Read Online The Rebel and the Baby Doctor by Joanna Neil - Free Book Online

‘Really? Is it true? Do you still volunteer at the centre? It would be wonderful if you could be there with us, too.’ Her husband cleared his throat in warning and she pulled herself up, looking flustered all at once. ‘Of course, I expect you’re much too busy. You must forget I asked. I don’t know what I was thinking.’
    Jamie’s mouth drooped unhappily, and now Phoebe was the one to be uncertain. ‘No, that’s quite all right. It’s true what Dr Broughton was saying, I used to volunteer there on a regular basis. They did so much to help my young niece while she was recovering from various operations and procedures.’ She was thoughtful for a moment, disturbed by the sad look in the boy’s eyes. ‘I dare say I could fit in another weekend there. The organisers are always asking me if I’ll go back.’
    All at once, Jamie was beaming from ear to ear. ‘So I get to go away after all? That’s super-cool.’
    Jamie and his parents talked to one another excitedly, already making plans for the coming event.
    It was only when Phoebe turned away and saw Connor’s lips make a faint curve of satisfaction that she realised how neatly she had been manoeuvred into volunteering her services.
    Had she really thought he was unsure of himself? What possessed her to think that way? Connor never had doubts. He had led her down the path and held out the bait of the boy’s desperate longing so that she would enter the trap willingly.
    ‘Thank you so much for this,’ Mrs Brannigan said, her face wreathed in smiles. ‘I’ll ring the centre and say that we’ll go ahead with the booking.’
    The woman turned away and started an animated conversation with her husband and son once more.
    Phoebe felt the door of the trap clang firmly into place. She sent Connor a brief, quizzical look, and he returned it with a bland gaze, as though he was innocence itself.
    ‘You said you had some papers for me to sign?’ he murmured.
    ‘That’s right, I did. I can’t think what made me forget.’ Her blue eyes lanced into him, and the wretched man dared to smile.
    ‘You’ve always been extremely good with children,’ he murmured in an undertone as he signed the papers,‘no matter much how you doubt yourself. Emily’s come a long way since her unfortunate start, and now you would hardly know that there’s anything wrong with her. That has to be down to the care she’s received over the years from both the medical profession and her family…including her favourite aunt. It’ll do you good to go away for the weekend, you’ll see. It will help you to see the positive side of things.’
    She gave a brief, taut smile in return as she took the papers from him. ‘You are in so much trouble,’ she muttered. ‘Just wait till I get you on your own.’

CHAPTER FIVE
    ‘I S IT safe to come in here?’ Connor poked his head around the door of the neonatal unit, and caught Phoebe’s gaze.
    She glowered at him. ‘If we didn’t have to work together to transport this baby to Somerset, I’d answer that by aiming a barrage of squashed tomatoes at you,’ she said in a pithy tone. ‘You manipulated the situation with Jamie’s parents—don’t think that I don’t know that.’
    He tried to look sheepish and failed dismally. ‘I was sort of hoping you might be over that now that you’ve had an hour or so to cool down.’
    ‘Not a bit of it. There’s no way you’re off the hook. I’ve had time to brood over what you did and I’ve come up with ways of making you pay.’
    ‘Uh-oh. That sounds ominous.’ He made as if to back away. ‘Maybe I ought to go back down to A and E?’
    ‘Don’t even think about it.’ Her eyes narrowed on him, her blue gaze becoming smoky. ‘I’ll sort you out later. In the meantime, the ambulance is ready and waiting and we’re all geared up to go.’
    ‘Ah, well, in that case…I suppose I don’t really havemuch of a choice, do I?’ He opened the door wider and walked in, ducking and giving an