestured to Alice’s naked ring finger.

Alice concentrated on finding the pulsing artery. ‘Hold still, please, Mrs Marshall.’

Thankfully she hit the jackpot first time and the bright red arterial blood spurted up the syringe.

‘She got it first go and even gave me an anaesthetic first,’ Mrs Marshall said loudly—to whom, Alice had no idea.

‘Glad to hear it.’

Alice nearly jumped out of her skin as Jeremy made his way over. ‘Let’s pop your oxygen back on now.’ He replaced the mask over the patient’s face.

‘I was just saying how hard it must be for the young doctor, being pregnant and on her own.’

Alice wished the ground would open up and swallow her, but she had no choice other than to stand there and press the cotton-wool swab for a full two minutes on the site where she had taken the arterial blood.

‘Oh, I don’t know,’ Jeremy said lightly. ‘Solitude has its virtues. I think you can stop pressing now,’ he added to Alice.

Mortified, she followed him out of the room.

‘Don’t tell them so much next time,’ Jeremy said, taking her to one side.

Alice, blushing furiously, looked down at her feet. Her tinted moisturiser had gone all blotchy. ‘I’m sorry, I know it mustn’t look very good—professionally, I mean—what with me being a single mother and all that.’

To her utter amazement Jeremy gave a small laugh. ‘We’re in the twenty-first century, Alice, for heaven’s sake, not the nineteen-fifties. Nobody gives a damn these days about pregnant women being single.’

‘Well, I do.’ Alice said curtly, though the fact he wasn’t bothered by her status was somehow strangely comforting.

‘I know,’ he said, and Alice looked up, surprised at his perception. ‘I could tell Mrs Marshall’s probing was making you uncomfortable. Next time tell them your fingers have got too fat to put your rings on, or tell them you don’t want to talk about it. Tell them what you like. You’re the doctor. It’s you holding the consultation, not the other way around.’

‘Thanks, I never thought of it like that.’

‘You’d better get those blood gases over to ICU.’

Only then did Alice remember the kidney dish she was holding. ‘I’ll take them down to the lab myself. We’re not allowed to use the ICU blood-gas machine for ward patients unless it’s a real emergency,’ she reminded him.

Jeremy screwed up his nose. ‘Since when?’

‘Since for ever—well, at least in the nine months I’ve been here.’

But Jeremy didn’t look convinced. ‘I’ve never had a problem. Maybe it’s because I’m consultant,’ he said pompously.

Well, you wouldn’t have a problem, would you? Alice thought to herself as they entered the intensive care unit. One glimpse of those impossibly blue eyes and a flash of that ready smile and everyone melted. Even Flynn, the gayest of porters, smoothed down his hair when Jeremy walked past. They were all so delighted to see him that Alice stood there awkwardly as they chatted away, greeting him like a long-lost friend. Finally Jeremy seemed to remember why they were there.

‘I’d better get these bloods done, or we’ll have to get a fresh sample.’

Far from the grumbling staff that reluctantly allowed her to do blood gases in only the most dire of emergencies, for Jeremy it seemed it was absolutely no trouble at all. They even offered to run the test for him.

‘No, but thanks anyway. I just want to have a quick look at the printout and then hopefully dash off. I’ll catch you all later.’

Alice could find neither rhyme nor reason for her indignation as she smeared a drop of blood onto the machine and punched in her request.

‘Don’t take it personally,’ Jeremy said, glancing at her sideways as she glared at the machine. ‘They probably let me use the machine because they’ve got a bit of a soft spot for me. I was a patient here for a while.’

Alice gave a cynical laugh as the printout appeared. The staff might well have a soft spot for Jeremy Foster, but it certainly wasn’t all down to the fact he had been a patient here, or even that he was a consultant.

Ripping the result off, she handed it to him.

‘Better than I thought. Good. But keep an eye on her, Alice. Given that I’ve upped her pethidine and prescribed her Valium, her respiration rate could go down. Tell the nurses to do strict one- to two-hourly obs and keep a close eye on her oxygen saturations.’

Alice nodded.

‘I’ll catch you later, then.’

As he left the tiny annexe, the baby suddenly let out a massive kick. Alice’s hands instinctively moved to her stomach and she tenderly massaged it. ‘Don’t worry, I haven’t forgotten you’re in there,’ she whispered, and watched out of the window as Jeremy made his way down the unit, every nurse in the place turning her head to catch a glimpse as he left. At least she didn’t have to worry about Jeremy trying his well-rehearsed lines on her. Just as well really, Alice thought to herself as she made her way back to the ward. With those blue eyes and that sultry smile she doubted whether even she would be able to offer much resistance.

Pre-op clinics always ran overtime and today was no exception, given the fact it was the intern’s first day and the consultant had only just returned from sick leave.

It was Alice’s job to clerk the patients, which involved taking a full medical history. From there she would order any test she thought necessary prior to the patient’s admission, such as ECGs and blood tests. Then the consultant would review the patient and agree or disagree with the intern’s suggestions, invariably adding or removing a test. At this point, Jeremy explained, he would like her to be present.

‘There’s not much point otherwise. At least we can both explain our thought processes behind the pre-op work-ups. The down side is it means we won’t be out of here much before six.’ He gave her a sideways look. ‘Or maybe even seven. Is that a problem?’

Alice shook her head. ‘Sounds fine to me.’

