A Mother for His Family. Alison Roberts
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Sarah smiled. ‘Can you remember what happened? Were you feeling unwell in any way before you fell?’
‘No, I’m as fit as a fiddle. It was these sandals. I came down that hill too fast and turned my foot.’
‘She was excited,’ Stanley explained. ‘She got a hole in one under that turtle.’
‘I did, didn’t I?’ Marjorie beamed at Stanley. ‘Not so dusty for an old girl, huh?’
Sarah’s smile widened. ‘How old are you, Marjorie?’
‘Seventy-seven.’ Marjorie leaned towards Sarah. ‘Stanley’s only sixty-eight. Take my advice, sweetie. Always go for a younger man.’
‘We’re on our honeymoon,’ Stanley added proudly. ‘We got married here, on the beach.’
‘Oh, how lovely! I’ve always thought that a tropical island wedding would be just perfect.’
‘It was.’ Marjorie nodded. ‘Until now.’ She groaned. ‘Do you think I’ve broken it?’
‘Let’s have a look.’ Sarah eased a sandal with a high cork sole from Marjorie’s foot.
Stanley was holding Marjorie’s hand again and looking very anxious. They both watched as Sarah carefully examined the foot and ankle.
‘Can you wiggle your toes?’
Brightly painted toenails waggled a little feebly.
‘Try moving the whole foot.’
‘Ouch!’ Marjorie exclaimed. Then she tried again. ‘It’s not so bad,’ she decided.
‘I don’t think anything’s broken,’ Sarah told her finally. ‘It looks like a sprain to me. What we need is some ice and a bandage and somewhere for Marjorie to put her foot up for a while.’
Marjorie’s face creased with disappointment. ‘But we were going to go snorkelling this afternoon.’
‘See how it feels a bit later.’ Sarah stood up. ‘I’ll see if I can find someone to help. I believe there’s a doctor on the island at the moment, in fact.’
‘That wouldn’t be him, would it?’
Stanley pointed past her shoulder in the direction of the turtle pond and it didn’t really surprise Sarah at all to see Tori coming towards them with ‘Doctor Ben’ in tow. The boy carrying the kit was still with him but the other children had vanished.
Tori looked very happy. ‘This is Ben Dawson, Sarah. He’s a doctor. Wasn’t it lucky I spotted him after we heard that screaming?’
‘I didn’t scream,’ Marjorie protested. ‘I never scream, do I, Stanley?’
‘You came pretty close the other night,’ Stanley murmured.
‘Stanley!’
‘This is Marjorie, Dr Dawson.’ Sarah was struggling to keep a straight face and Tori’s smothering of a giggle was not entirely successful. ‘She tripped over and turned her ankle. No prior symptoms and she doesn’t appear to have injured anything else.’
‘Call me Ben.’ Dark eyes were twinkling as Ben made no serious attempt to hide his enjoyment of this scene. ‘You got married the other day, didn’t you, Marjorie?’
‘Sure did, Doctor. Best thing that’s happened to me in a few decades.’
‘I saw the wedding from a distance,’ Ben said. ‘Gorgeous dress.’ He smiled at Stanley. ‘I liked the white suit, too. Perfect choice for a beach wedding.’
‘We’ve only got two days of our honeymoon left,’ Marjorie told him. ‘Sarah says my ankle’s not broken and she’s a nurse so she should know, shouldn’t she?’
‘Absolutely.’ Ben smiled at Sarah and then turned to include Tori in the group. ‘This is Sarah’s friend, Tori, and she’s a nurse as well. You’ve just about got a whole emergency department here. Isn’t that lucky?’
Marjorie didn’t seem overly impressed. ‘I don’t need a department. I need to know that I can go snorkelling this afternoon.
‘I suggested ice,’ Sarah said. ‘And a bandage and elevation—at least for a while.’
‘Sounds like good advice to me. How ’bout I check that ankle out?’ His glance at Sarah looked suspiciously like a wink. ‘A second opinion can’t hurt, can it?’
Oh, he was charming all right. How many doctors would be prepared to simply back up the diagnosis of a nurse? He was doing exactly what he should be doing as a more highly qualified professional but he was managing to make it seem like an unnecessary formality.
‘RICE,’ he pronounced a short time later. ‘Rest, ice, compression and elevation.’
‘Exactly what Sarah said.’ Stanley nodded. ‘Except for that compression bit.’
‘That’s the bandage,’ Ben told him. ‘And I expect my assistant, Josefa, knows just where to find one.’
The lanky teenager’s face lit up in a grin. The kit was open in a flash and three sizes of bandage were produced for Ben to choose from. Josefa ran off just as eagerly when Ben explained the need for an ice pack. Tori supported Marjorie’s ankle while Ben did an expert job of the bandaging. Sarah wondered if he noticed, as she did, how often Tori’s hand seemed to get just a little in the way.
‘Now, let’s get you back to your bure for a rest,’ Ben declared finally. To Marjorie’s evident delight, he effortlessly picked the elderly woman up in his arms.
‘I’ve been swept off my feet,’ she cried happily.
‘I thought I did that,’ Stanley grumbled.
‘It’s OK, Stanley.’ Ben grinned. ‘I’m not half as handsome as you and I promise I’ll give her back. Now, which direction is your bure?’
‘Oh, no, you don’t,’ Marjorie said firmly. ‘I might have to sit but I’m not going to waste the rest of my day. I want to sit by the pool where I can look at something more interesting than my foot.’
‘We could have some lunch.’
‘And champagne, Stanley. Don’t forget we’re on our honeymoon.’
‘Lunch sounds like an excellent idea,’ Ben said. ‘I’m heading that way myself so I’ll be able to keep an eye on you, Marjorie. I don’t want to see you dancing on any of those tables.’
Marjorie actually giggled and Sarah fell back behind the group as she shook her head imperceptibly. Ben Dawson was clearly a hit with ladies of all ages. If she had been feeling unkind she would have labelled him a flirt but it was hard to feel unkind with the sunshine and warmth and laughter all around her.
Tori fell back to keep step with Sarah. ‘Lunch,’ she murmured. ‘Told you my idea was the best.’
‘It was the sprained ankle that worked,’ Sarah whispered back. ‘Just lucky it didn’t have to be yours.’
‘Yeah.’ Tori laughed and her voice rose unconsciously. ‘Nothing to stop me dancing on a table or two, is there?’
Stanley and Ben both turned. Both men had an identical appreciative expression and Sarah almost groaned aloud.
‘I sincerely hope you won’t,’ she muttered.
‘Don’t worry.’ Tori ducked to sweep up some hibiscus blooms lying beneath a nearby bush. ‘I’m far too hungry.’ She handed one of the flowers to Sarah and then poked another behind her ear.
‘Is it the left ear if you’re single?’ she asked nobody in particular.
‘Couldn’t say for sure,’ Ben responded. ‘But I think that’s how it goes.’