Hired: GP and Wife / The Playboy Doctor's Surprise Proposal (9 page)

‘So now we have no secrets between us,’ said Atholl with a grin. ‘We’re open books to each other!’

‘You only know a little about me,’ she parried nervously.

He laughed. ‘Don’t be so mysterious. I know enough about you to see how uncomplicated you are. You’re a great doctor, I like and trust you,’ he said with emphasis. ‘And something else,’ he murmured slowly, touching her face and looking down at her intently, ‘You’re very, very…’

Then an unreadable expression crossed his face and he checked himself, his voice trailing away as if he was about to say too much, reveal more of his thoughts than he should. He stood up abruptly, shooting a look at his watch.

‘Hell—it’s nine o’clock!’ he exclaimed, raking a hand through his hair and striding to the door. ‘I forgot our date with Pete and the boys at The Culleens. Let’s get going!’

Terry stared after him as he thundered down the little stairs, and sighed, a mixture of thoughts racing through her mind. She’d been certain for a second that Atholl had been going to say something rather complimentary to her then—but it was clear that after his experience he was loath to speak those thoughts aloud. At least he’d said he liked her, even if Zara Grahame had made him as wary of commitment as putting his hand in a fire.

The little party of people strode away from The Culleens towards the outcrop of rocks at the base of the hills, leaving behind the loch and a buzzard lazily circling above it. The sun was shining brightly and it was quite warm. All around them was the low murmur of bees and somewhere high above a lark was singing its heart out over the sweep of moorland before them.

Terry glanced across at Atholl, his rangy figure dressed in old shorts revealing strong muscular legs, his powerful body carrying a huge rucksack as if it were no more than a bag of cotton wool. A mixture of happiness and apprehension flickered through her. This was the guy who’d made it fairly clear only an hour ago that he thought quite well of her—but he’d also made it clear that he regarded anything less than the truth as an act of betrayal. How would he react if he ever learned that she was not the person she claimed to be?

She shifted her rucksack to a more comfortable position on her back and shook herself mentally, forcing her worries to the back of her mind. Whatever happened, today she was going to live for the moment and enjoy this lovely day as much as she could!

She, Atholl and Pete walked briskly together behind the four strapping young men.

‘This is all so beautiful,’ she breathed. ‘I can hardly believe it’s real!’

Atholl turned his face and winked at her, then held her eyes in his for a second too long for comfort. ‘It’s certainly a place of natural beauty—don’t you agree, Pete?’ he said teasingly.

Terry made a face back at him then quickly changed the subject, saying brightly, ‘Is Sally OK? It’s only a week or so to go now before the baby comes, isn’t it?’

Pete patted his mobile. ‘She promised she’d let me know when she feels the first twinge—in fact, she’s gone into Scuola village today to see a friend, so I do feel a little more relaxed about things. At least she’s near the hospital and I can concentrate on the boys here.’

‘Did you tackle Zac about taking cannabis?’ asked Atholl.

An expression of exasperation passed Pete’s face. ‘Yup, he did actually admit to having a few spliffs, almost as if he wanted to see how far he could go. Sally and I were mortified that he’d managed to hide the stuff and I threw the book at him. One more strike and he’s out.’

‘And how did he take that?’

‘He looked relieved, as if he’d expected to be sent back to Glasgow. He promised he’d tread the straight and narrow.’ Pete smiled wryly. ‘I just hope he can stick to it.’

Atholl turned to Terry. ‘He’s the one with the most troubled background. He has a disabled mother who was virtually abandoned by Zac’s father, although the man keeps coming back and abusing them both when he wants a roof over his head. But I know Zac does like it here—enough to make him try and keep clean.’

‘What about the others?’ enquired Terry. ‘They’ve settled OK?’

‘Oh, sure,’ said Pete. ‘They’ve even become part of the community in a small way. They were all helping to dig and tidy up some of the older people’s gardens the other day!’

Pete stopped walking and pointed to a high outcrop of rock on the other side of the river running beside them.

‘Here we are. We can go over the bridge here and walk up the hill to the side of the rock to the top and then do some abseiling before we have lunch.’

Terry swallowed and looked up at the steep drop. It looked horribly high and suddenly she didn’t seem quite as hungry as she had been earlier! She felt Atholl’s amused, perceptive eyes on her and stuck her chin out in determination. She wasn’t going to give anyone the chance to say she’d wimped out!

‘I can’t wait.’ She smiled.

