It seemed she was to be thwarted when the car began spluttering and choking, the engine almost stopping a couple of times. Leigh put her foot down on the accelerator, hoping to reach home before the engine gave up the fight and stopped altogether.

  Her thoughts were far away as the little Mini travelled swiftly as it was able to cover the miles back to her little flat. She was seeing Gavin most evenings now, but of Piers she had seen nothing. Strangely enough she missed the occasional glances she had had of him, often searching the crowds in the theatre or ballet until her eyes ached from looking for him. Gavin didn’t mention his father at all now and Leigh didn’t like to broach the subject, even though it would give her pleasure to talk about the man she loved, especially to Gavin who loved him too.

  And love Piers she did—enough to know that sooner or later she would give in to the demands of her body and go to him as he wanted her to, and on any terms he demanded. But perhaps by that time he wouldn’t want her any more and she could leave him with only her pride and self-respect torn to shreds.

  She was so deep in thought that she didn’t see the cat run out into the road until it was too late. She had no time to think, only react. She turned the steering wheel, careering off the road and through a hedge, banging her head on the windscreen as the car finally came to rest sideways on in a ditch.

  Of the next two hours Leigh knew nothing. She didn’t know that a man in a passing car saw her Mini perched precariously in the ditch and called an ambulance and the police when he realised someone was still inside the vehicle. When the police arrived Leigh was gently carried out of the badly damaged car and rushed to the nearest hospital, which luckily enough happened to be the one she worked at.

  She woke up to find herself tucked up warmly between crisp white sheets, every limb in her body aching beyond comprehension. It was very dark outside, although the night light near her bed gave out a small beam of light, and turning her head sideways she saw a nurse sitting beside her.

  ‘Hi,’ she managed between stiff lips, her head feeling as if it was going to explode. ‘What time is it?’

  The young nurse smiled at her and Leigh thought she recognised her. ‘It’s two o’clock in the morning, and you shouldn’t be moving too much with all those bruises.’

  ‘I don’t think I could if I tried.’ She looked about her curiously, ignoring the throbbing pain behind her eyes. ‘Where am I?’

  ‘St David’s Hospital, and you’ve had a nasty bang on the head, besides badly bruising yourself. Do you have any pain?’ the young nurse asked gently.

  Did she have pain! There didn’t seem one place on her body that didn’t hurt. ‘Only a little.’ She attempted a tiny smile, moving very carefully. ‘Am I really at St David’s?’

  ‘Yes. You were admitted about an hour and a half ago. We’ve all been waiting for you to wake up so that you can tell us what happened. The police said that no other vehicle seemed to be involved.’

  ‘There wasn’t,’ Leigh said ruefully. ‘I swerved to avoid a cat and unfortunately drove off the road at the same time. I must say, it seems strange to be a patient here instead of actually working,’ she chuckled. ‘It certainly gives me a different view of things. Now I know how the poor patient feels.’

  ‘Mmm. It will stand you in good stead when you start your training next month. Now I’d better tell the doctor that you’ve woken up,’ and the nurse stood up, smoothing down her starched apron.

  ‘You’re Janice Hailey, aren’t you?’

  The young nurse smiled. ‘That’s right, but don’t let Sister or Staff Nurse hear you call me by my first name or I’ll be in trouble. I won’t be a minute. Don’t go anywhere, will you?’ she added teasingly.

  Leigh laughed, stopping her before she left the room. ‘Did anyone let my flatmate and family know where I am?’ she asked anxiously.

  ‘They’re all waiting outside,’ Janice assured her quietly. ‘I’ll let them in for a few moments once the doctor has given you the okay for visitors.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Leigh relaxed tiredly back against her pillows. It was amazing how a little knock on the head could make her feel so thoroughly tired.

  The doctor who entered the room ten minutes later was one of Keith’s friends, and Leigh had met him once or twice. ‘Good evening,’ he smiled at her. ‘Or is it? I’m not so sure you think it is. Now then,’ he said briskly, ‘what were you doing driving into a ditch?’

  Leigh couldn’t help smiling at the teasing look in his laughing blue eyes. ‘I like ditches,’ she joked before sobering. ‘Actually I swerved to avoid a cat.’

