Joanna Neil - Sheltered by Her Top-Notch Boss

‘We’ll come and see you as soon as the doctor says it’s okay,’ Ellie promised. ‘In fact, I could get him to talk to you on the phone if that will make you feel better?’

‘Oh, it would. Thanks, Ellie.’

‘You’re welcome.’

Ellie drove home, soothed by the beautiful Cheshire countryside, with its wooded hillsides and rolling plains. It helped put her in a relaxed frame of mind, so that for a little while she could forget that James Birchenall was a thorn in her side.

She stopped to pick up Jayden from his friend’s house, and from then on any illusion of peace was shattered.

‘Can we make play dough?’ the four-year-old asked. ‘I liked it when we did that before when I comed to your house.’ He looked at her with shining grey eyes, full of eagerness and expectation.

‘Okay. That sounds like a good idea.’ Ellie remembered the last time, when loose bits of brightly coloured dough had escaped and gone off in all directions. She’d kept on finding bits of it all over the place for a couple of hours afterwards, mainly thanks to it being trampled underfoot by eager young feet. He’d even managed to get it tangled up among the curls in his dark hair.

‘I thought we’d have spaghetti for tea. That’s your favourite, isn’t it?’

‘Mmm. Yes. I always have s’ghetti. Every day.’ He gave her a big-eyed look and she hid a smile.

‘Do you? Really?’

‘Yes.’ He looked away uncertainly, as though he thought she might stop believing him if he held her gaze for too long.

‘Well, we’ll see what we can do. Let’s go and collect your things from your house first and get you settled in.’

‘All right.’

Some time later Ellie helped him to get ready for bed. They’d had a busy time, having fun with play dough, followed by a baking session, and by now she was worn out even if he wasn’t.

‘Mummy always tucks me in,’ he said with a quiver in his voice, as he climbed into bed and looked around the strange room.

‘I know, sweetheart, and I know she wishes she could be here with you now, but you talked to her on the phone, didn’t you? Remember, she said she’ll see you when we go to the hospital?’

He nodded solemnly, his eyes overbright.

‘How about I read you a bedtime story?’ Ellie said. ‘Give teddy a cuddle and slide down under the duvet, and we’ll see what Noddy’s getting up to in his little red car.’

‘Yeah.’

He’d fallen asleep before she finished the story, and Ellie switched off the bedside lamp and crept out of the room.

Downstairs, she cleared away Jayden’s toys and tidied the kitchen, and just as she was thinking about making herself a well-earned cup of coffee, the doorbell rang. She frowned. She wasn’t expecting anyone. Could it be Noah, in more trouble? Feeling apprehensive, she went to the door and found James standing there.

‘Oh … I … um …’

He’d changed out of his suit, into casual, stylish clothes, stone-coloured chinos and a navy long-sleeved shirt, but there was still that air of authority about him. Somehow she sensed he wasn’t there for a social visit. ‘Is something wrong?’

‘In a manner of speaking. Would it be all right if I come in? I don’t mean to disturb you, but I need to talk to you about something and I’d prefer not to do it at the hospital.’

‘Yes, of course.’ He seemed serious, and she was troubled now, wondering what was so important that he’d come to see her at home. ‘We’ll go through to the kitchen and I’ll put the coffee on.’

She led the way and waved him to a chair by the oak and granite topped table. ‘It sounds as though I should be worried,’ she said as she prepared the coffee. ‘What’s happened?’ She put some freshly made fruit scones on a plate and passed it to him. ‘Help yourself. There’s butter and some strawberry jam.’

He looked at the golden-topped scones and smiled. ‘A sample of your home baking? I thought there was a wonderful smell in the kitchen.’ He sent her a quick, appreciative glance. ‘How could I resist? Thanks. I haven’t eaten yet this evening, so these will fill a hole.’

She raised her brows. ‘You’ve not eaten? How did that come about?’

He shrugged. ‘I was busy. I had a difficult case to deal with—a perforated appendix—and there were a couple of meetings I had to attend—one of them straight after my shift finished. It happens like that sometimes.’ He cut a scone in half, spreading butter on each portion, and then added a spoonful of jam.

‘Hmm. Perhaps you could introduce a snacks trolley so staff can grab a bite to eat if they can’t make time to go to the restaurant. It shouldn’t cost much and we could all chip in to fund it.’ She poured coffee and slid a cup towards him. She wasn’t going to sit down. That would be too much like supping with the enemy.

‘That’s a good idea … a very good idea.’ He bit into the scone and for a moment, as he chewed, a look of absorbed bliss came over his face. Ellie’s breath caught in her throat. There was a boyish look about him that tugged at her heart and for a moment or two she floundered. ‘These are delicious,’ he said, smiling his satisfaction.

‘Hmm.’ She pulled herself together and studied him. ‘Does that mean I get to keep my job?’

His brows met in puzzlement and she added, ‘There was something you needed to tell me?’

‘Ah.’ He finished off the scone and swallowed some of the coffee. ‘I wish I didn’t have to tell you this, but …’ He paused. ‘Amelia Holt came into the hospital today and made a formal complaint. She believes her aunt didn’t receive the proper care and attention she needed, resulting in her death.’

‘Oh, no.’ Ellie went pale, and felt for a seat opposite him, sitting down as her legs seemed to give way. ‘I know she was upset, but what does she think I should have done?’

‘She says you should have done a pericardiectomy. She’s obviously been looking things up or talking to someone who knows a bit about medicine.’

‘But that kind of surgery is usually a last resort.’ Her mouth was dry and her heart had suddenly begun to thump heavily against her rib cage. She swallowed hard. ‘Removing the pericardium is a risky procedure, and her aunt’s heart was already weak.’

‘I agree. It wouldn’t have been the first course of action I’d have taken, but we have to acknowledge the complaint, I’m afraid.’

‘So what happens now?’ Ellie’s palms were clammy, and she rubbed them against her jeans. Inside she was shaking.

‘We have to set up a meeting with her to discuss the issue. If she accepts your viewpoint, there won’t be anything more to be said, but if not, we have to take it through an independent review procedure.’

‘All right. I understand. I … I just have to wait and see how … how things …’

He reached for her hand and captured it between his. ‘Ellie, it’s going to be all right. You’ve done nothing wrong.’

‘I know, but …’ The warmth of his caress comforted her, and for a while she lost herself in that gentle, yet firm, grasp. ‘I still …’

‘I’ll go with you to the meeting, if that will help. You don’t need to worry about this. I’m on your side.’

She nodded. ‘Yes. I’d appreciate that. Thank you.’

He held her hand for a while longer, until she seemed to have calmed down. She let out a soft, shuddery sigh.

‘Okay, then,’ he said, gently releasing her. ‘I’ll arrange everything. Don’t think about it again until the meeting.’ His gaze meshed with hers. ‘Promise me you’ll cast it from your mind?’

‘I’ll try.’ In spite of herself, she was already missing that warm embrace. Of course, she should never have let him comfort her—she didn’t want to get close to the man whose father had destroyed her family. And yet …