IT HAD been ages since Sebastian had been involved in a home birth. Most of his patients lived within a short distance of the county hospital and once his patients were about five centimetres dilated, he’d transfer them to hospital. He’d visit a few days later and then provide postnatal care for mother and infant.
Here, though, Sebastian rushed around with Grant, collecting things and taking them back to the house. They took the mattress out of the baby cot and set it up in the bedroom just as Geena was having another contraction. Grant rushed to his wife’s side and dutifully let her pulverise his hand until it turned a lovely shade of purple. The love shared between the couple was evident and it left Sebastian feeling a little…wistful.
He placed a double layer of cotton sheet over the new mattress to protect it before starting work on the frame. Grant had found a large old lampshade which had belonged to his mother-in-law, and had taken great delight in ripping the covering off. Sebastian grabbed the clingfilm and stretched it over the frame of the lampshade. When they put the frame over the baby, it would create a closed in area where the oxygen would be regulated and the heat and humidity would be trapped in by the clingfilm. It was amazing! Simple, yet effective.
‘The head’s crowning,’ Danny reported. ‘You’re doing great, Geena. Just great. Another push when you’re ready.’
‘I am never doing this again. Understand?’ Geena glared at her husband. ‘Never again!’
‘Of course, hon. I understand,’ he replied, and kissed her forehead.
‘That’s what you said after the last one,’ Danny reminded her.
‘I mean it this time. Book him in tomorrow, Danny.’
‘Book who in where?’ Grant asked warily, looking from his wife to Danny. Danny wiggled her eyebrows up and down and Grant turned a puce shade of green as realisation dawned.
‘We’ll discuss it later, Grant. Right now, I need you to be focusing on your wife and child. Ready for another big push, Geena?’
Geena took a deep breath, gritted her teeth and squeezed her husband’s hand.
‘Push, push, push. Keep pushing. Snatch a quick breath. Keep pushing. That’s it. You’re doing great. The head’s coming, good. Good.’
Sebastian checked the foetal heart rate and Danny nodded after she’d checked the numbers. They needed to get this baby out, and fast!
‘How’s your neonatal care, Mac?’ she mumbled.
‘It’s coming back to me with a rush.’
‘Good, because the baby’s all yours. That’s it, Geena, almost there.’ A moment later, Danny praised, ‘Well done. Have a rest and now, I don’t want you to push. Remember the shoulders need to rotate and I need to check the baby’s neck.’
‘I want to push, I want to push,’ Geena said with concern.
‘Resist it. You have to.’ Danny was feeling around the baby’s neck and, sure enough, the cord was wrapped around it. ‘The cord’s around the neck, Geena. Don’t push!’ Sebastian supported the baby’s head as Danny quickly worked the cord away. ‘Twice!’ she mumbled, and set to work again.
‘I want to push!’
‘No!’ the three of them said together.
‘You can do it, hon,’ Grant praised. ‘Concentrate.’
‘There!’ Danny breathed an enormous sigh of relief once the cord was free. ‘Push, Geena. One big push and it will all be over.’ Three big pushes later and the baby slid into Danny’s waiting hands. He wasn’t looking good. She checked the umbilical cord for a pulse—it was weak. She handed the baby to Sebastian who started to rub the little body vigorously, not only to get the vernix off but to stimulate the child to breathe.
Danny clamped and cut the cord. ‘Sorry, Grant. No time for formalities.’ She knew he’d cut all the other cords but right now they needed to get this baby breathing.
‘Doesn’t matter. What is it? Another girl?’ Grant asked. Geena had collapsed amongst the pillows.
‘It’s a boy.’
‘Woo-hoo! A boy. A boy at last. Do you hear that, hon? We have a son.’ He kissed his wife.
‘He’s not doing too well,’ Danny told them. ‘The cord was wrapped around his neck twice and his heart rate isn’t the best.’ Sebastian was working on the baby as she spoke.
‘Suction tube,’ he said, and looked around the room. There was no fancy medical equipment here. ‘Dannyella? I need to get this mucus out of the baby’s mouth and nose.’
‘I know.’ She handed him a bowl and a straw.
‘What?’
‘Suck it out with the straw. It works really well. Spit into the bowl.’ She drew up an injection of vitamin K for Geena to stop postpartum haemmorrhage. She glanced at him. His look was one of sheer disbelief.
‘It’s the only way, Mac,’ she added, before administering the injection.