  ‘And this is where you finished up,’ he tutted. ‘Typical of a woman driver to value the cat’s life more than her own.’ He checked her pulse, blood pressure and pupil reaction.

  ‘It wasn’t a case of that really. I didn’t have time to think one way or the other, it was just reflex action.’

  ‘Well, the cat seems to have got away with his life. The police made no mention of it when they brought you in.’

  ‘Strangely enough I remember the cat running away. In the midst of driving through hedges and other things I remember that!’

  The young doctor straightened from his examination of her. ‘Well, you seem to be all right too. We have of course taken some X-rays, but as long as they’re satisfactory and nothing else develops you should be able to return home in a couple of days.’

  ‘A couple of days!’ echoed Leigh. ‘But there’s nothing wrong with me, except a few bruises.’

  His eyes darkened disapprovingly. ‘Now then, Leigh, you should know better than to make a sweeping statement like that. We have to keep you under observation for a couple of days—you could have delayed shock and we would prefer you to be here if that happens.’

  Leigh sighed deeply after he had left. What on earth would she do in here for two days? It was a new experience for her to be a patient in hospital, and she wasn’t sure that she was going to like it. Her face brightened as her mother and father, her two brothers and Karen came into the room.

  ‘Two minutes only, please,’ warned Janice Hailey.

  ‘How do you feel?’ whispered her mother.

  ‘Not too bad, Mum,’ smiled Leigh, knowing how much she must have worried them. ‘Except for a few aches and pains.’

  ‘You had me worried,’ put in Karen. ‘I couldn’t understand why you were so late, unless you’d met …’ she hesitated. ‘Well, I just couldn’t think where you could be. And then the policeman arrived,’ she shuddered. ‘What a horrible experience! I wondered what on earth had happened. And then I had to let your parents know.’

  ‘Oh, goodness,’ sympathised Leigh. ‘I’m sorry you’ve all been worried in this way.’

  ‘That’s all right.’ Her father squeezed her hand just to reassure himself she was all in one piece. ‘We’re all just so relieved that there’s nothing seriously wrong with you. It was that damn car, of course.’

  Leigh shook her head, finding the pain wasn’t quite so bad since she had taken the painkillers Janice had brought her. ‘Strangely enough it wasn’t.’ She explained to them what had happened, feeling even sillier on the third telling of it.

  ‘Typical,’ put in Chris. ‘Women drivers!’ he said with disgust.

  ‘Don’t you start,’ threatened Leigh. ‘Dr Meadows has already given me a lecture on the same subject.’

  ‘I’m not surprised,’ chimed in Dale.

  ‘Two minutes are up, I’m afraid,’ the young nurse interrupted. ‘Visiting time tomorrow is between two and three o’clock.’

  Dan Stanton smiled at her gratefully. ‘We just wanted to see that this independent child of ours is all right. Come one, everyone, let’s let this young girl get on with her work. Look after her, Nurse, she means a lot to us.’

  ‘I will,’ Janice promised.

  ‘Oh, Karen,’ Leigh called her friend back, ‘can you let Gavin know I won’t be able to see him tomorrow—today,’ she amended ruefully.

  ‘Right. And take care.’

  It was amazing how that few minutes’ conversation had exhausted her, and she lay back tiredly on the pillows. If only the pain in her head would go perhaps she would be able to get some sleep. And her whole body seemed to be stiffening up too. Oh well, at least the cat had been saved.

  Leigh was woken the next morning by the clattering of a tea trolley. She was able to see her room better in the morning light and felt slightly surprised to find herself in one of the side rooms off the the main ward. These were usually set aside for especially ill patients or people who preferred to be on their own, not for little pre-nurses. Janice Hailey had gone off duty now and another young nurse brought in her breakfast.

  ‘Do you feel up to eating some cereal?’ Diane Pearson asked.

  ‘A little, please.’ Leigh sat up, the pain in her head now only a slight throb, but she winced a little as she pulled her bruised, aching limbs up the bed.

  The nurse noticed her pained expression and smiled sympathetically at her. ‘It doesn’t pay to go arguing with hedges and ditches, I’m afraid.’

