“Katie, if more people were like you then the world would be a much better place, believe me.”

He touched her lightly on the cheek then strode away. Katie bit her lip as she watched him hurrying to the stairs. He gave out such mixed signals that it was no wonder she felt confused. One minute he was pushing her away and the next.…Well, the next he was behaving as though he really felt something for her. Was it just that he was an inveterate flirt and couldn’t help coming on to a woman: the gentle touch, the intimate smile, the lingering eye contact? Or was there more to it than that? Did Nick really feel something for her, perhaps?

Dear Reader,

Midwife Katie Denning never imagined that she would meet the man of her dreams while dressed as an elf! Desperate to find a replacement Santa for the hospital’s Christmas carol concert, she accosts a tall, dark, handsome stranger in the car park and begs him for help. All she needs is someone who can be nice to the kids and do a bit of ho-ho-ho-ing and their new specialist registrar, Nick Lawson, seems to be perfect for her requirements.

Despite his misgivings, Nick agrees to help and proves to be a huge hit with the children. He certainly makes their wishes come true by turning himself into the perfect Santa, but can he make Katie’s wish come true as well? All Katie wants is a man who will love her as much as she loves him, but Nick seems reluctant to make a commitment to her despite their shared attraction. Can she convince him that love can overcome any obstacle if that is what they both wish for?

I had enormous fun writing this book. Nick and Katie are both lovely characters and deserve to find happiness together. The Midwife’s New Year Wish is the latest book in my Dalverston General Hospital series and I would like to thank you all for writing to tell me how much you have been enjoying it.

I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and that all your wishes come true.

Jennifer

P.S.You can e-mail me at: jennifer@jennifer-taylor.com.

The Midwife’s New Year Wish
Jennifer Taylor

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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CONTENTS

Cover

Dear Reader

Title Page

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

EPILOGUE

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

‘OK, FOLKS, can we have a bit of hush while I check that everyone’s here?’

Katie Denning flicked the pompom attached to her bright green elf’s cap out of her eyes and consulted her list. It was Christmas Eve and the staff at Dalverston General Hospital were about to perform their annual Christmas carol concert. It was the first time that Katie had organised the event and she was determined that it was going to be a huge success. She’d spent hours working on their costumes but it had been worth it, she decided, looking around the room. Never had she seen such a well-dressed collection of elves and fairies in her entire life!

‘Right, if you could all shout out when I call your names it would be a big help,’ she instructed. ‘I’ll start with the fairies so that’s Anne, Vicky, Linda and Jane.’

‘Here!’ they chorused obediently.

Katie put ticks beside their names then worked her way down the list, ticking off the elves, the reindeer and George, the hospital’s head porter, who’d agreed to be a snowman that year. ‘So that just leaves Santa,’ she concluded, glancing up and frowning when she realised that Jim Carstairs, the surgical registrar who’d offered to play Father Christmas, was nowhere in sight. ‘Has anyone seen Jim today? I hope he hasn’t gone off sick with that flu bug that’s been doing the rounds.’

‘He was in Theatre when I last saw him,’ Vicky explained helpfully. ‘He said to tell you that he’d be along as soon as he’d finished so I don’t know what’s happened to him.’

‘I’ll give Theatre a ring and find out,’ Katie said, hurrying to the phone. She put through a call to Theatre, her heart sinking when one of the staff there explained there’d been a problem with the patient they’d been operating on and that she had no idea how long it would be now before Jim was free to leave.

Katie thanked her and hung up but it was going to cause no end of problems if she had to find a replacement for Jim so late in the day. They could always go ahead without him, of course, but the kids on the children’s ward would be so disappointed if Santa didn’t turn up for his promised visit and Katie hated to think of all their sad little faces. She quickly explained her predicament to the others, sighing when everyone groaned.

‘I know. It’s going to be almost impossible to find someone to take Jim’s place at this stage. I daren’t try and filch anyone else from the wards because we’re already working on minimum staffing levels as it is.’

‘How about one of the visitors?’ Anne suggested. ‘Visiting hour is just about to finish so if you’re quick you might be able to waylay somebody suitable. I’m sure you’ll find someone willing to play the part if you tell them it’s for the benefit of the kids.’

‘Good idea!’ Katie exclaimed in relief. ‘You lot stay here and I’ll see who I can find. If I hang about by the main entrance surely I’ll find someone willing to spare a couple of hours.’

‘Just make sure that you don’t scare the pants off them,’ Pete Gilchrist, one of the paramedics, put in with a grin. ‘It is Christmas Eve, don’t forget, so a few of the visitors might have had a celebratory drink. You could give someone a very nasty turn if they see you loitering about in that get-up!’

‘Cheek! I thought it looked rather fetching on me, too.’

Katie grinned as she smoothed the bright green tabard over her hips. With it she was wearing a pair of green and red striped tights and green felt slippers. She’d pinned her light brown hair under her cap and painted green and red freckles across the bridge of her nose so she could well imagine the shock she might give any unwary visitor who’d been imbibing a drop or two of Christmas cheer.

She rolled her eyes when everyone jeered. ‘All right, I suppose we don’t want to go touting for business so I promise I’ll be careful. Back in a sec!’

