EXTRACT FROM VIRGIN MIDWIFE, PLAYBOY DOCTOR
CHAPTER ONE
'Something's wrong, isn't it?'
Midwife Chloe MacKinnon unwrapped the blood-pressure cuff
from around Avril Harvey's arm and tried to offer the anxious
woman a reassuring smile. 'Your blood pressure is
rather high,' she admitted, masking her own growing concern
as she re-checked the notes and previous readings.
'What about the other things?' Tears glistened in
Avril's pale blue eyes, while her swollen fingers nervously
shredded a paper tissue. 'I've always suspected things
weren't right but the people at my previous practice in
Birmingham told me not to worry. They said they were
normal signs of pregnancy.'
Chloe took one trembling hand in hers and squeezed gently
before returning to her chair. This was the first
time she had seen Avril. The woman had moved to the
small Cornish town of Penhally Bay in the last couple of
weeks with her husband, Piers, both determined that their
longed-for child would grow up in a better environment
than the inner city. But this was Avril's first baby. And
at thirty-nine, being short in stature, underweight and
with a history of migraine, she had a few of the risk factors
that warned Chloe to be on her guard. Add in the
symptoms she had presented with that morning, and Chloe
was worried about Avril's well-being as well as for that
of her baby, suspecting that she had developed pre-eclampsia.
'I always saw my GP at my old practice as well as the
midwife.' Avril paused and bit her lip. 'Could
I see one of the doctors here today?'
'We're more midwife-led here ... ' Chloe hesitated
as fresh tears spilled down the mother-to-be's cheeks.
'I don't want to be a nuisance, and I don't mean to doubt
your expertise. It's just that I don't know anyone
and I don't know what to think. I'm so scared.'
Chloe smiled, wanting to put her at ease. 'I understand,
Avril, don't worry. I'll ask one of the doctors on
duty to see you.'
The GPs left straightforward cases to Chloe and her colleague,
Kate Althorp, but if it would set the distressed woman's
mind at rest to have the second opinion, Chloe wasn't going
to be awkward about it. Avril was alone in a strange
place and feeling vulnerable, clearly on edge, her pale
skin sallow, her short blonde hair lank. Time was
of the essence. All that mattered was the safety
of both mother and baby.
'Thank you, Chloe.' Avril gave a weary sigh, pressing
the fingers of one hand to her temple. 'I wish my
husband was with me.'
'Would you like me to call him for you?'
'No, it's all right. After dropping me here, Piers
had to make the half-hour drive to St Piran for a meeting
at the secondary school. He's an art teacher and
he'll be working there when the new term begins,' she explained
tearfully. 'We were looking forward to the summer
to settle in to our new home first and prepare for the
baby. He won't be back for another couple of hours.'
Nodding, Chloe reached for the phone and keyed in the
extension number for Reception.
'Hello, Sue,' she greeted when her call was answered by
the head receptionist. 'I'm with Avril Harvey for
her antenatal appointment. Would you ask one of the
doctors to pop upstairs for a few minutes? Thank
you.'
The tone of Sue's reply assured Chloe that the woman had
grasped the seriousness of the situation and would respond
swiftly to the request. Hanging up, Chloe returned
her attention to Avril.
'What made you choose to settle in Penhally Bay?' she
asked, trying to distract the woman from her worries.
'We've been here several times for weekends and holidays – we
even spent our honeymoon here ten years ago.' A reminiscent
smile lightened Avril's expression. 'We both love
the friendly, peaceful atmosphere, and Piers finds inspiration
here for his painting.'
'Cornwall has always drawn artists. One of my friends,
Lauren, is physiotherapist here, and she's an avid painter,
too. Some of her work hangs on the wall in the waiting
area downstairs.'
Interest momentarily chased the shadows from Avril's eyes. 'I
noticed those. She's very good. Piers's paintings
are more abstract. He's hoping to have time to develop
and sell his work alongside the teaching.'
'So your move was both personal and professional?' Chloe
encouraged.
