E for England (9 page)

‘Night shift?'

‘Yes.'

‘So you wouldn't know if any of his friends or work colleagues have been ill?'

‘No. But I can give you the name of the company and a couple of his friends.'

‘Thanks. That would be very helpful.' He handed her his card. ‘That's my direct number. Perhaps you can phone them through to me. Has Lester been ill recently?'

‘I don't know. As I said I don't see him much. But he didn't get sick much when we were kids. Just the usual childhood things, you know. Measles and chickenpox.'

‘I see. So he's generally pretty healthy.'

‘Yes. Do you think he'll be all right?' Her tone indicated she'd had enough of this chitchat. She wanted her brother fixed up and out of there.

‘We have to ascertain exactly what's wrong with him before we can treat him properly. We're concentrating on reducing the fever at the moment but I'm not sure what's caused it. It
can be a number of things. It could be a relatively minor infection or something much more serious. The test results will show me the best course to take.'

‘You don't have a clue, in other words.' Her face hardened, chest rose and fell with barely suppressed emotion.

Hugh kept his voice calm. She was upset and worried, a natural reaction. ‘I want to be sure I'm treating him for the right thing. These symptoms can indicate any number of underlying causes.'

‘Has anyone else seen him? Another doctor?'

‘The Emergency Room doctor called for me when she saw it was a breathing problem because I'm the staff specialist in that area. You can ask another doctor to see him but I'm sure they'll say the same thing I have. We can't proceed with confidence until we have the test results.'

Susan's mouth firmed into a thin line. Her lips almost disappeared. ‘I think I would like someone else's opinion.'

‘Very well. Do you have any other questions?'

‘No. Thank you.'

Hugh gave her a nod and went across to the nurse's desk. ‘Call Doctor Stradbroke, please. See if she's available to see a patient. I'll be in my office. Ask her to call me there.'

‘Yes, Doctor.' The nurse, Janet, flicked a glance from him to Susan hovering by her brother's bed a little way down the ward. She raised an eyebrow but didn't comment.

‘Thanks.' He returned her smile and strode out of the ward with the problem of Lester rolling over and over in his mind. He would have called Eleanor in for a second opinion even without Susan's rather tactless request. She was a diagnostic specialist and good at her job. If Lester had an underlying problem unrelated to his lungs then she would be the one to figure it out. Otherwise Hugh would just be treating the symptoms and not the disease.

‘I think Hugh might be gay,' Leonie said on Saturday morning over a lazy breakfast on the balcony.

Annie nearly spilled coffee down her front. She sat up straighter and glanced over her shoulder inside where Mattie and Floss were watching cartoons.

‘Why?'

‘He hasn't picked up on any of my offers to hop into the sack.' She finished spreading jam on a croissant and licked her finger. ‘He's picked up on them but hasn't followed up. He very tactfully turned me down.'

‘Maybe he doesn't want to.' Annie's heart lurched and bumped like a car on a dirt track. Not E for England yet.

‘Every man wants to.'

‘Not every man, Leonie. Maybe Hugh prefers to get to know someone first.'

‘He said he didn't think it was a good idea because we're neighbours.'

‘That's a good point.' And he was also
her
neighbour so add that to the ever increasing list of reasons why Hugh as lover would definitely remain a fantasy.

‘It's not a good point, it's feeble. He's gay.'

‘I don't think he's gay.'

‘Maybe he swings both ways and doesn't realise it. Maybe I can tempt him.'

‘He's not gay.' Annie banged her mug down on the little table. This was a ridiculous conversation. Did Leonie really think every man she came across wanted to jump into bed with her and if he didn't he was gay? Apparently she did.

Leonie looked at her curiously. ‘How do you know?'

‘Can't you tell? Seriously? It's just instinct or something. I don't know how I know.' She shrugged and refilled her mug. Not that her assessment of men counted for much in this discussion.

Leonie screwed up her face, considering. ‘I must admit at first sight I didn't think gay. If you're so sure he's not I'll have to change my tactics. Let him chase me. If you're right, I may have frightened him off. He might be one of those painfully repressed Englishmen who needs coaxing. That could be fun.'