She hurried out of the staffroom and made her way to the main entrance. There were a lot of visitors leaving and she smiled to herself when she saw the surprise on their faces as she hurried past. She spotted a couple of children staring at her and waggled her fingers at them, and they laughed and waved back. At least she didn’t look too scary to them, Katie thought with a chuckle.

There was quite a crush in the foyer so she found a quiet spot near the coffee-machine from where she could check out everyone who was leaving. Jim was six feet tall so whoever wore the costume would need to be roughly the same height because there was no time to shorten it. It would also help if he was as comfortably rounded as Jim was, too, although she could probably find some padding at a push. Hair colour wasn’t a problem because she’d managed to borrow a curly white wig from one of the patients on the oncology unit, and age also wasn’t an issue because the thick white beard she’d fashioned out of cotton wool would hide a multitude of sins. No, all she needed was a healthy, six-foot-tall male, willing to help, and everything would be fine.

Knowing what she needed and finding it, however, proved to be two entirely separate issues. As the flow of visitors tailed off to a trickle, Katie started getting desperate. She’d not seen a single man who’d fit the bill the whole time she’d been standing there so now what was she going to do? She could hardly go out into the street and accost people…

Could she?

Katie didn’t hesitate as she hurried outside. She didn’t want to have second thoughts about the wisdom of what she was doing because there wasn’t time. There had to be at least one eligible male in the town who could play Santa! She raced across the car park towards the main road then yelped in alarm when a car door suddenly opened directly in front of her. She managed to side-step the obstruction and ground to an ungainly halt as she glared at the hapless driver.

‘Why don’t you look what you’re doing? You could have knocked me over just now!’

‘I’m really sorry but I didn’t see you.’

The voice was deep and tinged with amusement but Katie was in no mood to appreciate the joke. The concert was due to start in less than half an hour’s time and her star performer was missing. She scowled at the man as he climbed unhurriedly out of his car. ‘Then you should be more careful in future.’

‘Oh, I shall. I’ll make a point of checking for lowflying elves every time I park here from now on.’

This time he didn’t attempt to hide his laughter and Katie’s mouth pursed. ‘And so you should. It could have been a child you almost flattened with that door.’

‘It could indeed. Good job it was only an elf. I mean, you’re supposed to be immortal, aren’t you, so no harm would have been done.’ He smiled calmly at her as he took a bag out of the back of the car and locked the door.

Katie glowered back, not sure she enjoyed being the butt of his jokes. Normally she had a very good sense of humour but she was too stressed to appreciate his clever remarks at that moment. ‘Oh, ha, ha, very funny. I’d split my sides laughing if I had the time to spare.’

‘Thank you. I didn’t realise that I could appeal to an elf’s sense of humour as well as everyone else’s. It’s always good to know that you can spread a little happiness as you pass through this life, isn’t it?’

With that he sketched her a wave and headed towards the hospital’s main entrance. Katie glared after him, wishing she had the time to tell him exactly where he could get off…She blinked when it suddenly struck her what she was seeing.

Six feet tall.

Male.

Apparently fit and obviously not in a hurry if the way he was sauntering up the path was anything to go by. He fitted her requirements to a T and she wasn’t about to let him slip through her fingers because he had a particularly irritating sense of humour!

She charged after him and grabbed hold of his arm so that he was forced to stop. ‘What are you doing for the next hour?’

‘Why? Are you thinking of initiating me into your elfin coven?’

‘It’s witches that have covens, not elves!’ she retorted.

‘Are you sure?’ He tipped his head to the side and regarded her thoughtfully. ‘So what do elves have then? A brotherhood? A family? A—?’

‘Oh, for pity’s sake, I don’t know!’ Her fingers gripped his arm as she struggled to regain control of her normally even temper. ‘I’ve no idea what elves do in their private lives. I’m really not interested! I just want to know if you can spare an hour to help give some sick kids a decent Christmas.’

‘What exactly did you have in mind?’ he asked with a marked lack of enthusiasm. However, Katie wasn’t about to let that deter her.

‘I need someone to play Santa at the Christmas carol concert. One of the surgical team was going to do it but he’s stuck in Theatre and can’t get away.’

‘Surely there must be someone else who could take over from him.’

‘You’d think so, wouldn’t you?’ She snorted in disgust. ‘I mean, it’s not asking much, is it? All I need is a man who’s roughly six feet tall so he’ll fit the costume and who’s willing to smile at the kids and do a bit of ho-ho-hoing…’ She stopped and stared at him. ‘You can do all that, can’t you?’

‘Smile at the kids or go ho-ho-ho?’

‘Both,’ she snapped, because she really didn’t appreciate all these wisecracks.

‘I suppose I could manage it at a push. It all depends on the fee, of course.’ He looked consideringly at her. ‘What’s the going rate for playing Santa these days?’

‘You’d expect to be paid!’ she exclaimed in dismay. ‘But it’s for the sake of the children.’

‘No actor worth his salt would work for free,’ he told her seriously. ‘And that includes anyone playing Santa Claus at a Christmas carol concert.’

