Already she could feel the bitterness welling up inside her. ‘He took the phone into the sitting room. I could hear his voice, very low, more like a whisper. Then suddenly he started shouting. ‘No, you mustn’t do that! No, you can’t come here. You can’t!’
Sidonie sat very still as she waited for Chantal to continue. She could see how upset she was.
‘He slammed down the phone and came back into the kitchen. His face was drained of all colour and he was trembling. At the same time I could hear footsteps on the stairs coming up from the ground floor of my apartment block. Then hammering on the door.’
‘Who was it?’
‘His wife. I had no idea he was married. It transpired that she’d been caring for her sick mother in the south of France for a few months. A friend had tipped her off that her husband was being unfaithful and had given her my address and phone number.’
‘So what happened when his wife arrived?’
Chantal cleared her throat. ‘She started shrieking at him. Hitting him in the chest with her fists. He grabbed her wrists, fending off the blows as he tried to placate her. He said he could explain everything. How pathetic! The evidence was there before the poor woman’s eyes, for heaven’s sake. I found myself feeling sorry for her.’
‘So, did she start shouting at you?’
‘No, that was the strange thing. She barely glanced at me. It was her pig of a husband she was mad with. I’d heard enough about his womanising as she continued to hurl abuse at him. I just wanted it all to stop. So I opened my door and asked them both to leave.’
‘And then?’
‘They noticed me at last. His wife grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the door. I continued to hold the door wide open. She was still shouting. I told them both again to get out of my apartment. After they’d gone I went into my bedroom. My brain had gone numb. I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes, willing myself to sleep.’
No, she couldn’t tell her any more of the agony that had come afterwards, not now anyway. She wanted to move forward with her life. She was a different person from the innocent, trusting woman she’d been. The heartbreaking experience later that night had changed her for ever. She couldn’t even speak about her miscarriage.
‘I’m sorry, Sidonie, to burden you with all this.’
Sidonie leaned across and patted her hand. ‘Thank you for sharing a confidence with me. I feel privileged to have been told something of your background. You always seemed so quiet and withdrawn when you first started working in Emergency. I hadn’t realised the suffering you’d been through. If ever you need a shoulder to cry on...’
‘Thanks, but I’ve done all the crying I’m going to do. The past is over. It’s the present and the future that are important to me now.’
* * *
She must have fallen asleep after Sister had gone back into the ward. The sun, which had been shining full into her window, had dipped below the rooftops of the hospital. She became aware of someone being in the room and turned to look at her bedside chair.
‘I hope I didn’t wake you?’
‘Julia! What a lovely surprise.’ She held out her arms at the sight of her cousin then winced as she unwittingly moved her damaged ankle.
Julia rose to her feet. ‘Don’t try to move, Chantal.’ She bent down and kissed her cheek. You looked so peaceful when I came in. Sister said you would probably be waking up soon.’
‘Oh, it’s so good to see you again. How did you know I was here?’
‘Well, Bernard phoned Sidonie this afternoon to say he was coming in to Orthopaedics to check on the patient he’d chosen for teaching purposes tomorrow morning. Bernard always asks their permission, checks these patients carefully and makes sure they know that he will be supervising his students all the time. I remember when I was one of his students I was always so impressed with the care he took to ensure the patients knew exactly what they were letting themselves in for.’
‘I love to hear about when you were one of Bernard’s students and you found him so difficult and demanding as a professor while you were studying with him for that prestigious exam in orthopaedic surgery.’
Julia laughed. ‘He was only being difficult, he told me afterwards, to ensure I got the best results. After that I managed to thaw him out and...well, you know how it all ended. Marriage and a baby on the way. Anyway, Sister Sidonie told Bernard you were in the side ward here, having sprained your ankle and stretched the ligaments. That must be really painful. I just had to come and check how you are and if there was anything you need.’
‘I can’t fault the way they’ve treated me. Right from the time Michel picked me up off the beach’
‘Michel? What on earth were the two of you doing on the beach together?’
Chantal, well aware of the insinuating grin on her cousin’s face, quickly set her straight with the basic details, starting with the important fact that they hadn’t gone to the beach together. Michel had arrived just as she’d tripped up on a killer of a stone absolutely lying in wait for her.
‘Ah, I see. So Michel brought you back to hospital, set up your treatment and then disappeared.’
