A GP to Steal His Heart
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Karin Baine
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12
CHAPTER ONE
THE FRESH SEA air smelled like freedom. Daisy got out of her car and inhaled a lungful as she stretched out her limbs. She had expected to reach her destination three days ago but her replacement at the clinic had taken ill and Daisy had agreed to stay on to share the workload until another could be found. As a result, the leisurely break before she began her new job had not happened and she would be throwing herself in at the deep end today.
It had been a long drive from London and, exhausted, she had made an overnight stop in a motel to break up the journey rather than risk falling asleep at the wheel. Her last-minute decision meant she had not been able to inform the clinic of her later arrival, but she would still make it on time for her first day.
It would be worth all the trouble to get her own space. Not only was she taking up her new position as a GP in the village of Little Morton on the south coast of England but also she was moving into her own cottage, complete with country garden. A whole world away from the cramped and stifling city where she had been working since qualifying. However, before she could enjoy this new country life she literally had to check in at the medical practice for a pass into the village.
Little Morton was privately owned by the same Earl who had awarded her the scholarship which got her through medical school and away from her controlling ex at the time.
Since training as a GP she had worked hard to keep her independence. Though they had never met in person, she had kept in touch with the Earl of Morton through emails and video calls. Through her brief, unsatisfactory relationships, he had been her one constant. Her most recent partner, Ed, had called her a workaholic, accused her of not enjoying life. Although she had not mourned his loss when their relationship had ended, his words had stayed with her.
Her abusive past had left her afraid to trust anyone enough to get serious, but she wondered if she had let that influence other aspects of her life too. Gradually, she had begun to see the truth in Ed’s words and realised she made very little time for herself. The fast pace of city life had made it acceptable but, when she had taken a good look, it was obvious she had no real friends or roots. Not ‘belonging’ anywhere made her worried that one day she would come to regret the decisions she had made and begin to yearn for something new.
When the Earl had told her he was retiring and that his medical practice was in need of someone like her, Daisy thought it the perfect opportunity to start over, as well as finally getting to thank him in person. Yet her arrival was tinged with sadness, with news of the Earl’s death coming only weeks before completing her move here. They would never get to meet after all.
The village was every bit as beautiful as she had imagined. Higgledy-piggledy old houses marched down the cobbled street to meet the sea, history evident in every whitewashed wall and timber frame. The vibrant splash of pink and purple dahlias and violet agapanthus bursting from hanging baskets and window boxes welcomed her.
She locked her car and began her walk down the rocky street. In order to maintain the village’s original features, only residents were apparently permitted to drive past the town sign. Yet to obtain her status as a local she had to get a parking permit from the medical centre.
The quirkiness of the crowded Elizabethan buildings made her smile, and she could see why traffic was more than an aesthetic issue. Any more than two cars at once here would block the whole road. Yes, Daisy thought, Little Morton was exactly where she needed to be to start her new life.
The medical centre was easy enough to find, a converted old school house which was signposted at the bottom of the hill overlooking the harbour. She thought of the lucky children who had once attended and the fun they must have had down on the shore during sunny days such as today.
As a child she had missed out on simple things like visits to the beach because her stepfather didn’t include her in any family outings. Although she’d taken part in swimming lessons provided by the school, an incident in the pool when she had taken cramp in her leg and nearly drowned left her fearful around water.
Something which had not been helped by Aaron, her abusive ex, who found her phobia funny and had pushed her into a pool on a rare holiday together. That panicky feeling of gasping for air while he watched her, laughing, was always at the back of her mind. Along with the notion that if she got into difficulty in the water no one would come to help her.
However, as part of her new life here she thought about working through those fears. If she was brave enough perhaps she could learn to swim here with some support. It would be a shame to live in such a picturesque seascape and not enjoy something as simple as paddling in the shallows.
When she reached the clinic, she ducked under the half-opened shutter and approached the affable-looking lady on the reception desk. ‘Eunice? It’s me, Daisy. I just need to get the keys for my cottage and a pass so I can get my car in and out of the village before I start work.’
Daisy had spoken to the practice manager on the phone lots of times, but this was their first meeting in person. From everything she had gathered, Eunice had been the Earl’s right-hand woman at the clinic. She had even set up video calls between Daisy and her benefactor so they could see each other while they chatted about everything from complicated medical cases they had worked on to their favourite TV shows. It was Eunice who had suggested the online interview which had sealed her position here in Little Morton and Daisy was thankful to know at least one person in the village.
