Dance-of-the-Snake-Yvonne-Whittal Read online

  experiencing in the region of her heart.

  'You're hurting me,' she finally managed in a husky voice.

  'Be thankful that my hands are not about your throat,' he bit out the words

  with a savagery that made her flinch inwardly, 'because I've never felt more like

  strangling anyone in my life!'

  He released her then, and she staggered back against the windowsill, biting

  down hard on her quivering lip, and thankful that Dane did not see her agonised

  expression following him from her consulting-room. He closed the door behind

  him with a decisiveness that made her wince, and she suspected that he was

  shutting himself off from her with a finality that hurt more deeply than anything

  had( done before.

  Jessica's suspicions were correct. During the weeks that followed Dane

  treated her with the cool politeness of a stranger, and it was during those weeks

  that she discovered exactly how much she missed his mocking, often taunting

  remarks. However cynical his smile might have been, he had at least favoured

  her with it occasionally, but these days she encountered only the tight-lipped

  expression of her superior, and however much she disliked admitting it, he was

  her superior. She loved him. She could admit it to herself now, but it was too

  late, and neither did she want

  her love abused by a man who had no use for it.

  Jessica was returning from a call-out to one of the farms in the district when she

  called in to see Olivia and the baby. She seldom drove past Mountain View these

  days without stopping for a cup of tea and a chat when she had the time, and

  today was one of those days when she felt the need to share her excitement with

  someone and that someone was Olivia King.

  As always, they had tea out on the cool, gauzed-in verandah, and Logan slept

  contentedly in his pram while Jessica and Olivia talked quietly. Their

  conversation seldom ended these days without discussing the child who was

  coming on a visit to Louisville, but there was a gleam of eager anticipation in

  Olivia's grey eyes on this occasion as she asked,

  'When are you expecting Megan?'

  'She'll be arriving tomorrow on the early morning train,' Jessica replied, unable

  to hide her own eagerness.

  'Have you told Vivien about her?'

  'I mentioned only very briefly that Megan would be coming to stay for a while,'

  Jessica smiled conspiratorially. 'I asked if she would object to Megan playing in

  the garden during the day while I'm at the consulting-rooms.'

  'What did she say?'

  'You know Vivien,' Jessica laughed. 'She said she had no objection at all, and

  she went farther than that. She offered to see to it that Megan was fed and looked

  after when I couldn't manage to make it home for lunch.'

  Olivia's expression sobered. 'Oh, I hope it works.'

  'So do I,' Jessica echoed fervently. She was taking a gamble, and there was no

  guarantee at all that it would pay off.

  Despite Olivia's backing, Jessica spent a restless night wondering yet again

  whether she had done the right thing. What if Megan and Vivien didn't take to

  each other?

  What if they did, but Vivien failed to grasp the opportunity placed within her

  reach? What if...?

  'Stop it!5 she told herself sharply, rolling over on to her left side and thumping

  her pillow into shape with a clenched fist. 'It's an experiment, and if it doesn't

  work, then no one will have been hurt.'

  It was with this thought in mind that she finally managed to fall asleep, but she

  was up again before dawn, and she was pacing the station platform when the sun

  rose like a red, fiery ball in the eastern sky.

  'The train should be here any minute now, Dr Neal,' the stationmaster replied to

  Jessica's anxious query, and not two minutes later she saw the diesel engine

  coming round the bend further down the track.

  A fair head bobbed out of a window as the train came to a squealing halt, and

  an arm was waving frantically. 'Dr Jessica!'

  Jessica waved back, and moments later Megan was running towards her with a

  small suitcase clutched in her hand. She flung herself into Jessica's arms with a

  force that made Jessica stagger, but she managed somehow to maintain her

  balance, and tightened her arms about the child.

  'It's good to see you again, Megan,' she laughed, dropping a light kiss on the

  child's honey-gold curls, and hugging her tightly.

  'I missed you.'