‘Right.’ Sebastian sucked out the mouth and then the nose, his focus back on the baby.
‘Don’t let him die,’ Geena sobbed into the silence. ‘Please. Don’t let him die.’
Sebastian turned the baby upside down and smacked his bottom and was rewarded with a gurgled cough. He turned the child over and placed his mouth over the baby’s mouth and nose and breathed out, pushing air down into the tiny little lungs, willing him to breathe.
‘One minute since birth,’ Danny stated.
Sebastian remained determined. There was no way he was going to let this baby die. He’d never lost one before and he didn’t plan to now.
Finally, a tiny whimper and then a cough came from the small, lifeless little body in his hands and he almost collapsed with relief. The weak but persistent cry continued and there had never been a more welcome sound to the four adults in that room.
Danny glanced across at him as he placed the baby on the prepared mattress, the lampshade on top, the regulated oxygen coming in via a tube. ‘Bonza job, mate.’
‘I take it that means good?’
Danny laughed. This definitely qualified as a ‘capture’ moment. Captured for ever in her mind. ‘Absolutely.’
‘I doubt any cup of tea could ever taste better than this one,’ Sebastian remarked to Maisy after she’d brought a celebratory breakfast out for himself and Dannyella. ‘The water tastes funny, the blend of tea is thoroughly disgusting, but after what we’ve been through so far today, it’s like the cherry on top.’
Maisy laughed. ‘Glad to hear it, lovey. Now, come on, Danny. Eat up before ya breakfast gets cold.’
‘Brunch, you mean.’ Danny pointed to the clock on the wall. ‘It’s almost midday.’
‘Well, whatever the time is, you haven’t eaten. Now eat.’
‘Yes, Maisy,’ Danny remarked.
‘What’s your secret, Maisy?’ Sebastian asked in a conspiratorial whisper.
‘Whatchya talkin’ about, lovey?’
‘How do you get Dannyella to be so meek and mild?’
Maisy threw back her head and laughed. ‘Meek and mild? Our Danny? That’ll be the day.’
‘Well, she does what you say. She’s agreed to eat her food.’
‘I know what’s good for me,’ Danny replied.
Maisy patted Danny on the shoulder. ‘She’s a chip off the old block, she is.’
‘Meaning?’
‘I’ve been lookin’ out for her since the day she came kicking and screaming into this world. Her mother was so mixed up and confused, and although she stuck it out for as long as she could, she wasn’t the maternal type. Was jealous because Danny preferred me to her,’ she explained, subtly boasting.
Sebastian laughed. ‘I can just imagine the racket Dannyella made when she was born.’
‘Nothing like this morning’s delivery, I’m sure,’ Danny added, before eating another mouthful of Maisy’s delicious scrambled eggs.
‘No. This morning’s delivery was…scary.’
‘You can say that again.’
‘How’s young Geena and the babe now?’ Maisy asked with concern.
‘Geena’s resting and little Tommy is being monitored closely.’
‘I must say I was surprised at the hospital being so…up to date, so to speak. I don’t mean any disrespect by that, just to say—’
‘That for an outback hospital, Katherine’s quite well set up?’ Danny finished for him, a teasing glint in her eyes.
He smiled as he sipped his tea again. ‘Yes. Something like that.’
‘They have to be.’ She shrugged. ‘Tommy appears to be a stubborn little tacker—just like his dad. He was impatient to get into this world and my guess is he’ll keep on being impatient for the rest of his life. It’s Grant and Geena I feel sorry for.’ She chuckled.
‘I was never more relieved when Grant walked in with the flying doctor and the nurse. Talk about the cavalry arriving.’
‘We do what we have to do,’ Danny said with a nod, surprised and impressed with the way he’d handled himself. ‘But I’m with you on that one, Mac.’
‘A tad cramped in the aeroplane to Katherine, but it wasn’t a long trip and I did enjoy seeing mother and son settled.’ He shook some Worchestershire sauce onto his eggs with satisfaction.
‘And this time, when you flew, no one vomited on you,’ Danny pointed out.
Sebastian nearly choked on his mouthful.
‘A definite plus, wouldn’t you say, Mac?’
He swallowed quickly, nodded and took a sip of his tea before leaning back in his chair, eyeing her carefully. ‘You enjoy teasing me, don’t you?’ It was a rhetorical question.
‘Hey, you can’t blame a girl for having a bit of fun.’
