‘Yes, well, I wish they’d—’ Helen had glanced up and stopped in mid-sentence. ‘Ally, are you all right? You look dreadful!’
‘Thanks.’ Ally gave her a wry grin. ‘You know how to make someone feel better, I’ll say that for you. Any extras for me?’
‘Two more with the stomach bug,’ Helen told her, her eyes reflecting her concern. ‘Do you want Will or Sean to see them?’
‘No!’ Ally took a deep breath and picked up the notes. ‘I’ll see them. Send the first one in, will you, Helen?’
She settled herself in her consulting room, wondering whether she’d survive three months of nausea. She thought back to the number of times she’d glibly told patients that it would pass in time, and vowed never to be so dismissive again. She felt ill, totally drained of energy and exhausted, and sooner or later she was going to have to think of a new excuse because the ‘stomach bug’ routine was wearing thin.
She forced herself to concentrate as her first extra of the morning tapped on the door, another victim of the stomach bug. After examining him and giving him advice on rehydration and managing diarrhoea, Ally showed him out and then suddenly lifted her hand to her throat. She was going to be sick. She made it to the staff toilet just in time, and when she staggered out ten minutes later she found Sean standing there, his expression grim.
‘Helen told me you still aren’t well.’
Oh, not now! She just wasn’t up to a confrontation. ‘I’m fine, Sean.’
‘You look it!’ His wry tone made her shrug ruefully.
‘I’ve just picked up the same bug everyone else has.’
He stared at her for a long moment, his gaze measuring. ‘Except that everyone else seems to have recovered in half the time.’ There was a strange light in his eyes and for a brief moment of panic Ally wondered if he’d guessed.
‘Dr McGuire!’ The urgency of Helen’s voice carried down the corridor and Ally breathed a sigh of relief, excused herself and walked briskly to Reception.
‘What’s the matter?’
Helen was just replacing the receiver, her expression worried. ‘That was Felicity Webster. She’s gone into labour and there’s no way she can get to hospital in time. The roads are impassable and she’s contracting every two minutes. She’s in a total panic.’
‘Where’s the midwife?’ Ally was picking up her coat even as she asked the question.
‘Stuck with a woman in premature labour the other side of the Kirkstone pass.’
‘You can’t go—you’re not well.’ Sean picked up his bag and made for the door.
‘Wait!’ Ally caught up with him, her expression determined. ‘Of course I’m going—she’s my patient.’
‘Well, you’re not going on your own!’ He stared at her and then gave a wry smile. ‘I’m starting to learn how stubborn you are, so shall we compromise for once? We’ll both go.’
Ally frowned as he jangled a set of keys. ‘You won’t get through in your car.’
‘Will’s already lent me his four-wheel drive for my calls.’ Sean shrugged on a heavy jacket. ‘Are you sure you’re up to this?’
She nodded, wrapping a scarf around her neck and pushing her hands into her pockets. ‘Absolutely. I wouldn’t miss it for the world. I love delivering babies.’
He gave a short laugh. ‘I’m glad one of us does because it’s certainly not my strong point.’
Ally followed him out to Will’s Range Rover, relieved to sit down. She felt awful. What would happen if she felt like this for the whole nine months?
All along the road to Felicity’s they passed abandoned vehicles, some strewn haphazardly across the road where their drivers had obviously become stuck in the snow and slush. The snow was worse as they approached Felicity’s, but Sean handled Will’s vehicle with enviable ease, negotiating patches of ice and heavy slush in his usual cool manner.
Felicity’s husband was standing in the doorway when they arrived, waving his arms frantically.
‘Is he a panicker or is she delivering?’ Sean switched off the engine and they both hurried down the path.
Hugh greeted them with relief. ‘She’s pushing!’
‘Well, tell her to try not to, Hugh!’ Ally elbowed her way past Sean and took the stairs two at a time, forgetting how exhausted she felt.
Felicity was crouched on the floor at the foot of the bed, her hair tangled and her face blotched with crying.
‘Oh, Dr McGuire, thank goodness you’re here. I’ve been so scared…after the awful time I had with the others.’