And so they battled away. Alice took excellent histories. Somehow she managed to get the patients to open up—maybe because she gave a bit of herself back. But under her steady, unaccusing gaze the ‘occasional smoker’ would admit to a twenty a day habit and even the ‘social drinker’ admitted to a few cans mid-week. She took Jeremy’s advice, though, and somehow by remembering that it was she that was holding the consultation she managed to avoid some of the more embarrassing questions that, until now, patients had assumed it was their right to ask. Not that she wasn’t personable and friendly, but Marcus’s rejection and her current circumstances were something Alice was having difficulty dealing with herself without the constant, however well meaning, advice from strangers.

Jeremy, on the other hand, seemed to be taking his own advice to the extreme. He was courteous, friendly even, yet he gave nothing away about himself. Every personal comment, every attempt by a patient to make small talk was immediately and skilfully rebuffed. So skilfully, in fact, that it took Alice the full afternoon to realise he never spoke about himself other than with reference to his work.

Jeremy didn’t seem remotely bothered by her apparent slowness. In fact, by the time the last patient had been seen and the clock was edging towards seven, he seemed more than happy to prolong the evening with a chat.

‘That’s the last, Mr Foster.’

The young nurse popped her head around the door and Alice noticed her looking pointedly at her watch.

‘Thanks, Emily, you did a great job today. I’m sorry we’ve made you so late. And, by the way, it’s Jeremy.’

Instantly the bitter expression melted.

‘No problem.’ Emily paused. ‘Jeremy. It’s nice to have you back.’

That man could get away with murder, Alice thought. Why, even the most respected consultant wouldn’t be left in doubt of the nurse’s wrath if he let the clinic run more than two hours over, but for some reason Jeremy could get away with it. The nurses had been just as forgiving as the patients.

‘I’d just like to run a couple of things by you before you go,’ Jeremy said, interrupting her thoughts.

‘OK.’ Putting the pile of notes she had completed into the in-tray, Alice took a seat at his desk.

‘You’re sure?’ Jeremy checked. ‘You haven’t got a babysitter you’ve got to get back to or anything?’

‘I don’t have to worry about that for a few months yet.’

‘And if Mrs Marshall’s observations were correct, I can assume you don’t have a husband or partner wanting his dinner on the table?’

Alice swallowed nervously. She had known it would only be a matter of time before he asked. ‘Another thing I don’t have to worry about.’

‘Good.’

Alice looked up sharply. ‘Is it?’

Jeremy gave her a brief smile. ‘For me it is. Look, Alice, you’ve heard the gossip. I’m a has-been, I’m coming back too soon, I’m half the surgeon I used to be, and all that.’

Alice flushed. ‘I’ve heard nothing of the sort,’ she lied.

‘Bull.’

His expletive hit the mark. ‘Well, maybe a few remarks,’ she admitted. ‘But you know what this place is like. Once you’ve been back for a couple of weeks you’ll soon put them right. Anyway,’ she added somewhat more forcefully, ‘what on earth has any of this to do with my marital status?’

‘Everything and nothing. You know how politically correct everything is these days, Alice. Apparently, I’m not supposed to notice the obvious fact that you’re pregnant. And even if it’s brought to my attention I’m not supposed to let it affect my judgement of you in any way. Even by having this conversation, effectively you could run off to the anti-discrimination council and have me up to my neck in hot water.’

Alice was totally confused. ‘Why would I?’

‘Because, as I said, your rather large bump supposedly shouldn’t affect my judgement of you in the slightest.’

‘And does it?’ Alice asked boldly.

Jeremy stared at her for an age. Her heavy dark hair was too much for the loose scrunchy she was wearing and was slipping from its grasp, and dark grey eyes were staring up at him as if waiting for his judgement. For a second he lost his train of thought, but only for a second. His eyes flicked downwards again, and came to rest on the soft yet firm swell of her stomach.

‘Yes,’ he answered simply. ‘Yes, it does.’

‘But why? Just because I’m pregnant, it doesn’t make me any less a doctor.’

Jeremy put his hands up. Tanned, manicured, long-fingered hands, Alice noticed...surgeon’s hands. ‘I never meant—’

But Alice interrupted him, jumping to her feet. Suddenly she felt threatened. Maybe he was about to say he didn’t want her on his team, would never have agreed to it had he been in on the interview. All she knew was that it was imperative he let her stay. ‘Being pregnant makes me a better doctor. I now know what it’s like to lie on an examining couch and be prodded and poked. I know how it feels to be vulnerable, to be a number in the system.’

‘Whoa.’ Jeremy gestured for her to sit down.

Furious with herself for reacting so violently, Alice meekly did as she was told. Not trusting herself to speak, she looked up at him.

Jeremy cleared his throat before speaking. ‘Firstly, I have absolutely no doubt you’re a fine doctor. Your references are exemplary, and from what I’ve seen today you merit every word that was written. Secondly, I’m sure you really are a better doctor for being on the receiving end of the health system. I know without a shadow of doubt that I am, or at least I hope I will be. Take Mrs Marshall today. Normally I’d have dropped her pethidine down even further, and I’m not proud of that fact. But, having been in pain myself, I now recognise it all the more.’ He stopped talking and for a moment Alice thought he had forgotten she was even there.

‘And thirdly,’ she prompted. ‘I assume there’s more?’

