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

  indication of it over the telephone, and merely promised to let her know as soon

  as he had spoken to the authorities concerned.

  Jessica was almost too relieved and excited to sleep that night, but she

  somehow managed to fall asleep towards midnight. Vivien, true to her word,

  arrived very early the following morning to collect Megan, and Jessica had

  barely walked into her consulting-room when her father's call came through. -

  'It's all in order, Jessica,' he said. 'The adoption papers will be drawn up, and

  posted as soon as possible to your local magistrate.'

  Jessica confronted Peter with this news a few minutes later, and a look of

  intense relief flashed across his lean face.

  'Thank you, Jessica,' he smiled, leaning back into his chair, and then that

  speculative look entered his eyes once more. 'You didn't seem at all surprised last

  night when we confronted you with the news that we wanted to adopt Megan.'

  It was not a question but a statement, and Jessica replied to it truthfully. 'In an

  unguarded moment, after the birth of Olivia's baby, Vivien made me aware of her

  need for a child of her own, so . . .'

  'So you brought Megan into our lives with a purpose,' he finished for her when

  she paused, and she saw a look of understanding enter his eyes.

  'I took a desperate gamble, and I knew that if it paid off it would make three

  people very happy.'

  'You're a remarkable young woman, Dr Jessica Neal,' Peter announced, then he

  rose from behind his desk and turned to face the window, but not before she had

  glimpsed something almost like tears in his eyes. He was silent for so long that

  Jessica did not know whether to stay or go, then he started speaking once again,

  and his voice was thick with emotion. Tor years now Vivien and I have pretended

  to each other, and to others, that it made no difference to us whether we had

  children, or not, and we succeeded admirably, I think, until Megan Leigh walked

  into our lives with her beguiling blue eyes and curly fair hair. It took one smile,

  directed like a well- aimed arrow at our most vulnerable spot, to make us aware

  once again of the emptiness in our otherwise full lives.' Peter turned and smiled

  crookedly at Jessica. 'Everyone loved Megan from the moment they set eyes on

  her, and she blended into our family as if she had been there all her life.' He

  looked away a little selfconsciously. 'I don't quite know how to thank you,

  Jessica.'

  'Don't thank me,' she said quickly, placing a light hand on his arm. 'I would be

  most embarrassed if you did.'

  Before he could say anything further, she left his consulting-room and returned

  to her own. She had not felt so happy in a long time, nor so relieved, and not even

  Dane's snide remarks later that day could banish entirely that contented feeling

  brought on by the success of her venture.

  'Dr Jessica Neal, the worker of miracles,' he said. 'You waved your magic

  wand, and everything worked out well towards the climax where they all lived

  happily ever after.'

  'You share in their happiness, don't you, Dane?'

  'Oh, sure I do,' he smiled cynically, 'but thank your lucky stars that it worked

  out this way, or one very unhappy child would have been on her way back to a

  life she hated.'

  'I do thank my lucky stars,' Jessica said quietly, her dark gaze unfaltering as it

  met his. Tm grateful, too, that you won't have the opportunity of saying "I told

  you so".'

  His mouth tightened, 'You misunderstand me, Jessica. I don't belittle what

  you've accomplished, but there was a risk involved which could have led to a

  great deal of unhappiness.'

  'I realise that, and don't think I haven't spent sleepless nights wondering

  whether I'd done the right thing,' she replied angrily. 'I've tormented myself

  with the possibility that this venture might fail, but it hasn't, and I'm grateful for

  it, so I'd thank you to keep your cynical remarks to yourself.'

  'It's your job as a physician to look after the physical wellbeing of your

  patients, and not their personal well- being,' he told her with a distinct sneer on

  his lips. 'If you're going to become emotionally involved with your patients in

  future, then I suggest you give up practising medicine and sit yourself down

  behind a desk as a psychologist and guidance counsellor.'

  'You know something?' she snapped back furiously. 'I might just do that!'

  They glared at each other in silence, then his hands gripped her wrists and she

  was jerked up against him with a force which nearly succeeded in robbing her

  of breath.

  'Do you know something, Jessica?' he smiled down at her with that gleam of

  mockery in his eyes. 'You're really most desirable when you're angry.'

  Her lips parted to berate him, but he lowered his head swiftly to cover her

  mouth with his, and she was momentarily lost in the sensual expertise of his

  lingering kiss. When she tried to escape him, his hands merely tightened on her

  wrists, and her arms were twisted behind her back

  to render her helpless. 'Don't respond!5 her mind warned, but her treacherous

  body was already melting against his.

  His lips travelled down the column of her throat to where her pulse was beating

  erratically, then they moved upwards once again to tease and tantalise the corners

  of her quivering, responsive mouth until she ached with the need to feel his lips

  against her own.

  Dane released her abruptly when there was a knock on the door, and Jessica

  turned away to hide her flushed cheeks when Sister Hansen entered the room.

  'Aren't the two of you going home tonight?' she demanded as she marched

  across the room to collect the files on Jessica's desk.