‘He’s coming back this evening to check on me. How’s young Philippe?’
Julia’s expression softened. It was always obvious that she adored her husband’s son from his first marriage.
‘He’s fine. Marianne—you remember our brilliant housekeeper who’s been with the family since she was sixteen? Well, she’s at home with Philippe. We told him we were going to see you but that he couldn’t come to see you this time because he had an early start tomorrow. School in the morning, so it was an early night tonight. Marianne was giving him supper when we left and we’ll be back in time to read him a bedtime story.’
Chantal gave a nostalgic sigh. ‘I always loved the bedtime stories you and I had when we were staying together at your house or mine in Montreuil before Mum and I went to live in Paris, didn’t you?’
Julia smiled. ‘We lived more like sisters in those days, just like our mothers had been, didn’t we?’
Chantal giggled. ‘And because our mothers are identical twins I used to wake up sometimes in the night at your house, calling out for my mother. When your mother came in I was convinced she was mine. Oh, hello, Bernard.’
Her cousin-in-law came over and kissed her cheek. ‘How are you getting on, Chantal? Are they treating you OK?’
‘I’m being spoiled rotten.’
‘Even by the exacting Michel?’
Someone else was pushing open the door. Chantal watched as Michel advanced into the crowded side ward. He grinned as he overheard Bernard’s comment about him.
Bernard shook his colleague’s hand. ‘Sorry, Michel, I didn’t know you were coming back this evening. Such devotion to duty.’
Michel raised an eyebrow. ‘And on my day off too!’
‘Actually, we were just leaving. Promised to be back home before Philippe goes to sleep. He adores Marianne but there’s nothing like a paternal voice reading the bedtime story, is there?’
Bernard held out his hand to help his wife as she got to her feet.
She smiled up at him. ‘Oh, so you’re volunteering to read the story tonight, are you?’
‘Don’t want to tire you out, my love.’ He placed a hand gently over Julia’s pregnant bump. ‘Only a few weeks to go now.’
‘Don’t forget you promised to make me godmother,’ Chantal said.
‘You’ll be the most perfect godmother,’ Julia said as she bent over the bed to give her cousin a kiss.
* * *
After they’d gone Michel lost no time in checking out her injured ankle. He looked down at her as his experienced fingers gently palpated the damaged area. She winced but refrained from comment as she looked up at him. His expression was so sensitive, so caring, so totally wrapped up in what his patient had suffered and was going through. She told herself that was all she was, another patient. And that was how she wanted their relationship to remain.
‘Good. The swelling’s going down. Sister’s done a good job this afternoon.’
He sat down in the chair beside the bed. ‘Anything you’d like to ask before I go?’
She found herself wishing she dared ask him to stay longer but instead she shook her head and told him she was sure the nurses would continue to take care of her. Better to dampen down the ridiculous feelings she was experiencing. Who needed male company anyway? Certainly she didn’t.
He stood up. ‘I’m sure they will. I’ll go and see Sister now and find out who’s on duty this evening. You must have some supper, Chantal. Got to keep up your strength. I’ll be back in the morning to see you.’
She watched as the door closed after him, willing the sad feeling to go away. She knew she mustn’t allow these insane seductive feelings about Michel to enter her mind. In her post-Jacques life she’d convinced herself that she could never trust a man with her heart again. She would never open herself up to potential pain. She must remind herself every day and never weaken her resolution.
* * *
Michel drove out of the staff car park at a furious rate. He slowed as he started to ascend the narrow winding road to the top of the hill. This was always where he began to relax after he’d been on duty. But today he found it harder than usual to switch off, even though technically, it had been his day off.
Reluctantly he admitted to himself that the problem was Chantal. Ever since she’d joined the staff in Emergency in February he’d been aware of her. She was different from all the others. Someone whose company he enjoyed. But it was a totally platonic feeling. It had been more than three years since Maxine had died and his love for her had grown stronger. Every day he still grieved. But somehow when he was with Chantal he became interested in her as a woman.
Surely, that didn’t mean he was being unfaithful to the memory of Maxine, did it? It just meant he was a full-blooded normal male and being with an attractive, intelligent woman like Chantal stirred him. But he wouldn’t allow himself to go along with those feelings. Being with her today, touching her skin, smelling the scent of her body had brought it all to a head. He certainly didn’t want to act on any of these feelings. Heavens above, she’d been his patient today! He would have to hand her on to a colleague for further treatment.
