Doctor On Her Doorstep. Annie Claydon

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a general sense. I saw Julie when she came into A and E after she was the victim of an acid attack. She saw it coming and shielded her face, but she has burns on her arm and shoulder. Iain and his team are dealing with that, though I’m really more concerned about her emotional state.’

      ‘Which is where I come in.’

      Jenna turned to him in surprise. There was nothing in his face, no clue of what he was thinking. As she stared, a small muscle at the side of his jaw broke free of his control and began to flicker. ‘You know something about trauma?’

      He knew something all right. That muscle was going crazy. ‘I do. Many of my patients are in the same position as Julie, and I try to deal with that as well as their physical needs.’

      Jenna narrowed her eyes. ‘And there’s no counselling help? In Florida?’

      He seemed to relax a little. ‘I work for a charity. We work all over South America, bringing medical aid and surgery to poor communities. Florida’s our home base. We have a facility there where patients who need specialised care are brought.’

      ‘So …’ Embarrassment trickled down the back of her neck and made her shiver. She’d misjudged Adam.

      ‘So what?’ It appeared he wasn’t going to let her off the hook.

      ‘I thought …’ She heaved a sigh. She might as well spit it out. ‘When you said plastic surgery and Florida, I thought you meant nip and tuck.’

      ‘Ah.’ Amusement sounded in his voice. ‘No, I mostly deal with cleft lips, cleft palates, facial tumours, injuries. Mostly children and teenagers, some adults. I imagine the rich and famous expect their surgeons to turn up to work in something other than ripped jeans and a T-shirt.’

      Jenna swallowed hard. He would be eye-catching enough in pretty much anything, and she didn’t want to even think about ripped jeans. His neat chinos and plain, casual shirt were quite enough for the time being. ‘Then I owe you an apology. Your work sounds amazing.’

      ‘It has its rewards.’ The warmth in his face told Jenna that those rewards weren’t measured in pounds and pence. ‘Many of my patients are traumatised, either from their injuries or from having been mocked or shunned because of their appearance. I told Iain that I was especially interested in seeing how that was dealt with here.’

      Jenna shrugged. ‘That’s just the trouble. Julie won’t see a counsellor.’

      ‘So I hear. I also hear that she trusts you and that you’ve been doing your best to fulfil that role for her.’ He fixed her with an enquiring look. ‘Not a particularly easy path to tread. Difficult not to become over-involved, I imagine.’

      Jenna pressed her lips together and he shrugged as if he had already proved his point. ‘My lecture starts in an hour. Would you like to come?’

      ‘I might just do that. Were you thinking of covering trauma?’

      ‘I was considering touching on the fact that a small team with limited resources needs to take a more holistic approach.’

      ‘In other words you need to treat the person, not just the injury.’ It was a private dream of Jenna’s. Not just to be a doctor but to be a healer. ‘Difficult not to become over-involved, then.’

      A smile spread slowly across his face. ‘I’m going to have to take the Fifth on that.’

      ‘If you do that, the jury’s going to assume that the answer’s yes.’

      ‘Nothing I can do about that. They can assume whatever they like.’ For a moment Jenna thought that she had broken through his reserve. Then the fire died in his eyes. ‘I’ll drop in and see Julie tomorrow.’

      Jenna nodded. He wasn’t making a request and she supposed that she was going to be stuck with his input, whatever that might be. She may as well accept it gracefully. ‘I’d be interested to hear what you think. You know where to find me.’

      ‘I do.’ He looked at his watch. ‘It’s time I headed over to the lecture theatre. Will you fill me in on some more of Julie’s details on the way?’

      It was the dream that had haunted him for the last eighteen months, sometimes once every week or two, sometimes every night. He woke up with a stifled cry, icy sweat against his cheek. For a moment, he couldn’t work out where he was, and then the dim glow of the nightlight brought him to his senses. The muslin drapes, drawn across the half-open French doors, fluttered in the night breeze and he slowly got out of bed, shaking his head, trying to reclaim his place in the waking world.

      Slipping outside onto the moss-lined stones of the patio, he took a deep draught of air, inhaling the smell of the city, mingling with the softer scents of the garden. He started, instinctively drawing back into the shadows, as a sharp click sounded above his head.

      Jenna had opened the door, which led on to an iron railed balcony above his head, and was standing beside the steps that snaked down to the patio, just a few feet away from where he stood. In the darkness Adam could see only that she wore something loose, swirling around her bare feet, and that her hair was a wild shadow around her head.

      He held his breath. She was leaning over the balcony, craning round towards him, and he guessed that she could see the open French doors and the light inside. Adam flattened himself against the wall and watched as she seemed to sniff the air, like some shy, nocturnal creature of the forest.

      A fox trotted across the lawn. Her head jerked upwards and she followed its progress, waiting until it had disappeared into the shrubbery before she turned and slowly walked back into the house. Adam heard the catch on the door being fastened and then there was silence.

      He swiped his hand across his face. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day, and he should try to sleep again. The thought that she was there, perhaps even watching over him, calmed him. Tomorrow would be time enough to probe the intriguing contradictions of his flame-haired, disturbingly gorgeous landlady.

      CHAPTER THREE

      ‘LOOK, she’s here now.’ Julie’s face lit up into a grin and Adam turned to see Jenna entering the ward. Red hair, bound tightly at the back of her head, white shirt and dark slacks. Even in such severe attire she looked like an angel. Not one of those sweet, dimpled ones, looking down dispassionately from the safety of a cloud. She was a warrior angel, the kind you’d really like to have on your side when things got tough, who rushed in where everyone else feared to tread and plucked you out of danger.

      ‘She comes every lunchtime, does she?’ Adam knew that she did. Iain had already told him that.

      ‘Yes. Just for half an hour. Sometimes less.’ There was a hint of resentment in Julie’s voice and Adam reflected just how precious that time was for Jenna. A snatched half-hour when most of the A and E staff were happy just to grab a sandwich and get their breath for a few minutes.

      Before he had time to answer, Jenna was at the foot of the bed, her fingers grasping the rail where Julie’s notes hung. ‘Hi, there.’ She was all smiles. ‘How are you, then? You’re looking better.’

      Julie flashed her a grin. ‘Yeah, I feel better. That other doctor says I’m doing okay. They’ve got the pain control sorted now.’

      ‘Good.’ Jenna’s gaze caught Adam’s and he basked in its

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