Brides of Penhally Bay - Vol 2. Kate Hardy
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Bruiser. And when I tried to get it off him it bit me, too.’
‘Micky was so brave.’ Colleen sniffed.
‘Where’s the other dog now?’ Melinda asked.
‘The police have got it,’ Micky said. ‘It ought to be put down.’
‘Make sure the police have your details—and that they’ve made a note on the Dog Bite Register. That way, if that dog routinely attacks other dogs, they can do something about it. Now, let me have a look at Bruiser here.’ She dropped to her knees and let the dog sniff her hands for reassurance that she wasn’t going to hurt him, then gently examined the dog. ‘There’s one pretty nasty bite here. Are all his vaccinations up to date, Colleen?’
The girl nodded.
‘That’s one good thing. How old is he?’
‘Nine. We got him when I was six.’
‘OK.’ Gently, she cleaned the wounds, talking to the dog and reassuring him as she did so—just as Dragan was irrigating the boy’s wounds. Again, she couldn’t help glancing at him, and discovered him looking straight at her, his expression unreadable.
He looked away first. ‘I’m going to need to take you back to the surgery, Micky,’ Dragan said. ‘I need to give you some antibiotics, just to make sure there was nothing nasty in the dog’s bite.’
‘I’m going to need to give Bruiser antibiotics, too,’ Melinda said. ‘And I’m not going to stitch the wounds closed because there’s more of a risk of infection with puncture wounds.’
‘Same with you, Micky,’ Dragan said. ‘I’m going to cover your wounds with a light dressing, and you’ll need to come back to me in a couple of days for stitches.’
‘Snap,’ Melinda said to Colleen with a smile.
‘Is Bruiser going to be all right?’ she asked. ‘He’s not going to die?’
‘He’s going to be a bit sore for a few days. And you need to keep an eye on him—if you notice anything unusual about his breathing or if he seems hot or uncomfortable, call me straight away.’ She gave the girl one of the practice business cards. ‘So where’s your mum?’
‘She’s gone shopping in the village.’
‘OK. When she gets back, ask her to ring me and I’ll explain. It wasn’t your fault that Bruiser was attacked. If she’d been with you, it would still have happened,’ Melinda reassured the girl.
‘You probably saved the dog’s life,’ Dragan told Micky. ‘Though next time you might find a bucket of water’s more effective and less painful for you in breaking up a fight. Better let your parents know where you’re going—I’ll drop you back here when I’ve sorted the antibiotics.’
‘Are you all right?’ Melinda asked Colleen.
The girl nodded and continued to stroke the dog. ‘I’m just so sorry he got hurt.’
Yeah. Melinda knew how that felt. Again, she glanced at Dragan—and met his unfathomable dark gaze.
‘It’ll work out,’ she said to Colleen.
Though she was none too sure if the situation between her and Dragan could be fixed. They’d worked as a team here, sorting out a problem. He was a brilliant doctor and she knew she was good at her job, too. They were both good at reassuring others. So why couldn’t they reassure themselves?
She had no idea where they went from here. All she knew was that she missed him. And she had to find a way to get through to him, to prove to him that she loved him and she’d never hurt him again.
Later that evening George rang her, sounding anxious. ‘Melinda? When’s your dating scan again?’
‘Wednesday afternoon.’
‘And you’re not sure just how pregnant you are.’
Ice trickled down her spine. There had to be a reason why he was asking. And from the tone of his voice, it was a serious reason. ‘Why?’
‘You know when you helped me at Polkerris Farm when lambing went mad a few weeks back?’
‘Ye-es.’ Usually Melinda dealt with the small-animal work at the practice, but that particular week there had been more lambs than George could deal with on his own, and she’d gone over to the farm to help him out.
‘I asked you before we started if there was any possibility you were pregnant, and you said no.’
‘I didn’t think I was.’
George dragged in a breath. ‘Then you need to see your midwife and ask her to do some tests.’
Melinda’s mouth felt almost too stiff to move. ‘You’re telling me that some of the ewes are losing their lambs?’
‘It’s definitely EAE.’ EAE stood for enzootic abortion in ewes, and it was every sheep farmer’s worst nightmare at lambing time. The infection could also be transferred to humans, so pregnant women were advised to avoid all contact with lambs, ewes who were lambing and even the boots and clothes of people who’d been involved in lambing.
‘I’m taking samples,’ George said. He paused. ‘Look, is there anyone who can be with you?’
Dragan.
No. Not after this afternoon. His coldness had made his feelings clear. ‘I’ll ring Chloe.’
‘Do that. And actually she’s probably the best person to give you advice. Let me know how things go—and if there’s anything you need, you only have to say, OK?’
‘I will. Thank you, George.’
Melinda cut the connection and pressed the speed-dial button for Chloe’s number. Please, be there, she begged silently. Please be there.
The phone rang.
And rang.
And rang.
By the time it was finally picked up, Melinda was frantic. ‘Chloe? It’s Melinda. Can I come over? Please?’
‘Melinda?’
What was Dragan doing at Chloe’s place? And why was he answering her phone?
She must have asked the questions out loud because he said, ‘You didn’t call Chloe. You called me.’
It must’ve been her subconscious dialling the wrong number. Because when George had broken the news, she’d wanted Dragan with her so badly.
‘What’s wrong?’ he asked.
She’d tried so hard to be strong. But hearing him sound so warm, so concerned—the way he used to be—was too much for her. She couldn’t handle this, not when they weren’t together any more. The weight of all that had happened suddenly hit her. She dropped the phone and sobbed.
Three minutes later her doorbell rang. As if someone was leaning on it. Hard. And it didn’t stop ringing until she stumbled down the stairs and opened the door.
He closed the door behind him and wrapped his arms round her. ‘It’s all right. Calm down. Deep breaths. It’s OK.’
Sobs racked her.
‘Is it the baby?’ he asked.
‘N-no. Y-yes.’ She couldn’t get the words out.
‘Are you bleeding?’
‘N-no. It’s…it’s…’
‘All right, carissima. I’m here. I’ve got you.’ And he lifted her bodily, cradling her against him with one hand under her knees and the other supporting her back.
Just as if he were carrying her over the threshold.
Which wasn’t going to happen.
She