  ‘We were just leaving,' Dane announced with a calmness Jessica envied at that

  moment while she struggled to control the wild beat of her heart.

  'It's just as well you're still here, though,' Sister Hansen remarked in her brisk

  voice. 'The hospital telephoned, Dr Trafford. They'd like you to call on Mrs le

  Roux. She's complaining of chest pains and difficulty in breathing.'

  'I'm on my" way,' Dane replied, striding towards the door where he paused

  briefly to cast a glance in Jessica's direction. 'See you later.'

  'Not if I can help it,' Jessica told herself silently as the door closed behind him

  and, turning, her glance met Sister Hansen's speculative stare.

  'You're just a little thing,' the older woman said, 'but in the three months you

  have been here, you have made your mark. You have won everyone's admiration

  and respect, and there are going to be plenty of unhappy faces around when your

  year is up here in this bushveld town.'

  'I've only done my job to the best of my ability,'Jessica muttered

  selfconsciously, checking the contents of her medical bag and snapping it shut.

  'You do more than most doctors,' Emily Hansen argued. 'You care about your

  patients not only as patients, but as people, and that's where the difference comes

  in. Take Dr O'Brien for instance

  '

  'Dr O'Brien is a marvellous doctor,'Jessica interrupted in defence of a man she

  had come to admire.

  'I don't argue that point,' Sister Hansen smiled, 'but look what you've
done for

  him. I've never seen him look as happy and contented as he did today. Oh, we all

  knew about his wife not being able to have children, but no one ever mentioned

  it, and while it didn't seem to matter to them, no one bothered. You came,

  however, and saw their need, but most important of all, you did something about

  it instead of letting it pass you by.'

  'Sister Hansen, you flatter me unnecessarily,' Jessica told her seriously.

  'Circumstances were in my favour, or I might not have done anything about it

  either. One can't just walk up to people and say, "Would you like to adopt a

  child?". They would most probably tell you to mind your own business, and

  rightly so, but I happened to have a little friend like Megan Leigh whose need

  matched theirs, and the rest came about naturally.'

  'I still think that what you did was wonderful,' Sister Hansen stated firmly, 'and

  I shan't change my mind about that.'

  Having said her piece, the older woman marched out of the room, but Jessica

  remained a few minutes longer to tidy her desk before going home. She felt a

  little embarrassed by Sister Hansen's praise, but she could not help wishing that

  Dane had been a little less critical of her actions.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  JESSICA was called away from her hospital rounds one morning a week later, and

  the message she received was that she should return to the consulting-rooms at

  once. Realising that Peter would not have interrupted her rounds unless it was

  something urgent, she drove away from the hospital at a speed which she hoped

  would go unnoticed by the traffic department. Ten minutes later she was joining

  an equally puzzled Dane in Peter's consulting-room.

  ‘I’ve had a call from the district nurse at a small settlement in northern Venda,'

  Peter explained without further delay. 'Chief Cedric Kapufu needs immediate

  medical attention, and because of his age the district nurse considered it unwise

  to move him to the clinic ten kilometres from his home.'

  'Any idea what's wrong?' Dane questioned abruptly.

  'The district nurse suspects appendicitis, but she can't say for sure,', Peter

  replied, a frown drawing his brows together. 'It sounds rough, so I suggest you

  take Jessica along with you.'

  'It will take us two, maybe three hours by car,' Dane remarked thoughtfully.

  'You know what those roads are like.'

  'I'd ask Bernard to fly you there, but his plane is a two- seater.'

  'I could fly us there, if Bernard will entrust his aircraft to me,' Jessica spoke for

  the first time, and the two men glanced at her with a mixture of astonishment and

  surprise.

  'You can fly an aeroplane?' Dane demanded with typical cynicism.

  'I have a pilot's licence, if you'd like to see it,' Jessica hit back sarcastically.

  'I'll ring through to Mountain View,' Peter intervened. 'If Bernard isn't there

  then Olivia will get a message through to him.'

  Peter did not waste any time getting through to the farm, and a few minutes

  later he was replacing the receiver and turning to face them with a satisfied smile

  on his lean face.

  'Bernard, will have the plane ready and waiting for you when you arrive at'

  Mountain View, and while you're on your way there I'll telephone the district

  nurse to let her know you're coming so that she can make the necessary

  arrangements.'

  'Then let's waste no more time standing around here,' Dane said briskly, and he

  strode towards the door with Jessica following close behind him.

  Dane's Mustang and Jessica's Alfa arrived almost simultaneously at Mountain

  View's airstrip where Bernard awaited them. The red and white Cessna stood out

  on the runway and, realising the urgency of their mission, Bernard wasted no

  time in discussing the details of their flight with Jessica, advising her on the best

  air route to take while Dane looked on with cynical uncertainty.

  'Cheer up, Dane,' Bernard laughed at length, slapping Dane on the back in a

  friendly, amused manner. 'If Jessica can fly as knowledgeably as she talks, then

  you're in safe hands.'

