CHAPTER ONE

      ‘I’M READY to come back to St Piran’s.’

      No words filled the silence, there was no quick response to her statement, so Izzy ploughed on, determined to make a good impression with Jess, the hospital counsellor. ‘I’m really looking forward to being back at work.’ Izzy’s voice was upbeat. ‘I know that a few people have suggested that I wait till the baby is born, I mean, given that I can only work for a couple of months, but I really think that this is the right thing for me.’

      Still Jess said nothing, still Izzy argued to the silence. ‘I’m ready to move on with my life. I’ve put the house on the market....’ She felt as if she were at an interview, effectively she was at an interview. After the terrible events of four months ago, Ben Carter, the senior consultant in A and E, had told her to take all the time she needed before she came back to the unit where she worked as an emergency registrar.

      It would have been far easier to not come

      back, and at nearly twenty-eight weeks pregnant she’d had every reason to put it off, but Izzy had finally taken the plunge, and instead of ringing Ben to tell him her decision, she had dropped by unannounced. But to her surprise, instead of welcoming her back with open arms, Ben had gently but firmly informed her that it would be preferable if she see one of the hospital counsellors.

      ‘I’m fine!’ Izzy had said. ‘I don’t need to see a counsellor.’

      ‘You are seeing someone, though?’ Ben had correctly interpreted the beat of silence.

      ‘I was.’ Izzy had swallowed. ‘But I’m fine now.’

      ‘Good!’ Ben had clipped. ‘Then you won’t have a problem speaking with someone else.’

      ‘Ben!’ Izzy had hardly been able to contain her fury. ‘It’s been four months! You know me—’

      ‘Izzy!’ Ben had interrupted, refusing to be manipulated. ‘I worked with you daily, I’ve been to your home, I got on well with Henry and yet