Parker.’ Flora waited for the door to close behind her and then sank back into her chair. A quick glance at the clock on the wall confirmed that she was now running seriously late and she gave a despairing shake of her head. She still hadn’t adjusted to how long each appointment took on Glenmore. Everyone had something to say and a consultation involved so much more than it did on the mainland.
‘Problems?’ Logan stood in the doorway, a question in his eyes. ‘Angela Parker was with you a long time. Is her leg giving her trouble?’
‘She still has some signs of eczema around the ulcer but that’s because she isn’t using the cream you gave her. She’s not pyrexial and there’s no pain or tenderness to speak of and no obvious signs of cellulitis or infection. I’ll keep an eye on it. If it isn’t looking any better next week, I’ll give you a shout.’
Logan walked into the room and closed the door behind him. ‘If there’s no sign of healing in another month or so, I’ll refer her for a biopsy. We need to exclude malignancy.’
‘I think it is healing, it’s just that she doesn’t do much to help it along.’
‘So why are you looking so worried? I can’t believe that Mrs Parker’s leg ulcer is responsible for that frown on your face.’
‘I’m hopeless at this job,’ Flora confessed simply. ‘Absolutely hopeless.’
‘That’s utter nonsense.’ It was Logan’s turn to frown. ‘You’re a brilliant nurse.’
‘It’s not the nursing that worries me, it’s the rest of it. The gossip, the chat, the rumour machine.’ Flora waved a hand in a gesture of despair. ‘I’m just no good at it. I’ve never been any good at just chatting. When I did the clinic in Edinburgh, patients just wanted me to dress their leg or take their blood. On Glenmore, I’m supposed to have an opinion on everything from the Carpenters’ divorce to Janey Smith’s speeding fine.’ She brushed her hair out of her eyes and shot him a helpless look. ‘I don’t know how to handle it. I don’t want to join in, I have no intention of revealing confidential information, but I don’t want to look rude. How do you do it? How do you cope?’
‘I say “That’s interesting” a hundred times a day and if they’re really rambling on I adopt my “this could be something serious” look and that soon focuses their minds back on their medical problem. The skill is to cut them off tactfully.’
‘I definitely need to work on that skill,’ Flora muttered. ‘And I confess that I hate the idea that everyone is talking about me.’
‘This is Glenmore,’ Logan said easily. ‘Of course people are talking about you. They’re talking about everyone. But it’s mostly friendly talk. People care and that’s what makes this island so special. You’ve been in the city for too long. You’ve forgotten what island living is all about. You’ll adjust.’
‘But the talk isn’t friendly about Conner, is it?’ Troubled, Flora looked at him. ‘They’re being horrid to him. I mean, I know I was shocked to see him and even more shocked to discover that he’s a doctor, but boycotting his surgery …’
‘Some of the patients saw him and word will spread.’ Logan smiled. ‘Providing he isn’t too outrageous. Don’t worry about Conner. He can look after himself.’
‘Maybe.’ She suddenly noticed the dark shadows underneath his eyes. ‘You look really, really tired, Logan. Is there anything I can do to help?’
‘You’re already doing it. Being tired is part of the job description when you work here, as you’re fast discovering.’ He rubbed his fingers over his forehead. ‘And on top of that I was up in the night with little Helen Peters because she—’
‘Had a nasty asthma attack,’ Flora finished his sentence with a laugh, ‘and before you ask, the reason I know is because Mrs Abbott mentioned it when she came in to have her ears syringed and she heard it from Sam when she was buying fish on the queue this morning and Sam knew because—’
‘He lives across the road from the Peters’ sister.’ Logan looked amused. ‘Relax, Flora. This is how things work on Glenmore. Don’t knock it. Sam was the one who called me because there were lights on all over the house and he went across the road to see if he could help.’
Flora’s eyes softened. ‘That was kind.’
‘People are kind here. Don’t worry—you’ll soon get back into the swing of it. And they’ll get used to Conner.’
‘I hope you’re right. So what happened to little Helen? Did you change her medication?’
‘No, but I talked to her mum about exercise.’ He frowned. ‘It was sports day yesterday. I’m confident that the physical exertion is what triggered it. Any chance that you could you pop in and see them today? It was pretty scary for everyone and I think they’d appreciate an extra dose of reassurance. You might want to have a conversation about lifestyle.’
‘I’ll pop in, no problem.’ This was the Glenmore she knew and loved. Where else would the medical team find time for that sort of visit? That level of care and attention was what made the island special. And she was doing the job she’d been trained to do. Feeling more relaxed, Flora added Helen’s name to her list of afternoon calls.
‘I’ll see you later.’ Logan opened the door to leave and Conner strolled in.
Flora’s world tilted and her insides knotted with an almost unbearable tension. ‘Conner.’
He stepped aside to let Logan pass. ‘Isn’t Angela Parker a little old to be training for the Olympics? She took one look at me and ran as if the hounds of hell were after her. What’s the matter with her leg?’
‘Venous ulcer. She’s supposed to be mobilising but she doesn’t do enough of it.’
‘Then perhaps I should stand behind her more often. She ran so fast I could have entered her in the Derby.’
He was so confident, so easy with a situation that most people would have found agonisingly awkward. He really didn’t seem to care that the locals had been distinctly unwelcoming. But if he’d cared, he wouldn’t be the man he was.
Flora cleared her throat. ‘Mrs Parker was a little surprised to discover that you’re now a doctor.’
Conner smiled. ‘Sweet Flora, always coating the truth with honey. Come on, angel. Tell me what she said. The truth. It will be good for you. And my shoulders are broad. I can take it.’
She knew his shoulders were broad—in fact, she was far, far too conscious of his body.
‘She doesn’t believe you’re a doctor and she values her health too much to see you.’
‘And I value my sanity far too much to see her, so both of us are happy. If her health is that good, she doesn’t need a doctor anyway. So I’m spared.’
‘It’s not funny.’ Ignoring the amusement in his eyes, Flora kept her head down and put a box of vaccine back in the fridge. ‘You have no idea what things are like here! We’re overwhelmed with work and every day the ferry brings more tourists. Logan needs help. He’s barely had time to see his wife and daughter since Ethan left and the baby is due in a few weeks. He needs someone he can trust.’