‘Daisy? We were expecting you yesterday.’ Eunice rushed around from behind her desk and wrapped her in a friendly hug.
‘Yes, sorry. I got stuck in traffic and I was so tired I decided it would be safer to check myself into a hotel for the night.’
‘No problem. You’re here now and I’m sure we have time for a cuppa and a catch-up before we start the clinic.’ She took Daisy by the arm and began to guide her towards the back of the building.
‘I still have to unpack my stuff at the cottage...’ Daisy began to protest but was manoeuvred into a chair in the staffroom, where Eunice set about making that cup of tea.
‘That can wait. I’m sure you are dying for a cuppa and I want to hear all about you. I know about the scholarship, of course. Daniel mentioned you’d had a bit of trouble in the past and that was what had set you on the path to medical school.’ Eunice had her back to Daisy as she poured water into two cups, unable to see her raised eyebrows.
She was not prepared for someone to be so openly curious about her personal life after living in the city, where most people kept themselves to themselves. But this was the country and Daisy supposed she would have to get used to people in this close-knit community being interested in her background. Even if it was not the most comfortable subject for her to discuss with anyone.
‘Er...yes. I was in a difficult relationship. Aaron was...controlling. The Earl’s scholarship enabled me to strike out on my own.’ It was disconcerting talking about her painful past with a virtual stranger when she did not tend to open up to anyone, but she could already tell Eunice was a kind soul who simply wanted to make her feel at home. Perhaps it was that empathy which drove her to spill more about her troubles.
‘You must have been a good student before that though to even get into medical school.’ Eunice handed Daisy one of the cups and sat down in the chair next to her, ready to hear the rest of her story.
‘I was when I was younger.’ School had been her source of stability and the one place she could earn praise for all of her hard work. As a result she had become one of the top students but that had only earned sneering from her stepfamily, who did not like her to get ‘above her station’. Despite her detractors Daisy had planned to go to medical school to make something of herself. Then she had met Aaron.
It was not surprising that she had found herself in the thrall of a domineering, manipulative man after the upbringing she’d had. Once her mother had run out and left her with her stepfather and stepbrothers, she had bent over backwards to keep them happy lest she got kicked out of the house.
They had taken advantage, treating her more like a servant than family. Her days had been taken up with chores and looking after them, leaving her no time for a life of her own. She’d swapped that prison for one with a partner who thought a woman’s place was in the home, and who was she to disagree when he was the sole breadwinner?
‘My partner didn’t want me to further my education because he preferred to have me at home in a more “traditional” role.’ Which invariably meant tied to the house and not allowed out unaccompanied because he was so paranoid she would cheat on him. It was that stifling behaviour which had made her question her life with Aaron and realise the way he was treating her had nothing to do with love.
When control had turned to violence, that was when she had known it was time to get out.
‘Uh huh. I can guess the type. I have daughters of my own and not every boyfriend I have met has been ideal. Thankfully, they’re both happily married now so I don’t have to worry about them any more in that respect.’
‘That’s good. It’s not easy to meet the right man. Unknown to Aaron, I joined an online support group for women in a similar position to me. That’s where I learned about the Earl’s scholarship and the rest is history.’ Once they had got to know each other better, Daisy had shared some of the details about her background with the Earl. She had no idea if he had told Eunice any of her story, but it was helping them to bond now as they got to know one another. With the Earl gone, Daisy needed as many friends as she could get.
‘He was very fond of you. I think he saw you as the daughter he never had.’ Eunice’s blue eyes filled with tears and Daisy could see theirs had been a special relationship too.
‘He was certainly very kind. A real role model for me.’ There had not been a supportive male presence in her life until Daisy had received his financial assistance and she liked to think of him as her surrogate father. The one she would have liked to have growing up, instead of the emotionally abusive stepfather she’d had throughout her childhood.
‘You and Thomas should get on well. He’s very like his father: good with his patients and always puts the job first. I’m sure the two of you have a lot in common. He has been through a lot too and I’m sure he will enjoy having some company around the place.’
‘I’m looking forward to meeting him.’ It would be a connection to the Earl again and Daisy hoped they might bring each other some comfort when they were both grieving the recent loss of a wonderful man.
‘Of course, Thomas inherited his father’s title along with the medical practice and the village. He’s our new Earl now.’
Daisy could not help thinking those were some big shoes to fill.
‘Thanks for the tea and chat, Eunice, but I should really get moving. I’ve got a busy day ahead of me.’ Daisy got up and poured what was left of her tea down the sink. She did not want to get used to lazing around before a shift. Especially when she had so much to do now she was three days behind schedule.