He cupped his chin in his hand and rubbed his fingers and thumb thoughtfully along his jaw. ‘No, indeed.’
‘What?’
He stared at her again and she began to feel uncomfortable. She shifted in her chair and glanced briefly away before meeting those enigmatic blue eyes once more. ‘What?’
‘Oh, nothing.’
‘Tell me.’
‘It’s nothing,’ he replied again, and went back to eating his breakfast.
‘Now you’ve got me wondering,’ she accused, her skin tingling all over at his encompassing look. It was as though he’d reached out and gently caressed her hair. She was mesmerised. Completely captured. How had he managed to affect her in such a way and so quickly?
He ate a mouthful, swallowed and then smiled. ‘Good.’
She realised then that he’d been teasing her and relaxed a little.
‘What else is on the agenda for today, Dannyella?’
Glad of a neutral topic, she shrugged. ‘Most of it’s been wiped out by the emergency so we just play it by ear.’
‘What about the plans you had for today?’
She shrugged. ‘Unless they’re urgent, I’ll do them tomorrow.’
‘I thought you had a clinic?’
‘I did but people understand.’
‘So, just like that, your clinic is cancelled?’
‘Yes.’
‘Interesting way to work. After a hard emergency, a clinic is cancelled. I could get used to that.’
‘Ha!’ Danny smiled. ‘Mac, you wouldn’t last a month out here. You’ll be itching to get back to your life in England before the end of next week is up.’
He was silent for a moment before saying, ‘You’re probably right.’ He nodded thoughtfully and Danny realised he didn’t look too thrilled at the prospect of returning home.
‘Anyway, as I said, the territory we cover may be vast but we’re a close-knit bunch.’
It was true. He’d been amazed how the neighbours—although they lived miles away—had rallied around Grant and Geena. Someone had come over—driven almost an hour to get there—and packed up the girls and their clothes for a few days so Grant could accompany Geena to the hospital. Meals were being organised so that when Geena came home, she didn’t have to worry about cooking for a while. People were offering help left, right and centre. As far as community spirit went, this one had it in spades.
‘So we just wait for another emergency to happen?’
‘No, well, yes. If one comes, we’ll go, but in the meantime, I suggest we get some sleep.’
‘Why?’
‘Because tonight we celebrate! If you thought the noise here was bad last night, wait until tonight. Everyone will be drinking a toast to little Tommy and the rest of his family, not to mention you and me.’
‘Really?’
‘Absolutely. You’re a hero, Mac. They’re going to be shouting you drinks, slapping you on the back and making sure you don’t get to sleep until at least one in the morning.’
‘Excellent,’ he replied drolly. He finished his food. ‘In that case, I’ll go and shower before following your suggestion of sleep, although how anyone manages to sleep in this heat is beyond me. How hot is it, anyway?’
‘Regularly around the forty-degree mark.’
‘What was the temperature when we left this morning?’
‘Almost thirty.’ She shrugged. ‘You get used to it.’
‘When?’
She laughed. ‘Probably the day you leave. Go and have your shower. I’ll catch ya later tonight.’ She stood and he automatically rose to his feet. There they were again—those charming English manners, making her feel every inch a woman. How could this simple act make her feel so…special?
Neither of them moved, the table between them, as they continued to simply look at each other. Danny felt her knees weaken and her stomach churn with excitement as the moment stretched on. He took a slow and steady breath before clearing his throat.
‘Whereabouts do you live, Dannyella?’ That rich tone was deeper than usual.
‘Two buildings down the street.’ Her mind was in such a flutter she wasn’t sure if she was answering the question properly. All she was conscious of was his nearness.
Another moment of silence where the unspoken words meant so much more than the pleasantries they were exchanging. His look said he was attracted to her and knew she felt the same way about him. In some men this particular look would make them appear conceited, but Danny knew that wasn’t the case with Sebastian.
As though he couldn’t bear it any longer, he looked down at the table and took a small step to the side. ‘What about your father? Does he live there, too?’
‘Yes…well, most of the time.’
‘And flies the helicopter.’ They were back. The charged atmosphere had disappeared and Danny dragged in a deep breath, willing her body to relax. Regardless of this attraction which obviously existed between them, nothing could come of it.
‘Yes. He helps out on some farms around the place and invariably sleeps there, too. He comes and goes.’ She shrugged.
‘No family land?’
