the appendix was ready to burst.’
‘That’s correct, sir,’ Silvia replied, smiling with pleasure at the compliment. She was an attractive brunette in her thirties, engaged to be married to another doctor on the surgical team which Felipe headed. He appreciated the fact that neither of them had allowed their relationship to intrude into their work, although he would have had no hesitation in doing something about it if it had. The welfare of the patients they treated at the Clinica Valdez came first and foremost, and always would.
‘Another half-hour and the outcome might not have been quite so fortunate. Sí?’ He turned to the young woman in the bed once again and frowned.
‘Did you have no indication that there might be something wrong before you set out on your holiday, Miss Prentice? I find it strange that you experienced no discomfort.’
Lisa flushed when she heard the scepticism in his voice. She was a pretty girl in her teens and had come on holiday to Mallorca with a group of her friends. Felipe couldn’t fail to see how uncomfortable she looked about having to answer the question.
‘I did have a few twinges the night before we were due to fly over here,’ she muttered. ‘I just hoped it was indigestion or something.’
‘I see.’ His black brows swooped upwards as he regarded her with cool, brown eyes. ‘It never occurred to you that it might be something more serious and that perhaps you should visit your doctor before you set off on your holiday?’
‘Not really. I mean, if Mum had found out that I wasn’t feeling too good she might have stopped me going…’ She tailed off uncertainly.
Felipe bit back a sigh. The young woman had preferred to run the risk of being seriously ill rather than cancel her holiday. It would take more than the promise of two weeks in the sun to get him on a plane if he were feeling under the weather.
That thought reminded him of what had happened earlier in the day, and he frowned. Had Rebecca Williams been feeling ill before she’d come to see him or had it been what he’d said that had had such disastrous consequences? Even the most consummate actress couldn’t have faked that bout of sickness, and it troubled him to know that he might have been responsible for it, troubled him more than it should, too. Why should he care about the wretched woman after the way she had used his brother?
His brows drew even further together and he saw Silvia glance rather nervously at him. She was obviously wondering if she’d done something to cause his displeasure so he quickly smoothed his features into their customary bland mask.
‘May I suggest that the next time you go on holiday you are a little more sensible, Miss Prentice? As it is you will not get to enjoy very much of your stay on the island, I’m afraid. We shall keep you here for the next two to three days then I shall recommend to your insurance company that you should be flown home immediately.’
‘Oh! I didn’t realise I would have to go home.’ Tears filled the girl’s eyes. ‘I thought I would be able to join my friends. We’ve been saving up for this holiday for months, you see, and now I won’t have a chance to enjoy any of it.’
Felipe sighed, although he couldn’t help wondering why the sight of the girl’s tears should have moved him. He wasn’t uncaring about the people he treated, but he’d learned a long time ago to distance himself. It puzzled him that he didn’t seem able to do so right then…
Unless it was that meeting with Rebecca Williams which had allowed his emotions to surface?
It was a deeply disquieting thought and he ruthlessly drove it out of his mind. ‘I feel that it would be far more sensible if you returned home as soon as you are discharged from the clinic, Miss Prentice. However…’ He held up his hand when Lisa started to say something and was unsurprised when she fell silent. Few people stood up to him, he’d found, although whether that was a good thing was open to question. Maybe he would be a better person if occasionally he had to bow to another person’s will? He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had contradicted him—apart from Rebecca Williams, of course.
It was an effort to hide his dismay as that thought slid into his mind, but hiding his feelings was something he was particularly good at. ‘However, I am prepared to review your case in a few days’ time.’
He shrugged when he heard the young woman’s gasp of delight, clamping down on the urge to smile at her because it wouldn’t be right to let her think that his agreement was a foregone conclusion. ‘If you continue making such excellent progress it might be possible to allow you to carry on with your holiday—with certain provisos, of course.’
‘Oh, thank you, Dr Valdez, and you, too, Dr Ramirez. That’s just brilliant news!’
Lisa was beaming when they moved away from her bed. Felipe sensed that Silvia was looking at him and glanced at her. ‘You disagree with my decision, Dr Ramirez? Please, feel free to say so if you do.’
‘Not at all,’ she said quickly. He saw a little colour touch her cheeks and sighed when it struck him what was wrong. Silvia was surprised because he’d changed his mind. Frankly, it was unheard of for him to go back on a decision once he had made it.
It made him wonder what was wrong with him that day and why he seemed to be acting so out of character. He had changed his mind about sending Lisa home once she was discharged and now he found himself wishing that he’d discovered what Rebecca Williams had wanted. It had seemed enough at the time that he’d been able to tell her what he thought of her, but all of a sudden he was beset by curiosity.
Why had she come to see him? He’d heard her telling the taxi-driver to take her to the airport so had it been a sudden whim that had made her spend her last few hours on the island visiting him, or had there been another reason behind it?
The question nagged at him for the rest of the day so that by the time he left the hospital he was tired of thinking about it. He made his way from the main building and followed the path through the trees until he came to a pink-washed villa. It was almost seven and the sun was sinking low in the sky, casting a burnished haze across the bay.
Felipe paused as he always did to admire the view, but that evening it didn’t soothe him. He felt too on edge and keyed up, a feeling of tension making his nerves hum. It had been years since he’d felt that way. The last time had been when he’d found out that his fiancée had been cheating on him.
He’d solved that problem by ending the engagement and hadn’t made the mistake of getting involved with anyone ever since. Any relationships he’d had in the intervening years had meant little to him apart from physically. If only he could apply the same objectivity to what had happened that day, but wondering what Rebecca Williams had wanted was eating away at him.
He let himself into the villa, bypassing the dining-room where his housekeeper had left his supper in the heated serving trolley. Usually he enjoyed her cooking but that night the smell of meat and vegetables made him feel sick, although not as sick as Rebecca had been that morning.
‘Madre de Dios!’ He slammed his hand against the study door, feeling pain shoot through his palm when it connected with the ornately carved wood. It stunned him to feel it and know that he was capable of such anger when he had always—always—been able to control his emotions before.
But this was different. This all had to do with Antonio, and there were too many emotions churning inside him. He felt guilt and anger, grief and pain, all laced with a deep contempt for the way that woman had used his brother when he had been so vulnerable.
Antonio
