The Doctor's Surprise Bride. Fiona McArthur

      ‘Yes, it was. How’s Newman this morning, Janice?’

      Eliza tried to let her relieved breath out unobtrusively as Jack concentrated on his patient.

      Janice went on. ‘Fine. We’re both fine. My mum arrives from Melbourne today so he’s going to meet his nana when she comes in to visit.’

      ‘Say hello to your mum for me if I don’t see her.’ He stepped back from the cot. ‘I’ve a lot on this morning so I’ll leave you in Matron’s capable hands.’

      Eliza followed him out of the room. She hoped he didn’t think she’d been discussing yesterday. ‘I didn’t tell her. Apparently it’s all over town that you chased us out of the river.’

      Jack glanced up from the notes he carried. ‘Bellbrook is a small town. People find out and embellish all the time.’ He looked at her fully and she saw the wicked twinkle in his eyes. ‘I particularly enjoyed the naked version, with me throwing you a towel.’

      Eliza rested her hand over her mouth as she felt the heat rise again in her face. Then she surprised herself with a tiny gurgle of laughter as the funny side of the situation tickled her again.

      Just when he thought he had her on the back foot she surprised him again. Jack had spent most of the night trying to rid himself of delightful memories of Eliza, tiny but perfectly packaged, as she’d stepped from the water.

      Intriguingly, her breasts had been stunningly full and globular beneath the wet one-piece costume as she’d bent to pick up the towel. Even now that day-old snapshot in his mind made his mouth dry.

      Her breasts hadn’t jumped out at him yesterday morning, he mused, and then his own sense of humour caught up with him. Impossible fantasy. He pulled himself back under control and tried to quieten the sudden increase in his heart rate. Now she was giving him palpitations. What on earth was the matter with him?

      ‘Most people from the city would have a problem with being the object of small-town gossip,’ Jack said without looking at her.

      ‘I’m not “most people”,’ she replied calmly, and began to talk about Keith, but he didn’t believe her. Her cheeks were just a little too rosy.

      By the end of the round Jack was again impressed with Eliza’s ability to manage situations. She’d steered him back onto the job, calmed Keith despite the older man being bitterly disappointed he’d be laid up for probably another week, managed the most painless removal of Joe’s dressing they’d had yet, and was obviously a favourite with the seniors on the wing.

      ‘You’re doing a great job, Matron. It feels like you’ve been here for much longer than a day and a half.’

      ‘It feels like that to me, too,’ Eliza said dryly.

      Jack wondered at her parting comment as he walked around the side of the hospital to his surgery. The woman intrigued him far too much and he didn’t think she was immune to him either.