Eunice took an envelope out of her trouser pocket. ‘Okay, there are your keys and your pass. Just wave it in front of the barrier and you can come and go as you please. Soon you’ll feel like you’ve always been here.’ She gave Daisy a wink.
‘Hopefully it won’t be too long before I’m considered a local.’ Daisy laughed a little too loudly, suddenly wondering if she would be accepted at all.
At that unfortunate moment a man dressed in a navy three-piece suit walked into the room. Well over six feet, it was easy for him to look down on her five feet four inches, one eyebrow raised as he caught the end of the conversation. The new Earl, she presumed, as she stuck her hand out.
‘Daisy Swift. The new GP. Pleased to meet you.’
The tall, unsmiling man looked at her outstretched hand for several moments before shaking it, as though he was worried he might catch something from her. It was difficult not to compare the two Ryan men when on first impressions they appeared to be complete opposites. He did not have the same smiling, ruddy-cheeked face as his father, who had always put her in mind of a Father Christmas figure. Junior had more of a Grinch vibe going on.
‘Thomas Ryan. Dr Thomas Ryan, senior partner.’ He had that air of superiority and dismissive tone that meant Daisy would have guessed he was the heir apparent even if she had not been told. The Earl never had any airs or graces when they had spoken but Daisy would not have been surprised if Thomas had insisted that everyone addressed him as ‘Sir’ and decreed no one should make direct eye contact with him.
Nevertheless, Daisy owed a lot to his family and she reminded herself that this was a man in mourning for his father. Dr Ryan Senior had been nothing but sweet to her and she held onto that last ember of hope that Thomas had inherited some of his father’s warm nature along with his estate.
‘I was very sorry to hear about your father.’
Thomas gave a curt, unemotional nod. ‘Your office is next to mine. You’ll want to get yourself acquainted with your patient list before your first appointment.’ He glanced at his expensive watch as he began to walk away.
Daisy assumed he meant her to follow, but he had not actually welcomed her or acknowledged he knew anything about her arrival. It was such a hefty blow, realising the cheery offspring of her saviour she had dreamed she would be working with in her perfect new job was, in reality, as unwelcoming as the closed barrier to the village. Everything about him shouted, Stay away. You’re not wanted here.
‘I didn’t think we opened for another hour or so and I’ve just arrived. I have my pass now; I’ll head to the cottage, throw my belongings inside and come straight back.’ She got the distinct impression she had already screwed up before actually doing any work.
He stopped and spun around so suddenly she almost ran into him. ‘You mean you haven’t even moved in yet? Anyone with an ounce of sense would have come here at least a day early to get settled in. Not try to do it when they’re about to start their first day of work.’
‘It’s not as though I have very far to travel.’ Daisy bristled at his tone and criticism. It wakened that need to defend herself hedgehog-style, where her prickles were deployed to repel any potential predators. She could have told him the reason for her delayed arrival, as she had done with Eunice, but since he had not given her the opportunity to explain before chastising her she was entitled to bite back. Besides, she had still made it here on time ready to work so it shouldn’t be a big deal. He didn’t know her duty to her patients was always at the forefront of her mind, but she would certainly let him know. Along with the fact she did not take orders from anyone.
Dr Ryan checked his watch again and huffed out an exasperated breath. All this exchange was missing was an eye roll and she would feel about two foot high.
‘Dr Swift, I’m not sure about the way you’re used to working but our patients, the residents of Little Morton, have certain standards.’ The way he looked her up and down suggested her appearance alone did not meet acceptable requirements. By starting off on the wrong foot, it seemed he was going to pick over every aspect of her appointment here.
Daisy would have been apologetic over her less than satisfactory timing if it wasn’t for his haughty attitude. As it was, she felt the need to give him a taste of his own medicine so he would realise she was no pushover. Those days were long gone.
‘I’m used to working in a very busy city surgery, above and beyond normal hours, with people from all walks of life, and I’ve never had any complaints. If Little Morton’s high standards entail starting work earlier than I’ve been contracted for, I will take note for future reference. Now, in order for me to get back in suitable time for the patients, it might be provident if I have an extra pair of hands.’ Daisy folded her arms and waited for his response to her frankly brazen request. It was a risky move, but she had dealt with domineering men her whole life and had finally figured out the best way to deal with them was to stand her ground. To stay strong and not cave in to demands. That did not mean her heart wasn’t pounding as she waited for his response.
