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Mr Edwards frowned. ‘You didn’t say anything to annoy him, did you?’
‘No. At least, I don’t think so. I may have been a trifle curt with him, I suppose.’ She sent him an enquiring look. ‘Why…is there a problem? Is it to do with the artwork you were thinking of commissioning?’ It suddenly occurred to her that Theo was an artist, and Mr Edwards had been talking about having the children’s wing of A and E spruced up—was Theo famous for his murals, or something? ‘Is that why he was here, to see you about artwork for the children’s unit?’
‘Artwork? No, not at all. Nothing like that.’ Mr Edwards was unusually distracted as he pressed the button for the lift. ‘I operated on the boy’s mother—I expect he wanted to talk to me about that. I hope you didn’t say or do anything to upset him?’
Megan sent him a confused glance. It wasn’t like her boss to be so edgy and preoccupied. Had something gone wrong during the operation? That would be a tragedy in itself, but it was unlikely to have been Mr Edwards’s fault. He was an excellent surgeon with an impressive track record.
It was all very puzzling. What was wrong with the boy’s mother? And if his wife was seriously ill, what had Theo been thinking of when he’d lightly flirted with her? Or had she misjudged his actions? It was possible, of course, or perhaps he was one of those men who saw every woman as a challenge. Either way, the man had a lot to answer for.
‘As I was saying,’ she said as they stepped into the lift, ‘I spoke to Mr Benyon, but I simply suggested that the boy needed to be taken in hand. Of course, I didn’t realise that the child’s mother was ill. No wonder Harry was acting up. He must be very worried about her.’
‘Yes, I expect he is. Anyway, if you run into Theo again, go carefully. I don’t want to alienate him in any way.’
And what was that supposed to mean? She opened her mouth to ask him, but her boss was frowning heavily, deep in thought and locked away in some world of his own. It wasn’t at all like him to be this way, and Megan had no idea what to make of it. Perhaps, though, this was not the best time to start quizzing him.
Anyway, with any luck she wouldn’t run into Theo again any time soon.
The lift came to a halt and they stepped out into the corridor. Mr Edwards headed straight towards his office, and Megan decided to go in search of a late lunch.
Sarah was just preparing to leave her table at the cafeteria when Megan set down her lunch-tray.
‘I heard you had to operate,’ Sarah said. ‘Do you think Mrs Claremont will pull through OK?’
‘I hope so. It all depends on whether Mr Carlson will be able to operate successfully. She’s very weak.’
‘That’s hardly surprising, but you’ve done everything that you could for her.’ Sarah glanced at Megan before pushing her chair back from the table and getting to her feet. Her green eyes were sympathetic. ‘No one could have done anything more, and they’ll take good care of her in the intensive care unit. It’s just a question of waiting to see what happens.’
‘I know.’ Megan sighed and gazed back at her friend. ‘Dealing with a heart attack is difficult enough at any time, but when it happens to a relatively young mother it’s heartbreaking.’
Sarah nodded and glanced down at her watch. ‘I have to get back to work,’ she said, tucking a strand of golden hair back into place. ‘I’ll see you later, Megan. Try to eat something. It will make you feel better and help to keep your strength up.’
‘I will.’ Megan toyed with the salad on her plate, twirling her fork idly in the mound of grated cheese, as she watched her friend walk away.
The food tasted good, and she ate carefully, savouring the variety of flavours—honey-baked ham, crisp red and green peppers and a crusty bread roll.
For just a few moments it was good to relax and enjoy the freedom from responsibility. This job meant everything to her, but she had to acknowledge that she was in real need of a break.
As difficult as it was, heart-rending though it might be at times, her career in medicine was her life. She had worked hard to come this far, and as a specialist registrar inA and E she had a good deal of responsibility resting on her shoulders…shoulders that ached right now with a growing knot of tension.
She put down her fork and sipped at her hot cup of coffee, moving her limbs to ease the tightness in her muscles. It was a relief to be able to unwind for a few precious minutes. Stretching her legs out in front of her, she let her mind drift over the variety of cases she’d had to deal with so far today.
It was as though every minute was taken up with life-and-death decisions, and she faced a struggle each day to keep one step ahead. Why did she put herself through all this?