‘No. He was forced to sell after the bad drought about ten years ago. We lost all our livestock and then the house burned down. He was lucky to escape.’ She shuddered to even think about it. ‘Thanks for eating breakfast with me.’ She moved away from the table and pointed to the door. ‘I have to go now.’ Before I throw myself into your arms, she added silently. ‘Catch ya later, Mac.’ She kept heading towards the door, forcing her legs to walk away from him.
‘Sleep well, Dannyella—and this time I mean it.’
‘You didn’t mean it last time?’ She had to tease. It was her only defence against the emotions she was experiencing.
‘Don’t be obtuse.’ His smile was at full throttle and Danny found herself right back at square one—completely captivated by him. He shouldn’t do that, she thought as her legs suddenly became like tree roots again. Just when she’d managed to get herself under control, he went and did something gorgeous…like smiling. It should be out-lawed…or at least issued with a warning!
‘Well…bye, then.’ With superhuman effort, she managed to send the appropriate signals from her brain around her body in order to make it work. ‘Thanks, Maisy,’ she called, before turning her back on Sebastian and walking out.
‘Get a grip,’ she lectured herself as she climbed into her car and drove down the street. ‘He may be handsome, witty and intelligent, but he’s also leaving at the end of next week. A nice mild flirtation is OK but you’re starting to go way, way overboard here.’ She’d always preferred to swim rather than sink, but this time she could already feel herself going under.
She had a quick shower before heading to bed, lying beneath the fly net which surrounded her bed, listening to the gentle whirring of the fan. Sebastian MacKenzie. She knew nothing about him, except what her silly schoolgirl heart wanted her to see.
That wasn’t completely true. She knew he wasn’t married—it was typed in black and white on his résumé. She knew he’d trained as a GP, worked in rural England after he’d qualified and held a diploma in anaesthetics and general surgery…but that was about as far as her knowledge went.
Why was he here? Oh, the official letter had mentioned his Ph.D. but why come here to do it? Surely just analysing the practices and conditions of rural GPs in England should have been enough. She thought back to the look of excitement she’d seen in his gaze before he’d left to figure out how to rig up the incubator. There was nothing exciting about it from where she’d stood. If he hadn’t been with her, she doubted whether baby Tommy would have survived.
She sighed and pushed the thought from her head. Sebastian had been with her and both mother and baby were doing fine. Still, it drove home her need for further help out here. She covered a vast amount of territory and although she could get a locum in from time to time, two to three weeks were the maximum.
Sure, she worked closely with the other doctors at Katherine and surrounding districts, but sometimes it just wasn’t enough. The area needed another doctor—even a part-time doctor would be great. Failing that, a community nurse. ‘But who’d want to come way out here in the middle of nowhere?’ She smothered a yawn. ‘Time for sleep, Danny. Think about it later.’
Her eyes closed and she started to dream. A dream where someone was helping her. Strong, capable hands. Someone she could trust. Tall, dark and handsome, too. Her lips curved into a smile and she turned over onto her side, her breathing becoming more even. Someone like Mac. Someone dependable. Someone…she could really lean on.
A girl could dream…couldn’t she?
‘That was one incredible celebration last night,’ Sebastian said on Wednesday morning when Danny came into the pub for breakfast. ‘Do you eat all your meals here, Dannyella?’
‘Sure. Why cook for myself when Maisy’s been doing it for years?’
‘You seem very close.’
‘She’s my dad’s cousin. She helped raise me, even before my mother left.’ It was difficult for Danny to keep the disgust out of her tone. Once her mother had left, she hadn’t made any attempt to see or speak to Danny again.
‘Don’t be too hard on ya mother,’ Maisy said, catching the end of their conversation as she came out from the kitchen. She put a plate of scrambled eggs and toast in front of Danny. ‘Ya poor mum had no idea what it was really like out here and ya’ve got to give her guts for trying. She stuck around for five years, lovey. That’s quite a while for someone who was a city girl at heart.’
Danny shrugged. ‘Just goes to show that city people don’t usually stay too long.’
Maisy laughed. ‘I guess ya right. Ya gotta be born here to really love the land. Anything else I can get ya, Mac?’
‘Uh…no, thank you.’ He watched Dannyella dig into her eggs.
‘Another cuppa tea?’
‘One was quite sufficient, thank you.’ He dragged his gaze away from Dannyella and smiled at Maisy. The other woman was watching him closely and it made him feel rather uncomfortable. ‘Was there something else?’ He raised an eyebrow in question.