From the top it looked even more of a sheer drop. The sheep grazing on the moors below seemed like toys. Atholl put on a helmet and began to buckle on his harness and Pete clipped the safety rope to it before Atholl began to descend.

Terry’s eyes flicked over his athletic body as he leant back against the rope, confident and relaxed, and her heart did a quick flip when she thought of that same body pressed against hers in his vehicle the other day. She bit her lip. Delightful though it was to let her thoughts stray to Atholl, she had to stop thinking of the man so much. She was here to assist, not moon about like a lovesick teenager! She made herself concentrate on what Pete was saying, hoping some of the information would rub off on her.

‘Now, boys,’ instructed Pete, ‘watch what Atholl does—how he braces himself against the rock with his feet, keeping his legs straight. He’s leaning back and feeding the rope through his hands in a controlled manner. The braking device on his harness won’t let him slip.’

It seemed to Terry that Atholl took about two minutes to almost float down, although she was sure it would seem a lot longer than that when she did it!

Zac was chosen to go next, and he seemed very enthusiastic, stuffing his shaven head into a helmet and eagerly scrambling over the drop.

‘Not too fast,’ warned Pete. ‘Take it slowly. Once you’ve got experience you can go more quickly.’

Zac grinned around at the others. ‘Knowing how to do this could come in handy if I have to make a quick getaway,’ he remarked cheekily, and winked at Terry.

She laughed. There was something of the lovable rogue about Zac. ‘Be careful what you say, Zac…’ she smilingly remarked.

Pete murmured wryly to her, ‘Unfortunately, what he says has a kernel of truth in it—some people say this sort of activity holiday just makes these lads fitter to do more crime!’

At last it was Terry’s turn and she forced herself to look excited and enthusiastic as she peered over the edge to the small figures below, looking up at her.

‘You’ll be fine,’ said Pete encouragingly, as if he could read the panic raging through her.

She swallowed hard and somehow managed to lower herself gingerly from the top, her face perilously near the rock face as she started to descend inch by cautious inch.

‘Keep moving,’ called Pete. ‘You’re doing really well! Don’t look down!’

Terry imagined several pairs of eyes, including Atholl’s, glued to her as she descended, and gritted her teeth, forcing herself to keep calm and not freeze. Fleetingly she thought of the predictable working life she’d led in London when the most nerve-racking thing that had happened had been a man appearing with a knife at the health centre one evening. Somehow this seemed much more daunting. Then gradually she began to get the hang of it, finding a kind of rhythm as she paid out the rope, and a feeling of exhilaration swept through her as she relaxed against the harness and allowed her legs to guide her down the cliff face.

‘This is fun!’ she yelled as she swung down, and in no time at all her feet touched the ground. There was a feeling of achievement and satisfaction, and from doing it herself she realised just how much these under-privileged boys would get out of it—how good it would be for them to pit their energies against something challenging and exciting. She understood the value of bringing them away from their old environment and encouraging them to put themselves to the test.

She grinned happily round at Atholl and the boys. ‘Nothing to it, is there?’ she remarked.

‘Well done, there,’ said Atholl, looking genuinely impressed. ‘We’ll have to try a steeper one next time!’

His eyes danced at her, his gaze lingering appreciatively for a second on her petite figure. She was one feisty girl—he knew that it had taken all her courage to do the descent for the first time, and he admired the way she’d kept her fear under control. Someone like her would command the respect of the young lads watching her and he smiled at his own reaction. Why on earth had he imagined that a man would be so much better to be involved on this outward bound course?

Pete had begun his descent, having secured the rope at the top. He was efficient and able, swinging down quickly, but just as he was reaching the ground there was an odd rumbling noise above them. Instinctively they all looked up and watched incredulously as a mini-avalanche of small boulders broke away from an overhang above Pete and started to rain down around him.

Before anyone could move, Zac had raced forward and pushed Pete away from the worst of the fall. Both men fell heavily to the ground, then instinctively coiled their bodies and rolled away from the danger.

Everyone froze for a second then, as if a button had been pressed, they all raced together towards Pete and Zac. Pete was already getting to his feet. His helmet had saved him from the worst of the avalanche, but Zac still lay on the ground. He turned over slowly, his face screwed up in agony.

‘Aagh…bloody shoulder,’ he groaned. ‘I’ve done something to it. It’s agony…’

It seemed to Terry, racing towards the stricken man, that she and Atholl seemed to attract more than their fair share of accidents!

