she couldn't. She had to go and tell her boss how she'd put his friend and a senior colleague in the hospital!
'It's only just round the corner so you'll have no difficulty finding it,' Ted had said confidently when telling Yona the day before how to get to the building where the seminars for GPs were held. Today, though, she was so preoccupied with the horror of having run over Mike's foot that she turned left instead of right as she left the hospital.
Her imagination was in overdrive. She could see the screaming headlines. Consultant Surgeon Knocked Down by Furious Female Colleague. Woman Doctor Runs Amok in Hospital Car Park . Would there be an inquiry? Almost certainly, when the accident had occurred on hospital premises. But where was she? That sign said Salchester Women's Hospital and Ted hadn't mentioned that. She must be lost.
The first passerby didn't speak English, but the second one pointed her in the right direction. Ted was just about to start his lecture and looked very relieved when Yona hurried in with a whispered apology and put the folder he wanted on the lectern.
Ted was a very good lecturer—clear, concise and gently humorous. The doctors loved it, but Yona only heard about half of what he said. By the time the lecture was over, she'd imagined herself up before the General Medical Council— via the psychiatrist's couch!
When the doctors had all drifted out in search of lunch, Ted said to Yona, 'I hope that gave you some idea of the level to pitch when it's your turn to hold forth. And don't look so scared,' he urged bracingly. 'Just remember that you know a lot more about rheumatology than almost any GP you're likely to meet.'
'You haven't heard,' she said on a dying breath because he wouldn't be treating her as usual if he had.
'Heard what, Yona?'
'About the accident. To M-Mike Preston.'
'I certainly have not! What's happened?' he asked sharply.
'He's got a crushed foot. A c-car ran over it.'
'But that's awful! And you saw it happen, as you're in such a state,' he surmised.
'No, I—' Yona licked dry lips. 'I—did it.'
'You what?' Ted was absolutely staggered, as well he might be.
'It was me. I. Gil Salvesen had annoyed me by coming right into my consulting room without knocking and asking for a lift. We had words about that. Mike was parked next to me and gave me such a dirty look, which made me crosser than ever. Then I drove off in a tearing hurry—over his foot. Apparently.'
'What do you mean—'apparently'?' Ted asked faintly.
'Well, the car gave this awful lurch as I backed out and I thought it was the state of the ground. But when Sharon told me about it this morning, I realised it must have been h-his foot... Oh, God!' She collapsed onto the nearest chair.
'So it wasn't deliberate,' said Ted.
'Deliberate? No! Of course not! We don't—don't exactly like one another, but I'd never do a thing like that!'
'Are you sure about this, Yona?'
'That I ran over his foot? I must have, mustn't I? He was standing right beside my car, I backed out at speed— and next day he's got a crushed foot.'
'That's certainly how it looks,' he said heavily. 'My God, what a thing to happen! Lucky for you, Mike's not the vindictive type.'
'He's not?' Yona asked doubtfully.
'No, he's not—though it'd take a saint to overlook this and Mike's no more of a saint than the rest of us. I hope you realise what a mess you're in,' he ended.
'Only too well,' sighed Yona.
Ted scratched his chin thoughtfully. 'I have to dash off now to a board meeting and tonight Meg and I are having people in, but I'll talk to Mike tomorrow and—'
'No!' she protested violently. 'I've no intention of hiding behind you. I did it and I'll take the consequences—whatever they are. I'll see him myself.'
Ted eyed her with something like respect. 'You may be a careless driver, but you can face up to things—I have to give you that.' He reverted to the present. 'Are there any problems on the unit before I go?'
'No—none. It
'It's only just round the corner so you'll have no difficulty finding it,' Ted had said confidently when telling Yona the day before how to get to the building where the seminars for GPs were held. Today, though, she was so preoccupied with the horror of having run over Mike's foot that she turned left instead of right as she left the hospital.
Her imagination was in overdrive. She could see the screaming headlines. Consultant Surgeon Knocked Down by Furious Female Colleague. Woman Doctor Runs Amok in Hospital Car Park . Would there be an inquiry? Almost certainly, when the accident had occurred on hospital premises. But where was she? That sign said Salchester Women's Hospital and Ted hadn't mentioned that. She must be lost.
The first passerby didn't speak English, but the second one pointed her in the right direction. Ted was just about to start his lecture and looked very relieved when Yona hurried in with a whispered apology and put the folder he wanted on the lectern.
Ted was a very good lecturer—clear, concise and gently humorous. The doctors loved it, but Yona only heard about half of what he said. By the time the lecture was over, she'd imagined herself up before the General Medical Council— via the psychiatrist's couch!
When the doctors had all drifted out in search of lunch, Ted said to Yona, 'I hope that gave you some idea of the level to pitch when it's your turn to hold forth. And don't look so scared,' he urged bracingly. 'Just remember that you know a lot more about rheumatology than almost any GP you're likely to meet.'
'You haven't heard,' she said on a dying breath because he wouldn't be treating her as usual if he had.
'Heard what, Yona?'
'About the accident. To M-Mike Preston.'
'I certainly have not! What's happened?' he asked sharply.
'He's got a crushed foot. A c-car ran over it.'
'But that's awful! And you saw it happen, as you're in such a state,' he surmised.
'No, I—' Yona licked dry lips. 'I—did it.'
'You what?' Ted was absolutely staggered, as well he might be.
'It was me. I. Gil Salvesen had annoyed me by coming right into my consulting room without knocking and asking for a lift. We had words about that. Mike was parked next to me and gave me such a dirty look, which made me crosser than ever. Then I drove off in a tearing hurry—over his foot. Apparently.'
'What do you mean—'apparently'?' Ted asked faintly.
'Well, the car gave this awful lurch as I backed out and I thought it was the state of the ground. But when Sharon told me about it this morning, I realised it must have been h-his foot... Oh, God!' She collapsed onto the nearest chair.
'So it wasn't deliberate,' said Ted.
'Deliberate? No! Of course not! We don't—don't exactly like one another, but I'd never do a thing like that!'
'Are you sure about this, Yona?'
'That I ran over his foot? I must have, mustn't I? He was standing right beside my car, I backed out at speed— and next day he's got a crushed foot.'
'That's certainly how it looks,' he said heavily. 'My God, what a thing to happen! Lucky for you, Mike's not the vindictive type.'
'He's not?' Yona asked doubtfully.
'No, he's not—though it'd take a saint to overlook this and Mike's no more of a saint than the rest of us. I hope you realise what a mess you're in,' he ended.
'Only too well,' sighed Yona.
Ted scratched his chin thoughtfully. 'I have to dash off now to a board meeting and tonight Meg and I are having people in, but I'll talk to Mike tomorrow and—'
'No!' she protested violently. 'I've no intention of hiding behind you. I did it and I'll take the consequences—whatever they are. I'll see him myself.'
Ted eyed her with something like respect. 'You may be a careless driver, but you can face up to things—I have to give you that.' He reverted to the present. 'Are there any problems on the unit before I go?'
'No—none. It
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