  'I missed you, too,'Jessica confessed, smiling down into wide blue eyes, then

  she gently ruffled the golden curls and picked up the suitcase that had been

  dumped carelessly at her feet. 'Come on, let's go. We can talk on the way, and I'm

  anxious for you to see where I live.'

  Megan talked non-stop all the way to the cottage, telling Jessica about how

  Jonathan Neal had fetched her at the orphanage in his Mercedes, about the parcel

  of goodies Amelia had given her, and, most exciting of all, the train journey from

  Johannesburg. Jessica listened to it all without interrupting, and with a tender

  smile curving her soft mouth. She had never known Megan this animated before,

  but it was a welcome change from the woebegone little girl she had come to

  know at the beginning of that year.

  When they arrived at the cottage Megan investigated every room while Jessica

  fried bacon and eggs for their breakfast. Megan's appetite was incredible.’We

  never have bacon, and we don't always have eggs for breakfast in the orphanage,'

  she explained. 'Only on special occasions.'

  Jessica did not query those special occasions, but merely pushed the dish of

  bacon closer to Megan's plate, and watched them disappear swiftly and hungrily.

  They had barely washed the dishes when Jessica glanced out the window to see

  Vivien coming along the path towards the cottage, and there was a nervous flutter

  at the pit of her stomach when Vivien's voice called from the front door, 'May I

  come in?'

  'Yes, of course, Vivien,' Jessica called back. 'We're in the kitchen.'

  'I baked a batch of small cakes last night,' Vivien said, placing a cake tin on the

  kitchen table, but as she spoke her dark eyes travelled towards Megan, and

  remained there. 'I thought you might like to have a few with your tea some time.'

  'That was kind of you, Vivien.' Jessica's heart was beating hard against her ribs

  and, placing an arm about Megan's small shoulders, she said: 'Megan, this is Mrs

  O'Brien. Her husband is also a doctor.'

  'Hello, Mrs O'Brien,' Megan said shyly.

  'I'm very glad to meet you, Megan, and please call me Aunty Vivien,' she said,

  taking the hand Megan had offered her and smiling warmly down into Megan's

  blue eyes. 'Mrs O'Brien is such a mouthful, don't you think?'

  Megan agreed with shy reserve, then Vivien glanced at Jessica who had been

  observing this meeting with casual intent. 'You're on call this afternoon, aren't

  you, Jessica?'

  'Yes, I'm afraid so,' Jessica sighed.

  'I'm going out to Mountain View this afternoon,' Vivien announced. 'I could

  take Megan with me to meet Frances, and I'm sure she would enjoy the

  afternoon on the farm.'

  'Do you have a farm, Aunty Vivien?' Megan wanted to know, her shyne
ss

  forgotten in this moment of eager anticipation.

  Vivien shook her head and smiled. 'It's my brother's farm, but he has a little

  girl called Frances who is about three years older than you, and I'm sure she

  would love to show you all the interesting things on her father's farm.' Vivien

  raised her hand and brushed it lightly over Megan's fair curls. 'Would you like

  to come with me?'

  Blue eyes looked up into Jessica's questioningly. 'May I, Dr Jessica?'

  'Of course you may, Megan.'

  'I'll pick you up directly after lunch, then, Megan,' Vivien told the child and,

  glancing at Jessica, she said: 'See you later.'

  Jessica expelled the air slowly and cautiously from her lungs, and the tension

  within her eased considerably.

  'She's nice,' Megan observed as they watched Vivien take the path back to her

  house.

  'Yes, she's very nice,' Jessica acknowledged, then she took Megan's hand and

  led her from the kitchen. 'Let's go and unpack your suitcase.'

  Jessica opened the small suitcase and stared at the few nondescript items of

  clothing it contained. There was also a toothbrush, a towel, a comb and a brush

  for her hair, and that was practically the sum total of Megan's possessions.