She stared out of the window as though she might find the answer in the tubs of brightly coloured pansies that were dotted about the paved quadrangle.
‘Hello, there… Meeting up like this is getting to be something of a habit.’
Megan gave a start and looked up as the sound of that familiar male voice intruded on her reverie.
‘You’re right. So it is.’ She stared at Theo Benyon. What on earth was he doing there?
‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.’ He was holding a tray, laden with a coffee cup and pastries, and now he asked, ‘Would it be all right if I join you?’
‘Help yourself.’ She waved a hand towards the chair opposite.
He sat down, his gaze shooting over her as he stirred his coffee with a spoon. ‘You look wiped out,’ he murmured. ‘Have things not been going too well for you?’
She sent him a wry smile. ‘What was the give-away—the dark shadows under my eyes or my general drawn appearance?’ He, of course, looked absolutely great. His grey suit was beautifully tailored, cut from dark fabric that looked fabulously expensive. His jacket was open, so that she could see the fine linen of his shirt, and his tie was subtly patterned to blend in with the whole.
His mouth made an odd quirk. ‘Nothing like that. You just look generally weary.’
Her mouth flattened. ‘It’s been a difficult day, one way and another.’
He lifted a brow in query. ‘Last I saw of you, you were headed up to the catheter suite. Did things not go too well?’
‘They went well enough. My patient suffered a myocardial infarction—a heart attack—and unfortunately it took a long while for her to be brought into hospital in the first place. She lives out in a remote rural area. It never helps if the patient goes for a long time without receiving specialised attention. She was only in her early forties and eventually she went into cardiogenic shock. It was all we could do to bring her back from the brink.’
She pressed her lips together, and then glanced at his plate and the pastries. ‘It looks as though you have a sweet tooth,’ she murmured, changing the subject. ‘Are you planning on eating all of those by yourself?’
‘Not necessarily.’ He sent her an amused look. ‘You’re welcome to choose one if you like. I recommend the fruit tart. Just save the jam doughnut for Harry. That’s his favourite, and he’ll be coming along to demolish it just as soon as he’s finished with the vending machine. I think he’s trying to nab himself a small rubber ball…not one of his best ideas, because you can bet it will bounce all over the place and be lost in no time at all.’
‘Ah, I wondered what had happened to him.’ She glanced across the room to the machine where the boy was gazing thoughtfully at a collection of coloured balls. ‘Thanks all the same, but I’m content with my salad.’
She looked at him more closely. ‘So is this where I’ve seen you before? Are you visiting a patient here?’
‘I am. As you say, that’s probably it. I’ve been here several times over the last couple of weeks.’
‘It must be difficult for you, fitting in visits around work and taking time to look after Harry as well. Or perhaps you’re able to work from home? I imagine that painting must be the ideal job.’
His mouth curved, lending a roguish slant to his features. ‘I’m flattered you think I could make a decent living from it, but I haven’t actually put it to the test. Anyway, I have Harry to look after just now, and that’s a full-time job in itself.’
‘Oh, I see. I mean… Yes, I can imagine that it is.’
Harry came over to the table, hefting a small rubber ball in his palm. ‘I got it,’ he said. ‘I wanted the red one with the white swirls, and I got it. See?’ He opened out his palm to show it to Theo.
‘That’s obviously a very special one,’ Theo remarked. ‘Just see that it doesn’t roll about the floor and get in everybody’s way.’
It was already too late as he spoke. Harry gleefully tried out the ball for bounce-ability, and what followed was an excited chase to retrieve it from under the nearby tables.
Theo’s mouth set in a resigned expression. ‘Hold onto it, or I’ll look after it for you,’ he warned.
Turning back to Megan, he said thoughtfully, ‘I meant to ask how the man from the pub fared after his collapse. Did you manage to follow up on what happened to him?’
Megan nodded. ‘I did. The doctor who looked after him on admission to hospital has ordered tests, including a CT scan. We’ll know more in a day or so, but for the moment he’s comfortable.’
‘That’s something, anyway.’
The rubber ball was on the loose once more, and as quick as a flash Theo caught it, enclosing it in his palm.
‘I want to play with it,’ Harry said. ‘Can I have it back, please?’