‘But—’

‘Tell you what, why don’t we leave the subject of payment until later?’ He grinned at her. ‘You can judge me on my performance and then decide what you think I’m worth.’

‘Well, I suppose it will be all right,’ she conceded grudgingly, wondering where she was going to find the money to pay him. The costumes had cost a small fortune and she’d had to dip into her savings to pay for the material…

‘That’s settled, then. Let’s shake on it.’ He held out his hand. ‘My name’s Nick, by the way. Rather appropriate in the circumstances, isn’t it?’

‘I…um…Yes, I suppose it is.’ Katie hastily shrugged aside her concerns about paying his fee because she really didn’t have the time to worry about it right then. She took his hand and quickly shook it. ‘I’m Katie Denning and I’m a midwife on the maternity unit.’

‘Interesting job,’ Nick observed lightly as he released her. ‘So what do you want me to do? Didn’t you mention something about a costume?’

‘Oh, yes, of course.’ Katie glanced at her watch and groaned when she saw how late it was. ‘We’ll have to get a move on, though. We’re due at Women’s Surgical in fifteen minutes.’

She bustled up the path, murmuring her thanks when Nick opened the door for her. She took him straight to the porter’s lodge which had been turned into a makeshift dressing room that day and quickly unhooked the long red robes she’d made from the picture rail. Dalverston General had been built in the Victorian era—one of the many workhouse hospitals that had flourished in those days—and parts of the building still bore the evidence of its grim past. She saw Nick frown as he looked around the room and immediately guessed what he was thinking.

‘The rest of the hospital is very modern,’ she assured him. ‘All the wards and theatres are in the new part of the building so it’s just a few odd places, mainly to do with the admin side of things, that are still sited in the old section.’

‘Thank heavens for that!’ he exclaimed, tossing his bag onto a chair and shrugging off his heavy quilted jacket. ‘I was just beginning to wonder what I’d let myself in for.’

Katie wasn’t sure what he meant by that. However, a glance at the clock warned her that she didn’t have the time to investigate it right then. She quickly took the robes off the hanger and handed them to him.

‘These should fit you length-wise but you’re a lot slimmer than Jim so I’m going to have to pad you out round the middle. Can you start getting ready while I see what I can find?’

‘Will do.’

He obediently dragged his sweater over his head and Katie hastily averted her eyes when she was suddenly presented with the sight of a very tanned and very muscular abdomen. She quickly left the room, trying to blot out the image of that fit male body because she had more important things to worry about than her new Santa’s superb physique.

Five minutes later she was on her way back with a couple of pillows and some bandages that she’d borrowed from the orthopaedic ward. There were just ten minutes left before the concert was due to start and she muttered a silent prayer that Nick would be dressed as she backed into the room. The timing of the concert was crucial if they weren’t to disrupt the whole routine of the hospital. The day staff were due to go off duty at six o’clock when the night staff would take over. Several of the carol singers were on night duty, herself included, so it was vital that they finished on time. It was little wonder that her stomach was churning with nerves when she turned to see how Nick was faring, but she needn’t have worried. Not only had he changed into the robes but he’d put on the wig and the beard as well. He looked so stupendous, in fact, that Katie gaped at him in amazement and he chuckled.

‘So how do I look?’ He performed a slow twirl, his hazel eyes gleaming with laughter as he turned to face her again. ‘Think I’ll pass muster with the kids?’

‘Oh, definitely!’ Katie could barely contain her delight. ‘You look absolutely fantastic. You’d think those robes had been made specially for you, in fact. All you need now is the padding and you’ll be the perfect Santa every child dreams about.’

‘We aim to please.’

He swept her a laughing bow and her breath caught when she realised all of a sudden just how handsome he was. Even with that ridiculous beard there was no hiding the fact that he was an extremely good-looking man so that she was all fingers and thumbs as she set about fashioning a paunch for him.

‘Here, let me help you. It’s a bit tricky trying to do it all by yourself. If I hold the pillows in place you can just wrap those bandages around me.’

Nick quickly unbuttoned his robe and held the pillows against his tanned midriff. Katie took a steadying breath before she started to wind the bandage neatly around his waist. This wasn’t the right moment to panic, she told herself sternly. She didn’t have the time!

‘You may need to fasten them on a bit higher up as well.’ Nick jiggled about, grimacing when the pillows immediately doubled over in the middle. ‘See what I mean? Wrap some of that bandage round my chest as well. That should do the trick.’

Katie sucked in another breath as she set about bandaging the pillows to his upper torso. It was harder to reach around him now because he was so much broader around the chest and a spasm of awareness shot through her when her fingers encountered warm, bare flesh. It was a relief when the last bit of bandage had been fastened into place.

‘That’s better.’ Nick buttoned up the robe, nodding his approval as he patted his newly acquired paunch. ‘I look a bit more like the kind of Father Christmas the kids will be expecting, don’t I?’

‘You look great,’ Katie muttered, quickly moving away. She’d fitted all the male members of staff for their costumes but not once had she felt as aware of them as she’d felt of Nick just now and it was rather alarming to have to admit it. She’d promised herself that she wouldn’t rush into another relationship after what had happened with David. The next time she got involved with someone she would take her time and get to know him properly. Maybe there was an excuse for what she’d done because she’d been so lonely after her parents had died that she’d not been thinking clearly. However, she intended to learn from her mistake and not repeat it.