  'Hm . . .'Jessica frowned thoughtfully. 'I think that you and I ought to go out

  and do a bit of shopping. You could do with a few extra dresses as well as a

  couple of shorts and T-shirts' to play about in.'

  Megan's small face looked incredulous. 'Are you going to buy me new

  clothes?'

  'Yes, I am.5 Jessica's chin was set in a determined manner. 'Come on, let's lock

  up the cottage and start our raid on the shops.'

  Jessica could not decide afterwards which of them had enjoyed the shopping

  spree more, Megan or herself, but when they emerged from the children's

  boutique an hour later, loaded with parcels, Megan announced excitedly, 'That

  was fun!'

  'I think you have enough there now, don't you?' Jessica smiled down at her.

  'Oh, yes!' Megan announced, her small face glowing with delight. 'Thank you,

  Dr Jessica.'

  'Good morning,' a cool voice said directly behind them, and Jessica turned

  stiffly to find herself staring a long way up into Dane's expressionless face.

  'Good morning,' she returned tritely, and if she had not known that it was

  medically impossible, she could have sworn that her heart did a quick somersault

  in her breast at the sight of him.

  'I'm Dane Trafford,' he introduced himself with a faint smile in Megan's

  direction. 'What's your name?'

  'Megan Leigh.' Blue eyes surveyed him a little shyly. 'Are you a doctor too?'

  'I'm afraid so, yes.' His dark brows rose a fraction. 'Do you mind?'

  'No,' Megan shook her head, taking in Jessica's taut features before she glanced

  up at Dane once more. 'Are you a friend of Dr Jessica's?'

  Dane glanced briefly at Jessica, and those clever eyes did not miss that look of

  annoyance in her eyes, nor the embarrassed flush staining her cheeks. "

  'Don't pay any attention to the disapproving look on Jessica's face. She likes

  me, but she doesn't want anyone to know it,' he told Megan with a conspiratorial

  wink that made Jessica feel like kicking his shins. 'Would you like an ice-cream?'

  he changed the subject, surprising

  Jessica with his offer.

  'Oh, yes, please,' Megan accepted delightedly.

  'Here, let me help you with some of those parcels,' Dane said at once,

  relieving Megan as well as Jessica of some of the excess weight they were

  carrying before they walked the short distance towards the tea room. 'My, but

  you have been doing a lot of shopping,' he observed dryly.

  'Dr Jessica bought me a whole lot of new clothes to wear,' Megan told him

  proudly.

  'Is that so?' he drawled, his mocking and faintly derisive glance meeting

  Jessica's as they entered the cool interior of the tea-room.

  'There's an empty table over there,' Megan pointed excitedly.

  'Then you lead the way, young Megan,' Dane replied and, with a mocking

  bow he added: 'After you, Dr Jessica.'

  Jessica stepped past him in silence. Dane Trafford was really the most

  confusing and annoying man she had ever met, and she wondered what exactly

  he thought he was up to now.

  'What will you have, Jessica?' he asked when they were seated, and that

  gleam of mockery was back in his eyes. 'An ice-cream?'

  If he was trying to rattle her, then he was succeeding, she thought, but her

  voice was admirably calm when she said: 'I'll have tea, thank you.'

  'Good,' he smiled faintly, and beckoning the waitress who stood hovering a

  little distance away, he placed their order. 'One large ice-cream for the little

  lady over there, and two teas, please,' he said, and when the waitress had

  departed he returned his attention to the child. 'Well, Megan, were you looking

  forward to your holiday here with Dr Jessica?'

  'Oh, yes,' Megan smiled, and the smile lit up her eyes. 'Dr Jessica promised

  she would let me spend a holiday here with her, and she always keeps her

  promises.'

  'Does she now?' he drawled lazily, flicking a mocking glance in Jessica's

  direction. 'Well, that's something worth remembering.'