Theo shook his head. ‘Not until we get home. People in here are sick, or upset because they’re visiting relatives who aren’t well. They don’t want to be having to duck out of the way of your ball every few seconds.’
Harry’s lip jutted in a belligerent fashion. ‘I’ll keep hold of it, I promise.’
‘No, you won’t. I’ll look after it until we get home.’
Harry opened his mouth to protest but thought better of it at the last moment. He turned his attention to Megan. ‘Do you work here?’ he asked.
She nodded. ‘I do, and actually I should be getting back to work right now. I have patients to see.’ She swallowed the last dregs of her coffee, and glanced across the table at Theo. ‘I expect you have things you need to be doing, as well.’
‘He said he would take me fishing,’ Harry said, nodding vigorously. ‘And we’re going to plant things in the garden so it’s nice for Mummy when she comes home, and then we’re going shopping to get me some new clothes.’
‘That sounds as though you have lots to look forward to,’ Megan acknowledged with a faint smile. Did his father not do any kind of work? For all he denied it, it sounded as though he must make some money from his paintings. Perhaps he was simply being modest about his talent, or maybe he was a man of independent means. Then again, he could simply be taking a vacation in order to take care of his son. Why was she even questioning how he came to be there or how he lived his life? What was it about him that provoked her curiosity?
‘I heard that you were looking for Mr Edwards,’ she said, looking directly at Theo as she stood up. ‘Last I saw of him, he was heading for his office. I gathered he would like to speak to you, too.’
Theo frowned, then nodded. ‘I’ll go and find him. Thank you for letting me know.’
‘You’re welcome.’ She sent the boy a quick smile. ‘’Bye, Harry. I hope your mother feels better soon.’
‘So do I,’ he said. ‘I don’t like my mum being poorly. I want her to be back home with me.’
‘Of course you do.’ Megan gave him a sympathetic smile. Any child would want his mother to be with him, wouldn’t he? Wasn’t it the most natural thing in the world to wish for? And yet it was the one yearning she had struggled with throughout her own life, that even now she found difficulty coming to terms with. Why was it that she had never experienced that particular joy? Was she so unlovable that her own mother had not wanted to stay around to be with her through her childhood?
‘Are you all right?’ Theo asked gently.
She gave a small start, coming out of her introspection to glance briefly at him. ‘Of course. I’m absolutely fine.’
Then she turned and hurried away quickly. She didn’t want Theo’s quiet concern. He stirred up all that had lain dormant inside her and her emotions were in turmoil, though for the life of her she couldn’t have said why.
She needed to escape.
CHAPTER THREE
‘YOU said that you would like to see William’s results when they came back,’ Mr Edwards said, holding a manila folder aloft and calling Megan over to his side. ‘You remember the man you sent in to us who collapsed by the canal? I have the radiologist’s report here, and you can see the films on the computer screen.’
Megan went over to the desk. ‘What was the outcome? I guessed he might be low on magnesium, among other things, but that could have been caused by all manner of illnesses.’
‘You were right. Take a look at the film and tell me what you see.’
She scanned the pictures on the screen and drew in a quick breath. ‘It’s a tumour, isn’t it?’ She pointed towards the image. ‘There, on the adrenal gland. No wonder he’s been having problems.’ She glanced at her boss. ‘What happens now? Will he go for surgery?’
John Edwards nodded. ‘He’s on the schedule for next week. Let’s hope there are no complications.’
‘At least he has a diagnosis. That’s a positive start.’
‘True.’ He glanced at his watch. ‘I have to go, or I shall be late for my meeting. I’ll leave you to hold the fort while I’m away. If Theo Benyon should come in at any time over the next couple of hours, page me, will you?’
She frowned. ‘Is he likely to do that?’
He nodded. ‘I asked him if he had any landscape paintings that we could put up in the waiting room. He said he might have something for us to look at.’
‘OK.’ Megan absorbed that. ‘So I should show him around, should I? Maybe point out where the paintings might go?’
‘Yes, anything. Grab him, give him a coffee and, whatever you do, don’t let him escape. He’s proving to be quite elusive, but I really need to talk to him.’
Megan frowned. ‘I thought you already did that?’
‘Only for a couple of minutes. He seemed to be in a hurry to go somewhere, but I suspect it was just an excuse.’
