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'Dr Carter will be doing his round in the morning,' Sister explained, 'then Dr Tester will be coming around with the senior registrar some time in the afternoon, so I need experienced staff then. He's been on sick leave, still is really, but he's keen to keep up to date with his patients.'

Anna thought in the circumstances it was a reasonable request, though her mother probably would not. She already complained when Anna had to work a late shift, which meant she didn't get home until ten. A split duty involved being at the hospital from seven-thirty until lunch, then back again at five until nine-thirty.

She could read to Mother during the afternoon break, though. That always put her in a good mood. Being off in the afternoon meant she would miss Dr Alexandre's round, and the thought irritated her—but she didn't like the man so she ought to be
glad
she would miss him, not sorry.

Feeling sad without knowing why, she went to the canteen for her tea-break—twenty minutes worth of stale sandwiches or cake and a cup of tea.

It was warm and cosy in the canteen and it was nearly empty so Anna chose a table by the window. From where she sat she could see the raindrops trailing down the windows, hear the faint patter as they hit the glass. A walk home in that would not be fun. When her father was alive they had had a car and Anna wished she could have driving lessons. Her mother could well afford another car and it would be safer for Anna when she was on night duty. Walking across a deserted recreation ground on dark nights wasn't a prospect she relished.

Yet if she pointed that out to her mother it would upset and frighten her—so much so that she would probably forbid Anna to continue at the hospital. She sighed, then stared down at the flecks of tea swimming on the surface of her cup. A teabag must have burst again.

'Is the tea not to your liking?' an amused voice asked, and Dr Alexandre drew out the chair opposite her and sat down. He needed plenty of room for his long legs just as Anna did, and inevitably their knees touched, but he seemed unaware of it.

Anna was aware, though. She could feel his warmth, and
frissons
of excitement shot along her legs then through her whole body. Gently, she shifted in her chair, and tucked her legs underneath it, trying to appear unconcerned at the same time.

Those blue-grey eyes glinted with amusement, and a warm tide of colour suffused Anna's face and neck.

The registrar watched her with interest so Anna blushed more, feeling like a specimen being examined under a powerful microscope.

'Excuse me, I have to get back,' she choked out, unsuccessfully trying to disentangle her legs from those of both the chair
and
the doctor.

When she would have fallen, the registrar gripped her upper arm, steadying her against his body. 'Are you usually so clumsy—or it is my fault?' he enquired good-humouredly. Anna tried to match his bantering tone.

'I think it must be the weather, Doctor. Only a duck would feel at home out there!'

He chuckled, his eyes crinkling with laughter, big white teeth gleaming in his tanned face. She wondered, inconsequentially, where he had got a tan like that in December. Perhaps he went somewhere more exciting for his holidays than Bournemouth!

'Have you far to walk?' he asked, still standing by the table, his tea rapidly cooling in front of him.

She shook her head. 'Not far, Doctor. Only. . She had been about to say 'Brightling Hill' but thought better of it. 'I have to get back to Park Ward,' she said instead, but now he was frowning.

'Where did you say you lived?' he demanded and reluctantly she told him, expecting some remark about her being one of the idle rich if she lived there.

'Hm. I know the area. Old houses—and a dark lane,' he added. Anna relaxed.

'I take a short-cut across the rec, Doctor. It cuts off most of the lane.'

'In the dark? Aren't you afraid of being raped?' he asked, so casually that it was a moment or two before Anna fully took it in.

'Oh! No, I . . . The thought never occurred to me!' She laughed, a hollow sound even to herself. Of course it had occurred to her. Often. But being tall and strong she had always reckoned she would be a match for any assailant. 'I'm big enough to take care of myself,' she pointed out.

'Suppose there were two of them. Or even a gang,' he said, coolly, and Anna shook her head, unwilling to discuss the matter any more.

'Look,' he went on, as she moved to go. 'I'm not off until ten but if you can hang around until then I'll drive you home. It won't take more than a
couple of minutes,' he offered. Anna eyed him, doubtfully.

'Why on earth should you?' she asked, before she could stop herself, and his face darkened with temper.

'I mean . . . it's very kind of you,' she faltered, 'but I can't. I have to be home by ten,' she tried to explain. But he didn't understand.