Jeremy snapped back to attention, a wry smile touching the edge of his lips. ‘I’m not an obstetrician, and with good reason.’

Alice’s eyebrows shot up in a questioning look.

‘Heaven knows, they make enough money.’

‘Tell me about it,’ Alice grumbled, thinking of the invoice from Brett Halliday sitting in her bedside drawer amongst the other pile of unpaid bills.

‘What I’m trying to say,’ Jeremy continued, ‘albeit not very well, is that pregnant women terrify me.’

Alice started to laugh, then stifled her giggle as she realised he wasn’t joking.

‘You’re not serious?’

Jeremy nodded. ‘Deadly serious. I mean, see it from my angle. If I bawl you out, are you going to burst into tears or, worse, will I induce premature labour? If I keep you behind in a clinic or call you into Theatre at midnight, am I going to do irreparable damage to the baby?’

Alice really was laughing now. ‘Jeremy, I’m not a doll. I’m not some precious Ming vase that’s about to shatter, for heaven’s sake. I’m pregnant, that’s all. Women have been managing it throughout time, in fact.’

‘I know, I know. Look, I’m probably not being fair, landing this lot on you. I know you haven’t asked for special favours or anything. It’s just that I’m going to be pretty full-on in the ensuing months, far more so than any of the other surgeons, and that means I’m going to be asking a lot from you. I just need to know that you’re up to it and if you’re not I need you to tell me.’

‘I’m up to it.’ Alice said with conviction, but it wasn’t the answer Jeremy wanted to hear.

‘You still don’t understand, do you?’

Alice looked at him, nonplussed. What more did he want—an affidavit?

‘If I’m piling it on too thick I need to know you’ll tell me. I’m single-minded where work’s concerned. What I’m trying to say is that my career is everything to me. Now, I might expect loyalty and hard work from my staff and sometimes I admit I stretch the limits, but in your case you have a baby to think of. I’m not a soft touch—anything but—and I need to know that you’ll tell me if there’s a problem. It might not be politically correct, or whatever you want to call it, but I can’t pretend your condition doesn’t exist. If I’m coming down too hard, you must say so.’

Alice was surprised by his words, stunned even. From what she had heard of Jeremy Foster, compassion and understanding weren’t on his list of credentials, and even if his attempt at these had been somewhat bumbling and massively sexist, she was touched at his attempt. ‘I will,’ she said softly.

‘So long as we’ve cleared that up, then.’ Jeremy gave her a dismissive nod and Alice said goodnight. Retrieving her bag from the nurses’ station, it suddenly became imperative that she thank him. Making her way back to his room, she stepped inside. Jeremy was sitting there, his head in his hands. Two soluble painkillers were fizzing away in the glass next to him. From the hunch of his wide shoulders she could tell he was tense, possibly in pain. Sensing someone’s presence, he sat up smartly and turned around.

‘Was there anything else?’

Alice hesitated. Suddenly she felt as if she had witnessed a side that Jeremy didn’t want to be seen, as if she had somehow invaded his privacy.

‘I just wanted to thank you.’

‘There’s really no need. You’ll be calling me all sorts of names by the end of the week.’

Alice gave a small smile. She knew she should go now, but for some reason she found herself standing there. He might be her consultant, but at this moment Jeremy Foster looked nothing like the dashing, confident man she had met this morning. He looked exhausted—the day must have taken its toll—and in pain, too. ‘Er, is there anything I can get you?’

Jeremy gave her a quizzical look. ‘Like what?’

Alice shrugged. ‘A cup of tea perhaps?’

Jeremy gave a low laugh before answering sarcastically, ‘A woman’s solution to everything.’ When Alice flushed he added more kindly, ‘At least, it’s my mother’s solution.’ He shook his head. ‘I’ve got a headache, that’s all. I’ll be fine.’ And, turning his back, he started dictating his notes into a machine for his secretary.

Well, what had she expected? For Jeremy Foster to confide in her, to tell her how bad he was feeling? She let out a low moan. Imagine offering him a cup of tea! Of all the stupid things to say—in one sentence she had relegated herself to the little-woman role where Jeremy so obviously thought she belonged.

If only she had known that at that same moment Jeremy’s head was back in his hands and he was thinking that maybe he should have accepted that cup of tea. Maybe a few minutes spent talking to Alice would have made things a bit easier for him if he’d told her how it was for him, that the accident hadn’t left him completely unscathed. That his back was killing him and he suffered headaches that were indescribable. After all, he was going to be relying a lot on her over the next few months and he was hardly about to bare his soul to Linda. And as for Josh—well, Josh was a good bloke but he gossiped far too much. Maybe talking to Alice would have helped lighten his load. But what good could have come from it? She seemed like a nice girl, but he hardly knew her. No doubt in five minutes’ flat the word would be around the hospital. Has-been, past it, came back too soon. Jeremy pulled a face as he downed the rest of the revolting medicine. He’d just have to wear it for now.

CHAPTER TWO

‘COULD I have a bit more light? It’s like operating in a bloody dungeon here.’ Alice moved the overhead light a fraction. She was too focussed on the direness of the situation to take Jeremy’s comments personally.

‘Dear God, why didn’t they bring him in sooner?’

Alice didn’t answer. She knew Jeremy was talking more to himself than to anyone else.