She cleared her throat, hoping that Nick couldn’t tell how jittery she felt. ‘You just need to put your hood on now and then you’re ready.’

‘Right.’ Nick pulled the hood over his head then looked at her. ‘How’s that?’

‘I’m not sure…I think your wig’s a bit crooked.’

‘Better?’ he asked, quickly adjusting it.

‘No, it’s still not right. It looks as though it’s drooping over your right eye.’

‘You’d better do it, then.’

He sat down on a chair, obviously expecting her to adjust the wig to her own satisfaction. Katie went and stood in front of him, hoping he couldn’t tell how loath she was to touch him in case the same thing happened again. Using the very tips of her fingers, she tweaked the wig into place then hastily stepped back when he reached for the mirror.

‘That’s better,’ he declared, studying his reflection from various angles. ‘What about the beard, though? It looks a bit uneven to me. Maybe you should fix that as well?’

‘It’s fine,’ she assured him because she really couldn’t face the thought of having to set to work on his beard next…

She bit her lip because she could just imagine how stressful it would be to smooth that cotton wool around his mouth. What on earth was the matter with her? she wondered desperately. Why was she having all these crazy thoughts about a stranger? It was impossible to say so it was a relief when Vicky poked her head round the door.

‘How did you get on, Katie? Did you manage to find—? Oh, wow!’

Katie summoned a smile as Vicky came into the room. ‘So what do you think of our new Santa?’

‘Brilliant!’ Vicky declared in obvious admiration. ‘I don’t know who you are in real life, Santa, but I’d let you bounce me on your knee any day of the week!’

‘Thank you.’ Nick grinned at her, his teeth gleaming whitely even through the snowy folds of his beard. ‘I could return the compliment. In fact, the next time I need a fairy to assist me you’ll be at the very top of my list!’

Katie quickly battened down her irritation when Vicky giggled. There was no point wishing that she’d been wearing one of the fairy costumes because that would be stupid. She headed for the door, deeming it wiser to stick to the task at hand. ‘It’s time to make a start so shall we go and find the others?’

Vicky hurriedly followed her out of the room. However, Katie couldn’t help noticing that she hung back so she could walk with Nick. They passed a couple of late visitors who were leaving and she gritted her teeth when she heard Nick give a booming ‘ho-ho-ho’ as he wished them a merry Christmas. He seemed to be adapting to the role rather too easily, she thought sourly, then realised how perverse that thought was. The fact that Nick seemed to have a preference for fairies rather than elves wasn’t a good enough reason to wish he’d make a hash of things!

The idea was so ridiculous that Katie chuckled then hurriedly turned it into a cough when she saw Nick staring at her. ‘Bit of frog in the throat,’ she explained, leading the way into the staffroom where the rest of the party was waiting. She quickly introduced Nick to everyone by telling them simply that he’d offered to play the part of Santa without going into detail. If he did demand payment then she’d have to work something out, but she wasn’t going to spoil everyone’s afternoon by mentioning money.

They went straight to Women’s Surgical, where they were given a rousing welcome. Even the patients who were really ill seemed to cheer up as they worked their way through their repertoire of carols. Nick turned out to have a surprisingly good voice so that Katie was forced to admit that no matter what it might end up costing her, it could be worth it. He carried them through ‘Once In Royal David’s City’ and took the lead in ‘Silent Night’, singing the lovely old carol with such feeling that there were several members of staff as well as patients with tears in their eyes when they left. It was the same in each ward they visited. However, it was in the children’s ward where he really came into his own.

Katie was frankly amazed by his aplomb as they went from bed to bed so that Nick could wish each of the kids in turn a merry Christmas. He was a natural and she couldn’t believe how lucky she’d been to find him, a sentiment echoed by several members of the group as they made their way back after the performance was over. It had been a resounding success and it had been all down to Nick for pulling it together.

Katie waited until they were back in the staffroom then clapped her hands and called for order. ‘I just want to thank you all for today. It was brilliant and everyone loved it.’

She turned to Nick, who was surrounded by a group of admirers. ‘The biggest thanks, though, must go to you, Nick. I don’t think we could have found a better Santa!’

Everyone cheered and Nick grinned. ‘It was my pleasure, although I’ll be very glad to get out of this costume, I can tell you. Now all that’s left for me to do is to claim my fee.’

Before Katie had time to realise what was happening, he stepped forward and swept her into his arms. ‘I think a kiss should just about cover it.’

CHAPTER TWO

NICK had intended the kiss to be a bit of fun, a teasing reprimand because Katie had actually believed that he expected to be paid for playing Santa, so it was little wonder that he was unprepared when it turned out to be rather more than that.

He bit back a groan of delight as his lips settled onto hers. Katie’s lips were so delicious that he felt like a kid who’d suddenly been let loose in a sweet shop. He could hear the others cheering him on but took no notice as he greedily savoured the taste of Katie’s delectable mouth. Her lips were as smoothly addictive as caramel, as sweetly satisfying as barley sugar, and he just wanted to carry on kissing her and never stop…

‘Oops! Sorry to break up the fun, but I need a word with Katie, if you don’t mind.’