Annie took a big mouthful of coffee to avoid groaning out loud. Why oh why had she insisted? Leonie would have moved on to some other unsuspecting bloke by now and left Hugh alone.

Leonie continued, ‘He's very nice. We had a great time last weekend.' Surprised that a man she'd considered as one-night stand material should prove to have a personality and be good company? Sounded like it. ‘I wonder what he's doing tonight.'

‘What are
you
doing tonight?'

‘Thirtieth birthday party. Josie's sister. Hugh might like to come along.'

‘I thought he was supposed to be chasing you now,' Annie observed.

‘He's a friend who doesn't know many people yet. I'm being friendly. Plus I haven't got much time. I need to spring into action if I'm to land him. I leave for Vietnam at the end of next week, remember.'

‘For how long?'

‘Ten days, and now they want me to go on to Japan for two weeks. That could be longer because it's a sticky issue and the claimants are being difficult.' Leonie looked in at the children who were sitting side by side on the couch, laughing. ‘What are you and the troops doing today?' Her expression softened. ‘They really are sweet kids, Annie.'

‘Thank you. They have their moments. We haven't anything planned.'

‘Why don't we take them out somewhere?'

‘All right. How about the beach? It's a lovely day and it'll be too cold soon.'

‘Great! We can paddle and build sandcastles.' Leonie jumped up and stuck her head in the door. ‘Anyone for the beach today?'

A predictable chorus of ‘me, me, me,' poured back.

Leonie sat down, grinning. ‘Done. We can take a picnic lunch or buy something. Where shall we go? Bondi?'

‘Fine. Leonie, I don't want us to overstay our welcome here.'

She flapped a hand. ‘Stop fussing. You know me. If I want you to go I'll say so. You won't be in any doubt.'

Annie grinned. ‘Okay. Thanks. I'll try not to lock myself out while you're away.'

‘And I'll try to fill in a few gaps on my chart.'

Annie groaned but followed with a laugh. Maybe she'd meet an Egyptian and take care of E while she was away. ‘You're a shocker!'

‘I enjoy my life.' Leonie picked up her phone. ‘I'll give Hugh a call and see if he wants to
come with us. He probably hasn't been to Bondi yet.' She punched in a number. ‘We can all fit in your car, can't we?'

Annie stopped laughing, nodded and began stacking the dirty plates. What would Mattie think of this addition? He'd have to be made to understand Hugh was Leonie's friend and coming along on her invitation. And she'd have to remember he was Leonie's target and concentrate on enjoying the beach with the children. He wasn't interested in her.

She went inside as Leonie said, ‘Hi, Hugh. It's Leonie.'

Hugh waited in the foyer. He'd been wondering about calling Annie and offering to kick a ball about with Mattie but hadn't decided whether it was a good idea or not. It probably wasn't. The boy wasn't keen and Annie hadn't mentioned getting together again when they'd passed briefly in the morning rush on Thursday. Not that there'd been time. She was hurrying the children to the car, he was running for the bus; which reminded him, he really would have to buy a car. Neither had time to do more than exchange a quick hello and smile.

Now the problem was solved. Except it was Leonie who had called. Odd that the invitation had come from her but surely Leonie's advances would be muted in the presence of Annie and the children. And Annie must have okayed the invite and squared it with Mattie.

Whatever.

He was on call today but hadn't been over to Bondi yet and the day was promising to be warm enough for swimming despite being mid-autumn. He was prepared to give it a go. The fantastic beaches were one of the great attractions in coming to Sydney to work.

The lift doors opened and out spilled his companions. Annie had a big bag bulging with towels, Leonie carried a picnic basket and a striped tote bag. The children had a small plastic bucket and spade each, wide-brimmed cloth sunhats and white zinc cream on their noses.

‘Hi Hugh,' said Leonie.

‘Hello. Hello everyone,' he said.

‘Hello.' Annie wore a lemon yellow sundress, sandals and with her hair pulled up in a ponytail she looked about eighteen; a mature, very nicely rounded eighteen. Floss smiled happily and skipped across to the main doors. Mattie ran after her.

‘Thank you for inviting me.'

Hugh looked at Annie as he spoke, couldn't take his eyes from her in fact, but Leonie said, ‘We thought you might not have been to Bondi yet.'

