bit of her recognised his concern. He was anxious for the woman’s well-being, and as a hotel proprietor he must be all too conscious of the threat of litigation. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt to stay for a while and talk things through with him.
‘I don’t have to be back at work—my surgery hours are finished for the day, but I’m still on call, so perhaps we should make it coffee rather than anything alcoholic?’
He smiled, his face relaxing for the first time, reminding her all too potently of that sizzling allure that had made her go weak at the knees the first time she’d met him. She had to keep a firm hold on herself. This man could annihilate her sense of security with just one look, and that wouldn’t do at all. She’d been down that road, and from her experience it led to heartache… big time. Emotionally, James, her ex, had scarred her for life. She’d been blissfully unaware that he’d been cheating on her, and once his indiscretions had come to light it had torn the heart out of her.
‘We’ll go out on to the sun terrace,’ he said. ‘I’ll have Jenny send us out a tray of coffee. Just give me a moment to catch up with her.’ He lightly cupped Katie’s elbow, as though to keep her close, and she stood still for a moment while he beckoned to Jenny. That light touch was like a searing brand on her soft flesh.
The hotel manager was waiting by the desk, talking to the receptionist, but she turned and came over immediately.
‘Ask chef to make up a lunch tray, will you, Jenny? Dr Logan will be staying for a while. We’ll be out on the terrace by the shrubbery.’
Jenny nodded. ‘I’ll do that.’ She glanced at Katie. ‘Is Mrs Wyatt going to be all right?’
‘I hope so,’ Katie answered. ‘The shoulder will give her some problems for quite a while, but those can be dealt with. I’m more concerned about her lack of response. They’ll have to do tests at the hospital.’
Jenny nodded and hurried away to find the chef. Nick ushered Katie across the foyer and lounge then out through wide glass doors onto a paved area that was set out with white-painted wrought-iron tables and chairs. The scent of roses filled the air, and Katie was struck by the mass of colour all around, shades of crimson, yellow and pink shrub roses, all vying for attention in the landscaped garden.
‘It’s really beautiful out here,’ Katie murmured as they sat down at one of the tables. ‘Everything I’ve seen so far is overwhelmingly luxurious. I had no idea that you had other interests aside from the vineyard.’
He smiled. ‘This place has been in my family’s possession for many years—as far back as I can remember. I took it over when my father decided it was time to cut back on his commitments. I bought him out, rather than see it fall to outsiders.’
She gave him a considering look. ‘The family name means a lot to you, doesn’t it? You’re very conscious of your heritage.’
He nodded. ‘That’s true. Generations of my family have lived in the valley since the end of the nineteenth century, and my great-great-grandfather worked immensely hard to make a go of his enterprise. I feel that we have a duty to secure the results of his labour for generations to come.’
Two waitresses came out on to the terrace just then and placed laden trays down on the table. On one there was a porcelain coffee pot, along with cups and saucers, cream and sugar. The other held an appetising selection of food, as well as plates and cutlery.
Nick began to pour coffee for both of them. ‘It isn’t just about my own heritage. At the same time I believe we have to give of our best to the local community. That’s why what happened this morning concerns me so much. We hold a certain position of trust out here. People look to us to set standards.’
He offered her a plate and napkin. ‘Please, help yourself to food.’
‘Thank you. It looks delicious.’ She gazed at the tempting choices before her. There was prosciutto, a dry-cured Italian ham, cut in paper-thin slices, along with sun-dried tomatoes, gnocchi and a crisp salad.
She added a little of each to her plate. ‘I wish I could be of more help,’ she said quietly, ‘but until Mrs Wyatt recovers enough to tell us what happened, we can only wait for the test results to come back from the hospital and hope that they will give us some clue.’
‘Was there any head injury?’
‘Not that I could see. Of course, that doesn’t always mean there’s nothing to be concerned about. Any kind of extreme jolting movement within the skull can cause problems that might develop later.’
He tasted a portion of the ham. ‘I’ll go and see her just as soon as the doctors have had time to treat her shoulder. In the interim I’ve sent the under-manager along to the hospital to see if we can do anything to make her stay more comfortable.’ He frowned. ‘It’s a dilemma. We generally make sure that the rugs in the rooms are in good condition, not easily rucked. If it was the case that she tripped, I’ll have to think about having them removed.’
Katie glanced at him across the table. His concern seemed genuine, and she wondered if there was any comfort she could offer.
‘It’s always possible that she might have a health problem that caused her to fall—something quite unrelated to the hotel. She might have suffered a dizzy spell, for instance.’
‘Or a TIA, perhaps.’
Transient ischaemic attack… Katie gave him a considering look, and slid her fork into succulent, sauce-covered potato gnocchi, giving herself time to think. ‘That’s a definite possibility. Any restriction of the blood supply to the brain could cause a temporary loss of consciousness.’
‘Or stroke-like symptoms.’
She nodded. ‘It sounds as though you have some experience of the condition. Has someone in your family had problems with TIAs?’
‘No, nothing like that.’ His gaze meshed with hers. ‘As it happens, I’m a doctor, like yourself. I suppose that’s why I didn’t think twice about rushing in on you when you were examining Mrs Wyatt. I’m so used to tending these medical emergencies that it didn’t cross my mind to steer clear.’
She gave a soft gasp. ‘I had no idea.’ She studied him afresh, a small frown indenting her brow. ‘I can’t imagine how you find time to practise medicine when you have a vineyard and a hotel to run.’
He laughed. ‘I guess it would be difficult if I tried to do all three…but the fact is, I have managers to do the day to day work for me. They let me know if any problems arise that need my attention—like today, for instance. Jenny called me. Otherwise, I make regular checks to make sure that everything’s going smoothly, but for the most part I work in the emergency department at the hospital.’
Her eyes widened. ‘That must take some dedication. After all, you could have chosen to stay in the valley and reap the benefits of years of grape cultivation. Your wines are internationally famous, according to my mother.’
‘That’s true. But I’ve always wanted to be an emergency physician. When I was a teenager, I saw one of my friends injured in a traffic accident. It was horrific…and for a while it was touch and go as to whether he would survive. Thankfully, he had the best surgical team looking after him, and he made it in the end. It left a huge impression on me. So, you see, I’m passionate about my work, and I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do. After all, saving lives is a job that’s definitely worthwhile.