With another long breath, he began to stalk back the way they’d come, leaving an open-mouthed Eunice behind. It was difficult to tell if her shock at the exchange was because of Thomas’s rudeness, after she had sung his praises, or because of Daisy’s sharp retort. Either way, their personality clash did not bode well for their future working environment.
She wondered what it was about her that had apparently brought out the worst in Dr Ryan when Eunice had been extolling the virtues of the new Earl to her. This was not the kindly man Daisy had been expecting to meet. Okay, so she was a little later than expected but she was here. There was something in his attitude towards her that made her think his problem with her was about more than her delayed arrival. Perhaps he did not appreciate women who stood up for themselves and refused to be browbeaten. Whatever it was, it irked her until she could not resist one last jibe.
‘You might want to leave the jacket and waistcoat behind. It wouldn’t do for you to get them dirty before clinic starts. How on earth would that look to your discerning patients?’
He unbuttoned his waistcoat and stripped off his outer layers. Hopefully Dr Ryan had got the memo she was not going to be bossed around as though she were a second-class citizen. She might have relied on his father’s generosity to get her to this point in her life but she had earned the right to be treated as an equal in their place of work. If he continued to forget that she would simply have to keep reminding him.
Daisy Swift was everything Thomas had feared she would be—loud, obnoxious and unwilling to adapt. The village deserved better in their GP. This was his father’s doing but now he was gone Thomas had no one to voice his reservations to any more.
There had been dozens of scholarship recipients over the years who had received his father’s help to further their education and career prospects. Most of whom had expressed their gratitude at the time by way of phone calls or gifts, the occasional update in a Christmas card. Daisy was the only one who had become a seemingly permanent feature in his father’s life. It had made Thomas question her motives for remaining in contact with an elderly man she had never met. Especially recently, when she had decided to come and live in Little Morton to be closer to him.
There had to be more to her interest in his father than his witty repartee for a young, attractive woman to come all this way, giving up her life in London to do so. Was it his money? Did she think there was something for her in the will? Now his father had passed away, was Thomas her latest target? Too bad for her if she thought he could be sweet-talked when he was still in mourning for a father who had been taken from him by the last duplicitous woman to cross their paths. It was only natural for Thomas to be wary of another stranger in the village, given past events.
His own mother had been a city girl here on holiday when she had caught his father’s eye. From what he’d gathered, they had been madly in love for a while, at least on his father’s part. When Thomas had been about six years old it seemed his mother had grown tired of life in the village and her family. In typical cliché fashion, she had run off with the gardener after emptying their joint bank account. Thank goodness his father had kept money from his investments in a separate account of his own or she might have cleaned him out entirely. Thomas had not seen or heard from her since and had few memories of her to be over-emotional about the loss.
It was testament to his father’s strength of character that the betrayal had not stopped him reaching out to strangers less fortunate than himself. He had offered Thomas’s mother a lifeline when he had come along, their union giving her the financial means to escape poverty and the rundown council estate she had been living in. Thomas suspected he had carried on the tradition through his charity work because he had seen the difference money could make in someone else’s life. He had tried to get his father to rein in the amount of money he gave away to good causes, through fear that people were taking advantage of him, but helping others had seemed to make the old man happy.
In an effort to recreate that for himself, Thomas had set up his own charitable arm providing monetary assistance to local single parent families who were finding things tough. It was there that he had met Jade, a confident, attractive volunteer whose company he had enjoyed. Unfortunately, their short relationship had apparently provided her criminal associates with the necessary information to burgle the family home when Thomas had been out of town.
The betrayal had been painful, but not as much as watching his parent’s health decline after the robbery. Tied up and beaten, he had been left a shell of a man who no longer felt safe in his own home. It was the guilt of being the one who had brought these people into the village which Thomas had struggled with, on top of his grief. Now he was expected to work alongside someone else he knew nothing about. Of course he was wary.
Especially when she did not appear to respect him or his station. He wanted this village to be the safe community his father had always intended and that was hard to achieve with a stranger moving in. It was probably Thomas’s own fault he knew very little about Daisy; he’d tended to switch off when his father waxed lyrical about her. There might have been some jealousy at work on his part that she had so much of his father’s attention, and now he was stuck with her.
Far from letting her know who was in charge here, he was about to roll up his sleeves and do her heavy lifting. Apparently the ‘mug’ tattoo on his forehead was still visible.
‘You have got to be kidding me,’ he said as they approached a very compact pastel blue Volkswagen. Which, judging by the boxes visible through the rear window, was already jam-packed.
