didn’t mean he had demons.
CHAPTER FIVE
THE next two weeks passed so quickly that it seemed to Kyla that they hardly had time to breathe between patients.
Doug McDonald came home from hospital, very subdued and worried about doing anything, and Kyla called in every day to check on his progress and reassure him. She knew that Ethan had called several times, too, and was pleased that he’d bothered.
Two weeks had been enough to prove to her that he was an excellent doctor. He’d settled into the routine and seemed to have no problem handling even the trickiest of cases. Remembering how some previous locums had panicked at being confronted by such complex cases with no local hospital support, Kyla was impressed.
But she still didn’t feel she was any closer to knowing or understanding him.
He ran on the beach every morning as the sun rose, pounding hard across the sand and up onto the cliffs, pushing himself to the limit. Then he’d return to the cottage, shower and drive up to the village in time for morning surgery.
He was serious and committed but revealed absolutely nothing about himself to anyone.
Occasionally he joined her and Logan for supper and sometimes she saw him on his own in the garden, sitting on his own, staring out to sea.
Perhaps that was what came of living in a big anonymous city where you were one of millions, Kyla thought. You forgot how to relate to your fellow man.
She was clearing up after an immunisation clinic when Janet buzzed through and asked if she’d see an extra patient.
‘It’s Mary Hillier. She wants you to take a look at Shelley. Logan’s gone out on a call and Ethan is back to back with patients so I don’t like to bother him.’
Kyla thought of the six calls she had to make and the paperwork waiting for her attention. ‘Of course, Janet. Send her in.’
She couldn’t remember the last time Mary had come to the clinic for anything other than routine checks so the fact that she was asking for an appointment meant that she was must be really worried about something.
She tipped a syringe and needles into the sharps box and washed her hands just as Mary tapped on the door and walked in.
‘Sorry to bother you, Nurse MacNeil,’ she said in a formal voice, gently pushing Shelley into the room. ‘I just wondered if you’d take a look at something for me.’
‘Of course. What’s the problem?’
‘It’s not me, it’s Shelley. She’s got these bruises all over her.’
‘Bruises?’ Kyla smiled at the girl. ‘How are you, Shelley? I saw you play in that netball match at the beginning of term. You were fantastic.’
Shelley blushed. ‘You were watching?’
‘I came down to give a talk to some of the children on healthy eating and I couldn’t resist poking my nose in. So, where are these bruises? Can you show me?’
Shelley hesitated and then lifted her top. ‘They’re everywhere, really. And I’ve got these on my legs.’ She slid her trouser legs up and Kyla bent down to take a closer look.
‘How long have you had them?’
‘They’ve just come up in the last few days,’ Shelley muttered. ‘At first I thought I’d just banged myself, but now they’re everywhere so I don’t think it’s that. I didn’t fall or anything.’
‘Have you been ill, Shelley?’ Kyla reached for a thermometer and checked the girl’s temperature.
‘No. Nothing.’
Mary looked anxiously at Kyla. ‘Does she have a temperature?’
Kyla shook her head and forced a smile that she hoped was reassuring. ‘No. Her temperature is fine. Why don’t we ask the doctor to take a look at her? I’m just going to pop across to Dr Walker and see if he can fit her in.’
She left the room but Mary caught up with her in the corridor. ‘Nurse MacNeil …’
Kyla turned and saw the worry in the other woman’s face. She reached out and touched her on the arm, acknowledging the concern. ‘I doubt it’s what you’re thinking, Mary,’ she said softly, ‘but we’ll get it checked out immediately. Dr Walker is very, very good. If there’s anything for us to be worrying about, he’ll tell us soon enough. He trained at one of the top London hospitals, you know. You go back to Shelley or she’ll pick up on your worry.’
Mary bit her lip but gave a nod and returned to the treatment room.
Kyla knocked on Ethan’s door and walked in.
He was reading something on the computer screen and had a pen in his hand. ‘Yes?’
‘It’s me. And you can put that frown away, Dr Walker, because I don’t scare easily.’ She kept her tone light and saw a glimmer of a smile in his eyes.
‘I’m sure you don’t. Can I do something for you?’ He was wearing a dark, well-cut suit and he looked formal and more than a little remote.
‘I hope so.’ Trying not to be intimidated by the suit, Kyla came straight to the point. ‘I’ve a patient I’m worried about. Eleven-year-old girl with bruising all over her body. My first reaction is to panic and think meningitis, but she looks well, apart from a bit tired, perhaps. Her temperature is normal and she’s not been ill.’
‘If meningitis even floats through your head, I’ll see her straight away.’ Ethan put the pen down on the desk and stood up. ‘What’s your second reaction?’
Relieved and impressed that he was taking her so seriously, Kyla came straight out with it. ‘Leukaemia. I don’t want to be dramatic but it has to cross your mind, doesn’t it?’
‘There are many possible diagnoses,’ Ethan said calmly as he walked round the desk. ‘Leukaemia is just one.’
‘I know, but—’ Kyla broke off and bit her lip. ‘You should know that Shelley’s mother, Mary, had a sister with leukaemia. She died about three years ago. Mary hasn’t asked a direct question and obviously she doesn’t want to frighten the child, but I can see from her eyes that she’s frantic with worry.’
Ethan walked towards the door. ‘Then the sooner I see her, the better. I’ll have a better idea once I’ve examined her and obviously I’m going to need to do some blood tests. Bring her in.’ His tone was crisp. Direct. ‘I’ll examine her here. And you’d better stay, if you have the time, given that you know the history.’
‘I’ll stay.’ She wasn’t going anywhere until she knew what was happening.
Ethan examined the child thoroughly, aware of the tension in Mary’s body as she stood to the side of him, watching.
He