He got out of the car in his driveway and looked out over the stunning sea view. He turned to watch the sun setting over the hill. He was alone, as he was meant to be for the rest of his life. To love a woman was to risk the bitter pain he’d felt when Maxine had been taken from him. He couldn’t risk that again. Not in one lifetime.
CHAPTER TWO
A
S
M
ICHEL
DROVE
his car down the hill above St Martin sur Mer he was feeling apprehensive. Even the glorious sea view couldn’t distract him from thinking about his work in Emergency today. It had been a month since he’d picked up Chantal from the beach and taken her back to the Hôpital de la Plage. He’d made sure he’d referred her to the orthopaedic ward the day after he’d treated her.
He swallowed hard as he changed into a lower gear. His reasons were obvious only to himself and his colleagues hadn’t questioned his decision Basically, they’d followed his advice on the treatment plan he’d recommended and Chantal had been an exemplary patient. Today was the first day she was going to work with him in Emergency for a full day, without the aid of her stick.
He’d been impressed with her absolute determination to cope with the work he’d given her during the last two weeks she’d spent in Emergency on light duties, always aided by her stick and always within reaching distance of a chair in case she became tired.
As he drove through the hospital gates he told himself to stop worrying about her. She was a feisty girl, dependable in any situation. Always cool and unflustered with whatever problems a patient posed. An absolute natural in their department. She’d be able to cope today when he’d scheduled her to work the whole day.
Switching off the engine in the car park, he managed to convince himself that she wasn’t his problem. He’d prescribed her treatment and the result was that she had a healthy, viable ankle that shouldn’t cause problems in the future. So he should stop thinking about her. There was work to be done and Chantal was just another colleague in his department...wasn’t she?
It was ironic that she was the first person he saw as he pushed open the swing doors into Emergency. He couldn’t help smiling at her. She looked so young and fresh and raring to go this morning. He had to remember not to treat her any differently from his other colleagues.
‘Ready to work all day?’
‘Of course! I’ve dealt with a couple of patients already. No problem.’
She covered the few steps between them, consciously walking correctly, as she’d practised with the physiotherapists; heel toe, heel toe.
‘Very good.’
She grinned, unable to stop feeling pleased with herself at his praise.
‘Oh, I’ve had only the best treatment, you know. And I was determined to get back to normal working life as soon as I possibly could.’
‘I know you were.’ He averted his gaze, which was full of admiration. As his phone rang ‘Well, then, let’s see what we’re landed with today,’ he said, getting out his smartphone to scroll through his messages. ‘Hold on a moment, Chantal. I may need your help immediately. I’m getting a message through about a car crash on the motorway.’
Even as he spoke the doors to Emergency swung open and a couple of porters with patients on trolleys followed each other inside. From outside the building came the sound of another ambulance arriving.
‘Dr Devine,’ the first porter called. ‘This woman is in pain and she won’t stop screaming. She’s completely hysterical. I can’t—’
‘Let me help you,’ Chantal said in a soothingly calm voice as she moved to meet the porter.
‘I’ll deal with the second patient,’ Michel said. ‘Contact me whenever you need me.’
Chantal had already directed the porter to take their patient into the nearest vacant cubicle and was leaning over her, trying to reassure her that she was safe. The screams had now turned to sobs as the patient clung to Chantal’s hand.
She was aware that Michel had just arrived and was taking his place at the other side of the trolley.
‘I’ve handed my patient to a colleague so I can get the general picture of where I’m needed most. I thought you might need some help here.’
He could see Chantal was having a soothing influence on the hysterical patient as she gently asked her name.
‘Josephine,’ the patient whispered now in between sobs. ‘I will be OK, won’t I?’
‘Yes, you will. I’m Dr Chantal Winstone and I’m going to do everything I can to help you. Now, tell me where it hurts Josephine. Let me...’
As Chantal began to pull back the blanket covering her patient she was immediately aware of her condition. She was a large lady but it wasn’t just due to obesity. She was definitely pregnant.
Chantal held back her own emotions, the feelings she’d had about pregnancy ever since she’d lost her own much-wanted baby sometimes overwhelming. It was only a fleeting memory of the horrors of her miscarriage that came to her. She was a doctor and should be totally dispassionate about any medical situation. When she was needed she had to deal with the case as expertly as possible.