‘More traction,’ he ordered, and Alice pulled back on the retractor holding the incision Jeremy had swiftly cut further back to allow for greater visibility. She could see the sweat pouring down his forehead. No matter how many times the nurse wiped it, only seconds later he was drenched again.

He’s in pain again, Alice thought, suddenly feeling sorry for him.

She had been working with Jeremy for two weeks now, and whatever Jeremy lacked in social skills he made up for in the operating room. He was quite simply the best surgeon she had ever seen. His long fingers worked deftly, his vivid blue eyes seemed to pick up the minutest detail almost before it became apparent to anyone else. But were his skills enough to save this young life?

Lachlan Scott had been wheeled into the accident and emergency department less than two hours previously. The young medical student had been complaining of abdominal pain for a couple of days now, but hadn’t thought to do anything about it. Only this morning had he turned up at his father’s house, vomiting and in great pain. His father, one of the leading physicians at the hospital, had immediately rushed him in. The diagnosis of appendicitis had been made even before he had hit the accident and emergency department; but it soon became clear from his rigid abdomen and shocked appearance that his appendix had already ruptured and the patient was now suffering from peritonitis. Linda and Josh had been in the middle of a hernia repair, which had left Jeremy with only the most junior of assistants.

Alice’s back was killing her. Lachlan Scott had come in on the end of an already busy morning in the operating theatre, but for now her back was the least of her concerns.

‘I think we’re winning.’ Jeremy looked up briefly and Alice could read the look of sheer relief in his vivid eyes. By the time Jeremy had stitched the last of the drains into place, which would drain any excess fluid from Lachlan’s abdomen, and had covered the wound with a huge clear dressing, they had been operating for over two hours. ‘Good work, everyone. Let’s get him out to Recovery.’

Alice would have liked nothing more than to peel off her theatre scrubs, stand under a cool shower and follow it up with a huge mug of tea, but that luxury was going to have to wait. Lachlan had been resuscitated with fluids in the emergency department and huge doses of antibiotics had already been administered, but his post-operative IV and drug regime would have to be worked out carefully if they were to allay any of the multitude of post-operative complications he might succumb to.

‘His father’s just outside,’ Carrie, the theatre charge nurse, prompted. Alice watched as the faintest hint of a frown appeared on Jeremy’s face. ‘Jeremy, he’s a consultant. It will have to be you that talks to him,’ Carrie said firmly.

‘I know, I know,’ he said irritably. ‘I’ll talk to him, but first I’m having a shower. I’ll be back to check on Lachlan shortly.’

‘Why is he so worried about talking to him?’ Alice couldn’t refrain from asking when Jeremy turned on his heel and left. ‘I mean, he did a brilliant job in there. You’d think he’d be the rushing off to tell Dr Scott.’

Carrie shrugged. ‘Probably terrified he might have to get out his handkerchief.’ She gave a small laugh and Alice heard the trace of bitterness in her voice. ‘Jeremy doesn’t like scenes or confrontations. If Lachlan had been a straightforward appendicitis he’d be out there now, grinning like a Cheshire cat and saying how well it had gone. You know as well as I do it’s going to be pretty hard telling Lachlan’s parents how sick he is. He may be out of Theatre but he certainly isn’t out of the woods yet. No doubt Jeremy’s hoping that by the time he’s had his shower someone will have done the dirty deed for him. You’ll get used to his underhand methods. I know I have.’

‘I hear you’ve been having a bit of excitement?’ Alice swung around and smiled as she saw Josh entering the recovery area. Carrie muttered something and went to check on Lachlan.

‘Too much for one morning. How about you, Josh? How was your morning with Linda?’

Josh rolled his eyes. ‘Bearable. At least the mask covers up her face.’

‘Josh, you’re terrible.’ Alice giggled.

‘I just say things as I see them.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Speaking of which, what was Carrie bitching about?’

‘Nothing, she was just saying how Jeremy avoids talking to relatives when the news is bad.’

‘Take everything Carrie says about Jeremy with a pinch of salt. She’s just bitter because he dumped her. Or rather, he didn’t dump her—he got a “friend” to do it for him.’

‘Ouch,’ Alice winced. ‘I thought there was a bit of an undercurrent between them.’

But Josh shook his head. ‘Not where Jeremy’s concerned. As soon as a relationship’s over, he forgets the woman ever existed and moves happily on to the next one. It’s the women who are left simmering—any undercurrents come from them. Jeremy’s exes probably radiate enough energy to act as the hospital’s back-up generator.’

Alice’s laughter was interrupted by Josh’s pager. ‘Now what does Linda want?’ he muttered, but his face paled as he read the message.

‘It’s Dianne ringing,’ he said, referring to his wife. Grabbing the nearest phone, he picked it up and, shaking, attempted to dial home, but kept misdialling.

‘Josh, give it here.’ Alice laughed. ‘She probably just wants you to pick up a pizza tonight. Now, what’s the number?’

But Dianne didn’t want a pizza. She wanted Josh home now or she was going to dial for an ambulance herself.

‘How far apart are the contractions?’ Alice asked as Josh replaced the telephone, his face white.

‘Two to three minutes apart, and from the noises she’s making they’re pretty full on.’ He scratched his head. ‘She was fine this morning, not a peep. I thought first labours went on for ever.’

‘In the text books maybe, but this is real life. You’d better go now, Josh.’

‘What about—?’

