'I'll just do the tetanus injection,' Ellie said quickly. 'You really ought to see your GP and get the rest of your immunisations up to date,' she told the patient, moving over to the trolley and snapping the top of the relevant ampoule.
Ben was concentrating on the wound. 'Will you tell Sean?'
'He'll already know. Jack always tells him when there's a call-out because he knows it could present a staffing problem.' She moved over to the patient, gave the injection quickly and smiled apologetically at Ben. 'Is it OK if I leave you to it? You've nearly finished and I've got to pull on some suitable gear.'
Ben stitched with a speed and skill that made her blink. 'What about Max?'
'Jack will bring him and I always carry my gear in the car just in case;' Ellie threw the remains of the ampoule into the sharps bin and glanced at her watch. 'I'm virtually at the end of my shift anyway. I'd better tell Nicky...'
She turned to walk to the office but Nicky and Sean were already on their way towards her.
Sean's expression told Ellie that he already knew what was happening. 'I've just spoken to Jack. The police have had a call from two walkers. One of them slipped, crossing a waterfall, and he's injured. They tried to take a short cut and now they're lost. The mist has come down, it's going to be dark in an hour. He's sending up one section of the MRT and one dog team. You and Max.'
'Then I'd better get a move on, if that's all right with you?' Ellie looked at Nicky who smiled and nodded.
'Of course it is. Be careful.'
At that moment Ben joined them, his expression curious as he saw them gathered in a huddle.
Sean's gaze flickered to his friend. 'Just the person. Ben, he wants a doctor, too, so I said you'd do it.'
Ben gave a brief nod. 'No problem. I'll pick up my gear and meet them there.'
Ben was joining them? Ellie felt a moment of surprise.
There was a waiting list to join the Mountain Rescue Team and a huge amount of training and assessment involved. Still, Ben was obviously an incredibly skilled climber and the politics of the rescue team wasn't any of her business. And he already seemed to know almost everyone so maybe it wasn't really surprising.
She sprinted to her car, grabbed her gear and returned to the staffroom to change. Quickly she pulled on thermal underwear, fleecy top and trousers and stuffed her theatre pyjamas into the laundry bin.
Then she scooped up her dark hair and stuffed it under a fleece hat. It was going to be bitterly cold out there and she wanted to make sure that she was prepared.
Saying a quick goodbye to Sean, she hurried back to her car and drove quickly to the rendezvous point at the Drunken Fox.
Jack was already there with the other members of the team, staring at a map. He looked up with a grin as Ellie struggled in with her rucksack and waterproof gear. 'What took you so long?'
Ellie slung the gear onto the floor. 'Oh, you know, filing my nails, blow drying my hair—all the usual girly things. Got to look good before I go up a mountain in a gale-force wind. You never know who you might meet.'
Max bounded up to her, tail wagging, and she stooped to hug him.
'OK.' Jack turned his attention back to the map and stabbed it with the end of his pen. "Their last known position was here, but they walked for at least half an hour after that so we guess they're now about here.' He tapped the map again. "They called us on a mobile and Base are going to stay in touch with them and keep us informed. There are two of them and one of them is injured, we don't know how badly.'
Ted Wilson, the equipment officer, pulled a face. 'It would be good to have a doctor on this one. Where's Sean?'
'Busy,' Jack said tersely, 'but I've got someone else just as good, if not better.'
At that moment the door opened again and Ben walked in, his powerful presence immediately dominating the room.
'Jack.' Unsmiling, he gave a brief nod of acknowledgement and walked over to join the group, his attention immediately on the map.
Ellie swallowed. He was devilishly good-looking and totally self-possessed. Unlike the other members of the group, Ben didn't chat or joke. Instead, he was silent and watchful, speaking when he had something to contribute and then only briefly.
But when he did speak, everyone fell silent, listening intently, as if there was something about Ben that set him apart from other men.
And there was.
He had the strength and confidence of a natural leader and Ellie realised at once why Jack had asked Ben to join them.
You only had to look at the respect in the eyes of the rest of the team members to understand that they considered it a privilege to work with him.