Worth the Risk(25)

She’d had enough of men who ducked responsibility. She was better off on her own. At least then no one could let you down.

‘You’ve got the keys, so just go.’ She kept her back to him, aware that he was standing only inches behind her. With a huge effort she made her voice crisp and businesslike. ‘You can live in my stable, Sean, but that’s all.’

His voice was soft and disturbingly close. ‘For now.’

‘For ever,’ she said firmly, gripping the spoon tightly and praying that he’d leave.

There was a long silence and then she heard his soft laugh and the click of the door as he closed it quietly behind him.





CHAPTER FOUR

SATURDAY surgery was as busy as ever, which was just as well, Ally reflected wryly, because it stopped her thinking about Sean. Ever since he’d moved into the stable she just hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything, even though she’d managed to avoid him very successfully. Apart from hearing the roar of his motorbike early in the morning, she was barely aware that he’d been living next to her for two days. And now he was next door again, this time running Will’s minor accident surgery in the treatment room.

With a groan and a shake of her head Ally pressed the buzzer for her next patient who came in, clutching the hand of a fractious toddler.

‘Hello, Felicity, how’s the pregnancy?’

Felicity rolled her eyes and sagged into the chair, picking up a toy from Ally’s box. ‘Here we are, Tom, choo-choo train.’

The little boy took the train and plopped down on the floor contentedly. Felicity gave Ally a tired smile.

‘The pregnancy, did you say? I don’t know. I haven’t got time to think about it. This little one and his older brother keep me too busy.’

Ally gave her a sympathetic smile. ‘I’ll bet. Not like the first time around, is it?’

‘You can say that again.’ Felicity gave a short laugh. ‘The first time around I felt special. Put your feet up, pet, Hugh used to say. He used to cook, clean, bring me tea in bed…’

‘But not any more?’

Felicity laughed and passed Tom a bag of bricks which he cheerfully upended, before bursting into noisy sobs.

‘Definitely not any more.’ Felicity stooped to pick up the little boy, murmuring soothing noises as she bounced him on her knee. ‘Anyway, believe it or not, I didn’t come to moan! This little fellow is very out of sorts and he’s got a nasty rash. I think it might be chickenpox because there have been a few cases in his nursery.’

‘Let’s have a look at him.’ Ally picked up a puppet from her desk. ‘Tom? Look what I’ve got…’

She jiggled the puppet until Tom started to chuckle and then handed it over to Felicity while she examined the little boy quickly but thoroughly.

‘When did the rash start?’ She listened to Tom’s chest and checked his throat and ears.

‘About three days ago, but he only had a couple of spots so I wasn’t sure.’

Ally examined the rash carefully and then helped pull Tom’s jumper back over his head.

‘It’s definitely chickenpox,’ she confirmed, turning to her computer and tapping keys. ‘I’ll give you a prescription for Piriton syrup, which should help the itching.’

‘When is he infectious, Dr McGuire—and should I keep him away from other children?’

Ally nodded. ‘Most nurseries prefer you to keep them off although, in fact, they’re infectious for twenty-four hours before the rash appears so in reality the chances are that he’s already passed it on. But keep him off until the rash crusts over.’

‘How long does that take?’

‘About five days.’ Ally waited while the computer printed out the prescription and then handed it to the mother. ‘What we do need to talk about is you.’

‘Me?’ Felicity shifted Tom to the other knee and looked surprised. ‘Why me?’

‘How pregnant are you now?’

‘Nearly thirty-seven weeks.’

‘Right—and have you had chickenpox?’

Felicity screwed up her face and shrugged. ‘I haven’t got a clue, frankly. Why?’

‘Because we need to take blood to check your immune status.’

Felicity frowned. ‘But why? I know these infections are dangerous at the beginning, but the baby is formed by now, isn’t it?’

‘It is fully formed and you’re right to say infectious diseases are dangerous in the beginning, but chickenpox is also a risk to the pregnant mother at the end of pregnancy.’ Ally opened a drawer and pulled out a form. ‘We need to check your immunity and then give you an injection if necessary.’