  Leigh laughed. ‘I realise that—now. Tell me,’ she asked seriously, ‘why am I in a side ward?’

  ‘Don’t worry, you aren’t dangerously ill and we aren’t telling you. Staff of the hospital always have these rooms.’

  ‘I see.’ The explanation satisfied Leigh.

  After breakfast one of the nurses helped her wash and put on one of her own more attractive nightdresses that Karen had thoughtfully provided the evening before. She had to stay in bed today and the prospect wasn’t exactly exciting. She tried to interest herself in a magazine, but even that tired her and she soon found herself dozing. How could a little bump on the head made her feel so exhausted? It was ridiculous.

  Keith must have heard of her accident, because about eleven o’clock he walked casually into her room followed by five or six other medical students, a huge bunch of flowers in his hand which he laid on the bed. ‘Hello, kitten,’ he bent and kissed her on the cheek. ‘At last I’ve got you where I want you!’

  ‘In bed, hmm?’ quipped Leigh.

  The others laughed, a couple of them including Keith perching on the side of her bed. It was nice to have company and Leigh soon found herself laughing happily as the jokes were bandied back and forth between the boys, her aches and pains momentarily forgotten.

  ‘I see,’ remarked a familiar voice from the doorway, ‘that as usual you’re surrounded by attentive males.’

  One of the medical students moved aside, giving Leigh a clear view of Piers as he stood surveying them from the open doorway. Not that she had needed to see him to know who it was, she would recognise that voice anywhere. She clutched the sheet to her self-consciously and blushed under his mocking gaze. ‘P-Piers,’ she greeted shakily. ‘How nice of you to come and see me.’

  Keith stood up, completely unruffled by the sophistication of the man, and his obvious displeasure at finding them there. ‘Come on, boys,’ he said lightly. ‘Competition’s arrived, and I think we come a very poor second. How are you, Mr Sinclair?’

  ‘Fine, thanks, Keith.’ Piers moved forward with a panther-like tread. ‘Don’t feel you have to leave because of me,’ he added politely.

  ‘We aren’t,’ smiled Keith. ‘We’re supposed to be working.’ He added in a whisper, ‘But don’t tell anyone!’

  Leigh sat up awkwardly in the bed, the sheet pulled up to her chin in her embarrassment. She had wanted to see him again, but certainly not like this. Piers continued to study her through narrowed lids for several long seconds more before coming to stand next to the bed. ‘How are you feeling?’ he asked huskily.

  She lowered her head, unwilling to meet his compelling eyes unless he read too much from her own. ‘Fine, thank you. How did—how did you know I was here?’

  ‘How the hell do you think I found out! Gavin thought I should know.’

  ‘But—but why?’ she asked tremulously.

  ‘Why do you think!’ he asked savagely. ‘Because he knew I would be concerned about you—a thought that never crossed your mind, I’m sure.’

  ‘Well, no—I—Why should you be concerned for me?’

  He moved away from her. ‘I keep asking myself the same question,’ he said raggedly, his face cold and withdrawn. ‘Why is it that every time I see you you’re surrounded by adoring males all eager to run to your bidding?’

  Leigh attempted a light laugh, but it came out more as a choking sob. ‘Keith isn’t an adoring male, he was trying to cheer me up.’

  ‘If you hadn’t been out in that damned car you wouldn’t need cheering up in the first place. I warned you about it, but as usual you chose to ignore me. If you don’t care about yourself you should at least think of the people who love you.’

  ‘Don’t you lecture me,’ she ground out. ‘And for your information, it was not the car’s fault that I crashed. I swerved to avoid a cat on the road, that’s why I crashed. So don’t come here lecturing me!’

  ‘I heard you the first time. It seems that this accident has done nothing to take the sting out of your tongue.’

  ‘Why don’t you leave me alone?’ she said brokenly. ‘You’ve done nothing but alternately bully or caress me since the moment we met, and I’ve had just about enough of it. Just get out, will you. Get out!’

  A young nurse poked her head around the door at the sound of their raised voices. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Sinclair, but I’ll have to ask you to leave if you’re going to upset Miss Stanton. I only let you in on condition that you didn’t excite her.’