Nick was rudely jolted back to the present when someone tapped him on the shoulder. He let go of Katie so fast that she staggered, but there was nothing he could do about it. He moved aside so the other woman could speak to her, hoping that nobody could tell how shocked he felt. He’d kissed his fair share of women over the years, sometimes in fun although more often in passion, yet he couldn’t recall a single kiss that had affected him the way that one had done.

‘I…Is something wrong, Abbey?’

Nick’s nerves twanged in alarm when he heard how breathless Katie sounded. He shot her a wary glance but she had her back to him now and he couldn’t see her face. He sighed because even if she had been as moved by that kiss as he’d been, there wasn’t a lot he could do about it. He’d set out his stall years ago and love, marriage and the regulation 2.3 children weren’t on his agenda. Maybe he was making a lot of assumptions he wasn’t qualified to make but something told him that Katie Denning was the sort of woman who’d expect all those things. A little light romance would never be enough for her. She’d want the whole kit and caboodle and Nick simply wasn’t in the market for that kind of commitment when he still had so many dreams to fulfil. To put it bluntly, he wasn’t the kind of man that Katie needed even if he’d have happily traded a few of his dreams for a couple more of her kisses!

‘Did you page Niall? What did he say?’

The worry in Katie’s voice cut through his thoughts and Nick frowned as he tuned into the conversation. Maybe he should have explained who he was earlier, he thought as he listened while the other woman—Abbey—explained that she’d been in touch with Niall Gillespie, the head of the obstetrics unit, but that Niall was stuck in traffic and didn’t know how long it would be before he could get to the hospital.

Nick knew he’d been a tad economical with the truth when he’d introduced himself to Katie earlier, but he’d been loath to admit who he really was. He desperately needed some time to himself after the rigours of the past few months. That was the reason why he’d decided to move to Dalverston on Christmas Eve, in fact—because everyone would be too busy with their own affairs to notice him and he’d be spared any fuss. However, as he listened to the conversation, Nick realised that he might have to put his plans for a low-key Christmas on hold.

‘Where’s Julie gone?’ Katie was asking now, so Nick held off a bit longer, hoping there might be another solution to the crisis apart from him revealing who he was.

‘Julie went home sick at lunchtime. She looked really awful, too. I think she’s got that horrible flu bug that’s been going around.’ Abbey sounded really worried. ‘Karen Johnson’s husband was frantic when he phoned to tell us that he’d had to call an ambulance. Apparently, Karen was in tremendous pain and losing a lot of blood. We didn’t know what to do for the best when Niall told us how long it could take him to get here so that’s why I came to find you.’

‘You did exactly the right thing,’ Katie assured her.

Nick felt a spasm of longing tiptoe its way down his spine when he heard the warmth in her voice. He could have done with some of her particular brand of TLC during the last few months, he thought wistfully, then quickly blanked out the thought because it was far too dangerous to go down that route. He forced himself to concentrate again as Katie began listing their options.

‘Obviously, we don’t know what’s wrong with Karen yet but if it’s a placental abruption, for instance, she’s going to need surgery urgently.’ She frowned as she considered the implications of that. ‘In that case, bringing her here will only waste time if there’s nobody available to operate. It might be best if she was taken straight to Hunter’s Green. It will take the ambulance a lot longer to get there but I know they have an obs and gynae consultant on over Christmas because they faxed us a list of their staff in case of an emergency like this.’

‘But they don’t have a special care baby unit at Hunter’s Green, do they?’ Abbey put in anxiously.

‘No, they don’t,’ Katie agreed. ‘The baby would have to be transferred to us after it’s delivered and I can’t say I’m happy about the idea of a preemie being driven around the country. Karen wasn’t due till the end of January so the baby will need a lot of support at first. Damn! If only the new registrar had started before Christmas instead of after, then we wouldn’t be in this mess!’

Nick sighed because it seemed that he really didn’t have a choice any longer. He would have to come clean and admit who he was. He stepped forward, seeing the way Katie’s grey eyes skittered to his face then just as quickly skittered away again. It was all he could do not to gnash his teeth when it was obvious that she was as sensitive about that kiss as he was. Now all he could do was to try and limit the amount of damage he’d caused, but he should never have put himself in this position in the first place.

‘I’m sorry to butt in but I might be able to help,’ he said with a smile that was meant to be cool but which wavered when Katie’s eyes once again shot to his face and stayed there this time.

‘Wh-what do you mean?’ she stammered, and a shiver ran through him when he realised that he was responsible for that catch in her voice. The women he usually dated were far too sophisticated to betray their feelings that way, but Katie had no such pretensions. Nick found himself suddenly awash with tenderness and it was the last thing he needed when he was determined to behave in a purely professional manner from now on.

‘That I’m Nicholas Lawson, your new specialist registrar. I should have introduced myself properly before, I suppose, but better late than never, as they say. Anyway, if I can swing it with Niall then I’d be happy to start right away instead of waiting until after Christmas.’