She took a deep breath and for a split second her eyes met Michel’s. She mustn’t show her conflicting emotions in front of him. The patient always came first.
‘Josephine, when is your baby due?’ she asked quietly.
‘I don’t really know with this one, Doctor. This will be my fifth, you see, and I’ve been so busy I haven’t really had time to get to the doctor’s. I know I’ve missed a few periods but I’ve lost count and... Oh, help me...’
By the time the screaming started again Chantal had removed the blanket and was checking her patient’s abdomen. The contraction she could now feel was very strong. A swift examination of the birth canal showed her that the cervix was well dilated.
She glanced up at Michel. ‘Call Obstetrics to send a midwife. We can’t move our patient up to them at this late stage. And if you could bring me that gas and air apparatus over there by the door?’
Her full attention was back on her patient. ‘Breathe deeply, Josephine, deep breaths, breath through the pain. Thanks, Michel.’
She took the mask he’d prepared and fixed it over her patient’s face. ‘There we go, breathe through now, yes, that’s good, very good, keep going like that, Josephine.’
Michel found himself marvelling at how calm Chantal was through all this. No one else in the team who’d rescued their patient from her crashed car on the motorway had suspected she was pregnant. They were working fluidly together now. He’d moved to check on the dilation of the cervix.
‘The cervix is fully dilated now, Chantal. I can see the head. Don’t let Josephine push until the next contraction. I need to adjust the cord.’
‘Pant for the moment, Josephine, breathe short breaths. Excellent. Well done. I’ll tell you when you can push. Not yet. OK, now, push, bear down into your bottom, the baby’s head has made an appearance. Yes, a little rest for you now...’
She was watching for another signal from Michel. As their eyes met she saw the relief in his, he saw the enigmatic emotions that the baby’s delivery had set in motion. Yes, she was deeply involved, not just giving this delivery her all in terms of expertise and experience. She was deeply moved even though outwardly she remained calm and in control.
He wondered if she had an issue with childbirth. Had she had a bad experience somewhere in her own past? Whatever had happened to her, she was a joy to work with now. They dovetailed together as they worked well together.
Josephine was clinging to Chantal’s hand.
‘You’re doing fine, Josephine.’
Michel signalled for a final push. As the baby moved down the birth canal he took it into his hands and it began to cry lustily.
‘Here you are, Chantal.’
He was handing her the baby wrapped in a dressing sheet. As she took the baby from him he could see the tears in her eyes, the deep involvement she had with this birth, the tender way she held the precious bundle in her arms. For a moment their eyes met over the baby and Chantal let out a sigh of relief.
‘Thank God,’ she whispered huskily. ‘A live birth is always a miracle.’
For a moment she didn’t appear aware of her surroundings. Seconds later she cleared her throat and became totally professional again as very gently she handed the baby to her patient.
‘Here’s your daughter, Josephine.’
Now it was Josephine’s turn to shed tears of joy. ‘A daughter! After four boys she’s very welcome. I shall call her Chantal, Doctor. You’ve been so kind to me. I couldn’t have got through this without you.’
‘Oh, I think you could,’ Chantal said, dabbing her eyes with a tissue as she turned away from the joyful scene of mother and baby together.
Suddenly she was aware that Michel was beside her, his hand on her shoulder. ‘Are you OK, Chantal?’
‘I’m fine.’ she said firmly, turning to look up into his eyes. ‘It’s always an emotional experience when a baby is born, isn’t it?’
He was holding onto his own mixed emotions now. He had to get a grip on himself where Chantal was concerned. She disturbed him too much and at this moment he wasn’t sure why.
A midwife came into the cubicle. ‘I came as soon as I could but— Oh, I see I was too late. Sorry about that but we’re very busy in Obstetrics at the moment.’
‘Don’t worry,’ Chantal told her. ‘I’ll hand Josephine and her daughter over to you now. I haven’t done the postnatal checks yet. This is a fifth baby and Josephine was involved in a car crash earlier.’
‘I’ll leave you to it, Chantal,’ Michel said, as he heard her starting on the patient’s history with the midwife. ‘I’ll check on what’s happening to the other new patients. May I suggest you take a break before you work on your next patient?’
She glanced at him enquiringly. What was he implying?
‘It’s your first day back on full-time duties,’ he said, quietly before turning away and leaving the cubicle.