  Piers’ mouth twisted bitterly. ‘Oh, I don’t think I’ve done that, Nurse. And don’t bother to throw me out, I was going anyway. Goodbye, Leigh.’ The words sounded so final to Leigh’s ears.

  CHAPTER TEN

  LEIGH relaxed back in her chair, grateful for a bit of peace and quiet. Since she had been discharged from hospital three days earlier she had been continually surrounded by people, and although the company was nice the continual noise had soon begun to pall. The hospital had given her two weeks sick leave, and feeling that Karen had been left at the flat on her own long enough Leigh had come back to town for the second week, much to her mother’s disgust.

  It was unfortunate that Karen had chosen this weekend to visit her own parents, and so it was with a feeling of peace that Leigh settled comfortably before the electric fire with a book she had been promising herself she would read for months.

  The book wasn’t turning out to be as readable as she had thought, and she didn’t know whether to be annoyed or just grateful for the company when an hour later the doorbell rang. She shrugged, chiding herself for being ungrateful. It wasn’t until something like the accident happened that you realised just how many friends you had. She had received numerous get-well cards and several bouquets of flowers. But from Piers there had been no word. Gavin had casually mentioned that his father was in America on business, but other than that she had heard nothing.

  Gavin grinned boyishly at her as she opened the door for him to come in. He had been her most attentive visitor, coming to see her at the hospital and at home. Her parents had liked him very much, and if they wondered what had happened between Piers and herself they gave no sign.

  Gavin looked about him suspiciously. ‘You don’t happen to have my irate father in there, do you?’ he nodded towards the lounge.

  Leigh’s face turned pale. ‘P-Piers? But why should he be here? You told me he was in America.’

  He grimaced, following her into the room before shedding his warm coat. ‘Was is the right word. He arrived home yesterday, yesterday evening in fact. And within ten minutes of seeing me he blew his top. We had the most terrible row imaginable.’ Gavin grinned with enjoyment. ‘About you.’

  ‘A-about me? But why?’ Leigh couldn’t imagine what had been happening. ‘Have you been up to mischief again, Gavin?’

  ‘Who, me?’ He opened wide innocent eyes.

  ‘Yes, you!’ She pushed him down into one of the armchairs. ‘Those innocent blue eyes don’t deceive me. Now tell me.’

  ‘Well, Dad arrived home unexpectedly from America last night, as far as I knew he was out of the country for a couple of weeks. Anyway,’ Gavin hurried on as he saw her becoming impatient, ‘Dad called me and asked if I would go over to his flat. As you know, I should have been seeing you last night, but I had to cancel.’

  ‘Gavin!’ Leigh said tautly. ‘Will you get on with it? I’m sure you do this on purpose.’

  He grinned again. ‘Well, as I said, he asked me to come over, which I did. I could see he was in a foul mood as soon as I saw him, and what I had to say really finished him off. You should have seen him, Leigh,’ he chuckled. ‘I’ve never seen him so angry. He really lost his temper.’

  Leigh sighed with frustration. ‘So will I in a minute. I don’t see what all this has to do with me, Gavin. Okay, you had a row with your father and you’re upset about it, but I don’t see what I can do to help.’

  At this Gavin laughed outright. ‘I’m not upset, Leigh. I think it’s the best thing I’ve done in years. When I arrived last night Dad was very polite, but stilted, you know. I could tell he had something on his mind and it didn’t take him long to get to the point, which is more than can be said for me, I know. He asked me what my—intentions were regarding yourself,’ he said calmly.

  ‘He did what!’ An angry sparkle added life to her lacklustre eyes. ‘What on earth for?’

  ‘He didn’t say. Anyway, I told him that I was seriously considering asking you to marry me.’

  Leigh couldn’t believe what she was hearing, staring at him with open horror. She attempted a wan smile. ‘I don’t believe it, Gavin. This is just your idea of a joke.’

  He snorted with disgust. ‘If it is I’m afraid no one thinks it funny, least of all Dad.’

  ‘But I—I don’t understand, Gavin. Why lie like that?’ she looked at him sharply. ‘You didn’t mean it, did you?’