Fiona McArthur - The Doctor's Surprise Bride

Здесь есть возможность читать онлайн «Fiona McArthur - The Doctor's Surprise Bride» — ознакомительный отрывок электронной книги совершенно бесплатно, а после прочтения отрывка купить полную версию. В некоторых случаях можно слушать аудио, скачать через торрент в формате fb2 и присутствует краткое содержание. Жанр: unrecognised, на английском языке. Описание произведения, (предисловие) а так же отзывы посетителей доступны на портале библиотеки ЛибКат.

The Doctor's Surprise Bride: краткое содержание, описание и аннотация

Предлагаем к чтению аннотацию, описание, краткое содержание или предисловие (зависит от того, что написал сам автор книги «The Doctor's Surprise Bride»). Если вы не нашли необходимую информацию о книге — напишите в комментариях, мы постараемся отыскать её.

Eliza has been a magnet for the broken hearts of others, who ultimately end up breaking her own. When handsome but emotionally wounded Dr. Jack Dancer enters her life, she won't allow herself to act on their growing attraction. But one night when Jack makes love to her, she knows she is lost, and is devastated by his coolness the next day.She knows that to stop her heart being broken again she must leave. It's only then that Jack finally realizes he's got to tell Eliza how much he loves her, and he recruits the entire village to help persuade her to become his bride!Fiona McArthur once again expertly combines the pace of the E.R. and the joy of the maternity ward, with all the warmth and intensity of a heart-stopping romance.

The Doctor's Surprise Bride — читать онлайн ознакомительный отрывок

Ниже представлен текст книги, разбитый по страницам. Система сохранения места последней прочитанной страницы, позволяет с удобством читать онлайн бесплатно книгу «The Doctor's Surprise Bride», без необходимости каждый раз заново искать на чём Вы остановились. Поставьте закладку, и сможете в любой момент перейти на страницу, на которой закончили чтение.

Тёмная тема
Сбросить

Интервал:

Закладка:

Сделать

‘I’m sure most of those occasions will wait for your return but I can see the need for a private space.’ Eliza looked out the door and into the corridor with the clinical areas. ‘You say most of my work is hands on?’

‘I think you’re pleased about that.’ Mary smiled again and drew Eliza out of the office. She pointed at doorways as they walked the length of the small building.

‘On the semi-acute side, we have two two-bed wards and four single rooms, each with their own bathroom. We were fortunate to build this wing with a bequest from a grateful former client.’

The rooms were light and airy and all the fittings sparkled with good care. Only two of the rooms held patients.

The first room held two men. ‘Meet the new matron, gentlemen. This is Eliza May.’

In the bed beside the door, a man in his early thirties had both arms bandaged to the shoulder with just the tips of his fingers poking out the ends.

Mary stopped beside his bed. ‘Joe came off worse when he lit a bonfire with too much petrol.’ Mary shook her head at his folly.

‘Because Joe’s hands and arms are involved he needs help to care for himself. He should be in Armidale Hospital but Dr Dancer has a lot of experience with burns and they let Joe come home if he stays here for another few days.’

‘Hi, Joe.’ Eliza smiled. ‘When I was six I fell off my horse and broke both my arms. For six weeks it was hell with no hands. I have a lot of sympathy.’

Joe sighed with relief. ‘Reckon you understand, then.’

‘Next to Joe is Keith.’ Mary smiled at a seventy-ish-looking man with leathery skin and crinkled stockman eyes. ‘Keith’s supposed to be going home tomorrow. He ruptured his appendix without telling anyone. He wouldn’t come in to see the doctor and nearly paid the ultimate price. We’ve kept him a few extra days to make sure he doesn’t work too hard.’ Mary narrowed her eyes at the old gentleman. ‘I’m not sure he’s right yet.’

‘Now, Matron.’ Keith had a slow drawl and his lilting voice brought back memories to Eliza’s mind of her father, as did the seriousness of the old man’s expression.

He held out his hand to Eliza. ‘Good to meet you, new Matron. I’ll shake for Joe and me.’

His work-roughened hand felt cool and welcoming in Eliza’s and she began to recall the sweeter side of country towns. These were the facets to country life that the city missed—that she missed—and she had never realised the fact before. Of course she’d never miss anything enough to move from the city permanently and there were aspects of country life that terrified her.

Small towns, gossip, everyone related to everyone else. Eliza had grown up in such a place and shuddered at the memory of when her mother had left them. Her father had closed his door on the wagging tongues, and incidentally Eliza’s friends, and she’d never been so lonely. But she didn’t want to think about that.

And she didn’t want to be drawn into some tiny niche of a town where they would all know her business and invade her personal life.

She’d even told her friend, Julie, at the agency that. ‘Bellbrook might be a little too warm and fuzzy for me, the way I’m feeling at the moment,’ she’d said, but Julie had seen a benefit that had escaped Eliza.