Daisy shrugged. ‘It gets me from A to B. I don’t usually carry passengers of extraordinary height.’
Thomas contemplated walking to the cottage, but the extra time taken to get there would only impact further on his day. The sooner they completed this task, the quicker they could actually start work.
‘So I see.’ The passenger seat was pushed so far forward he had to duck to get in and fold himself over until his knees were up near his chin so he could close the door. He did not miss the smirk on Dr Swift’s bright red lips as they drove away.
‘Do you live close by?’ she asked as she drove much faster than he liked, taking the corner without even shifting down a gear.
Thomas held onto the dashboard before he ended up sitting on her knee in the driving seat. That would probably amuse her no end, at further expense to his dignity. At least the speed with which they had accelerated away from the village meant few would have seen him hunched up in her dinky car.
Thankfully, because of her driving and the short distance they had to travel, they arrived at the cottage before his knees seized up altogether.
‘Home sweet home.’ Daisy was out of the vehicle carrying an armful of boxes to the door of the whitewashed building before Thomas managed to extricate himself from his pretzel position.
‘I don’t live in the village itself. The family home is up on the hill there.’ He pointed up to the grey stone mansion isolated from the rest of the community. Thomas could not help but think they should have kept it that way, then his father would never have been hurt. It was his safe haven now. Nobody else came in and only he went out. His sanctuary and sanity when it was the one place on earth he could control. Even if it came too late to help his father.
‘Very imposing and it looks down on the rest of the village. I’m sure you enjoy that.’ She nudged the front door open with her hip, leaving him to follow. He did not rise to the bait when she was right, though for a different reason than she thought. It was not a feeling of superiority he got from his position up on the hill, but of safety. The distance between him and everyone else was a welcome barrier. Goodness knew what Daisy was hoping to gain from her continued quips but Thomas was not going to lose his temper over it. He supposed this life was different to the one she knew in the city. Hopefully she would either get used to it or decide it was not for her and move on quickly. Thomas knew which option he would prefer.
Although he and his father had shared the patients between them, when he had decided to retire, Thomas had tried to convince him he could manage on his own. Generations of Ryans had always staffed the local clinic and Thomas did not need a stranger moving in on his territory now. Work was all he had in his life and he needed to stay as busy as possible so he did not have time to dwell on mistakes and regret.
‘I think this will do nicely.’ Once she had set her boxes down, Daisy stood back to take a look around the property.
‘I’m sure it’s not what you’re used to in London.’ There wasn’t a lot of space in these old places but the Ryans had always done their best to maintain the authentic feel of the village. All owned by the family, which now only consisted of himself, none of the listed buildings were for sale; they were rented by the inhabitants. At least that was one way he could keep track of who was staying. If they had allowed the cottages to be used as second homes for holidaymakers, the heart would have gone out of Little Morton a long time ago.
‘No, but that’s not a bad thing. At least I have more than two rooms and, bonus, no noisy neighbours on either side. Not to mention the lovely wild garden. This would cost an arm and a leg in central London and would never be half as cosy.’ She plopped down on the floral sofa which came as part of the furnishings and fittings. The twee country cottage décor did not suit her. Dr Daisy Swift was a sophisticated, glamorous woman who would only ever be at home in a cityscape, he was sure.
Her white-blonde curls, piercing blue eyes and pale skin were striking. The corporate black skirt, tailored grey silk blouse and impossibly high stilettos would never fit in here, but she would find that out for herself after a few ankle-breaking days on the cobbles.
Thomas dumped his share of her belongings on the floor, sending a dust cloud up into the air, making him sneeze.
‘Sorry, I think I brought that with me. A souvenir from London. These boxes haven’t been unpacked since my last move. Housekeeping isn’t really my thing any more.’ She wore a look of pride on her face as though it was a badge of honour to be so busy there was no time for something as mundane as cleaning. Yet her voice suggested something else. A past which kept her on the move.
All the more reason to be wary of her. He should have paid more attention and asked more questions about this woman who had become a big part of his father’s life. As far as Daniel Ryan had been concerned, Daisy’s character and qualifications were all the verification needed to hire her. That was his father all over—too trusting for his own good. They had both learned that the hard way, too late. Eunice had at least suggested an interview, which had taken place on the internet to keep things above board. Although his father had pulled rank and insisted on conducting it on his own, waiting until Thomas was away at a conference to arrange it, to ensure he could not interfere. Making her appointment a foregone conclusion, no matter what Thomas had to say on the matter.
This woman had certainly had a hold on his father that unnerved him and made him suspicious about the nature of their relationship.