‘You’re the new registrar!’

A second or two earlier Nick had been glorying in Katie’s lack of artifice. Now he found himself wishing that she’d made more of an effort to dissemble. Did she have to make it quite so clear how dismayed she was by the prospect of him being her new colleague? It was hard to hide his chagrin but Nick didn’t have a choice.

‘That’s right. Sorry to spring it on you like this, but I’ve got references and everything so you don’t have to take my word that I am who I claim to be. And, of course, Niall will vouch for me because he’s the one who interviewed me for the post in the first place.’ There was a hint of challenge in his voice because he really didn’t appreciate the fact that Katie was staring at him as though he’d just sprouted an extra head.

‘If Niall says it’s OK for you to start then far be it from me to question his decision, Dr Lawson,’ she stated coldly, then proceeded to ignore him as she turned to Abbey again. ‘Take Dr Lawson to the office, please, Abbey. He’ll need to speak to Niall and confirm that it’s all right for him to start work earlier than planned. There shouldn’t be a problem, but I expect Niall will want to make sure all the formalities are covered. I’ll be along as soon as I’ve got changed.’

Nick just managed to step aside before Katie swept past him, not that she’d have had much hesitation in mowing him down, he thought. It was obvious that she was furious with him for not revealing his identity before now and he couldn’t blame her in a way. She probably felt that he’d tricked her and that hadn’t been his intention at all.

He sighed as he followed Abbey out of the room, wishing that he’d never decided to drive up to Dalverston that day. If he’d stayed in London over the holiday then none of this would have happened. He wouldn’t have been pressganged into playing Santa and he certainly wouldn’t have ended up kissing Katie. This seemed to be turning into a Christmas to remember.

Katie went straight to the maternity unit after she’d changed into her uniform. It was a few minutes before six and Jean Preston, the senior midwife on duty that day, was delighted to see her.

‘Oh, goodie! I was hoping the carol concert wouldn’t run on too long. How did it go? I was on the phone when you came round so I didn’t get much chance to listen to you.’

‘Fine. Everyone seemed to enjoy it, anyway,’ Katie told her briefly because she didn’t want to go into detail. The thought of having to explain Nick Lawson’s part in the proceedings was a little too much to swallow at the moment. She would have to deal with the way he’d tricked her, of course, but she needed a breathing space first and swiftly changed the subject. She glanced at the whiteboard where all the patients’ names were listed and nodded when she saw there was just one mum in the delivery suites.

‘Any problems there?’ she asked, turning to Jean again.

‘No, textbook delivery from the look of it. She’s one of Anita’s mums so she’s only booked in for the birth. She’ll be going home after the baby’s delivered so you don’t need to worry on that score.’ Jean sighed. ‘It doesn’t sound too promising for poor Karen Johnson, though, does it? What a rotten thing to happen and especially at Christmas. Mind you, it was lucky the new registrar happened to be here. It could be ages before Niall arrives if the traffic is really bad.’

‘It was fortunate he happened to be around,’ Katie agreed neutrally, although there was a lot she could have said if she’d had a mind to.

She picked up the pen and wrote Karen’s name on the board in readiness for her arrival, thinking back over what had happened. Nick Lawson had never so much as hinted that he was a doctor let alone admitted that he was their new registrar. He’d had ample time to do so, too, especially after she’d told him that she was a midwife. Had he decided to keep quiet about his identity so he could make a fool of her perhaps?

Katie’s pretty mouth compressed because she couldn’t come up with a better explanation and it stung to know that she’d been duped. She should have learned her lesson after her experiences with David, but once again she’d been taken in. Nick had even led her to believe that he expected payment for playing Santa but he’d had no more intention of asking for money than she had of…of…flying to the moon and it was the fact that he’d set out to make a fool of her that hurt the most.

Anyone else would have explained who they were as soon as she’d accosted them in the car park, but Dr Clever-Clogs Lawson had been too busy having fun at her expense. He probably wouldn’t have admitted who he was even now if it hadn’t been for this emergency, and the thought of him turning up after Christmas after the way he’d kissed her was more than she could bear. What made it so much worse was the fact that she’d actually enjoyed the kiss, even believed that it had meant something, when all it had been was a way to make fun of her. Well, she’d be on her guard in future because there was no way that Nick Lawson would get the chance to trick her a second time.

‘Niall’s given me the all-clear so it’s all systems go by the look of it.’

Katie swung round when she heard Nick’s voice and felt her heart give a traitorous little flutter when she saw him standing in the doorway. He’d changed out of the Santa outfit and was now wearing a regulation green scrub suit. Like most of the hospital clothing, it had been washed almost to death so that the thin fabric hid very little of his powerful body. Katie’s ears began to buzz as her blood pressure whooshed several notches up the scale. Nick looked the epitome of every movie hero doctor ever created—tall, dark, handsome, his brooding good looks enough to have the normally sensible Jean all aflutter as he introduced himself to her.

Katie, however, wasn’t fool enough to be taken in by good looks a second time. She’d fallen for David because he’d been handsome and charming and it had taught her a valuable lesson. Appearance wasn’t enough—it was what was underneath that mattered so the sooner she made it clear to Nick Lawson that she didn’t intend to be charmed by him, the happier she would be. She was just about to set him straight, in fact, when the wail of a siren announced the arrival of the ambulance.

