The Midwife And The Single Dad by Gill Sanderson Page B

her heart beating faster and she knew that her cheeks were flushed. She loved talking to him! Still, she had to be professional!
    ‘All go well last night?’ she asked him. ‘I got your message from Sergeant Cullen.’
    ‘All went more or less well. I got to the harbour just in time, one man had a fractured femur and I had to reduce the fracture. Otherwise he could have lost theleg. But we got him to hospital in time and he should be OK. No one who has been drinking should go anywhere near a fishing boat banging against a harbour wall!’
    ‘Seems to be an obvious truth. But how are you?’
    ‘A bit tired but that’s part of a doctor’s life, we all know that. Now, I’ve got a problem. I don’t know if it’s a personal or a professional problem and whether it’s for you or for me. Mostly I think it’s an island problem—where everyone knows everyone else. It’s not strictly your work, but I could do with a hand.’
    ‘Whatever I can do, I will.’ She felt a small thrill. He thought there were things that she could do that he could not.
    ‘Right. Remember a girl called Ann Fairing? She was in your class at school.’
    Alice thought back and after a moment did remember. ‘Yes. She was a small, quiet girl. She was never a particular friend of mine but we got on well enough. I think we liked each other. People used to call her Mouse because she was so quiet. But I’ve not seen her or heard of her for fifteen years.’
    ‘Well I’ve seen quite a bit of her. She’s now Mrs McCann, our Mrs McCann’s daughter-in-law. She came in earlier today, claiming she wasn’t sleeping, the tablets I’d prescribed weren’t strong enough. She wanted the tranquillisers that I wouldn’t give her, she was worried about her husband, who’s a soldier away in the Middle East.’
    ‘And she’s worried about her husband getting killed? Well, that’s fair enough.’
    ‘I don’t think she’s worried about him getting killed. Apparently he’s got quite a safe job.’
    ‘Perhaps she’s just missing him? I could sympathise with that.’
    ‘Me, too. She’s got two young children but she seems to be coping with them quite well.’ Ben sounded puzzled, she thought. He went on, ‘She asked something quite peculiar. She asked if there was any way her prescriptions could be sent in by post. I told her there was no need, there was only one pharmacist on the island but she ought to know that he was very good. But it didn’t seem to please her.’
    ‘Odd,’ Alice said. ‘What do you want me to do?’
    ‘Well, she knew you were back. I told her that I could tell that there was something that she didn’t want to discuss with me—perhaps because I was a family friend. But why didn’t she drop round and have a word with you? I said it might be something to do with a specifically female problem and in that case you might be able to help. I’d like to know what’s wrong and I think you might be able to get it out of her.’
    Suddenly, Alice felt in trouble. She could have done without this kind of problem. ‘Ben, are you asking me to do something that could be called unprofessional? It sounds like that. This is a terrible thing to say but I told you, I’ve just been through a hard time because I trusted a man—in fact, I loved him—and he betrayed me.’
    There was silence. Then, his voice formal, he said, ‘Of course, Alice, it was very wrong of me to ask you. If she does come to see you, tell her it sounds like a problem for the doctor, not you.’
    ‘Ben! Don’t be silly! Of course I want to help. And you…you are nothing like Sean Evans. Look, leave it with me and I’ll do what I can.’
    ‘That’s the Alice Muir I thought I knew.’ And he rang off.
    Then he rang back again five minutes later. ‘Alice, I don’t know whether this is good news or bad news—but you need to be proud of yourself.’
    ‘That’s nice,’ she said, feeling a little jerk of excitement at the compliment.
    ‘I’ve just heard from