‘I’m afraid so.’
It was a warning and Lizzie heeded it but they stared at each other for a very long moment, a moment when Lizzie felt he might just lower that head and kiss her.
She was imagining things surely.
Except she was having to hold onto her tongue just to stop herself licking her lips in delicious anticipation.
How did he do it? How, with just a look, could she almost taste his mouth?
The door knocked and Ethan came in. Lizzie could feel the crackling tension between the brothers and she didn’t really understand Ethan’s slightly disapproving look that he shot in her direction.
‘I wanted to talk to you, Leo, about the patients I’ve got in mind. We can only take one and it’s proving impossible to choose …’ He had two files with him and on the front were images of two terribly disfigured children. ‘Burns,’ Ethan explained to Lizzie. ‘There aren’t any too many fireguards where they come from. Both need surgery, it’s just hell trying to decide …’
‘That one.’ Lizzie blinked as Leo’s finger jabbed at an image.
‘Why that one?’ Ethan asked.
‘Why not?’ Leo shrugged.
‘You’re an arrogant jerk …’
There had always been tension between them, Lizzie was in no doubt as to that, but it was the first time she’d actually witnessed such a terse exchange. Maybe it was because Leo assumed Ethan and she had actually spoken about him, but in truth, till the morning of Marianna’s surgery, Ethan never really had.
‘No,’ Leo said evenly. ‘I’m practical. You can’t save the world, Ethan.’ He glanced at Lizzie. ‘Go and get your coat.’
‘My coat?’
‘I’ve got a couple of house calls to make.’
As Lizzie went to get her coat, Leo pulled his on as Ethan stood there.
‘Since when have you taken the head nurse on house calls?’
‘I’m seeing Marianna,’ Leo hissed. ‘Continuity of care.’
‘And you’re taking Lizzie to the ball.’
‘I’m trying to be more serious about our charity work,’ Leo said. ‘I thought it might be more professional to take staff …’ He turned. ‘Does it bother you?’
‘You know it does. I warned you to leave well alone.’
Leo needed to know more. There was a part of their past they both avoided discussing, but if Ethan had dated Lizzie, well, she was off limits.
‘Are you worried history might repeat itself?’ Leo said carefully, loathed, even now, to mention Olivia’s name.
Leo had fallen hard for the paediatric plastics nurse but she’d only ever seen him as a friend.
It had been Ethan that Olivia had fallen for.
Leo closed his eyes for a brief moment, recalling the terrible row that had erupted and Olivia’s horror when she had walked in on it in time to hear Ethan telling Leo that he was only using her anyway.
Leo and Ethan’s already fractured relationship had from that point seemed broken beyond repair.
Maybe it was, Leo thought as he opened his eyes to his brother.
‘There’s nothing between Lizzie and I,’ Ethan said. ‘But she’s probably the best thing that could happen to this place and I don’t want my elder brother screwing it up.’
‘I don’t screw,’ Leo said. ‘I make love …’
‘It’s all a joke to you,’ Ethan said. ‘I’m warning you, Leo.’
‘I don’t take warnings from my little brother.’
‘Take this one!’
‘We really are very protective of Lizzie,’ Leo sneered.
‘Of course I am—she was the one who got me talking, she was the one—’
‘Ethan.’ Leo was serious now. ‘What the hell happened to you out there?’ But Ethan didn’t answer. ‘You’ve changed …’
‘War tends to do that to you.’
It was all Leo was going to get because Ethan moved back to the original conversation. ‘Why are you taking Lizzie to the ball? Why can’t you just leave her alone?’
This time it was Leo who was evasive.
Without answering, he walked out into the foyer where Lizzie was waiting and they stepped out into the grey wintery morning. Lizzie shivered and stamped her feet as they waited for a taxi. Leo knew full well the answer and it was a very inconvenient one.
He wanted Lizzie in bed.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THEY TOOK A taxi and he felt her eyes on him and Leo knew she thought he had been unkind to Ethan about choosing the charity patient. ‘If you thought about it you’d never be able to choose and my brother proves my point.’ He looked at her tight lips. ‘I don’t have to beat myself up to do charity work.’