She hurried out of the office with Nick hard on her heels and went to open the front doors. The paramedics quickly unloaded Karen Johnson from the back of the ambulance and rushed her inside, rattling out information as they pushed the trolley towards the examination room.

‘Patient’s name is Karen Johnson, aged 32, and she’s thirty-five weeks pregnant,’ the young woman paramedic recited. ‘Her husband told us that she’s under your care so you should have her notes on file. She was conscious when we arrived but had lost a lot of blood so we’ve given her a litre of saline and have just set up a second.’

‘Thanks.’ Katie bent over the trolley. ‘Hi, Karen, I didn’t expect to see you here quite so soon.’

‘I didn’t expect to be here,’ Karen murmured. She was obviously in a great deal of pain and that, allied to the massive blood loss, had left her very weak so Katie didn’t waste any time as she pushed open the doors to the examination room and helped the paramedics roll the trolley inside.

‘Let’s get her onto the bed, stat!’ Nick ordered, bringing up the rear. He put out a restraining hand when Karen’s husband tried to follow them into the room. ‘Can you wait outside, please, sir?’

‘But I want to know what’s happening,’ Clive protested, trying to get past him. ‘Why is she bleeding like that? Does it mean that she’s going to lose the baby?’

‘I’m sorry but we don’t have the time for this right now,’ Nick said firmly. ‘Please, wait outside. I’ll come and tell you what’s happening as soon as I can.’

With that, he closed the door and walked straight over to the bed. Katie tried to hide her dismay as they quickly transferred Karen from the trolley because, in her opinion, Nick had been a bit rough on the poor man. She found herself mentally crossing her fingers that he wouldn’t turn out to be a bit of bully like some of the obstetricians she’d worked with over the years. Her mums had a right to expect the kind of birth they wanted and she’d fight tooth and nail to make sure their wishes weren’t ignored.

‘Hi, Karen, I’m Nick Lawson, the new specialist registrar on the obstetric unit. It just so happens that you are my very first patient here in Dalverston so I’m going to make sure you get five-star treatment from here on.’

Katie frowned when she heard the teasing note in Nick’s voice because it was a world away from the manner in which he’d treated Karen’s husband. As she listened to him she quickly stripped off the blood-soaked sheet and set up the foetal monitor which would record the baby’s heartbeat and the frequency of the mother’s contractions.

‘I want to examine you if that’s OK?’ he said, gently palpating Karen’s swollen abdomen. ‘Just yell out if it hurts or give me a good old thump if it makes you feel better.’ He grinned at her. ‘I’m tougher than I look!’

Katie was amazed when Karen gave a wobbly laugh. The poor soul was in a great deal of pain and terrified as well, but the gentle teasing had helped to reassure her. She stood to one side, ready to attach the monitor as soon as Nick had finished his examination. He was gentle but thorough, she noted, and she couldn’t find any fault as he quickly established the baby’s position before turning to her.

‘Let’s get a tracing of the baby’s heart rate, please, Sister.’

‘Yes, Dr Lawson.’ Katie quickly strapped the ultrasound transmitter to Karen’s tummy, glancing round when Nick said softly in her ear, ‘Can you turn up the sound so Mum can hear that her baby’s all right?’

Katie nodded as she set the dials so that a rhythmic beeping noise was emitted by the machine and she saw Karen’s face crumple in relief.

‘Oh, I can hear him! He’s all right, isn’t he? I thought he was…’ She couldn’t go on as tears overwhelmed her. Nick took hold of her hand and squeezed it.

‘Your baby’s fine, Karen. His heartbeat is a little faster than it should be because he’s getting a bit distressed so I’m going to have to deliver him by Caesarean section. I know it wasn’t what you’d planned but it’s the best thing for both of you.’

‘I don’t care what you do so long as my baby is all right,’ Karen gulped.

‘We’re going to do everything possible to make sure he’s fine so you just hang on in there.’

One last squeeze of Karen’s hand then Nick was all business as he turned to Katie. ‘I want bloods for cross-matching and SCBU put on standby. They need to know that we have a pre-termer, thirty-five weeks gestation. I’d like you to assist me, Sister, so can you get someone in here while we scrub up? I’ve already spoken to the anaesthetist on duty and he should be here very shortly.’

‘Of course.’

Katie went to the phone and called the nursing station to ask Abbey to take over from her. She checked the fluid and changed the bag then Larry Price, the duty anaesthetist, arrived, closely followed by Abbey. Nick had already left and she spotted him in the corridor as she went to get changed, talking to Clive Johnson. The man was obviously distraught at the thought of his wife having an operation and she sent up a quick prayer that Nick wouldn’t be too brusque with him.

She pushed open the changing-room door then glanced back in time to see Nick slap the other man on the shoulder and for some reason her heart felt a bit lighter all of a sudden. Maybe it was silly but she was glad that her fears about him being a bully seemed to have been groundless.