‘I
DON’T
believe this,’ muttered Atholl, exchanging a quick look of concern with Terry.

‘Let’s getting him sitting up,’ said Terry. ‘We can’t see what he’s done otherwise.’

Atholl crouched down behind Zac and pointed to Len, the biggest lad there. ‘Len, you take the good side and I’ll support his back and try to keep his shoulder still while we lift him together. Gently now…’

It was obvious that Zac was in acute pain, and when they’d managed to sit him up, he looked white and shaky, shock kicking in.

‘What’s happened? Have I broken my arm? You won’t touch it, will you?’

‘Don’t worry, Zac, we just need to look at it carefully. We’re not going to do anything to it,’ reassured Atholl.

Both doctors looked critically at the injured area, and Terry said after a few seconds of deliberation, ‘From the way he’s holding his shoulder, I would say he’s displaced the head of the humerus—what do you think?’

‘What the hell does that mean?’ growled Zac, grimacing as he held his arm to his side.

‘I’m afraid it means you’ve probably dislocated your shoulder,’ explained Terry. ‘Let me cut this T-shirt off so that we can get a proper look. Sorry, it’s going to be a bit uncomfortable.’

‘It looks like a typical forward dislocation injury,’ said Atholl. ‘You see, the top of the upper arm bone is like a ball, and it’s been forced out of its socket just beneath the acronium. Poor lad.’

‘And all because he was helping me,’ said Pete, also crouching by Zac. ‘You were a star there, Zac. I’m so sorry you’re the one that’s copped it and not me.’ He looked at the two doctors. ‘Can we do anything about it?’

‘The thing is,’ said Terry, ‘we really need an X-ray to make sure there isn’t an accompanying fracture. Then the treatment is to manoeuvre the head of the humerus back into the socket. I don’t think we should attempt to do that without knowing if there’s further injury, do you, Atholl?’

He nodded. ‘We’d be better to put a sling on and possibly strapping the upper arm to the chest so that it’s kept immobilised to minimise pain when he moves.’

Terry looked at the young man assessingly. ‘There’s no way he can walk back—he’s in shock,’ she said decisively. ‘The sooner we get Zac to hospital, the better.’

‘Then we’d better get the mountain rescue people out here. They’ve got a four-by-four that can get over this moorland without much difficulty…I’ll call them now.’

Pete pulled out his mobile phone and stabbed out some numbers. The others all looked rather mournfully at each other—in the twinkling of an eye the day had changed to disaster. Under Terry’s supervision they all started putting one or two rucksacks in a supporting wedge round Zac so that he could relax back slightly, although any pressure on the injured side made him wince.

Then Atholl undid his medical pack, taking out the sling he would use to hold Zac’s upper arm steady and a big sheet of metallic insulating material to cover the boy and keep him warm. Despite the heat, Zac was shivering with shock.

‘Good job we’ve got the medics with us,’ said Len cheerily. ‘Otherwise you’d be in a right pickle, mate.’

Zac managed a weak grin. ‘I thought coming down the rock would be the most dangerous bit—I didn’t realise it was worse on the ground!’

Terry walked back to where her rucksack was and something glinting on the ground by Zac’s jacket and spilling half out of a pocket caught her eye. She stopped and looked at it curiously, then bent down and picked it up—it was a pretty Victorian necklace and two little pearl earrings.

Her heart sank and she looked over at Atholl, who had just finished attending to Zac. She walked over to him and said in a low voice, ‘Can you just come over here for a moment?’

He looked up, surprised at the urgency in her tone. ‘OK. What’s the matter?’

She opened her hand and he looked down at the bits of jewellery she was holding.

‘Hell,’ he muttered slowly. ‘These belong to the Mackie sisters, don’t they? Where did you find them?’

‘Near Zac’s jacket by his rucksack,’ she replied. ‘What do we do now?’

Atholl looked furious, his blue eyes as cold as chips of ice. ‘I did hope that these boys would grab this chance to keep on the straight and narrow. What the hell does the boy think he’s doing? First smoking dope and now stealing from two old ladies.’

‘We’re not absolutely sure it’s Zac,’ pointed out Terry, putting a calming hand on his arm. ‘And if he did, he’s not all bad. Look at the way he leapt to save Pete.’

‘I know, I know,’ said Atholl. ‘I’m just exasperated that he can be so damned foolish when he’s got the potential to do better things in his life. I’ll speak to Pete.’