'Surely another ten or fifteen minutes won't make any difference? Don't tell me father waits by the front door with a stop-watch!' he chuckled, and Anna fled, unable to take any more teasing.

It wasn't father but mother who sat, clock at the ready, watching and waiting for her only daughter's return. If she accepted Dr Alexandre's kind offer, Mother would be worried sick at the delay. And if Anna phoned home and explained that a doctor would be giving her a lift, that wouldn't suit her Mother either. She would be edgy and suspicious and ply Anna with questions about the doctor. Then she would lie sleepless, and the following morning her nurse would blame Anna for Mrs Curtis's bad night.

It was a vicious circle and the more Anna thought about it, the more her headache grew. If it hadn't been for Dr Alexandre she wouldn't have a headache, and it was one more black mark to chalk up against the senior medical registrar.

As it happened she was late leaving the ward and it was nearly a quarter to ten before she hurried to the main entrance, a borrowed umbrella at the ready. She paused before taking the plunge. Rain pelted down now, and the cold darkness was not inviting.

'Hey! Nurse Curtis!'

She whirled round, hoping she wasn't to be delayed still more. It would be after ten when she arrived home as it was.

Dr Alexandre, minus his white coat, hurried towards her. 'I managed to get off a bit early. I thought I'd missed you.' He sounded as if he had been running, his chest rising and falling unevenly, and Anna felt a stab of remorse for her earlier treatment of him.

He grinned suddenly, a lazy grin that touched his eyes as well as his lips, and Anna realised how attractive he was. Boyishly so, she thought, smiling back.

That direct gaze, those blue-grey eyes, were doing strange things to her heart, and she forced herself to think of Mike. He wouldn't be pleased if he could see her smiling into the registrar's eyes.

'I'll bring the car around. Save you getting wet, Nurse,' he offered. 'Sounds rather a mouthful— Nurse Curtis. It's Anna, isn't it?' he went on, still smiling, and she nodded, unable to speak.

'As we're off duty we'll be Anna and Rick, shall we? I won't be a minute.' Helping himself to the umbrella, he dashed out into the pouring rain, leaving a strangely exhilarated Anna to wait.

Rick! She was going to call him 'Rick'. Silently she tried the name out. Rick Alexandre. He was actually going to give her a lift and she wouldn't be late home after all. She would get him to stop the car a few yards from the door so that there wouldn't be an inquest. It was too good to be true!

'Anna! I've been here for hours!' Both the statement and the voice were so familiar to Anna that
she didn't need to look. Just for a second she closed her eyes, wishing Mike Forster anywhere but at St Aidan's, waiting to give her a lift home in his car.

Mike's handsome face floated before her, and she almost believed it was an optical illusion. He wasn't there at all.

He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her. 'Anna! For God's sake! I haven't got all night!' Because she still didn't move, he began to force her towards the entrance—just as a car tooted outside.

Anna, as if in a trance, saw Dr Alexandre get out of his car, a puzzled expression on his lean face. An expression which turned set and angry when Mike brushed his lips across Anna's.

Mike had his arm tucked firmly around Anna's waist as he pushed against the glass doors—and came face to face with Rick Alexandre.

Mike
and Dr Alexandre traded glances for a moment, then the registrar's contemptuous gaze met Anna's. A muscle worked at the corner of his mouth and his eyes blazed at her. They looked grey now, she thought dazedly. A stormy-grey, ready to pour down hail or sleet upon her head.

She licked her dry lips, then apologised meekly, while Mike looked on, his pale eyes going suspiciously from Anna to the doctor.

'I really am very sorry, Doctor, but my b . . . boyfriend came to give me a lift home,' she stammered, reddening under the doctor's silent scrutiny.

He shot a disapproving look at Mike, then shrugged. 'Glad you're getting a lift. Goodnight, Nurse.' He spun on his heel and strode back to his car.

Anna watched him drive away, no doubt back to the car-park, for he had a fiat in the Nurses' Home. He had gone to a lot of trouble to offer her a lift and she felt ashamed.

'What's with him then? He a friend of yours?' Mike queried, and Anna shook her head.