‘No. Course not. Right, then, I’ll get some juice for her ladyship and then I’m done. Put the dishes on the sink when you’ve finished, lovey. I’m going to have me shower.’
Danny waved her hand in dismissal. ‘Don’t worry about the juice, Maise. I can get it. Go and have your shower.’
‘Goodo.’
‘It’s nice you’re so close,’ Sebastian remarked once Maisy had left.
‘Are you close to your parents?’ she asked, trying to sound casual. He frowned and seemed to take his time contemplating how to answer. ‘Forget I asked,’ she said quickly, hoping he didn’t think her rude.
‘No, it’s all right. My father died five years ago and my mother still resides in London.’
‘Do you see her often?’
‘Yes. Once a month, I go to London specifically to see her.’
‘But you don’t like her much.’
‘I hardly know her.’
Danny frowned. ‘But you just said you visit her once a month.’
‘I do. You’ve got to understand, Dannyella, that life is very different in London from out here in the outback. I was raised by a nanny until I was four and then I went to the best boarding school money could buy. When I came home for visits, I wasn’t allowed to eat meals with my parents until I was sixteen and even then there was no real conversation. Most of the time my father was delayed at the hospital and then I was left alone with my mother. Once I had finished my training, I needed to get away. I worked in hospitals big and small but the red tape would frustrate me. When I was offered a rural position, I took it.’
‘So you have your own little rural community who have adopted you?’
‘In a manner of speaking.’
‘And you’re still enjoying it?’ She watched him closely. She had a hunch he was searching for something but she wasn’t sure what.
‘It has its moments,’ he replied carefully, and she decided to take pity on him and change the subject.
‘So when you go to see your mother once a month, what do you do?’ Danny had finished her eggs and was munching on a piece of toast while she waited for his answer.
‘Ordinarily we’d have dinner but of late she’s been having a succession of parties each time I visit, which she insists I attend. This is because, just recently, she’s been hinting that it’s time for me to “settle down”.’
Danny’s eyebrows hit her hairline. ‘Your mother’s telling you to get married?’
‘It’s time you produced an heir, Sebastian,’ he drawled in a slightly higher-toned pitch. ‘Frolicking around in the country may be amusing to you but you have responsibilities to live up to.’
Danny laughed. ‘And what did you say?’
‘I told her that I never “frolic” and I was quite happy doing what I was doing and had no plans to settle down any time soon.’
‘Impressive. How did she take the news?’
‘She stormed out of the room. I didn’t see her for the rest of that visit.’
‘When was that?’
‘Last month.’
‘And you haven’t seen her since?’
‘No.’
‘Does she know you’re here?’
‘I’m over twenty-one, Dannyella, so it’s all right for me to be in a pub.’
She laughed. ‘Now who’s being obtuse?’
‘I had my receptionist fax my itinerary to my mother out of common courtesy.’
‘Fair enough.’ She stood from the table. ‘Do you want some juice?’
‘No. I’m fine.’
‘OK. I’ll just grab a glass and then we can head off. We have a two-hour drive to get through this morning.’
‘Two hours? Why?’
‘For the clinic.’
‘The clinic is two hours away,’ he stated, as though he was trying to ensure a firm grasp on all the facts. He picked up their plates and followed her into the kitchen.
‘Yes.’ She poured herself a glass of orange juice and drank it down in one hit. ‘Ooh, that hit the spot.’
‘Skolling orange juice?’ he asked, and she smiled.
‘You are picking up the lingo fast.’
‘How could I forget “skolling”. Last night, I think every single man was treated to a chorus of “skoll, skoll, skoll,” every time someone toasted the baby.’
‘They’re as noisy as a pack of galahs, I’ll give them that.’ Danny laughed. ‘I didn’t see you chugging down a beer.’
Sebastian returned her smile. ‘Not my style.’ He reached out and tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear. Danny gasped, her eyes widening.
The simple touch, the smile, the fresh scent of him from his morning shower—the whole package was too much for her. She looked away, desperate to control her thoughts. She’d given herself a stern talking-to this morning before coming to the pub and now she couldn’t remember a single thing she’d warned herself not to do. Sebastian made her forget all rational thought—especially when he touched her in such an intimate way.
‘I guess we’d better be going,’ he murmured a moment later. Had his tone dipped another notch or was she imagining things? She glanced up at him, only to find he was still watching her rather intently.
