worked well for you. You get a headache when you’re reminded of anything that has to do with the accident. It seems like you haven’t healed, only avoided.”
“And that’s why I want to do this! If I’d been allowed to heal in a place of comfort, not that horrible asylum, I might not have had to sacrifice my memories to my recovery. I lost more than you could ever know, more than I will ever know.”
The chill returned to his demeanor, and although he hadn’t moved, she felt the change like a splash of cold water. “I wouldn’t make that assumption, Doctor McPhee.”
“And I appreciate your concern, but I’m not going to hypnotize anyone. I’m going to use the techniques they’re developing in Vienna and demonstrate that they’re superior so that others won’t have the same problems I do.”
“That’s a noble sentiment, but I still want to feel completely comfortable that my patients are safe. You have the general’s support, but I’m the chief of this hospital, and I won’t risk the men or boys under my care.”
She stood. “If I don’t have your cooperation, I can go to another field hospital in another town. God knows there are enough of them. But I was sent here for a reason. I’ve done this before, and others are confident in my ability. Why aren’t you?” She turned to leave in a huff, but he darted around the desk and blocked her from leaving his office.
“Let me ask you this, Claire.”
Her given name on his tongue sent a lightning bolt of pain through her head, and she crumpled to the floor.
“What the—? Oh, son of a…”
He sounded like he spoke to her from the other side of a wall, but there was nothing between her and his strong arms. The layers of clothing didn’t keep her from noticing his lean, muscular body when he lifted her and cradled her head on his shoulder. Her head pounded a warning, and she moaned.
“Oh, right, this isn’t going to help.” He carried her out of the office and called for a nurse. Claire was conscious of being laid on a stretcher and carried into the cool morning air. Her headache subsided, but the nausea remained, and there was a strange ache in her chest.
“Why…?” An image flashed into her mind of the driver the night of the accident. It was just his silhouette, but the light caught the planes of his face for the barest instant. Blackness swallowed conscious thought before she could identify him.
* * * * *
“Is she going to be all right?”
Chad turned to see Patrick approaching and stepped aside so his friend could see into the room in the women’s hospital ward. It was housed in a separate building, presumably because women needed to be away from men and their noises and smells to heal properly. Chad could see the reasoning behind the rules, but it tore him apart inside that he’d have to leave her to return to his own duties and patients.
Since men greatly outnumbered the women on the base, and pregnant and nursing mothers and children were usually sent away from the border as a precaution, Claire was the only patient. Chad hovered in the doorway. He’d made sure she was stable but dared not stay too close to her.
“She’s fine as far as I can tell.” Chad rubbed the back of his neck “I made a grave mistake. I slipped into our old pattern of discussing and said her name. It triggered this.” He indicated her supine form. Even asleep, her brows drew together in a frown.
“Well, most women swoon when you say their names. It’s why you can’t get that glorified camp whore Nanette to leave you alone.” Patrick’s slipping out of his usual genial nature indicated the intensity of his concern.
Chad frowned and tried to ignore the green snake of jealousy that curled in his gut. Claire and Patrick had been friendly but distant in the past, so it shouldn’t surprise him that she’d not reacted negatively to the Irishman. He should be glad they’d renewed their acquaintance even if she didn’t recognize it as a
“And that’s why I want to do this! If I’d been allowed to heal in a place of comfort, not that horrible asylum, I might not have had to sacrifice my memories to my recovery. I lost more than you could ever know, more than I will ever know.”
The chill returned to his demeanor, and although he hadn’t moved, she felt the change like a splash of cold water. “I wouldn’t make that assumption, Doctor McPhee.”
“And I appreciate your concern, but I’m not going to hypnotize anyone. I’m going to use the techniques they’re developing in Vienna and demonstrate that they’re superior so that others won’t have the same problems I do.”
“That’s a noble sentiment, but I still want to feel completely comfortable that my patients are safe. You have the general’s support, but I’m the chief of this hospital, and I won’t risk the men or boys under my care.”
She stood. “If I don’t have your cooperation, I can go to another field hospital in another town. God knows there are enough of them. But I was sent here for a reason. I’ve done this before, and others are confident in my ability. Why aren’t you?” She turned to leave in a huff, but he darted around the desk and blocked her from leaving his office.
“Let me ask you this, Claire.”
Her given name on his tongue sent a lightning bolt of pain through her head, and she crumpled to the floor.
“What the—? Oh, son of a…”
He sounded like he spoke to her from the other side of a wall, but there was nothing between her and his strong arms. The layers of clothing didn’t keep her from noticing his lean, muscular body when he lifted her and cradled her head on his shoulder. Her head pounded a warning, and she moaned.
“Oh, right, this isn’t going to help.” He carried her out of the office and called for a nurse. Claire was conscious of being laid on a stretcher and carried into the cool morning air. Her headache subsided, but the nausea remained, and there was a strange ache in her chest.
“Why…?” An image flashed into her mind of the driver the night of the accident. It was just his silhouette, but the light caught the planes of his face for the barest instant. Blackness swallowed conscious thought before she could identify him.
* * * * *
“Is she going to be all right?”
Chad turned to see Patrick approaching and stepped aside so his friend could see into the room in the women’s hospital ward. It was housed in a separate building, presumably because women needed to be away from men and their noises and smells to heal properly. Chad could see the reasoning behind the rules, but it tore him apart inside that he’d have to leave her to return to his own duties and patients.
Since men greatly outnumbered the women on the base, and pregnant and nursing mothers and children were usually sent away from the border as a precaution, Claire was the only patient. Chad hovered in the doorway. He’d made sure she was stable but dared not stay too close to her.
“She’s fine as far as I can tell.” Chad rubbed the back of his neck “I made a grave mistake. I slipped into our old pattern of discussing and said her name. It triggered this.” He indicated her supine form. Even asleep, her brows drew together in a frown.
“Well, most women swoon when you say their names. It’s why you can’t get that glorified camp whore Nanette to leave you alone.” Patrick’s slipping out of his usual genial nature indicated the intensity of his concern.
Chad frowned and tried to ignore the green snake of jealousy that curled in his gut. Claire and Patrick had been friendly but distant in the past, so it shouldn’t surprise him that she’d not reacted negatively to the Irishman. He should be glad they’d renewed their acquaintance even if she didn’t recognize it as a
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