‘Meantime, I’ll get the boys to make some tea and they can have something to eat by the river while we wait for this rescue vehicle,’ suggested Terry. ‘I’ll join you in a moment.’

When Pete was shown the evidence of the theft he swore angrily. ‘I guess it happened when the boys were doing the sisters’ next-door neighbour’s garden. There was plenty of time for one of the boys to get into their house.’ He looked across at Zac lying uncomfortably against the makeshift support. ‘Damn it, I don’t want to give up on the lad—he’s not all bad. He admitted taking cannabis and he saved me from serious injury. Why the hell did he filch this jewellery?’

‘More drugs?’ suggested Atholl.

Pete shook his head. ‘I don’t know about that. Who’s he going to sell that necklace to out here? Look, while the others are having lunch we’ll just tackle him about this.’

It was almost too easy. Confronted by the evidence of the necklace and earrings, Zac looked almost comically dismayed.

‘Why in kingdom come did you take the stuff?’ demanded Pete angrily. ‘Were you going to buy more drugs?’

‘No,’ muttered Zac. ‘It wasn’t like that.’

‘What was it like, then?’ asked Atholl, frowning at him.

The boy looked mulishly at the ground and was silent. Atholl crouched down opposite him.

‘You’ve let us down, Zac,’ he rasped. ‘We give you this chance to do something for yourself, use your body and mind in a lovely place, and you throw it back in our faces. Just why the hell did you have to steal from two harmless old ladies, let alone leave a hell of a mess in the room?’

To their amazement a tear rolled slowly down the boy’s cheek and he brushed it away impatiently with his good arm. ‘I fell over the chair as I was leaving—I didn’t have time to clear it up. The jewellery was for my mam. I…I thought it would cheer her up. She never goes out or nothin’ like that, and she’s not been well. She’s stuck inside in that wheelchair all the time. I wanted to take her something back she’d like—she’s got nothing pretty.’

‘For God’s sake, lad, can’t you see that, whatever the reason, you’re not to steal from anyone?’

Zac looked at the three adults staring at him and said aggressively, ‘You don’t know what it’s like living in that street…there’s nothing for anyone there.’

‘Yes, we do know, Zac,’ said Atholl sharply. ‘We came from where you live. We know about the poverty, the broken families—and the parents who do their best in awful circumstances to keep things going. I guess your mother is one of those. She wouldn’t want you to mess this up. She knew it was a chance for you to get away from your life in the Gorbals for a little while—prove yourself in a challenge.’

Zac shook his head and muttered, ‘I didn’t mean to hurt no one…’

There was something pitiful about the boy and Terry felt the fact he wanted to give his mother something she could never have had showed a loving side to his character—if what he said was true.

‘Look, Zac, I said after the cannabis incident that you’d go home if you mucked up again,’ said Pete grimly.

Zac continued to look sullenly down at the ground. ‘So have I got to go?’

Pete sighed. ‘You’ve just saved me from being injured with no thought of your own safety—I think that speaks a lot about you.’ He looked at Atholl and Terry. ‘If they can manipulate his arm back into place, shall we give him another chance? There’s only a short time to go anyway.’

Zac remained gazing down rather like a condemned prisoner. When Atholl and Terry nodded their heads and said in unison, ‘One more chance, then,’ he looked up, quite startled, as if he hadn’t believed he’d ever be given another opportunity.

‘It’s up to you, Zac,’ said Atholl quietly. ‘You either go back in disgrace to your mother or stay on the straight and narrow. We’ve already reported it to the police so I’m afraid you’ll have to wait and see if they prosecute you. Perhaps when they hear that you’ve returned the jewellery and apologised to the Mackies they’ll let it pass this time.’

The boy nodded miserably. ‘I have let you down, haven’t I?’ he muttered. ‘I like it here—I don’t want to mess this up.’

‘Well, see you don’t, then.’ Then Pete’s face softened and he patted Zac’s good shoulder. ‘I’m still very grateful to you for your quick actions, Zac. I know you’re a good lad at heart.’ He turned round to Atholl and Terry. ‘What about some hot, sweet tea for him?’

Terry looked at her watch and said dubiously, ‘He may have to be anaesthetised to put his shoulder back—I wouldn’t like to jeopardise the timing of that, so perhaps not.’

Pete’s mobile started ringing and he pulled it out of his pocket. They saw the expression on his face change to a mixture of amazement and concern as he answered it, then he turned to Atholl and Terry.