She nodded. ‘I guess we should.’ Move, she demanded of herself, and thankfully she did, putting the orange juice back in the fridge before heading out of the kitchen. How had things gone from nice and fluffy to potent and charged in a split second simply because Mac had touched her?
‘I’ll just quickly get my hat,’ he said as she strode to the door.
‘Whack on a pair of jeans or trousers so you don’t get bitten and also pack a change of clothes. Swimsuit a necessity. I’ll meet you in the car.’ She didn’t bother to stop, didn’t bother to turn around as she spoke. She needed a few minutes alone to pull herself together. She had to spend the next two days with him and, for the most part, alone. How was she going to survive the two-hour drive when all she could think about was his mouth pressing hard and hot against her own?
She climbed into the four-wheel drive and waited. ‘You’re a mature and calm adult,’ she told herself. ‘And from what he’s told you this morning, he’s wa-ay-y out of your league so just forget it and go back to some nice easy banter.’
Good pep talk, she thought, proud of herself. Of course, she felt her newfound sensibilities fly out the open window the instant he walked out of the pub. He carried a small overnight bag, probably made from the finest leather in the world. A pair of navy trousers had replaced his shorts but the hat on his head made all romantic notions float away with the breeze.
Danny threw back her head and laughed.
‘What’s so funny?’ he asked as he climbed in beside her. ‘You’re not seriously going to wear that?’ She pointed to the hat.
‘Halley and Max told me it was perfect.’ He grinned and flicked one of the corks that dangled by a string from the wide brim of his bush hat.
‘Yeah, perfect for a joke. You’ll poke yourself in the eye with those things. You should take them off.’
‘Take them off?’ he queried.
‘Absolutely, and you’ve got the next two hours to do it in.’ She started the engine, glad the awkwardness had gone. He seemed to instinctively know when to keep things light.
‘Now,’ he said as she turned right at the top of the street, ‘what’s a galah?’
An hour later, she’d told him about the noisy pink cockatoos who squalked far too loudly all the time, answered questions about the non-deciduous native trees and was providing him with a run-down of their next two days.
‘We’re camping?’
‘Yes.’
‘Overnight.’
‘Yes.’
‘Where?’
She shrugged. ‘Don’t know yet. We’ll find somewhere.’
‘Do you do this often?’
‘Every month, Mac. I drive out and visit three or four cattle stations, covering a different part of my allocated territory each month.’
‘How long does it take you to do all of them?’
‘About five months. So I guess I see most people twice a year. It’s just basic health checks, immunisations of children, keeping up to date with the gossip. If they need to see me at any other time, they can come to Dingo Creek for one of my weekly clinics—and a lot of them do—but some of these stations employ a lot of people and with me coming to them it helps keep absentee costs down.’
‘Doesn’t that suck up a lot of your time, though?’
‘Don’t you do house calls?’ Danny bristled slightly. Was he criticising her?
‘Well, sure, but—’
‘But what? Why is this different?’
‘Why not take the chopper?’
‘Because we only do that in emergencies. This is just routine.’
‘So every month you head out by yourself.’
‘Yes.’
‘Isn’t that dangerous?’
Danny laughed. ‘For who?’
‘For you. You might run out of petrol or…hit a kangaroo. I’ve done my research, Dannyella. I know the outback isn’t safe.’
‘Safer than any city,’ she pointed out. ‘Most of the people who have died or had problems in the outback were tourists, Mac. I’ve lived here all my life—except for when I went to med school in Darwin. The locals are more than capable of looking after themselves in an emergency. We pack enough supplies to get us through and we’re fine.’
‘But what if you have engine trouble or something like that?’
‘Well, for a start I could radio for help, but I know how to change a tyre and repair a ruptured fuel line. As for the wildlife, why do you think most of the vehicles out here have enormous bull-bars on the front?’
‘To protect you from bulls?’
Danny chuckled. ‘Bulls who are normally disguised as big red roos! Dusk and pre-dawn are the worst times of day for wildlife on the road so if I’m driving around that time, I’m extra-careful.’
‘What do you do if you hit one?’
‘I take the gun I carry in the back and make sure that poor animal is put out of its misery. It’s the humane thing to do.’
‘You know how to shoot a gun?’
‘Of course. It could be a matter of survival in the outback.’
Sebastian shook his head in wonder.
‘What?’ she asked, glancing across and seeing his expression.
‘You’re the most self-sufficient woman I’ve ever met.’