‘Go,’ Alice insisted. ‘I’ll tell Jeremy and Linda. Give me your pager. And ring me with the news,’ she ordered, as he handed her his pager and notes. Josh was in such a state that he handed her his wallet. ‘You don’t have to pay me.’ Alice laughed again.

‘Wish me luck,’ Josh grinned. ‘Next time you see me I’ll be a responsible father of two.’

Alice shook her head. ‘A father, yes—responsible, no. Good luck,’ she called to his rapidly departing back. And as he left Alice was suddenly filled with a hollow sadness. Josh was so excited, so ready for all that was ahead. She imagined him holding his wife’s hands, working with her, guiding her through her labour. And afterwards, when their babies were born, sharing in each other’s joy, united as a family. Her hand moved down to the solid swell beneath her theatre greens. Her baby was missing out on so much. And that hurt Alice, not for herself but for her unborn baby.

Maybe lots of women had babies without a partner these days, some even by choice, but it had never been her intention. She had always assumed that when—if—the time came to have children, it would be with the man she loved at her side. She knew the pain she felt now would only magnify with time. It had been hard enough at the antenatal classes, listening as the midwife had explained the role of the partner during labour. Alice had felt the weight of the pitying smiles then as she had sat alone, pretending to take notes.

What would it be like when she was actually in labour? When the pain got too much and there was no one she knew there to comfort her, to guide her and cheer her on? And then... Alice closed her eyes as they started to fill. How would it feel when the baby was born and there was no one to share it with, no one to gloat with and gaze in wonder at the miracle of birth?

‘He’s waking up.’

Alice snapped back to attention at Carrie’s words, and made her way over to the gurney.

‘What are his obs doing?’

‘Stable. His blood pressure’s good, still febrile and his temp’s thirty-eight.’

‘We’ll just have to wait for the antibiotics to kick in. Lachlan, it’s Dr Masters. I saw you briefly in the accident department. Lie still now, Lachlan, you’re just coming to after an operation.’ Alice kept her voice low and steady, trying to orientate and at the same time reassure the young man.

The anaesthetist had entered and was setting up a pethidine infusion for Lachlan. For the immediate post-op period a high dose of analgesic would be administered automatically, to control his pain, but as his consciousness and condition improved he would be using a patient controlled analgesia machine which would enable him to administer a safe dose of analgesic to himself as required.

‘How’s he doing?’ Jeremy asked. Looking refreshed from his shower and, as usual, immaculately presented, he accepted the chart from Carrie. His question was directed more at the anaesthetist than Alice.

‘Happy from this end. Where are you sending him?’

‘There’s a HDU bed on Surgical 1.’

‘Josh’s wife rang,’ Alice informed him. ‘Apparently—’

‘I know already,’ Jeremy answered, without looking up. ‘I collided with him on my way here.’

And that was that. No small talk, no casual remarks about wishing him well, or the usual groan about twins. Jeremy obviously wasn’t remotely interested.

‘He said he’s left his pager with you.’ The blue eyes turned to her and Alice nodded.

‘Well, if it gets too much, let Linda know. She’ll have to pitch in.’

Which was about as helpful as suggesting she ring Josh if there were any problems. There was as much chance of Linda resiting an IV as Josh leaving his wife’s side.

‘How were Lachlan’s family?’ Carrie asked.

‘Upset, relieved—the usual. I said they could pop in for two minutes before we transfer him.’

But Carrie wasn’t having any of it. ‘You know the rules. They’ll have to wait until he’s transferred to the ward, like every other family has to. Just because his father’s a consultant here—’

‘His father’s not the only consultant here,’ Jeremy reminded her. ‘If you’re so against staff having the occasional perk, like seeing their critically ill son in the recovery room, maybe it’s just as well you work in the operating room, Carrie. Your personality wouldn’t go down too well with a conscious patient.’

Alice watched as Carrie’s shoulders stiffened, two spots of colour burning on her angry, taut cheeks. And though Alice knew Carrie had been out of line, the way she had addressed Jeremy, she actually felt sorry for her. Jeremy might have been a consultant, but he had by all accounts been more to her than that, and from her reaction towards him it wasn’t all over where Carrie was concerned.

‘Any news on Josh?’

Alice shook her head as she made her way over to Fi, who was coming out from handover. ‘Not yet. I suppose he’s got a million relatives and friends to ring before he gets around to letting us know.’

Fi shrugged. ‘Dianne’s probably still in labour. Looks like it’s going to be a long hard night for womankind tonight. I suppose you’re covering for Josh as well as your own work?’

‘Linda’s going to help out,’ Alice said without much enthusiasm.

‘Like I said, it’s going to be a long hard night.’

Alice wasn’t given to moaning about her colleagues, but Fi’s inference was so spot on that Alice couldn’t help but give a small smile. ‘I bought some doughnuts,’ she said holding out a brown paper bag, which Fi accepted with a laugh.

‘Then what have I got to moan about? I’d better start doing the drugs. How about you? Do you need anything?’

Alice shook her head. ‘I’m pretty much up to date. I’ve got a couple of bloods to do at eleven so I’ll be back then. I’m going to head down to A and E—there’s a couple of patients Linda wants to admit that need to be clerked before they can be sent up to the ward, and then...’ Her voice trailed off as Jeremy and Linda walked through the ward doors.

‘Bit late for a ward round,’ Fi muttered.

