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CHAPTER ONE

‘Welcoreeted Katrina with a broad smile ‘So hoas Italy?’

‘Fabulous Italy in late September is just perfect It’s my new favourite place in the world,’ Katrina said ‘Pohed ‘That isn’t what you really want to know, is it? Yes, I brought Italian biscuits back for the ward Seriously nice ones’ She dangled a carrier bag in front of the charge nurse ‘A big tin of them’

‘Good girl’ Lynne patted her on the back ‘Just e all wanted to hear Though I’ood time on holiday’

‘How’s Sadie doing?’ Katrina asked, walking with Lynne to the kitchen and placing the biscuit tin on the worktop along with a note saying, Help yourself, with love from Kat

‘Fine Though she’s beenyour stories and wants to knohen Doc-a-rina’s co back’

‘Oh, bless’ Sadie, a two-year-old with a clicky hip that had been reset by the orthopaedic surgeon, was one of Katrina’s favourites; even though lying on a cot in traction irl, she never once coe so and see her in a minute before I start the ward rounds’ Katrina switched on the kettle, then she slapped a hand to her forehead ‘I alot The new consultant’ He’d started the day after she’d gone on holiday, and she’d been off duty the day he’d come for his interview and a look round the ward, so she hadn’t yet met him ‘What’s he like?’

Lynne nodded with obvious approval ‘Gorgeous And as soon as you hear that voice you just want it to start whispering sweet nothings to you’

‘Except he’s unavailable because, like you, he was snapped up as a teenager?’ Katrina teased

‘Nobody has a clue, but I’d say probably not He’s excellent with the children, he’s polite and pleasant to the parents and the staff, but as for what uess is as good as ht out so far—politely, but very definitely’

Katrina frowned Most new consultants would accept every invitation going in the first couple of weeks, to help theet to know the team outside work and bond with them ‘He’s not one of those who spend the bare minimum of time here and as much as possible in private practice, is he?’ she asked

Lynne shook her head ‘Far from it He puts in the hours He stays late—and if he does leave early, he’ll either ring in or come back to chase up some results’

A workaholic, then, Katrina thought Just as long as he didn’t expect everyone else to follow his lead—it wouldn’t be fair on colleagues who happened to have young families ‘What’s he like to ith?’ she asked

‘Quick, intuitive and—well, you’re about to find out for yourself He’s just walked in’ Lynne glanced towards the door ‘Morning, Dr Morgan’