‘If you’re finished, could we get back to work please?’ He was already more involved in her personal life than he wanted to be, by helping her move in when things between them should be kept strictly professional. That way he was not likely to compromise himself outside of the workplace, as he had done with Jade. What Daisy did away from the clinic had nothing to do with him and vice versa.
‘There are just a few more bits and pieces. Oh, and my shoes.’
They had both traipsed out to the car where she had begun to load him up with more boxes. She had black bin bags in both hands and under her arms, which he presumed contained her now wrinkled clothes.
‘Can you manage a pair of shoes?’ She dangled a pair of strappy silver sandals from his finger before he could protest. His humiliation was complete when she hooked a handbag over his shoulder too.
Thomas was definitely going to have his work cut out for him, getting Dr Swift to toe the line.
‘What do you do around here for fun?’ Daisy cradled her well-earned cup of tea in her hands as she leaned against Thomas’s desk.
The day’s surgery was over at last, having run well past their official surgery hours. Judging by the minor nature of most of her patients’ ailments, a lot of them had simply wanted a glimpse of the new GP. She had no idea what the verdict was, but she had felt like a mannequin in a shop window with everyone gawping at her. Only time would tell if the novelty would wear off and she would ever be considered anything other than an outsider. If she wanted to be part of the community, and she did, she would have to embrace everything they had to offer here.
It was a completely different way of life compared to the city, where she had been able to live anonymously, but she welcomed the change. She could not hide away for ever behind her workload. It meant people like her ex were still controlling her, preventing her from living her life freely and without fear.
Romantic relationships were not something she formed easily, given her lack of trust and fierce need for independence, but it shouldn’t mean she couldn’t have friends and neighbours to socialise with. She had forgotten that somewhere along the way, shutting everyone out, letting no one closer than on the periphery of her life. It was time to be part of something, belong somewhere, instead of merely existing.
Until now, the only people she had had a conversation with were Eunice and Thomas. Unfortunately, the friendly face around here had rushed off to babysit her grandchildren, leaving only the hard-working doctor to answer her questions. If only sighing and refusing to look up from his computer screen could be counted as a sign he was willing to accept her company.
At least he had shown her earlier he was not completely unbearable, by helping her move into the cottage. She’d had a little fun at his expense and, though his expression was priceless at having to carry her handbag and shoes, he had done so without a tantrum. There was hope he was not the stuck-up so-and-so he had projected himself as so far.
It was a shame when he was such a beautiful-looking man with his grey-blue eyes and dark blond hair. Not that Daisy was searching for a man and even if she was it would not be another one who thought he could boss her around. At least she had made it clear that was never going to happen.
‘Fun?’ Eventually he glanced up at her, his forehead creased into a frown.
Daisy sighed. Removing the stick from his backside was going to be harder than she’d thought. ‘Yeah. Fun. The thing you do outside of work.’
‘I don’t really do anything.’
That didn’t surprise her. He probably polished the family silver or counted his millions when he wasn’t here. ‘What do people do around here to socialise?’
He had to think about it. ‘There’s the pub or the coffee shop. We have a few festivals during the year where everyone gets together.’
Now they were getting somewhere. Daisy would be content exploring the countryside or enjoying a cup of tea in the café, but she knew she had to find some way of integrating into the village if she was to be accepted.
She wondered if their quaint festivals were like the ones she had seen on TV. Where the whole village came out to support each other, having fun at the coconut shy and kissing booths. Thomas would make a fortune if he volunteered those soft lips of his for a pound a smooch.
She sniggered, imagining some of the old dears she’d had in this morning emptying their purses for some quality time with ‘that lovely Dr Ryan’.
‘That sounds more like it. Do I need a pass to get into that too?’ It was a tongue-in-cheek comment, but Thomas didn’t appear to get the joke.
‘No. Everyone is welcome to attend.’
Even you, she was sure he was silently adding.
‘We have the Crab Festival next week, if you want to go to that.’
‘Of course. How could I turn down a personal invitation from the Earl himself? I’d love to attend the Little Morton Crab Festival with you. I’d be honoured.’
‘But that’s not—’
‘Thank you for making me feel so welcome on my first day, Thomas.’ Daisy gave him her biggest smile and succeeded in making him shift uncomfortably in his chair.
He sighed and appeared to resign himself to the fact she was staying.
‘I’m sure you will be an asset to the clinic,’ he said through clenched teeth.
Once she made sure Dr Ryan knew she was no pushover, her life in Little Morton could be just the place for her to start living.
