Nurse Bride, Bayside Wedding by Gill Sanderson

Author:Gill Sanderson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2008-02-25T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

NICK knew that probably it shouldn’t have been, but his first thought was for his son. Nick was one of the few men who could guess what Ed had just been through. Who could guess what hurt he must have felt. A gastroenteritis outbreak. The sights, the smell, the sounds, all must have come crashing back on him. Not a lot of men could have stood that.

A small smile of paternal pride touched Nick’s lips as he looked at his obviously weary son. Ed might be weary but he was confident and he was in charge of the situation. He was a Tremayne. Of course, Nick was not going to say anything. But he was proud of his son.

They were now sitting in the captain’s cabin. They were handed coffee and then the captain said, ‘I’ve been in touch with our head office and with Dr Tremayne here. Dr Tremayne, I’d like you to review the situation.’

Nick said, ‘I’ve been phoned by the relevant port authorities, and the ship must remain in quarantine for another forty-eight hours at least. Yesterday, last night and this morning I worked on trying to identify the cause of the disease. Ed was right. It is bacterial in origin, not a virus. But it’s a completely new strain, a very powerful one, there’ll be a lot of people taking an interest in it. Still, this makes no difference to the treatment. Now, I’ve come here in person to look around, help if possible and then accompany my midwife back to shore. The midwife I didn’t know had come out here.’

He looked severely at Ed, who looked serenely back.

Nick went on, ‘The Met Office has said that the gale has almost blown itself out and conditions should rapidly improve. The navy has offered to help. They’ve liaised with the cruise line and later this afternoon one of the navy’s smaller boats will come and take off the new baby and her parents. At the same time they’ll bring out a small team of nurses and another doctor.’

‘Who’s the other doctor?’ asked Ed.

‘A Dr Wyatt. Apparently she’s not long out of medical school, but she gained an excellent pass.’

‘What is her experience of dealing with an epidemic?’

‘As far as I know, none at all,’ Nick said flatly. ‘I didn’t procure the doctor. The cruise line did.’

‘This isn’t work for a new doctor.’ Ed said. ‘I think I should stay in charge for a while longer.’

There was a silence and then the captain said, ‘I would like you to stay. It’d be foolish to change responsibilities in the middle of the situation. As head of the practice, do you agree, Dr Tremayne?’

‘I do,’ Nick said after a short pause. ‘Ed should stay a while longer. You can arrange this with the line?’

‘The line left me without a doctor—and look what happened. They’ll do whatever I say.’

‘Right. In that case, Captain, I’ll go down to see how I can help in the medical centre. I’d really like to take a good look at this new baby.

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