Amelia. Her aunt virtually brought her up, and she was devastated when she died.’ She hesitated, her voice dropping to a hoarse whisper. ‘She blames me for letting it happen.’
He exhaled sharply. ‘You mustn’t take it to heart. It’s the shock—sometimes people just can’t accept it when a loved one dies. They say and do things while they’re emotionally upset and often come to regret it afterwards. I’m sure you did everything you could for your friend’s aunt.’
Ellie winced. ‘I’m afraid Mel doesn’t see it that way. Perhaps if she knew me better she might have more confidence in me, but we lost touch after we left school and moved in different circles.’ She frowned, thinking back over what had happened. ‘She thinks I should have changed her aunt’s medication and sent her for surgery, but I’m not sure if there was anything I could have done to change the outcome.’
‘What was wrong with her aunt?’ He slowed the car as a cluster of houses came into view, yellow points of light illuminating the village in the darkness.
‘There was an inflammation around her heart. She was brought to A and E in a state of collapse, with severe chest pain and breathlessness. I put her on oxygen and monitored her vital signs, did blood tests and sent her for a CT scan, as well as echocardiography.’ She sucked in a breath.
‘The tests showed that she had an acute bacterial infection that had caused the pericardium to become congested with purulent matter. I put her on strong antibiotics and started to drain the pericardial fluid, but in the end her heart simply stopped.’ Her voice choked. ‘I think her age and general frailty worked against her. Her heart couldn’t take the strain.’
‘And you explained all that to your friend?’
She nodded. ‘Yes, but I don’t know whether she took it all in. I fetched her a cup of tea and sat with her for a while, and tried to explain, but it was as though she was frozen. She seemed not to hear what I said. She was upset and angry at the same time.’
He pressed his lips together in a grim line. ‘It happens that way sometimes.’
‘I suppose so.’ She looked out of the window as the cottages drew near. ‘Mine’s the old farmhouse,’ she told him. ‘Turn next left, and it’s at the end of the track.’
A short time later he pulled the car up on the gravelled drive outside the brick-built house. A lantern in the wide, slate-roofed porch gave off a welcoming glow, highlighting the ivy-covered walls and the tidy front garden.
‘Judging from what I can see by the light of the moon, you have a very attractive place here,’ James commented.
Ellie nodded. ‘I’m glad you like it. I’d had my eye on it for a while, and when it came on the market I jumped at the chance to buy.’ She gave a wry smile. ‘It needed a lot of renovation, so at least it was within my budget. I like it because it’s not crowded out by other properties—there’s just the converted barn across the courtyard at the back of the house.’
She paused then asked hesitantly, ‘Do you have time to come in for a coffee before your shift starts? I could give you a quick look inside, if you like.’ She’d only just met him, but he had a warm and sympathetic manner, and she wanted to be with him just a little bit longer.
‘That would be great, thanks. I like these old farmhouse cottages—they have a lot of character.’
‘That’s how I feel, too.’ She slid out of the car, leaving its comforting warmth for the coolness of the summer evening, and together they walked to the front door. ‘Though cottage is perhaps a bit of a misnomer—it’s quite cosy inside, but there are two storeys.’
The door opened into a large entrance hall, and she led the way from there to the kitchen, where James admired the golden oak beams and matching oak units.
‘This was the first room I renovated,’ she said, spooning freshly ground coffee into the percolator. ‘The beams were dark with age, so I had them cleaned up and then picked out cupboards to go with the new, lighter colour.’
James nodded. ‘They make the room look warm and homely.’ His gaze went to the gleaming range cooker that she’d lovingly restored and which had pride of place in her kitchen. ‘That must help heat up the kitchen.’
She nodded. ‘It does. I love it—I spend lots of time experimenting with new recipes—it’s kind of a hobby. Cooking helps me to unwind.’ She smiled. ‘Though I live here on my own, so I often have to share what I’ve made with the family across the way … the people who live in the converted barn.’
He looked her over, amusement sparking in his eyes, and once again she experienced that odd feeling of familiarity, as though she knew him from somewhere in the past, but once again the circumstances eluded her.
‘You cook as well?’ he said. ‘Wow. Fortune’s following me around today—I must have stumbled on my dream woman!’
She chuckled. ‘I wouldn’t get too carried away, if I were you—I didn’t say I was any good at it.’
He laughed, and while the percolator simmered, she showed him the living/dining room that was tacked on to one end of the open plan kitchen. ‘I had the wall taken down,’ she said, ‘to make the place seem bigger. I was a bit worried it might not work out too well.’
‘I don’t think that’s a problem at all.’ He stood close to her as they surveyed the room, and all she could think about was his nearness, the long line of his strong and lean body, the way his arm inadvertently brushed hers and sent a ripple of heat surging inside her.
He glanced at her, and there was a stillness about him that made her wonder if he’d experienced that same feeling. He seemed distracted for a moment or two and then appeared to force his attention back to the subject in hand.
‘It all seems to work pretty well. The dining area goes on from the kitchen, and the living room is part of the L-shape, which makes it kind of separate. All the rooms benefit from the extra space.’
She nodded, struggling to regain control of herself. ‘That’s what I was hoping for. There’s a small utility room as well, so I have just about everything I need here. I’m really fortunate to have this place, but it’s the extra money from the TV show that funded all the renovations.’
‘I can imagine.’ His mouth made a crooked line. ‘But as an avid fan, I’m convinced you’re worth every penny they pay you. You explain things in a way people can understand, and make the programme lively and interesting at the same time.’
‘I’m glad you think so, but it’s all down to teamwork really. It doesn’t take too long to make the programmes, so it’s worked out pretty well for me, all in all.’ She sent him a quizzical glance. ‘Perhaps it’s something you’d like to try? The producers are always looking for new presenters.’
He shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. I’m busy enough as it is. I’ve enough going on outside medicine to keep me occupied. So time out for a spot of rest and relaxation would be first on my agenda, and I like to spend it on my boat, where I can get away from everything and everyone.’ He sent her an oblique glance, his mouth making a teasing curve. ‘Is there any chance you might want to join me? I could set aside a few days especially for you and we could maybe spend a long, lazy weekend together.’
She gave him an answering smile. ‘That’s a tempting proposition, James, but I’d really have to give it some thought.’ It had definite appeal, but some innate sense made her hold back.
She’d been in relationships before, which had promised so much and then proved to be a huge letdown. Perhaps her background, the disintegration of her family life had made her cautious about expecting too much. ‘We barely know each other, after all.’
‘That could soon be remedied.’
They walked back to the kitchen, and Ellie poured coffee, smiling faintly as the tempting aroma teased her nostrils. Despite her reservations, she liked being with James. She’d been feeling thoroughly