Her lips snapped together as she let the door slam shut behind her. She wasn’t going to go all soft because Nick might not be the monster she’d imagined him to be. He would need to do an awful lot more than be nice to the patients and their husbands if he hoped to redeem himself in her eyes.

‘Can you take him, please?’

Nick handed the squalling baby boy to Katie then turned his attention back to the child’s mother as the infant was whisked away. Karen had lost an awful lot of blood and the sooner he got this sorted out the happier he’d be.

He swore under his breath as he carefully removed the placenta and placed it in a dish. Two thirds of the placenta had become detached from the wall of the womb and it was a miracle that Karen and her baby had survived the resulting blood loss and shock. Although placental abruption was fairly rare in the UK, it cost a lot of lives in developing countries where there was a lack of decent antenatal care. The condition was often linked to high blood pressure or pre-eclampsia, although there’d been no indication of either of those in this instance. He’d read Karen Johnson’s case notes and there’d been no indication of anything wrong at her last check-up, two days previously.

Nick was suddenly filled with self-disgust when it struck him how close they’d come to a tragedy and all because he’d not wanted to tell anyone who he was. He’d put his own desire for some peace and quiet above the welfare of their patients and it was a salutary reminder of how an action could have far-reaching consequences. If he hadn’t been so damned set on doing what he’d wanted to do all those years ago then his brother might never have died!

‘Four pounds three ounces, with an Apgar score of six.’

Nick glanced around when Katie came over to tell him how the baby was faring. Thinking about Michael’s accident always upset him so it was a relief to focus on something else instead. ‘Not too bad a weight considering he’s a month early. His score could be a lot worse, too. Are you going to take him down to SCBU now?’

‘If you no longer need me.’ She glanced at the patient and sighed. ‘Poor Karen. She’s had a really rough time. It must be even more of a shock for her because she had such an easy pregnancy. She didn’t even suffer the odd bout of morning sickness like most of our mums do.’

‘It’s how it goes sometimes,’ Nick replied flatly because he felt so bad about what had happened. If Karen had been sent to a hospital further away, her chances of surviving would have been greatly reduced. Time was of the essence in a situation like this so it was hard to keep the guilt out of his voice when he asked the anaesthetist for a BP reading. He saw Katie glance at him, as though she’d picked up on it.

A wash of heat ran up his face and he bent over the operating table because he really didn’t want her asking him any questions and, after a moment, she moved away. Nick concentrated on the task of suturing as she left Theatre with the baby, stitching each layer of tissue with a skill and speed that came from long practice. Larry, his anaesthetist, whistled as he watched Nick put the last suture in place.

‘I thought Niall was good but you’re a real whiz with the old needle and thread. Good job my wife doesn’t work here any longer or she’d be asking for your phone number. She’s been on at me about having some new curtains made for our sitting-room.’

Nick laughed, appreciating both the joke and the moment of camaraderie. ‘I’ll have to send her an estimate for my services, although I have to warn you that I’m not cheap.’

‘I’ll bet you’re not!’ Larry chuckled. ‘It must be a nice little sideline for you.’

They finished off soon afterwards and Nick thanked the rest of the team who’d assisted him. Although he’d been the major player, he couldn’t have managed without Larry and the scrub nurse, not to mention Katie, of course. A buzz of heat sprang up in the pit of his stomach at the thought of Katie but he tamped it down as he went to get changed. Katie was a wonderful nurse and he must focus on that fact rather than any other of her assets from now on.

Clive Johnson was pacing the waiting room when Nick went back to the maternity unit so he didn’t drag it out and add to the poor man’s agony. He told him simply that Karen and the baby had come through the operation and there was a very good chance they would both recover from their ordeal. Naturally, Clive wanted to know what had happened so Nick explained how the placenta had detached itself from the wall of the womb and it had been that which had caused the massive bleeding.

He didn’t expound on the seriousness of the situation because Clive wasn’t up to it right then. However, he guessed there might be more questions later so he gave the man his phone number and told him to call him if he wanted to chat and left it at that. Abbey was in the corridor so he asked her to take Clive to SCBU to see his baby son.

Once that was done then, by rights, Nick knew he was free to leave but he was loath to take himself off in case anything else happened. Maybe he didn’t have to stay but it would make him feel better so he went into the office and switched on the light. There was a kettle on top of the filing cabinet and it struck him all of a sudden how thirsty he was. He’d not had a drink since he’d arrived and a cup of coffee might just put a bit of fizz back into his veins and see him through the night.

He flicked the switch on the kettle then spooned coffee granules into a mug, added whitener and sugar—three large spoonfuls—and sank down onto the nearest chair. It had been quite a day, one way and another, and he was already bone tired from the long hours he’d been working recently. The kettle soon came to the boil and switched itself off but Nick never even noticed because he was fast asleep by then, his dreams full of babies crying and women with swollen bellies begging him for help…

Something green suddenly appeared just beyond his field of vision and his eyelids twitched. He could just make out a cap with a pompom, some pointy-toed boots and freckles—lots and lots of red and green freckles…

He sighed wistfully when a familiar little elfin figure suddenly materialised right in the middle of his dream. His life would be so much better if he had someone like Katie to share it with.

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