  'Are you a good doctor like Dr Jessica?' Megan questioned him directly, and

  Jessica felt that uncomfortable warmth stealing into her cheeks for the second

  time that morning.

  'I hope I am, "Dane replied evenly, but the eyes that met Jessica's were openly

  mocking. 'Am I a good doctor, would you say, Jessica?'

  Sarcasm curved Jessica's lips into a mirthless smile. 'Would one question the

  abilities of a good computer?'

  Megan glanced curiously from one to the other, not quite understanding, but

  aware of a certain undercurrent of animosity between these two adults, and Dane

  seemed to catch that look.

  'What Dr Jessica means,' he explained to Megan, 'is that I'm a very good doctor.

  Perhaps even better than herself.' His glance was challenging now. 'That is what

  you meant, isn't it, Jessica?'

  She hesitated, but when she glimpsed Megan's intent, questioning stare, she

  sighed and forced a smile to her lips. 'Could I have meant anything else?'

  That mocking smile was back on Dane's lips, and she supposed that she ought

  to be thankful for that, but before he could say anything further, their tea and

  Megan's icecream was served to them.

  The atmosphere relaxed slightly, and if Megan had been at all shy in Dane's

  company initially, then it evaporated swiftly under the influence of his charming

  personality. He could be charming, Jessica could not deny thaty but the brand of

  charm he directed at Megan was free of that usual undertone of sensuality which

  he had applied towards Jessica so frequently in the past. She noticed, too, that he

  was good with children, and for some reason this surprised her. She had never

  imagined that a man like

  Dane would show the slightest interest in children, except professionally, but

  she had obviously been mistaken.

  Megan had never lacked in manners, and she thanked Dane very nicely for

  buying her an ice-cream when he eventually walked with them to where

  Jessica
had parked her car, and he responded with, 'It was nice meeting you,

  Megan.'

  With their parcels and the child safely in the Alfa, Jessica drew Dane aside

  and said sincerely, Thank you for being nice to her.'

  'I can be very nice if you would only take the trouble to find out.'

  His voice was a sensual caress, and Jessica was not quite sure whether to be

  thrilled or dismayed by it as she stared up at him with dark, contemplative

  eyes.

  'We won't take up more of your time,' she said at length in a brisk voice.

  'Thanks for the treat.'

  'It was my pleasure,' he bowed mockingly.

  As Jessica drove away she glanced in the rear view mirror to find Dane

  standing where she had left him and, almost as if he sensed her observation, he

  raised his hand in a final salute. Her cheeks flamed, and her pulse quickened

  and, putting her foot down harder on the accelerator, she drove away as

  quickly as possible.

  'Damn the man!' she cursed him silently, but a part of her was relieved at the

  knowledge that he had not slammed the metaphorical door completely in her

  face.

  'I like Dr Trafford,' Megan announced when they arrived back at the cottage

  with their parcels and, eyeing Jessica seriously, she asked: 'Don't you?'

  'I—I suppose I do, yes,' Jessica replied with extreme caution.

  'If you like him, then why did you look so cross when he started talking to

  us?' Megan demanded curiously.

  'I wasn't cross,' Jessica protested lightly. 'I was just a little surprised.'

  'Oh?'

  Jessica could see that Megan was not quite sure what to make of that, and, to

  prevent further questioning, she organised the child into putting her new clothes

  away in the built-in cupboard of the guest room.

  Vivien arrived shortly after lunch to collect Megan, and Jessica crossed her

  fingers childishly behind her back as she watched them drive away.

  Jessica was called out only once that afternoon, but the rest of the time passed

  slowly, and wondering what was happening out at Mountain View was rather

  wearing on the nerves. It was almost time for Vivien and Megan to return when

  Jessica's telephone rang shrilly.

  'Jessica?' Olivia's voice came clearly over the line. 'They have just left, and I

  thought you would like to know that Vivien behaved like a broody mother hen

  with a new chick. Frances seems to like Megan too, and I'd be surprised if your