‘How’s Lachlan Scott doing?’ Jeremy enquired.

‘His temperature’s come down and his obs are stable,’ Alice answered. ‘I just left him.’

‘Good. We’re just going to have a quick look before I head off.’

‘Sure.’

But though Linda headed off to the HDU section, Jeremy just stood there. ‘Er, I was wondering if I could have a word?’

‘I’ll get on with the drugs,’ Fi said cheerfully, but Jeremy shook his head. ‘With both of you, please. Fi, do you mind if we go into your office?’ Not waiting for an answer, he led the way. Fi and Alice followed, a worried look passing between the two women. There must be a problem on the ward they didn’t know about. ‘Sit down, please.’

Alice felt as if she were being hauled into the headmaster’s office for a telling-off, but when she finally looked up at Jeremy she realised that he wasn’t angry.

‘I’m afraid I’ve got some bad news.’

Alice swallowed nervously.

‘What?’ Fi asked bluntly.

‘It would seem that Dianne’s labour wasn’t very straightforward.’

Alice felt a cold shiver run down her spine.

‘Apparently, the first twin, a little boy, was delivered successfully, but there were problems getting the second twin out.’

‘Shoulder dystocia?’ Fi asked, her voice shaky, referring to a condition in labour where a baby’s shoulders have difficulty negotiating the bony pelvis.

Jeremy shook his head. ‘No, Josh wasn’t very clear on the telephone but it would seem the second twin just didn’t descend at all. They had to use forceps, but they couldn’t get a grip. They made a number of attempts...’

Alice winced at the thought, and Jeremy shot her a look.

‘Sorry, you probably don’t need to hear all the details.’

But Alice shook her head fiercely ‘No, tell me. I’m all right.’

‘Well,’ he continued tentatively, ‘it would seem by the time they delivered the second twin, another little boy, he wasn’t breathing and there was no output. He had to be resuscitated. Apparently it was rather lengthy, though they did get him back. Anyway, the upshot is that the baby’s pretty sick. He’s on PICU. He’s bruised and battered from the forceps and he’s got some breathing difficulties.’

‘Poor Josh,’ Alice whispered, almost to herself. ‘And poor Dianne,’ she added. Although she had never met Dianne, her heart went out to this woman and the pain she must be feeling.

‘Obviously Josh will be taking some time off, which is going to mean more work for you, Alice.’

‘I’ll be fine,’ she said, her grey eyes brimming with tears. ‘It kind of puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?’

Jeremy gave a brief nod. He wasn’t going to be drawn into a deep discussion, but she could tell from his eyes that this news had shaken him, too.

It was a rather subdued group that made their way quietly out of the office. Linda was breaking the news rather less tactfully to the anaesthetic registrar.

‘Which is just great. We’ve got the consultant just back from sick leave, the reg on annual leave, the resident on paternity leave and the intern about to go on maternity leave. I’m carrying the lot of them.’

‘That’s what I like about you, Linda,’ Jeremy said dryly, as the anaesthetic reg signalled a desperate look at Linda to stop. ‘Your sense of team spirit.’ And without a backward glance he made his way across to Lachlan Scott, leaving Linda spluttering her excuses to his departing back.

Blinking back tears, Alice made her way down to A and E. How could it all have gone so terribly wrong? She remembered Josh’s excited face just this morning. Oh, she knew things went wrong, that there were no guarantees of a perfect healthy baby, but why did it have to happen? And why to Josh and Dianne? It just wasn’t fair.

A and E was busy, but wasn’t it always?

‘Hi, Alice.’ Fay, the Unit Manager greeted her.

‘Hi, Fay. I didn’t expect to see you. How come you’re on nights?’

‘Don’t ask.’ Fay rolled her eyes. ‘Given the fact that it’s me who does the roster, I guess I’ve only got myself to blame. Anyway, it might be chaotic down here, but from a surgical point of view it’s not too bad. There’s just two for you to clerk in. Linda’s seen them and ordered a few tests, but most can wait for the morning. As soon as you’re done I can shift them up to the ward and free up a couple of trolleys.’

Which was an extremely nice way of saying ‘get on with it’.

So she did, or at least she tried to, but no sooner had she clerked the first patient and was about to start with the second one than the sound of her pager signalled the end of her introduction to the patient.

‘I’m sorry, Mr West, I’ll just have to answer this. I’ll be back to clerk you, hopefully soon.’

‘No worries, love.’

Dialing the number as she flicked through Mr West’s medical history, she was surprised when Fi answered. Normally Fi held off from paging when she knew Alice was coming back. Something must be up.

‘I haven’t forgotten the bloods, Fi. I’ve just got one more patient to clerk then I’ll be up.’

But that wasn’t why Fi was ringing. ‘I’ve already done your bloods, so don’t worry about that. Look, Alice, I’m a bit worried about Lachlan Scott. Would you mind coming and having a look?’

Alice didn’t need to be asked twice. Ignoring the pained look from Fay, she made her way straight up to the ward.

‘Thanks,’ Fi said when Alice arrived. ‘Hopefully I’m worrying about nothing, but he just doesn’t seem right to me.’

‘What are his obs doing?’ Alice asked as they made the way to his bedside.

‘Nothing remarkable. His temp’s normal and his blood pressure’s a tiny bit low, but I guess that could be put down to his analgesia.’