Danny laughed. ‘Because I can fend for myself? What kind of women have you been hanging out with? Debutantes?’
‘Basically—and not by choice, I might add.’ His tone was dry. ‘How long does each station take to get through?’
She laughed again. ‘Yeah, I’d want to change the subject if I was you. It depends on the number of people. Usually an hour or two. Although having you along we may get through things a little quicker and we could be back at the pub in time for a cold one before Maisy closes the bar tomorrow night.’
‘Why didn’t you tell me sooner that we were heading out overnight?’
‘What would you have done?’ she countered, and he frowned. ‘You would have packed a change of clothes.’ She shrugged. ‘You’ve done that. I’m providing everything else. Swags, food, sunscreen—maximum protection,’ she added, thinking of his very white skin. ‘And insect repellent.’
‘Swags? As in swagman?’
She smiled. ‘I see you know the nation’s unofficial anthem. Yes, swags—just like the jolly swagman. I’ll even see if we can camp by a billabong.’
‘Wow. So what are swags?’
She laughed. ‘You’re worse than a little kid in the questioning department. A swag is your bedroll. A swagman is a person who carries his bed with him and sleeps wherever he wants. Historically, he was more a drifter or a tramp who either worked occasional jobs or stole to survive. Hence the swaggie in the song stealing the sheep.’
‘I presume we don’t need to steal our food tonight?’
‘No.’
‘And we won’t be sleeping in tents?’
‘No way. Do you think I’m going to let you miss a great Aussie adventure by not sleeping under the stars?’
‘I guess not.’
‘I’ll bet you’ve never done it before.’
‘No, I can’t say I have.’
‘Well, you’re in for a real treat.’ She was very interested to see how he would cope, positive that the mozzies, flies and heat would drive him crazy.
‘Ooh, Danny. Who’s your handsome sidekick?’
Danny looked through the fly-screen door at Sebastian, who was bringing in the second medical kit, then back to Beth. She didn’t appreciate the way the twenty-one-year-old was eyeing him up. ‘Sebastian MacKenzie. A doctor from England. He’s only here until the end of next week.’
‘Well, I wouldn’t say no if he wanted to park his shoes under my bed, even if it was just for a few days.’
‘Oh, that’s real subtle, Beth. What would your father say?’
‘He’d never know.’ Beth giggled.
‘Besides, I think he might be a tad too old for you. He’s twelve years older than you,’ Danny whispered as Sebastian headed up the steps towards them.
‘I like mature men,’ Beth whispered back, then changed her tone to croon, ‘Hi, there, stranger,’ as Sebastian walked in the door. ‘Put that heavy-looking box right over here.’ The short-haired blonde slipped her hand through his arm and led him over to the table. ‘I’m Beth.’
Had Danny imagined it or had Beth stuck her chest out even further than before? She shook her head and sighed, opening the medical kit she’d been carrying, hoping Beth would take the hint. The blonde didn’t move. ‘We need to get set up, Beth, so if you wouldn’t mind…’ Danny trailed off, indicating the room in general.
‘Oh. Can I help?’
Danny opened her mouth to speak but Sebastian beat her to it. ‘I’d love a cup of tea,’ he said with a charming smile. ‘Would you mind making me one, please?’ He took off his cork-infested hat and placed it carefully on the table.
Beth’s smile was radiant. ‘I’d love to. I’ll be right back.’
‘And I like it quite strong, so let it sit for a few minutes,’ he said. ‘Two sugars and a drop of milk. Thank you so much, Beth.’ He smiled again as Beth left the room.
‘Well, there’s another admirer to add to your list.’ Danny busied herself with getting things set up. She couldn’t let him see the way he’d smiled at Beth had irritated her. She was nothing to him except a doctor for him to observe for his study.
‘Whew! She’s worse than a piranha.’ Sebastian chuckled and Danny felt immediately better.
‘She wants to leave the station and the only way her father will let her do that is if she’s married.’
‘Remind me to keep out of her way, then.’
‘What? You don’t want to take a bride back to England with you? Surprise Mummy?’
‘Dannyella.’ His tone held a hint of warning but his smile belied any seriousness.
‘I bet you she’d throw a wobbly if you did that.’
He laughed. ‘It’s hard to imagine my mother throwing anything, let alone a wobbly.’