‘I haven't.' He dragged his attention from Annie to Leonie. She'd invited him, not Annie. Remember that fact.

‘There are better beaches than Bondi but you have to go at least once.' Leonie grinned and met his eye. ‘Can you swim?'

‘Sure can. Can you?'

She laughed. ‘I can but I'm not going to. The kids and I are paddling and building sandcastles.'

Hugh allowed the women to precede him outside. ‘What about you, Annie? Do you swim?'

She brushed past, left a soft perfume in her wake that wasn't rose bubble bath. ‘I love it. I can't usually do more than paddle with the kids when we go by ourselves but now I have two minders.'

‘Will the water be warm enough, do you think?' The ponytail bounced cheerily as he followed her along the path to the garage. Her hips swayed enticingly under the yellow fabric of her dress.

‘Should be. It's coldest after winter leading up to Christmas. Now it's still warm from summer. Won't be for much longer though.'

Leonie sat in the back with the two children, leaving Hugh the front passenger seat. Annie's car was an elderly white station wagon with several scrapes and dents, but the engine sounded all right.

‘I have to buy a car,' he said. Must keep his eyes away from her bare knee and the flash of smooth thigh when she twisted around to check the rear view as she backed the car out.

‘Get a scooter,' said Leonie. ‘Much better in the city and cheap to run. I had one, but some stupid woman backed into it a couple of months ago when it was parked and wrote it off. Can you believe it? Now I use taxis and Annie gives me a ride to work.'

‘I hadn't thought of a scooter.'

‘Not much fun when it rains,' said Annie. ‘And it rains a fair bit in Sydney.' She slowed for an intersection.

‘That's true,' said Leonie. ‘And not much good if you want to go farther afield or take your girlfriend out. Oh look, Floss and Mattie, there's a fire engine!'

Under cover of the discussion in the rear seat about firemen — another of Leonie's passions — and fire engines Annie asked, ‘How's the job shaping up?'

‘Very good so far, thanks. The staff are dedicated and work hard and they've been welcoming, on the whole.'

‘Why wouldn't they be?'

‘Someone may have been passed over for my position and be resentful. I'm a foreigner, and relatively young too, which can upset some people.'

‘Typical. Happens everywhere and it's worse if you're a woman. You must be very good at your work.'

Hugh returned her smile. ‘I hope so.' His mobile phone chirruped. ‘Sorry, I'm on call today.'

He fished the phone from his pocket. ‘Clelland.'

Annie didn't understand much of what he said to the unknown caller but it involved drugs and dosages for a patient and instructions to call him again in an hour with an update.

He disconnected. ‘Sorry.'

‘That's okay. Are you likely to have to go to the hospital?'

‘I doubt it, unless there's an emergency admission. My staff keep me informed.'

‘I hope not,' Leonie said. ‘You deserve your weekends free.'

‘My patients are important, they're ill.' He spoke mildly but his tone had an edge Annie had never heard before. ‘And all doctors are rostered to be on call. I'm off the next three weekends.'

Annie smothered a pleased little smile. That tactless remark and the response didn't bode well for Leonie's plan of action, and she must have realised she'd made a mistake because she began a game of I Spy with the kids.

On such a warm sunny day Bondi beach was chock-a-block.

‘So this is Bondi.' Hugh paused at the edge of the strip of grass, surveying the broad
sweep of golden sand and the glittering blue of the ocean nestled between the rocky headlands. ‘Shall we set up down there?' He pointed south to the red and yellow flags near the Surf Life Saving building in front of the old white Pavilion.

‘We prefer North Bondi,' said Annie.

‘The Bondi end is for tourists. Backpacker's Rip, they call it.' Leonie laughed. ‘The locals prefer North Bondi.'

She forged down onto the sand, claimed a spot between two sunbathing couples, dumped her bag and the picnic basket and proceeded to strip first the kids and then herself to their swimming costumes. Hugh helped Annie set up the shade umbrella which she'd produced from the rear of the station wagon and he'd carried. Mattie and Floss rummaged in the massive tote bag for their towels, spilling the rest of the contents onto the sand in the process. Leonie and Annie rubbed sunscreen onto their wriggling bodies.