'It seemed ideal when the job came up in St Piran. We
never expected to have a child after such a long wait,
but when we discovered I was pregnant, we both wanted a
different kind of life for our family. I don't know
what I'll do if anything happens to my baby.' A sob
escaping, she rested one palm over her tummy.
Rising to her feet, Chloe pulled another tissue from the
box she kept handy, then rounded the desk, squatting down
to put a comforting arm around Avril's thin shoulders. 'Try
not to imagine the worst-case scenarios. Even if
there is something amiss, it doesn't mean you won't have
a perfectly healthy baby. We're going to do all we
can to help you,' she reassured, handing over the fresh
tissue.
'Thank you.' Avril blew her nose and dabbed at her
tear-stained cheeks. 'I'm sorry to be so silly.'
'You're not being silly. It's an emotional and worrying
time.'
Before she could continue, a brief knock sounded and the
door opened. Chloe glanced up, barely suppressing
a groan as Dr Oliver Fawkner strode into the room with
his customary swagger, exuding self-confidence and blatant
sex appeal. Oh, no! Why did it have to be him? Dressed
in dark grey chinos and a crisp white shirt, he looked
cool and unruffled, the shirt's short sleeves showing off
tanned, olive-toned skin and leanly muscled forearms dusted
with dark hairs. Straightening, Chloe stepped round
the far side of her desk, self-consciously putting a solid
barrier between them.
Oliver had been working as an extra GP at the practice
since mid-June as cover for the surgery's increasing workload,
the busy holiday season and while Lucy Carter continued
her maternity leave. No one could deny what an excellent
doctor Oliver was. But for reasons she couldn't explain,
he made her feel acutely nervous. He was just too
... everything. Too masculine, too much the playboy,
too outrageous, too sure of himself. And far too
devastating in the looks and charm departments for any
woman's peace of mind. Especially a woman like her. One
who shied away from male attention and anything that made
her feel uncomfortable.
Nothing and no one made her feel more uncomfortable than
bad boy Oliver Fawkner.
'Chloe. I heard you wanted me.'
The rough-edged, smoky voice sent a shiver rippling down
her spine. Despite being five foot seven, Chloe had
a long way to look up Oliver's ruggedly athletic six-foot-three-inch-frame
before she met the gleam of amused devilment in brown eyes
as sinful and dangerous to the health as the finest chocolate. Chloe
forced herself not to react when he sent her a cheeky wink. The
man was a rogue. And he never missed an opportunity
to tease her, flirt with her, disturb her, which only made
her more tongue-tied and feeling like a gauche country
bumpkin.
'Dr Fawkner, this is Avril Harvey,' she said, trying to
hide her uneasiness and maintain her cool professionalism
as she gave Oliver the personal details he needed about
their patient's age and circumstances.
Stepping forward with his trade-mark smile, Oliver shook
the woman's hand. 'Hello, Avril, it's good to meet
you.'
'Th-thank you, doctor.' Avril managed a teary smile
in response. 'I'm sorry to be a bother, asking to
see you.'
'You are not a bother. What seems to be the problem?'
he asked, and Chloe tensed as that warm, molten gaze held
her captive once more.
Clearing her throat, she dragged her gaze free and stared
down at the notes. 'This is Avril's first appointment
with us after moving to Penhally with her husband. She
is in her thirty-second week, and until now has been attending
her previous practice in Birmingham for her antenatal checks.'
'They said I was worrying for nothing,' Avril commented,
continuing to shred the tissue, revealing her anxiety.
'Avril's been experiencing headaches, which are not uncommon
for her with her history of migraine, but she has also
had episodes with her vision, including floaters. Then
there is the oedema – and lack of weight gain,' Chloe
explained, meeting Oliver's gaze again, glad to see he
was now in full doctor mode and all signs of teasing had
vanished. 'I did the routine checks today and there
is some protein in Avril's urine. Her blood pressure
has spiked, too. The notes show it has been irregular
in the past, but while the last reading recorded was 145
over 85, two weeks ago, today it was 190 over 110, the
highest ever.'
