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Bernard phoned Sidonie this afternoon to say he was coming in to Orthopaedics to check on the patient he’d chosen for teaching purposes tomorrow morning. Bernard always asks their permission, checks these patients carefully and makes sure they know that he will be supervising his students all the time. I remember when I was one of his students I was always so impressed with the care he took to ensure the patients knew exactly what they were letting themselves in for.’

      ‘I love to hear about when you were one of Bernard’s students and you found him so difficult and demanding as a professor while you were studying with him for that prestigious exam in orthopaedic surgery.’

      Julia laughed. ‘He was only being difficult, he told me afterwards, to ensure I got the best results. After that I managed to thaw him out and … well, you know how it all ended. Marriage and a baby on the way. Anyway, Sister Sidonie told Bernard you were in the side ward here, having sprained your ankle and stretched the ligaments. That must be really painful. I just had to come and check how you are and if there was anything you need.’

      ‘I can’t fault the way they’ve treated me. Right from the time Michel picked me up off the beach’

      ‘Michel? What on earth were the two of you doing on the beach together?’

      Chantal, well aware of the insinuating grin on her cousin’s face, quickly set her straight with the basic details, starting with the important fact that they hadn’t gone to the beach together. Michel had arrived just as she’d tripped up on a killer of a stone absolutely lying in wait for her.

      ‘Ah, I see. So Michel brought you back to hospital, set up your treatment and then disappeared.’

      ‘He’s coming back this evening to check on me. How’s young Philippe?’

      Julia’s expression softened. It was always obvious that she adored her husband’s son from his first marriage.

      ‘He’s fine. Marianne—you remember our brilliant housekeeper who’s been with the family since she was sixteen? Well, she’s at home with Philippe. We told him we were going to see you but that he couldn’t come to see you this time because he had an early start tomorrow. School in the morning, so it was an early night tonight. Marianne was giving him supper when we left and we’ll be back in time to read him a bedtime story.’

      Chantal gave a nostalgic sigh. ‘I always loved the bedtime stories you and I had when we were staying together at your house or mine in Montreuil before Mum and I went to live in Paris, didn’t you?’

      Julia smiled. ‘We lived more like sisters in those days, just like our mothers had been, didn’t we?’

      Chantal giggled. ‘And because our mothers are identical twins I used to wake up sometimes in the night at your house, calling out for my mother. When your mother came in I was convinced she was mine. Oh, hello, Bernard.’

      Her cousin-in-law came over and kissed her cheek. ‘How are you getting on, Chantal? Are they treating you OK?’

      ‘I’m being spoiled rotten.’

      ‘Even by the exacting Michel?’

      Someone else was pushing open the door. Chantal watched as Michel advanced into the crowded side ward. He grinned as he overheard Bernard’s comment about him.

      Bernard shook his colleague’s hand. ‘Sorry, Michel, I didn’t know you were coming back this evening. Such devotion to duty.’

      Michel raised an eyebrow. ‘And on my day off too!’

      ‘Actually, we were just leaving. Promised to be back home before Philippe goes to sleep. He adores Marianne but there’s nothing like a paternal voice reading the bedtime story, is there?’

      Bernard held out his hand to help his wife as she got to her feet.

      She smiled up at him. ‘Oh, so you’re volunteering to read the story tonight, are you?’

      ‘Don’t want to tire you out, my love.’ He placed a hand gently over Julia’s pregnant bump. ‘Only a few weeks to go now.’

      ‘Don’t forget you promised to make me godmother,’ Chantal said.

      ‘You’ll be the most perfect godmother,’ Julia said as she bent over the bed to give her cousin a kiss.

      After they’d gone Michel lost no time in checking out her injured ankle. He looked down at her as his experienced fingers gently palpated the damaged area. She winced but refrained from comment as she looked up at him. His expression was so sensitive, so caring, so totally wrapped up in what his patient had suffered and was going through. She told herself that was all she was, another patient. And that was how she wanted their relationship to remain.

      ‘Good. The swelling’s going down. Sister’s done a good job this afternoon.’

      He sat down in the chair beside the bed. ‘Anything you’d like to ask before I go?’

      She found herself wishing she dared ask him to stay longer but instead she shook her head and told him she was sure the nurses would continue to take care of her. Better to dampen down the ridiculous feelings she was experiencing. Who needed male company anyway? Certainly she didn’t.

      He stood up. ‘I’m sure they will. I’ll go and see Sister now and find out who’s on duty this evening. You must have some supper, Chantal. Got to keep up your strength. I’ll be back in the morning to see you.’

      She watched as the door closed after him, willing the sad feeling to go away. She knew she mustn’t allow these insane seductive feelings about Michel to enter her mind. In her post-Jacques life she’d convinced herself that she could never trust a man with her heart again. She would never open herself up to potential pain. She must remind herself every day and never weaken her resolution.

      Michel drove out of the staff car park at a furious rate. He slowed as he started to ascend the narrow winding road to the top of the hill. This was always where he began to relax after he’d been on duty. But today he found it harder than usual to switch off, even though technically, it had been his day off.

      Reluctantly he admitted to himself that the problem was Chantal. Ever since she’d joined the staff in Emergency in February he’d been aware of her. She was different from all the others. Someone whose company he enjoyed. But it was a totally platonic feeling. It had been more than three years since Maxine had died and his love for her had grown stronger. Every day he still grieved. But somehow when he was with Chantal he became interested in her as a woman.

      Surely, that didn’t mean he was being unfaithful to the memory of Maxine, did it? It just meant he was a full-blooded normal male and being with an attractive, intelligent woman like Chantal stirred him. But he wouldn’t allow himself to go along with those feelings. Being with her today, touching her skin, smelling the scent of her body had brought it all to a head. He certainly didn’t want to act on any of these feelings. Heavens above, she’d been his patient today! He would have to hand her on to a colleague for further treatment.

      He got out of the car in his driveway and looked out over the stunning sea view. He turned to watch the sun setting over the hill. He was alone, as he was meant to be for the rest of his life. To love a woman was to risk the bitter pain he’d felt when Maxine had been taken from him. He couldn’t risk that again. Not in one lifetime.

       CHAPTER TWO

      AS MICHEL DROVE his car down the hill above St Martin sur Mer he was feeling apprehensive. Even the glorious sea view couldn’t distract him from thinking about his work in Emergency today. It had been a month since he’d picked up Chantal from the beach and taken her back to the Hôpital de la Plage. He’d made sure he’d referred her to the orthopaedic ward the day after he’d treated her.

      He swallowed hard as he changed into a lower gear. His reasons were obvious only to himself and his colleagues hadn’t questioned his decision Basically, they’d followed

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