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he confirmed the mood in the room.

      ‘Buttock implants?’

      It was a little game they’d invented—Leo was still trying to guess what work Lizzie had done, but even he inwardly cringed as he said it. He was either outright flirting with Lizzie or being completely inappropriate with a colleague, and he held his breath as he leapt over the line, wondering what her reaction would be.

      It surprised him.

      More pointedly, it surprised Lizzie.

      ‘Maybe!’ She didn’t turn around, just paused momentarily and gave a little wiggle that sent all his blood rushing south··

       What on earth was that?

      Lizzie almost ran to her office and retrieved her coat, astounded at her own brazenness, asking herself how, with one smouldering look, he so easily tripped the switch.

      No! she told herself as she took a taxi to the zoo.

      No, no, no, she thought as she filled in the forms and paid for her membership, which would give her unlimited visits for the year.

      The zoo actually served as a very pertinent reminder.

      Do not feed the lions.

      Especially one called Leo.

      ‘How was the zoo?’ Leo asked when she returned an hour later.

      ‘I’ll tell you when I’ve been properly.’

      ‘Leo …’ Gwen knocked on the open door. ‘I’ve got Francesca on the telephone—she’s terribly upset. I can’t make sense …’

      ‘Put her through,’ Leo said, dismissing them both, but a few minutes later he found Lizzie and brought her up to speed.

      ‘Francesca had surgery on Friday and she thinks it’s infected. She’s completely hysterical and she won’t go back to the surgeon who did the operation and she’s refusing to go to Kate’s. I’ve told her to get into a taxi and come here. I’ll see her in one of the treatment rooms. She won’t be long.’

      Francesca wasn’t.

      Gwen went out to help her in and Leo gave a small eye roll to Lizzie. ‘Hold onto that while I examine her, please.’

      ‘Hold onto what?’

      ‘My ego,’ Leo said. ‘And you have my permission to kick me if I look like I’m about to say, “I told you so”.’

      In fact, he was nothing but kind to her.

      Francesca was absolutely distraught and sat huddled behind dark glasses and with a scarf around her face.

      ‘Please don’t be cross with me, Leo.’

      ‘Why would I be cross?’

      ‘Disappointed, then.’

      ‘I’m not a parent for a reason, Francesca. I don’t do guilt trips.’

      ‘No, you don’t,’ Francesca conceded.

      ‘Tell me what happened.’

      ‘I had surgery on Friday; he was able to fit me in the next day as he had a cancellation. I didn’t go to just anyone. He comes highly recommended …’ She gave the surgeon’s name.

      ‘Geoff’s a fantastic surgeon,’ Leo said. ‘Right, I need to take a look at it.’

      Lizzie helped Francesca with her glasses and scarf as she told them the work she’d had done. ‘He said it was just a small lift and some fillers but now the wound is oozing.’

      Leo washed his hands as Lizzie checked Francesca’s temperature and pulse—both were high—then Leo sat on a stool opposite Francesca and examined her face very carefully.

      ‘I agree it looks terrible at the moment but …’ As Francesca started sobbing Leo overrode her. ‘From what I can see, Geoff has done a good job.’

      Francesca’s eyes snapped open.

      ‘I wouldn’t have done it, but, then, I possibly go overboard on subtle and natural, but he hasn’t gone over the top. There’s a lot of swelling and a lot of bruising but when that all settles, I think it will be far better than you’re now expecting.’

      Not for the first time, Leo surprised her—he didn’t criticise the other surgeon. If anything, he spoke well of his work and, as promised, he didn’t take Francesca on a guilt trip, he just slowly calmed the terrified woman down.

      ‘What about the infection?’ Francesca asked.

      ‘Unfortunate,’ Leo said, ‘but it happens sometimes …’ He took a swab. ‘I want to have a listen to your chest …’ He took her pulse for quite a long time and then looked at Lizzie. ‘Actually, could you help Francesca into a gown? I’d like to examine her properly.’

      ‘Leo …’ Francesca shook her head to decline but Leo was adamant.

      ‘I’m not arguing with you again, Francesca. I want to examine you and I’ll be honest—I think you need a couple of days in hospital.’ When Francesca started to argue Leo pushed on. ‘My only criticism, and this isn’t just Geoff, but people seem to think surgery like this is a day procedure.’

      ‘Leo, I don’t want to go to hospital. I don’t want anyone seeing me like this.’

      He would not be swayed. Buzzing through to Gwen, he asked her to order a private ambulance for the short trip to Kate’s as, behind a curtain, Lizzie helped Francesca into a gown and onto the examination table.

      ‘I’m a stupid old fool,’ Francesca said, as Lizzie pulled off her boots, but a very agile Francesca needed no help swinging her legs up.

      ‘I think you’re amazing,’ Lizzie admitted.

      ‘You just say that to be kind.’

      ‘No.’ Lizzie shook her head, forgetting that Leo was listening as she did her best to put Francesca at ease. ‘Even before my mum got ill, my parents were always acting older than they were—always set in their ways. My father won’t even go for a walk. At least you do things,’ Lizzie said. ‘You live your life and make mistakes …’ She said it so nicely and gently that even Francesca smiled. ‘I think you’re glamorous and wonderful and everything I’d like to be when I’m—’

      ‘Careful!’ came Francesca’s friendly warning.

      ‘Fifty-two,’ Lizzie said, and both women laughed.

      ‘What’s wrong with your mum?’ Francesca asked, but just as Lizzie went to answer, the other woman started to cough. ‘Here,’ Lizzie said, ‘let me help you sit up.’

      ‘I can’t …’ Francesca was struggling to get in air.

      And just at the moment Lizzie thought that she had a handle on her job and knew more or less what to expect, she was in the middle of an emergency. ‘Leo …’

      He must have heard the concern in Lizzie’s voice because he was behind the curtain in an instant.

      ‘It’s okay, Francesca,’ he said immediately, and he sounded so calm that for a second Lizzie wondered if he’d actually noticed that Francesca’s lips were blue and her skin a deathly grey.

      ‘I can’t breathe …’ Francesca gasped.

      ‘I know,’ Leo said, his fingers taking the pulse on her neck as his other hand reached for his stethoscope. ‘Don’t try and speak. Just nod or shake your head. Do you have pain?’ Leo asked.

      She shook her head. ‘Leo …’

      ‘Press the intercom,’ Leo said once Lizzie had put on a probe to read Francesca’s oxygen levels—and they were dire. ‘Gwen!’ His voice was calm and clipped. ‘Call 999 and see who else is around.’

      Lizzie slipped an oxygen

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