Surely he had that wrong? Megan couldn’t imagine why Theo would be trying to avoid spending any more time than necessary with her boss. ‘I don’t think I follow any of this. What’s it all about? Did something go wrong with an operation? What’s the big mystery?’
‘No mystery. I just need to get him on our side. We need him here. He’s the most skilled surgeon for miles around, he’s here in our territory, and he’s not working at the moment, so it’s a great opportunity to get him to stay here at our hospital.’
Her jaw dropped for a second or two before she managed to get herself together again. ‘He’s a surgeon?’ she echoed faintly. ‘I thought he was here because he was visiting a patient. I thought he was an artist…’
John looked at her blankly. ‘Yes, yes, that’s all true…but I had the good fortune to operate on poor Francie, and he was pleased enough to come and thank me, so we have a fantastic opportunity, you see. We can’t let him slip away.’
Megan shook her head. ‘If he’s such a great surgeon, why isn’t he working? He doesn’t seem to have anything on his mind other than gardening, fishing and generally enjoying his leisure time. Although…’ She paused, thinking things through. ‘Perhaps he’s too worried about Francie to do anything else right now?’ She guessed Francie must be his wife.
‘Well, that could be the case, I suppose, but for whatever reason, he left his job down in Somerset and came up here with the boy. I thought perhaps he had decided our facilities were outstanding—we’ve certainly had a good star rating these last few years. But, whatever the reason, Admin would dearly like to get him on our team, even though he seems to be resisting at the moment.’ He was already striding towards the exit. ‘Must go.’
Megan stared after him. It was all very strange. Theo must be something very special for all this fuss to be created, and why would Theo be so resistant to persuasion that he would resort to making excuses? None of it made any sense at all.
‘Would you take a look at the patient in room three?’ a nurse asked, cutting into her thoughts. ‘She’s in some discomfort, with leg pain and some swelling, and I’m concerned that her condition is deteriorating. She appears to be a little breathless from some kind of chest infection, and her pulse oximetry reading is falling, so she’s clearly not getting enough oxygen.’
‘That doesn’t sound too good. Has she been on a long-distance flight recently, or is there any history of stroke or heart disease?’
The nurse shook her head. ‘She had surgery four weeks ago—a problem with fibroids in the womb.’
‘OK, Beth, I’ll take a look at her.’ Megan was already walking in the direction of the examination room. ‘Are you free to assist? It sounds as though she needs oxygen therapy.’
‘Yes. I’ll set that up, shall I?’
‘Please do.’
Megan entered the room and cheerfully introduced herself to the woman who was sitting on the bed, propped up by pillows. ‘Mrs Baxter,’ she said, glancing at the chart the nurse had prepared, ‘would you like to tell me what the problem is?’
Sue Baxter showed her the area on her calf that was troubling her. ‘It’s very painful,’ she told her. ‘It seemed to come on quite suddenly.’
‘It certainly looks as though it must be uncomfortable,’ Megan agreed. ‘You also have a low-grade fever, according to your chart.’ She pulled her stethoscope from the pocket of her white jacket. ‘I’ll just need to listen to your chest, and we’ll check your blood pressure once more. From the earlier reading it appears to bea touch low.’ She quickly examined the woman and then gave her an encouraging smile. ‘I’m going to take some blood for testing and arrange a special kind of CT scan so that we can see what’s going on more clearly. In the meantime, we’ll give you oxygen to help you breathe more easily.’
Going to the side of the room, she spoke in a low voice to the nurse. ‘It looks as though there might be a blood clot forming in her vein, so I’m going to get her started on anticoagulation therapy to prevent things from getting any worse. We need to get the CT scan done as soon as possible. The technician will inject a contrast dye into her blood vessels and that will show up any clots that have already formed.’
Some time later, after she had set up an intravenous line in her patient’s arm, she said, ‘I’ll organise the scan and I’ll be back to see you in a while, but in the meantime, please let the nurse know if your symptoms change or begin to get worse. We’ll get you some compression stockings to see if that will help make you more comfortable, and I’m going to place a couple of pillows under your leg to raise it a little.’
Satisfied that she had done all she could for the time being, she spent the next hour or so dealing with a steady stream of patients, checking every now and again to see if any lab results had come back.