Lachlan Scott looked pretty much the same as when Alice had last seen him, maybe a little paler but nothing that would cause Alice too much concern. ‘Lachlan, I’m just going to have a look at you,’ Alice informed him, as Fi and Kate, the student nurse, helped her with the bedclothes. Lachlan gave a small nod.

‘How are you feeling, Lachlan?’ Alice asked.

‘Tired.’

‘Are you in any pain?’

Not bothering to open his eyes, Lachlan shook his head as Alice gently palpated his abdomen. Again there was no real change since the last time she’d seen him. Listening to his chest, she found the story was the same—nothing remarkable.

But Fi was worried and Alice wasn’t going to ignore the fact.

Suddenly Lachlan opened his eyes. ‘I should be in the library. I’ve got an exam in the morning.’

Alice gave Fi a worried glance.

‘Lachlan, do you know where you are?’ Fi asked urgently.

Closing his eyes, Lachlan nodded.

‘Where, Lachlan?’

‘Melbourne City.’ Which, of course, was the right answer, but his moment of confusion prompted Alice into action.

‘Do another set of obs and I’ll ring Linda.’

Linda was particularly unhelpful. ‘So let me get this straight. His obs are fine, and you can’t find anything wrong on examination. Exactly why are you calling me, Alice?’

‘Because the nursing staff are concerned—I’m concerned,’ she said trying to sound confident. ‘And, as I said, he’s confused.’

‘Momentarily,’ Linda pointed out. ‘He’s had major surgery, he’s on a high dose of pethidine and you’ve just woken him up in the middle of the night. You said yourself he’s orientated now. Look, Alice, I just had A and E on the telephone complaining there’s still a patient waiting to be clerked. I’m stuck on Intensive Care with a sick patient and I’ve still got a list of patients to see on the wards. Now you’re ringing to tell me a patient I reviewed an hour ago is in the exact same condition as when I left.’

‘I’d just like you to review him,’ Alice said as evenly as she could. ‘I’d really value your opinion,’ she added tactfully.

‘When I get a moment,’ was all Linda could offer.

‘Is she coming?’ Fi asked as Alice replaced the receiver.

‘When she gets time.’ Alice shrugged. ‘What are his obs doing now?’

‘Not much change. His temp’s down a bit further—it’s 35.0 now.’ Which was low. Not dangerously low, but low enough to set an alarm bell ringing in Alice’s head.

‘He could be septic.’

‘But wouldn’t his temperature be high then?’ Kate asked.

Alice shook her head. ‘Not necessarily. Sometimes when the body’s overwhelmed with infection a patient can actually become hypothermic.’

Alice wasn’t a brilliant doctor, she was the first to admit that. She had got into and through medical school by sheer hard work and diligence. But she was a good doctor, and she knew that, too. And part of being a good doctor involved listening. Fi, with her years of knowledge and experience, had called on her because she was worried, and now Alice was worried as well. She wrung her hands anxiously. ‘I’d better ring Jeremy.’ She looked at Fi for her reaction.

‘Good. I’ll share the flak if it’s nothing.’

She had obviously woken him when she’d rung, and Jeremy listened without interruption as she relayed her findings.

‘What did Linda say?’

‘She’s a bit busy at the moment. His temperature wasn’t quite so low, though, when I spoke to her,’ Alice said hesitantly. ‘Maybe I should have called her back...’

‘Doesn’t matter now. Look, take some gases and bloods, do some cultures as well, and I’ll be straight in.’

Alice, unsure whether her concern for the patient was entirely merited, was somewhat taken aback by how amenable he was being. ‘I could ring Linda again,’ she offered. ‘Or call you back with the blood results. It could be nothing.’

‘Let’s hope it is,’ Jeremy said darkly. ‘I’m on my way.’

Linda wasn’t all bad, and in fairness she did come over almost immediately. But Alice’s relief at seeing her senior quickly vanished when Linda heard she had already contacted Jeremy.

‘You what? You just went ahead and called him? How dare you, without running it by me first?’

Alice was trying to concentrate on finding a vein and didn’t look up as she answered. ‘I did run it by you first. I felt Lachlan needed to be seen, and urgently. I knew how busy you were.’

‘So you went straight over my head?’

Alice didn’t reply; she was becoming increasingly worried about Lachlan now. His veins were proving extremely difficult to find, again a rather ominous sign in a young healthy man.

‘It’s not your responsibility to ring the consultant. You ring me and then I decide. It’s not your concern...’

Alice had heard enough. Rowing at a sick patient’s bedside really wasn’t her style. ‘I’m paid to be concerned, Linda, and right now I’d appreciate your help in finding a vein. You can bawl me out later.’

‘Let’s concentrate on the patient, shall we?’ Jeremy’s rich tones filled the room, and Linda immediately snapped to attention.

‘You got here quickly,’ Fi said appreciatively.

‘I’m sleeping at the hospital tonight.’

Alice’s eyebrows shot up in surprise but she didn’t say anything.

In the short space of time it had taken Jeremy and Linda to arrive, it had become obvious that Lachlan was extremely unwell. He kept pulling off his oxygen mask, confused rantings coming from his mouth.

‘Linda, run over to ICU and get the gases done,’ Jeremy said quickly. ‘Fi, call a MET.’

Fi nodded and turned to Kate. ‘You do it. Tell them the room number and bring back the resusc trolley with you.’