Oliver frowned with concern, squatting down beside the
mother-to-be, talking quietly to her as he examined her
hands and assessed the level of swelling in her legs and
ankles. Gently he rested a hand on her tummy, and
Chloe suspected that the smallness of the baby and Avril
being underweight had not escaped his attention. He
was so good with patients. Chloe just wished she
felt as secure and untroubled when working with him as
she did with the other male doctors in the practice, none
of whom affected her the way Oliver did. Her awkwardness
around him disturbed her as it was not something she had
ever experienced before.
'Avril, I don't want you to
worry unduly,' Oliver told the woman, continuing to hold
her hand. 'But I agree with Chloe that your symptoms
are more serious than your previous practice believed.'
'Oh! I knew it. What's wrong with me, Doctor? Is
it the stress of the move?'
Oliver glanced up and Chloe nodded for him to continue. She
wasn't territorial of her role when a second opinion was
beneficial, and she worked well in partnership with the
GPs to deliver the best possible care to her patients. As
Avril was new and nervous, and seemed to trust Oliver,
Chloe was happy to take a back seat for now.
'We suspect you have a condition called pre-eclampsia,'
Oliver explained, and Chloe, impressed again with his patient
care, noticed how he was respectful to include her and
not take over completely.
'That's dangerous, isn't it?' Avril's voice rose
with alarm. 'Is my baby going to die?'
Oliver was swift to reassure her, without scaring her
unduly about the dangers to her own health, which Chloe
knew was of concern at this point. 'Not if we can
help, it Avril. Pre-eclampsia affects about one in
ten pregnancies and is caused by a defect in the placenta.' He
glanced up and sent Chloe a quick smile, inviting her to
participate.
'That's right. The baby receives nutrients and oxygen
from the mother through the placenta,' she explained to
Avril. 'That's why it is so important to have regular
antenatal checks because the symptoms don't always show
up in the early stages. Today we've seen signs that
you could be affected. You have protein in your urine,
your blood pressure is considerably elevated, and you have
the swelling in your hands, legs and feet, plus the headaches
and visual problems. If we catch things straight
away, there is every chance that both you and your baby
will come through this without further ill-effects.'
Avril was clearly struggling to absorb all the information. She
turned her anxious gaze back to Oliver. 'What will
happen? Can you give me something to make it go away?'
'No, I'm sorry, Avril, but there isn't a medical cure
as such.'
'But my baby!'
Chloe handed over another tissue, which the woman took
in her free hand, the other one still clasped within Oliver's. 'I
know it's distressing, but you need to keep as calm as
you can. Chloe will refer you to the hospital in
St Piran and – '
'Is that really necessary?' Avril interrupted.
'I'm afraid it is.' Oliver's tone was firm but gentle. 'They'll
monitor your symptoms, keep a close eye on your blood pressure
and the levels of protein in the urine. It may be
that after a day or two you can go home on strict bed rest,
but they will advise you what is best.'
'Once you are lying down, especially on your left side,
it is possible that your blood pressure will come down. It's
a question of how effectively they can keep you settled
and stable,' Chloe added.
'And if they can't?' Avril fretted.
Oliver remained calm and persuasive. 'They'll do
some tests, check your blood, and they'll listen to your
baby's heart with a foetal monitor. You'll also have
an ultrasound to check on the condition of your baby. Depending
on what they find, they may suggest you have a steroid
injection to help the baby's lungs, and you may have some
other drugs for your blood pressure, and maybe some magnesium. Ultimately,
the best way to protect you both would be to carry out
a Caesarean and deliver your baby straight away, but that
is something your doctor and midwife at the hospital will
discuss with you.'
'Oh, my goodness.' Tears trickled from Avril's eyes
as she sat back on the chair. 'I'm only thirty-two
weeks along.'
'Everything will be done in the best interests of your
baby's health and your own,' Chloe reassured her.
Oliver released Avril's hand and rose to his feet. 'Can
your husband come and collect you to drive you to the hospital?'
