CHAPTER ONE

      JOANNA WESTON pulled up outside a row of small, terraced cottages and switched off the car engine.

      She felt exhausted. Totally and utterly exhausted. Her head was thumping and her eyes felt gritty from lack of sleep. Even blinking seemed to require a monumental effort.

      To cap it all, she’d turned on the car radio in time to hear the weather forecaster cheerfully announce that it was the hottest June on record and the sun beating down relentlessly through the windows of her car just increased her drowsiness.

      For a brief moment her eyes closed and she struggled against the overwhelming desire to sleep. She didn’t have time to sleep. Not yet. Maybe tonight, if she was really lucky and everyone managed to stay healthy until the morning...

      In the meantime, she had one more house call to make and then a busy evening surgery.

      Forcing her aching, complaining body into action, she climbed out of the car and walked down the path towards the house at the end of the row.

      The door opened before she’d had a chance to knock and she smiled at the old lady standing in the doorway.

      ‘Hello, Alice. Sorry I’m a bit late. I had more calls than usual. How’s that chest of yours?’

      ‘It’s much better.’ Alice James stood to one side to let Joanna in, gesturing towards the kitchen. ‘The kettle’s just boiled and you look as though you’re in need of some sustenance. Come and sit down.’

      Sit down?

      It was tempting, but Joanna had a suspicion that if she sat down she might never get up again.

      ‘I shouldn’t really.’ She glanced at her watch doubtfully. ‘Surgery starts in half an hour and I don’t want to be late.’

      Alice ignored her and spooned tea into a large blue teapot. ‘The people in this village will be more than happy to wait an extra five minutes. We all know that you’re working far too hard at the moment. I gather you were up half the night with Ted Rawlings...’

      Joanna looked at her in astonishment as she put her bag down by the table. ‘How did you know that?’

      ‘I heard it from Doris in the newsagent.’ Alice added boiling water to the tea. ‘And she heard it from Geoff Forrest, the postman, whose mother lives next door to Ted and saw the ambulance in the night.’

      Joanna gaped at her, temporarily speechless. She’d lived in this small, rural community for three years now and she was still surprised by the speed with which news travelled.

      ‘Is anything ever private around here?’

      ‘Not much.’ Alice put the teapot in the middle of the scrubbed kitchen table and reached for two bone china cups. ‘And you should be thankful for that. It was Geoff’s mother who called you because she heard Ted moaning through the wall and was worried. If she hadn’t, goodness knows what might have happened. So how is he now?’

      ‘You mean to tell me that the jungle drums haven’t given you the answer to that one yet?’ Joanna’s tone was dry. ‘You know I can’t discuss other patients with you, Alice. I’m probably the only person in the village who can’t.’ She reached into her bag and pulled out a stethoscope. ‘Now, stop gossiping and let me listen to that chest of yours.’

      Alice unbuttoned her blouse and made a tutting noise. ‘You’re not in London now, young lady. This is rural Devon, remember? It’s not about gossiping. It’s about being neighbourly. We all know everyone else’s business here. You’ve been around long enough to know that. If you won’t tell me what’s going on then there’s other folks that will.’

      ‘I’m sure they will, Alice,’ Joanna said calmly, placing her stethoscope on the woman’s chest, ‘so there’s no need for you to put me on the spot. Anyway, I don’t know why you’re asking me. I seem to know less than anyone around here. I’m only the doctor. Deep breath in for me...and again... Great. Now, your back...’

      She examined the old lady carefully and then unhooked the stethoscope and tucked it back into her bag. ‘Well, that sounds a lot healthier than last time. Your chest is clear.’

      ‘And about time! I seem to have been coughing for the whole winter and most of the spring, too.’ Alice buttoned up her blouse and poured the tea.

      Joanna looked at the steaming cup longingly and wrestled with her conscience. ‘I haven’t really got time for this, Alice...’

      ‘Nonsense. You need a break after the week you’ve