‘Okay.’ Lizzie turned and gazed out of the window but Leo prolonged the conversation. ‘Was he as cheerful when you were looking after him?’ he asked, and sighed when Lizzie didn’t answer. ‘I’m not asking you to break confidence, I’m just making idle conversation …’
‘Terrible weather,’ Lizzie said. ‘That’s idle conversation.’
Leo was wise enough to know that Lizzie wasn’t going to reveal anything and so they drove in silence to the hotel. Leo spoke to a receptionist and Lizzie noticed he didn’t use his title and neither did he give the patient’s name.
It was just all very smooth and discreet.
They walked to the lift and Leo explained that it wasn’t just Marianna they would be visiting but Jessica too.
‘Hello.’ Leo smiled at Jessica as she let them in. ‘As Gwen explained, Iain’s in Theatre all day but I wanted to see for myself how you are doing.’
‘I’m feeling much better.’ Jessica smiled and she really did seem a whole lot better than she had on Monday. ‘And thank you, Lizzie, for the other day, I’m sorry—I was in a right state.’
‘You did really well,’ Lizzie said, because Jessica had—it had taken ages to remove the tiny sutures and even though Iain had soaked them, it had still been uncomfortable and unpleasant, on top of everything else Jessica was already going through.
Leo washed his hands and Jessica lifted her hair as Leo examined the wound carefully.
‘Iain has done an amazing job,’ Leo said. ‘How are you?’
This time she didn’t look at Lizzie to leave, and it was good to see Jessica looking far more relaxed.
‘Better. My mum’s staying with me and I’ve spoken to a lawyer …’ Then she did glance at Lizzie.
‘Lizzie’s fine,’ Leo said.
‘It wasn’t the first time,’ Jessica admitted.
‘It rarely is,’ Leo said.
‘That time I said that I fell down the stairs …’ Jessica said, and Leo nodded. ‘Did you know?’
‘I asked you outright.’
‘I know.’ Jessica screwed up her face. ‘I just wasn’t ready to tell anyone. I am now, though.’
‘Good for you. You know that if there’s anything we can do …’
‘Thank you.’
‘I mean it,’ Leo said. ‘And not just with paperwork for lawyers—we’ve got a marvellous psychologist at the clinic, Tanya is …’
‘I spoke to her.’
‘Good,’ Leo said. ‘Keep speaking to her.’
He was extremely nice to Jessica and they chatted some more but Leo declined when she offered to ring down for coffee.
‘I’m afraid we have to go.’ He glanced at his watch but still didn’t dash off.
‘Of course you do.’ Jessica smiled. ‘It’s just so nice to have company. I’m getting cabin fever.’
‘Have you been out?’
Jessica shook her head.
‘You should go for a little walk.’
‘I’m worried I’ll be seen or photographed. It’s all over the papers, it’s just all so embarrassing …’
‘Not for you it isn’t.’ Leo stood. ‘You have absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about.’ He did stand then. ‘Put a big scarf on and go for a walk with your head held high.’
He wasn’t smiling when they took the lift.
‘Bastard,’ Leo grumbled. ‘I re-set his nose once. I’d love to break it again.’ Instead of going down, they were going up.
‘Are we going to see Marianna?’
‘Why else would we be going up to the top floor?’ Leo winked. ‘Unless …’ He didn’t finish. He saw her blush and, unbelievably, Leo almost did the same.
Though, of course, it must be the heating!
‘Come on, now for the nicer part of the job,’ Leo said.
He really loved his work, and there was so much more to it than Lizzie had realised.
‘I can’t believe how good it already looks!’ Marianna exclaimed. ‘I thought I would have two black eyes …’
‘I’m just brilliant.’ Leo smiled and carefully checked them. ‘I’m really pleased.’ Marianna was flying out to join Ferdinand the next day and they chatted for a little while longer before Lizzie and Leo headed back to the clinic, but as they walked through the hotel foyer and reached the doors, Leo suddenly changed his mind.
‘How about afternoon tea?’
‘We’ll never get a table,’ Lizzie said, because she’d rung up at the weekend and found out that if you weren’t a guest you had to book weeks in advance.