'He's already gone to St Piran. I don't know what
to do,' Avril cried.
'I can take you.' Chloe glanced up from writing
a note to the midwife and doctor at the hospital. 'I'm
free until after lunch when I have a couple of house calls
to make before my afternoon clinic. One of those
calls is halfway between here and St Piran, so it won't
be a problem. We can phone your husband, Avril, and
have him meet you at the hospital.'
The woman sank back in relief. 'That is so kind
of you. I wouldn't like to go on my own in a taxi
or something. Are you sure you don't mind?'
'Not at all,' Chloe assured her with a smile.
Her nerves tingled as she felt Oliver watching her, and
her gaze was drawn to his against her will. Dark
eyes focused intently on her making her shift uneasily
on her chair. How did he do that? What was
it about this man that made her so edgy? Thick, lustrous,
over-long dark hair brushed the collar of his shirt and
framed a face that was far too handsome. The straight,
well-proportioned nose, sensual mouth and chiselled, masculine
jaw, combined with those wicked chocolate eyes to complete
the playboy package ... the wealthy, devil-may-care doctor
who, according to rumour, loved to surf and live the high
life. A life totally opposite from her own. Shaking
her head to rid herself of her unwanted thoughts about
him, she mustered her reserves and kept her voice controlled.
'Thank you for your assistance, Dr Fawkner.'
A knowing smile curved his mouth. 'Always a pleasure,
Chloe. I'll organise an outside line so Avril can
contact her husband while you write your notes for the
hospital. Then I'll help her downstairs.'
Chloe wanted to decline, to send him away, but she had
to place Avril's needs above her own. 'All right,'
she conceded, her evident reluctance widening Oliver's
smile, a boyish dimple appearing in his left cheek.
Focusing on her task, she tried to ignore the masculine
rumble of his voice, followed by Avril's tearful but brief
conversation as she explained developments to her husband.
'He's going directly from the school to the hospital,'
Avril confirmed, once again holding Oliver's hand as he
helped her to her feet.
'That's good news. Chloe, I'll take Avril down in
the lift and meet you by your car.'
'Thanks.'
Chloe gathered up her things and hurried down the stairs,
stopping at Reception to explain what was happening and
to collect the notes for her home visits. She was
ready to head outside when the lift doors opened and Oliver
gently guided Avril towards the exit. Once Avril
was settled in the car, her seatbelt in place, Chloe walked
round to the driver's side, disconcerted when Oliver followed
her. She opened the door, but the light touch of
his fingers on her bare arm made her jump, and she paused,
looking at him in confusion, alarmed at the way her skin
burned from his touch.
'Let me know how things turn out?' he asked, and his genuine
concern warmed her.
'Of course. I can check in with you later.'
'I'll look forward to it.' He hesitated a moment
and Chloe fought not to reveal her discomfort when he leaned
across her, making her all too aware of him as he ducked
his head in the open door to talk to their patient. His
body brushed against hers, and she sucked in an unsteady
breath, only to find herself inhaling his unfamiliar, earthy
male scent. 'Good luck, Avril. I wish you and
your husband a healthy baby. Now I'll leave you in
Chloe's capable hands. She's a terrific midwife – you
can trust her to give you the very best care and advice.'
Chloe was still reeling from Oliver's praise when he straightened,
held her gaze for an endless moment, then stroked one finger
across the tip of her nose. 'Drive carefully, babe,'
he instructed, his voice soft but husky, before he stepped
back to let her slide behind the steering-wheel and close
the door.
Virgin Midwife, Playboy Doctor
Margaret McDonagh
Mills & Boon Medical Romance
Book 8 in the Brides of Penhally Bay series
Hardback – May 2008
ISBN: 978-0-263-19894-2
Paperback – July 2008
ISBN:
Copyright © 2008
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher.
Cover copyright © 2008 by Harlequin Enterprises Limited
The edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
For more romance information surf to: www.eHarlequin.com
Artwork by Jim
Wylie |