‘There’s only one doctor you have to work with.’ Julie had avoided Eliza’s eyes when she’d said that, now that Eliza came to think of it.

‘Hope you enjoy your stay, Matron.’ The old man’s kind words penetrated Eliza’s reflections and she thanked him and moved on with Mary.

They moved on to the next room and Mary spoke to their only maternity patient. ‘This is Janice, and her son Newman.’ The baby squawked as if he’d recognised his name and the three women smiled.

‘Newman was born two days ago in Armidale by Caesarean, and Janice arrived this morning to convalesce here for the next few days. Meet our new matron, Janice. Eliza May.’

‘Congratulations, Janice. He’s gorgeous.’ Eliza stroked Newman’s tiny wrist. She’d read the patient notes later and find out the rest because there’d be a Caesarean story there. She’d always enjoyed her stints in Maternity.

Eliza’s not-so-great ex-fiancé, Alex, had been reluctant to even speak of babies and months ago Eliza had decided she’d be better sidetracked by more illness-orientated nursing until her fiancé was ready to discuss children. But she’d missed working in Maternity.

Midwifery was such a fascinating area of nursing. If she wasn’t going to get married, maybe she could just enjoy other people’s babies.

‘He’s such a good boy.’ Janice’s delight in her new son touched Eliza and she saw Mary rest her hand over her stomach. Of course Mary would be anxious for the birth of her own child. Eliza narrowed her eyes as she tried to estimate when Mary’s baby was due. Here was an obstetric case right beside her that she needed to keep an eye on.

To Eliza, Mary looked ready to go into labour today!

Maybe that was why Julie had been so keen for Eliza to come here?

They moved on and Eliza glanced in the doors of two empty rooms. ‘So do you have many maternity patients?’

Mary nodded. ‘We normally have three or four post-delivery patients a month. Each stays for a day or two, sometimes longer.’

‘Do you ever have emergency deliveries?’

Mary smiled as if at an amusing memory. ‘We can manage if we have to but Jack is so busy with everything else he doesn’t feel he can give the care needed and refers any obstetric case on.’

The two women set off again and turned a corner to enter a large dining area with rooms off the other wing. ‘Our older residents are on this side of the building and enjoy their meals in the communal dining room when they’re well enough.’

They paused at the nurses’ station where two identical-looking dark-haired women stood in civilian clothes, waiting to be introduced to Eliza. Another younger woman came up to the desk as introductions were started. They all shook hands and smiled but Eliza had the feeling they were measuring her against Mary. Height wasn’t the only thing they were measuring.

Mary continued as her comforting self. ‘We have four wonderful enrolled nurses who rotate as the second person on for each shift.’ She gestured to a dark-haired young woman. ‘This is Vivian, who will be on with you for the rest of the day.’

Eliza smiled at Vivian. A patient call bell rang and Vivian said, ‘Nice to meet you.’ Then scooted away to answer the summons.

‘Rhonda and Donna are our dynamic duo. One of them is your night sister while the other is on days off. They also do the two days on call to cover when you’re off. The rest of the week you’re the third pair of hands if needed at night.’

Both women nodded and smiled so Eliza gathered she’d passed muster, at least today. ‘I’m going home to bed,’ Donna said. ‘Nice meeting you.’

‘I’m off, too. Ditto.’ added Rhonda, and they hugged Mary and left.

Mary watched them go and she smiled. ‘I’m going to miss this place.’ She sighed and then blinked mistily at Eliza and moved on.

Mary cleared her throat. ‘Across the hall we have our admissions office and medical records, and in here we have our small emergency room.’

Mary entered the neat mini-theatre and treatment room. ‘Of course, very occasionally we have larger emergencies and sometimes use the wards if we need more space.’ She gestured to the labelled shelves. ‘I’m a big believer in labelling so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding things.’

‘This is going to be great.’ Eliza leant across and rested her arm briefly around Mary’s shoulder in a spontaneous gesture of comfort. ‘I know I’ll love it here, Mary, and you’re not to worry. I’ll take good care of your hospital until you come back.’

Читать дальше
Тёмная тема
Сбросить

Интервал:

Закладка:

Сделать

Похожие книги на «The Doctor's Surprise Bride»

Представляем Вашему вниманию похожие книги на «The Doctor's Surprise Bride» списком для выбора. Мы отобрали схожую по названию и смыслу литературу в надежде предоставить читателям больше вариантов отыскать новые, интересные, ещё непрочитанные произведения.


Отзывы о книге «The Doctor's Surprise Bride»

Обсуждение, отзывы о книге «The Doctor's Surprise Bride» и просто собственные мнения читателей. Оставьте ваши комментарии, напишите, что Вы думаете о произведении, его смысле или главных героях. Укажите что конкретно понравилось, а что нет, и почему Вы так считаете.

x