He stopped laughing and smiled, tenderly tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear. ‘I’m not laughing at you, I’m laughing with you.’ His hand lingered on her cheek as he gazed down into her eyes. The world seemed to fall away and it was just the two of them, standing there, focused solely on each other.
‘Captivating,’ he murmured as he brushed his thumb ever so lightly across her lips. The action caused her to gasp, her lips parting slightly before her breath escaped in a rush as her breathing intensified.
His thumb slowly made the journey back and her eyelids fluttered closed, her breath now coming in rasps. The pain she felt, the sheer torture at not having his lips where his thumb was, started to tear at her. Ever since she’d started teasing him at their initial meeting, Danny had wanted to know what his kiss would feel like, taste like.
She knew instinctively that it would feel right against her own mouth. That their lips would meld in perfect synchronicity as though they’d been waiting their whole lives to meet up and press against one another. The yearning, the deep, painful yearning, was starting to become unbearable—especially when he touched her like this.
His fingers moved lower, caressing her skin before cupping her chin and gently tilting her head upwards. Her eyes opened and she stared into his. The blue irises had darkened considerably and held a storm of repressed desire. His gaze flicked from her eyes to her lips and back again, and she instinctively knew that he was as anxious to have the distance between them disappear as she was.
‘Here’s your—’
Dannyella gasped, her gaze flicking momentarily to Beth as she walked into the room and back to Sebastian. She tried to move but his hand remained cradling her face for another split second before he looked away. Slowly he dropped his hand back to his side and turned to face Beth.
‘Ah, thank you very much,’ he said, crossing over and taking the mug from her hands. He sipped. ‘Excellent.’ He put the mug down. ‘Right, Dannyella. Let’s get back to work.’
Danny wasn’t sure whether or not she could move. Certainly the glare coming from Beth should have been enough to fry her to a crisp where she stood.
‘Dannyella?’ Sebastian looked over his shoulder at her. ‘What happens next?’
She stared at him in complete amazement. How should she know what was going to happen next? He was the one who had almost kissed her, not the other way around. She should be asking him the question.
‘I’ll leave you to your clinic,’ Beth said coldly, and stormed from the room.
The fuzziness in Danny’s head began to clear. She watched Beth’s retreating back before turning to look at Sebastian again. ‘I guess you’d want the portable sphygmomanometer out, wouldn’t you?’ he asked rhetorically.
He was all business and politeness and she realised, rather belatedly, he’d been talking about the clinic when he’d asked her what would happen next. He was so cool, calm and collected, it infuriated her. What was worse, it appeared he’d staged that tender moment with her simply to drive Beth away.
Danny clenched her teeth, more in anger at herself for being so gullible and giving into him. She stalked over to the window and closed the heavy curtains which hung there in order to give the room more privacy. She then switched on the overhead light and left the room, needing a few seconds alone to pull herself together.
Outside, the jackaroos and jillaroos were just riding in. She walked over to say g’day and let them know the clinic was about to start. In the back of her mind, the scene with Sebastian was on constant replay and she wished for some way to stop it. Work. Work would no doubt help but the main problem there was he was involved in her work. He was here to observe her, as well as helping out a little, and she was extremely conscious of every move he made.
With a resigned sigh she headed back inside, determined to be professional and focus on her patients. The uncertainties she felt regarding Sebastian were forcefully pushed to the back of her mind and, amazingly, appeared to be staying there.
During the next hour and a half they saw a steady stream of minor ailments. As Danny was the official resident doctor and Sebastian was only here for two weeks and wouldn’t see these people ever again, she did most of the consulting. He helped out with the medical equipment and filled in the patients’ notes. He gave her advice and second opinions when necessary and enjoyed hearing the gossip of the people on the station.
Again, this was like nothing he’d ever experienced before. Getting so involved in people’s lives was unheard of. Not that he didn’t get to know his own regular patients over time, he did, especially the ones he made house calls to, but although he chatted to those patients and saw them regularly, it was nothing compared to this.
These people not only told Dannyella about their physical ailments but their emotional ones as well. How did she cope? All the people took the opportunity to dump their problems on Doc Thompson’s shoulders—and she didn’t seem to mind one bit. He wasn’t sure he could cope with such an intense number of people—usually talking about the same thing but just from their different perspectives. Even so, Dannyella gave them all the individual attention they deserved and his opinion of her grew.
There was one thing he had noticed, however, and that was she was being rather clipped and curt with him…and he couldn’t, as hard as he tried, figure out why.