As the overhead chimes relayed their urgent message, Alice felt her adrenaline kick into overdrive. A medical emergency team was called when a patient was suffering a life-threatening incident. It was a relatively new innovation, and not practised at many hospitals, but it had on many occasions proved to be more than effective. Once the call was put out, the ICU anaesthetist, along with an ICU nurse and the on-call physicians, would make their way urgently to the patient’s bedside to implement urgent intervention before the patient arrested. And though it was becoming increasingly obvious to Alice that Lachlan really was very sick, she was somewhat surprised at the dramatic measure Jeremy had taken.

From then on Alice felt she was somewhat supernumerary as a multitude of staff and equipment appeared, all far more skilled and experienced at coping with emergencies than she was. Jeremy relayed the findings to the MET team as IV fluids were pumped into Lachlan’s system and his oxygen concentration was turned up. The head of the bed had been removed by Fi to allow the anaesthetist more access to Lachlan’s airway, and the patient was now attached to a cardiac monitor with a probe clipped onto his earlobe to continually measure his oxygen saturation.

‘Ring the lab, Alice, and ask them to step on his bloods,’ Jeremy ordered, just as Linda returned breathlessly with his blood gas results.

‘We’ll get him over to ICU,’ the anaesthetist addressed Jeremy. ‘We’ll need to put in a central line and do the works, but hopefully the antibiotics will kick in soon. It’s lucky we got to him in time. That was a good pick-up, Jeremy. Glad to have you back on board.’

By the time Lachlan had been wheeled over to ICU it was a white, shaking Alice that stood in the empty room as Fi started to clear up the large mess that had been created. ICU wasn’t Alice’s domain. It was up to her to cover the rest of the wards.

‘That was close,’ Fi said.

‘Very,’ agreed Alice. ‘He just seemed to go downhill so quickly.’

Fi nodded. ‘Young, fit ones often do that. They hold their vital signs stable until the last minute. By the time a young guy like that drops his BP you’re often too late. I’m sure there’s a far more technical way of explaining it, but I’ll leave that for Jeremy to explain.’

‘Thanks, Fi, if it hadn’t been for you...’

‘Don’t sell yourself short. It took a lot of guts to ring Jeremy.’

They both looked up simultaneously as Jeremy coughed, making his presence known.

‘I agree.’

Alice didn’t answer.

‘How’s Lachlan?’ Fi asked. ‘Will he be going back to Theatre?’

Jeremy shook his head. ‘Not at this stage. He’s had an ultrasound and it doesn’t look as if there’s a collection in his abdomen. He’s septic from the infection, we think. Hopefully we can keep him going until the antibiotics kick in. His parents have arrived. I was wondering if you could come in with me, Fi?’

Fi nodded. ‘I’ll take them down to the day room.’

‘You might as well head off to bed, Alice,’ Jeremy said, without meeting her eyes.

‘I’ve still got a patient in A and E to clerk.’

‘Don’t worry about that,’ Jeremy said, rather too lightly. ‘I’ve rung A and E and they’re going to send him straight up—he can be clerked later. Linda’s going to be up all night with me, anyway. I can tell her to head over here and do it when there’s time. Is there anything else outstanding?’

‘Just some two a.m. bloods.’ She glanced at her watch. ‘Which are just about due.’

‘I’m sure Fi can help with that. If not, I’ll come and do them.’

‘You?’ Alice said rather ungraciously. Since when did a consultant offer to do an intern’s two a.m. bloods? ‘Are you sure?’

‘I’m sure I can handle it,’ Jeremy said in his superior way, and then his tones softened. ‘Let’s say I owe you one. Linda, too, for that matter,’ he added darkly. A ghost of a smile touched his lips. ‘Go on, get some rest. You might even cram in a couple of hours’ sleep.’

It was then that Alice noticed how pale Jeremy looked. The night’s events had obviously shaken him up as well.

‘Thanks, then,’ she said gratefully. ‘But call if you need me.’

As she made her way out of the room Jeremy called her back.

‘Likewise, Alice. You call if you need me as well. I’ll always listen.’

Never had the thin, hard, on-call bed looked more tempting. Aching and exhausted, Alice slipped off her shoes and slowly lowered herself onto the mattress. Normally she slept on her stomach, but her ever-increasing size had meant that for the last few weeks she had been forced to sleep on her back or side, which inevitably meant most of the night was spent tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable. With a groan she placed her pager on the bedside table and flicked off the lamp, tucking a plastic-covered hospital pillow under her bump she rolled onto her side. A couple of hours sounded good from here. There was still a full day’s work tomorrow to get through. Fancy Jeremy telling her to go to bed. Under normal circumstances she would have insisted she was fine, but Brett Halliday’s warnings had hit home and she wasn’t going to do anything to risk her health—too much depended on it. Anyway, given how the night’s events had panned out, Linda probably did owe her one, Alice mused. Still, it had been extremely nice of Jeremy to pull rank and, in his own way, to thank her. But, then, that was how Jeremy had been all the time she had worked for him—extremely nice. Low as her expectations had been about his demeanour, he had surprised her. Drifting off into a deep sleep, her last conscious thoughts were of Jeremy, and as her subconscious kicked in, her dreams for once were not filled with Marcus and unborn babies, but a certain consultant with blond hair and a smile that set her heart racing.