'No, but it
was
kind of him to get the car out specially. We'll have to hurry, I must be in by ten, Mike!' she voiced her alarm, seeing that it was now nearly five to the hour.

'In by ten! A grown woman!' he jeered. 'Even Cinders was out till midnight!'

Anna bit her lip, understanding his annoyance. 'Mother worries a lot, Mike,' she protested. 'I told you she has heart trouble. She mustn't be upset.'

Still grumbling, Mike hurried her out to his car, a flashy red sports-car, and she eased herself into the only passenger seat, wishing there was more leg-room.

'Is it always going to be like this?' he demanded, sweeping out of the hospital entrance. 'Always hiding in corners, hurrying home because Mother mustn't be worried. Just when
are
you going to be free?'

He was angry and Anna couldn't blame him. 'I hope—as Mother improves—that I will be able to have more freedom. Once she realises that she isn't the invalid she believes she is things will be easier for me, for us,' she assured him, wondering herself how long it would be.

Mike clearly did not believe her and they drove home in silence. Lights blazed from all the downstairs windows including her mother's bedroom, which was at the front of the old house.

When Mike moved to take her into his arms, Anna resisted, pushing against his broad chest. 'No, Mike. It's past ten now. Mother's nurse will be on the telephone to the hospital at any minute,' she said bitterly. Nurse Dixon was rather a burden sometimes, an over-fussy bulldozer type of woman with an over made-up, prematurely-lined face.

'Let them phone!' Mike snapped, brushing aside her hands and sweeping her masterfully into his arms. 'I want a goodnight kiss! It's the least you can do!' he pointed out. Then his lips were on hers and Anna closed her eyes blissfully.

This was love—it must be! With a happy sigh she snuggled even closer, and only half heard Mike's groan as his hands found her breasts. In her mind's eye she could see the outline of his dear lean face, feel those eyes boring into hers. Blue-grey eyes. Stormy eyes, filled with desire, and . . .

With a cry, she pulled herself free. Whilst enjoying Mike's embrace she had been thinking of Rick Alexandre!

'What's the matter?' Mike rasped, the frustration in his voice evident even to the dazed Anna.

He drew her into his arms again and she lay back limply, her mind far away. How could she be so wicked? She
loved
Mike. There ought to be no room in her thoughts or her heart for any other man.

Anger at her lack of response lent a cutting edge to Mike's voice and she didn't care for the expletives that came tripping off his tongue. 'There's a word for women like you!' he finished. 'They smile and laugh into a fellow's eyes. Tease him a little bit, let him kiss and fondle them. Yet when it comes to the nitty-gritty they just don't want to know!'

'Oh, Mike!' Anna wailed, feeling more wretched than ever. 'I didn't mean to tease, but I must go in! There isn't time for . . . for any more kisses.' Her voice trailed off, for she had suddenly realised she was
glad
there wasn't time. She needed to be alone, to think.

With a sigh Mike released her, and a dazed and troubled Anna hurried the remaining few yards to her home.

*

Wednesday dawned, cold but crisp, with a promise of sunshine later on. As Anna had suspected, her mother had complained a little when she knew Anna would be out all day. But when Anna promised to return home during her long afternoon break, all was well. Thankfully, neither Mother nor Mary Dixon queried why Anna had been late home on the Tuesday, accepting her hurried explanation that things were extra busy on the ward.

Throughout Tuesday night and during her walk to work the next day, Anna pondered on her interest in Dr Alexandre. That two penetrating blue-grey eyes could have such an effect on her was ridiculous. Yet she carried his image with her still as she strolled through the darkened hospital corridors on her way to Park Ward.

He had an interesting nose, she mused, smiling a little to herself, then turned, startled, as someone touched her shoulder.

It was Bryan Harris. 'Hello, green eyes! You were smiling to yourself, I distinctly saw your luscious lips curving!' he teased, and Anna hoped he couldn't see the faint colour that tinged her cheeks.

'Perhaps I have something to smile about. A whole day on women's medical is something to be savoured!' she laughed. Then seeing his puzzled frown, she explained that she was on a split duty.

'You aren't supposed to do split duties until the third year,' Bryan pointed out, his long face looking even more doleful than usual. 'None of us are, you know.'