babies, isn’t it? They don’t know what’s happening and it’s over in a flash.’
‘She’ll be fine. Have you booked her in for Thursday afternoon?’
‘Yes.’ Sonia jiggled the pushchair. ‘No sign of Evanna having the baby yet, then?’
‘She has a few weeks to go yet.’
‘I bet Dr MacNeil is nervous.’ Sonia gave a little frown. ‘We all know how uneasy he gets when women get near their due date. When he had to deliver me on the island last year, he was horrified. Never saw him look nervous before that night. I still think that if Evanna hadn’t been there, he would have done a runner.’
‘I’m sure he wouldn’t, although we all know that he prefers babies to be born on the mainland. I’m sure he’ll be packing Evanna off on that ferry in good time. And I’d better go. I have a visit to do before my afternoon clinic.’ Flora slid back into her car. ‘See you later in the week, Sonia.’
She carried on up the coast road, called in on Helen to check on her and offer reassurance to her mother. Then she drove to the medical centre, parking next to a sleek black motorbike.
She gave a faint smile. That explained the black leather. A motorbike.
She couldn’t imagine Conner with anything else. He was a man who always chose to live his life on the wrong side of risk.
Janet was at the reception desk, trying to find an appointment for a patient. ‘Flora has had a cancellation so she can see him straight away, Mrs Gregg,’ she was saying. ‘I’ll put you in with her. If she thinks Harry should see a doctor urgently, she’ll arrange it.’
Looking anxious, Mrs Gregg took Harry by the hand and led him to the chairs in the waiting room.
Flora walked up to the desk. ‘Problems?’
‘Just the one problem. People don’t want to book in with Conner.’ Janet sighed and rubbed her fingers over her forehead. ‘I can’t believe that Logan has done this to us in the middle of summer. His afternoon surgery is bursting at the seams and how many does Conner have? Two people.’
‘Two? That’s all?’
‘No one wants to see him, Flora.’ Janet looked exhausted. ‘I’m sure he’s a very good doctor, but all anyone round here remembers is a boy with a lot of problems. They don’t trust him.’
Remembering what Logan had said to her, Flora straightened her shoulders. ‘His qualifications are excellent.’
‘Well, maybe he’d like to put them above my desk in neon lights.’
‘It’s only his first day. People will settle down,’ Flora said firmly, hoping that she was right. ‘I thought the women, at least, would be queuing up.’
‘I’m sure they will, but not for his medical skills,’ Janet said dryly. ‘If Logan was looking for help, I think he was looking in the wrong place. Anyway, the Greggs are back from holiday and Harry isn’t well. He has a rash and Diane is worried. Your first patient has cancelled so I’ve put them in with you. If you’re worried, perhaps you can persuade them to see Conner, but I don’t hold out much hope.’
‘Leave it with me. If you see Logan can you tell him that I popped in to see Helen and she was fine?’ Flora walked to the waiting area. Harry was sitting on his mother’s lap and his eyes were closed.
‘Hello, Nurse Harris.’ Diane gave her a tired smile. ‘Janet said you might fit us in.’
‘Of course.’ Flora touched the little boy’s forehead with a gentle hand. ‘He’s very hot.’
‘I’ve spent the past two nights trying to bring his temperature down.’ Diane clearly hadn’t slept for days and her face was pale and drawn. ‘But it’s the rash that’s really worrying me. It’s spreading.’
‘I’ll take a look.’
The woman gave her a grateful smile and gently eased Harry onto the floor. ‘You’re too big for Mummy to carry now,’ she murmured, taking his hand. ‘Just walk as far as the consulting room, then you can sit down again.’
Harry murmured a protest but trotted along the corridor towards Flora’s consulting room.
‘Tell me what happened. I’d like to know when Harry first became ill.’ Flora flicked on her computer and stowed her bag under the desk. ‘Presumably it started on holiday?’
‘Three days ago he developed this rash. One minute he was fine and the next he had a temperature, neck stiffness, headache.’ Diane swallowed. ‘He’s gone from well to ill really fast and that’s—Well, I’m worried.’
Understanding that she didn’t want to say too much in front of the child, Flora nodded. ‘And you think the rash has spread?’
‘Oh, yes. Definitely.’
Flora washed her hands. ‘I’ll take a look, if that’s all right.’
‘I’m just going to take your T-shirt off, Harry.’ Diane reached forward and lifted his T-shirt carefully over his head. ‘I want to show Nurse Harris.’
Harry gave a moan of protest. ‘I’m really, really cold.’
‘That’s because you have a temperature,’ Flora said gently, lifting his arm slightly and turning him towards the light. ‘When did you first notice the rash, Mrs Gregg?’
‘Well, it didn’t look like this at first. It started with just one red spot under his arm and then it spread. Then his temperature shot up and he’s been feeling boiling hot ever since.’ Diane pushed her son’s hair away from his face and touched his forehead. ‘He’s hot now.’
Flora examined the rash carefully. It was scarlet and circular and she’d never seen anything like it before. ‘Did you see a doctor when you were away?’
‘Yes, but he said it was just a virus.’ Diane rolled her eyes, her worry evident. ‘Perhaps it is, but I wanted a proper opinion. It isn’t until you leave Glenmore that you realise how good the medical care is on this island. I was hoping to see Dr MacNeil, but Janet says his surgery is full.’
Flora checked Harry’s temperature and recorded it. ‘Logan isn’t the only doctor working at Glenmore now,’ she said carefully, and Diane pursed her lips.
‘If you’re talking about Conner MacNeil, I’m not interested. I remember the time he set off that firework in the school library.’
‘That was a long time ago, Mrs Gregg.’ Flora checked Harry’s pulse and blood pressure. ‘He trained in the army. His qualifications are excellent.’
‘I don’t care. I—’
‘Didn’t you ever do anything you shouldn’t when you were young?’
‘Well, I—I suppose …’
‘I know I did.’ Flora shrugged. ‘And I also know I wouldn’t want to be judged as an adult by how I was as a child. People change, Mrs Gregg. And everyone deserves to be given chances. Logan wouldn’t have taken Conner on if he didn’t trust him. I’d like him to see Harry. I don’t recognise this rash and the fact that he has a temperature makes it worth exploring further.’
Mrs Gregg hesitated and then glanced at Harry, clearly torn. ‘I don’t suppose Conner will know any more than that doctor on the mainland.’
‘Let’s give it a try—see what he says? I’ll see if he’s free,’ Flora said cheerfully, trying not to reveal that the chances of Conner having a patient with him was extremely remote.
Hoping that she wasn’t making a mistake, she went across the corridor and tapped on his door. ‘Conner?’ She walked in and found him absorbed in a website on the internet. She peered closer. ‘Wetsuits?’
‘I’m planning to do some sailing.