After filling the midwife in with Josephine’s details she left her patient and the new baby in her care. Josephine clung to her hand. ‘Do you have to leave me, Dr Chantal?’
‘I’m afraid so. But you’ll be well looked after when you’re taken to the postnatal ward.’
She bent down to say goodbye to the baby. The little rosebud mouth was moving as if acknowledging her. She could feel tears prickling behind her eyes as she swiftly became professional again and left the cubicle.
* * *
She’d taken Michel’s advice and had a short break in the staff coffee bar before she returned to report to him in Emergency. He strode across to meet her as she came in through the swing doors.
‘Everything OK? How’s the ankle?’
‘It’s bearing up very well, thank you. You seem to have everything under control here.’
‘Yes, we had six patients from the crash. The rest had been allocated to another hospital in this area. Josephine was one of the ones who was totally blameless apparently. So we won’t have the police coming in to interview her.’
‘Thank goodness for that. Josephine needs rest now to enjoy her new baby.’ She heard her voice crack with emotion as she spoke and hoped Michel hadn’t noticed.
Michel heard the emotional involvement expressed in Chantal’s voice and wondered once more what had happened to her before she’d joined the staff in February.
‘So you’re fit to work again now, are you?’
‘Of course.’
‘Well, there’s a young boy waiting to be seen in cubicle two. His mother is with him.’
‘Fine.’ Chantal turned away and went to check on her next patient. She found a small boy who’d just arrived after falling on his way to school. He was crying as he clung to his mother’s hand.
‘Be quiet, Albert. The doctor’s here now.’
Chantal looked down at her patient on the treatment table. He was shivering with shock. She spread a cosy lightweight blanket over him. He stopped shivering and looked up at her enquiringly with wide trusting blue eyes, deciding that this lady doctor was OK. Quite pretty, actually. Nice teeth when she smiled at him, which she was doing now.
Chantal glanced down at the notes that had just been given to her.
‘Albert, can you tell me what happened when you were walking to school?’
‘There was this dog, you see,’ he began tentatively.
Chantal smiled. ‘I see. Was it a big dog?’
‘Oh, it was enormous! But I’m not scared of dogs, am I, Mum?’
‘Not a big boy like you, Albert. Now, tell the nice lady doctor how you ran much too quickly when you chased the dog and tripped up on that kerbstone.’
‘So where did you hurt yourself when you fell?’
‘All down my leg.’ He pulled back the side of the blanket to reveal an improvised bandage of old cloths. ‘You should have seen the blood, Doctor.’
‘I can see the bloodstains peeping through the bandage, Albert. Who put the bandage on?’
‘The lady with the dog. She took me into her house and told me I was a naughty boy for chasing him.’
Chantal could see more tears threatening. ‘Mind if I have a look?’ She was already peeling off the cloths very carefully so that they wouldn’t pull on his skin. ‘Oh, yes, now I see the problem. Don’t worry, Albert, I’ll soon have that sorted.’
‘What are you going to do to me? You’re not going to chop it off, are you? My friend’s dad had to go into hospital to have his leg chopped off. He walks with crutches now. I don’t mind having crutches but I’d like to keep my leg on if you don’t mind. You see, I play football.’
She gave him a reassuring smile. ‘I’m simply going to mend the cut that’s appeared in the skin. Can you feel this nice soothing liquid I’m painting all over the cut?’
‘What’s that for?’
‘That’s cleaning the wound and—’
‘Have I got a wound? Like a soldier?’
‘Yes, and you’re behaving like a brave little soldier for me. I’ve just put some painkiller on it so it won’t hurt much. Not that you’ll need it as you’re such a brave boy. How old are you, Albert?’
‘Five and a half,’ he said proudly.
‘You’re a big boy for your age.’
Then she fell silent as she focussed on the task in hand.
‘There, all done. I’ve put some stitches in so that—’
‘Stitches? How many?’
She solemnly counted them one by one.
‘Six.’ She was spraying the whole area of affected leg now.
‘Six? Wait till I get back to school and show everybody!’
‘Doctor, do you think I should keep him at home today?’ his mother asked anxiously.
Chantal replied that one day at home would be advisable to give the healing process a good start. She explained how to treat the little boy for the next ten days before his mother took him to see their family doctor who would arrange for the stitches to be taken out.