  Dane grimaced. 'I can think of safer places to be at this moment.'

  'Coward!' Jessica mocked him.

  T admit it,' Dane smiled wryly. 'With a woman manning the controls one can

  expect anything.'

  Jessica chose to ignore this and, turning towards Bernard, she held out her

  hand. 'Thanks very much. We appreciate your help.'

  'My pleasure/ he smiled, clasping her hand briefly but firmly.

  Jessica walked purposefully towards the Cessna, and Dane followed with an

  audible sigh. She climbed into the seat behind the controls, blessing the fact that

  she wore sensible shoes and a wide, accommodating skirt, and Dane climbed up

  after her into the passenger seat. He closed the door for her, and they belted

  themselves in before she put on the earphones and passed the spare set to Dane/

  'I hope you know what you're doing,' Dane remarked cynically as he watched

  her flick switches and turn the appropriate dials.

  'Relax, Dane,' she laughed. 'I'll get you there in one piece.'

  'Dead or alive?' he queried caustically.

  'Alive, I hope,' she told him. 'Now, shut up, will you?'

  The engine sprang to life, and the Cessna vibrated beneath them while Jessica

  made radio contact with the nearest air base. Moments later they were taxiing

  along the runway, and a thrill of excitement churned through Jessica as she

  increased engine power. She had opened up the throttle, and the Cessna leapt

  forward with increasing speed, then she pulled back the stick, and the ground

  seemed to fall away beneath them as they climbed smoothly into the blue,

  cloudless sky.

  'Hm . ..' Dane grunted. 'Not bad.'

  Jessica was too exhilarated at being able to fly again to care what Dane thought

  at that moment. For one who did not care much for heights, she had taken to

  piloting an aircraft like a duck to water and, to date, she had logged up several

  hundred flying hours.

  It was a perfect day for flying, she decided, swinging the plane in a

  north-easterly direction, and if all went well they should reach their destination

  within a half hour.

  'Do they have an operating theatre at the clinic?' she broke the silence between

  Dane and herself.

  'Not that I know of, but I guess they have certain facilities for emergencies.'

  'What if the patient can't be moved?'

  'Then we'll operate on the spot.'

  A mocking smile curved her mouth. 'You've brought your emergency theatre

  along with you, then?'

  'What's that supposed to mean?' he demanded, his voice sounding unexpectedly

  harsh in her ears. 'You know damn well we might have no choice but to operate,

  regardless of the primitive conditions.'

  'Yes, I know.' She removed her eyes from the controls and met his angry glance.

  'I was merely throwing your own words back at you, but without much success.'

  'I get it.' His mouth tightened. 'You're referring to the time I berated you for not

  taking Olivia through to the hospital, is that it?'*

  She averted her glance. 'That's correct.'

  'The circumstances are different in this instance.'

  'There's no difference in what you m
ight have to do, and in what I had to do for

  Olivia,' she argued. 'In fact, the risks are even greater in this case.'

  'We won't argue about that,' he said abruptly, and annoyingly.

  'No, of course not.'

  'Now you're sulking,' Dane eventually broke the uncomfortable silence between

  them which had been filled only with the steady drone of the Cessna's engine.

  'I'm not sulking, Dane,' she sighed. 'I was merely trying to fathom your

  reasoning.'

  'It's really quite simple,' he explained with a tolerance which merely increased

  her annoyance. 'When there's an ^emergency such as this, then you make do

  with what you have.'

  'Exactly,' she snapped.

  'Well then, what's the problem?'

  'The birth of Olivia's baby was an emergency of its

  own kind, and I made do with what I had, so I fail to see why you were so angry

  about it at the time.'

  'A man can keep a clear head at a time like that, but a woman ..

  eOh, not that again!' Jessica laughed despite her anger. 'You disappoint me,

  Dane. I never would have taken you for someone with chauvinistic tendencies.'

  'I guess every man has a bit of chauvinism tucked away somewhere in his

  make-up, but thats not what I'm getting at.' He gestured disparagingly with his

  hands. 'Women tend to approach things from an emotional angle, and you're a

  fine example of that.'

  Jessica was silent for a moment, staring resolutely ahead of her, then she said

  coldly, 'If my hands weren't occupied at this moment, Dane, I'd strike you.'

  Dane laughed softly. 'You have such lovely hands, Jessica, and I shall enjoy

  their touch whether it be in anger, or passion.'

  'I suggest you help me look for the landing strip near the clinic,' she changed

  the subject, flashing him an angry glance when she suspected that he had baited

  her deliberately. 'We should be able to see it any minute now.'

  Ten minutes later Jessica executed a perfect landing on the airstrip in Venda,

  and when they climbed out of the Cessna, carrying their medical bags, a black

  man of obvious importance came towards them. He introduced himself as

  Patrick Kapufu, the brother of their patient, and without further delay they

  were driven to the Chief's home in a long black limousine which smacked of

  wealth.

  Jessica was not quite sure what she had envisaged, but she certainly had not