‘I—I don’t believe this,’ he stuttered. ‘Sal’s gone into labour—she’s in the hospital now!’

Atholl laughed. ‘That’s great news, and every cloud has a silver lining, Pete! It’s a good job you’ve got the mountain rescue team coming for Zac—they can take you back with them to the hospital! Terry and I and the lads will go back to The Culleens on foot.’

Pete looked worriedly up the glen where the mountain rescue team would appear from. ‘God, I hope they hurry—she could have had it by the time we get there!’

‘Calm down, Pete.’ Terry smiled. ‘It’s her first baby—it’s going to take a few hours yet!’

‘My Sal’s never late for anything,’ said Pete gloomily. ‘I bet it comes quickly!’

It was late at night and the boys had built a campfire when they’d got back to The Culleens down by the loch. The smell of cooking sausages and steak drifted over to Atholl and Terry sitting on the steps of the building away from the others. Len was softly strumming a guitar and Atholl slung his arm carelessly around Terry’s shoulders.

‘Will you look at those stars? It’s a brilliant night,’ he murmured. ‘It’s been a good day, despite poor old Zac’s accident—even if we did find out what a fool he’s been.’

Two months ago she had been at her lowest ebb, reflected Terry, and now here she was, close up and dangerously near to one of the dishiest and kindest men she’d ever met, in the most romantic setting! She could tell that Atholl was just being casually affectionate. He didn’t pull her against him, although every nerve in her body was telling her to put her head on his shoulder. How could she ever have believed that she was in love with Max, concerned only with himself and what he could get out of people? Of course he’d been a conman and duped everyone—including her father.

She looked up at Atholl’s firm profile, outlined in the dark, a quiff of dark hair falling over his eyes. What a contrast! Atholl was genuine, she could trust him, she was sure of that. Perhaps that was why she felt so guilty about not being entirely honest with him and what had really brought her up to Scuola. But she couldn’t tell him—not just yet, not until she was sure that there would be no repercussions because she’d given her word that she wouldn’t divulge a thing.

‘You know, I don’t think Zac’s a bad lad at heart,’ she remarked. ‘No one who puts his own skin at risk to save someone else’s life can be all bad. And perhaps it’s almost a reflex action to steal something he thinks will be nice for his mother…’

Atholl looked down at her and smiled. ‘I don’t think you can imagine the world that Zac and I come from. Sometimes stealing is a way of life when you’ve nothing—can you understand that?’

Stealing a way of life? Terry pulled away from him suddenly, her expression hidden in the shadow of the wall. She understood only too well what he meant.

‘Dishonesty isn’t confined to the under-privileged,’ she said in a strange little voice. ‘Surely you know that, Atholl? Just read the newspapers if you want to know about everyone from politicians to solicitors who’ve strayed from the straight and narrow.’

She stood up and stretched, suddenly wanting to change the subject, to forget about crime and the reasons why people committed it. Atholl looked at her in surprise, sensing the change in her attitude, the raw nerve he seemed to have touched, and that fleeting sadness she sometimes showed. He was sure it was something to do with this Max who’d let her down—badly hurt her.

Then the sound of a vehicle drawing up by The Culleens made them both turn round and they could see Zac getting out of a taxi.

Terry welcomed the distraction—she didn’t want to get drawn into a conversation about criminals.

‘Zac! How’s the shoulder?’ she asked, walking towards him.

Zac grimaced. ‘Not so bad, I guess. They’ve put it in a sling and given me a note to go to my local hospital.’

Atholl joined them and Zac looked at the two doctors rather miserably.

‘I…I’ve something to say,’ he muttered. ‘I…I’m sorry about the necklace. I’ll go and see the old biddies tomorrow. I didn’t think about them when I did it. I just thought saw those things on a table when I looked through the window and thought they were pretty wee trinkets.’

‘Perhaps you will think now, Zac, before you do something so damn stupid again,’ growled Atholl. ‘You gave those old sisters a terrible shock. However I know they’ll feel better when you’ve apologised to them—and taken back the jewellery.’

‘Will the police bring charges?’ The boy’s young face looked stricken. ‘It’ll do me mam’s head in if she knows I’ve been in trouble again. I’ll be for the high jump.’

‘I don’t know. Perhaps if the Mackies speak up for you, you may just get a caution.’Atholl’s voice was rough. ‘You’ll just have to pick yourself up again, Zac. I got into trouble but I managed to turn my life around. You can do the same.’