The Midwife's Marriage Proposal (Lakeside Mountain Rescue 3)

Perhaps she was being over-dramatic.

Tom questioned the couple carefully and then listened to the woman’s chest, his face expressionless as he concentrated on the sounds.

Finally he straightened. ‘I want to run a few more tests, Mrs Singh,’ he said calmly. ‘I want you to have a chest X-ray and an echocardiogram, and I’m going to ask the cardiologist to come and see you straight away. I think the problem may be your heart rather than your lungs. I just need to talk to my colleague while Sally arranges for your X-ray, and then we’ll talk again.’

Sally followed him out of the room and across to the desk.

‘It’s OK for her to have an X-ray?’ Sally put the form under his nose and he scribbled on it quickly.

‘She’s in her third trimester so it’s fine. And it’s essential that we see what’s going on.’

‘But you do think it is her heart?’

‘If you’re asking whether I think you’re clever, the answer is yes, Sally Jenner.’ He dropped the pen back on the desk and gave a crooked smile. ‘Very clever. Cleverer than the GP who has been treating her for a chest infection.’

‘Well, I’ve probably seen more cases than he has,’ Sally said practically, opening the phone book and sticking it under his nose. ‘As you say, it isn’t such a common problem in this country. I suppose you want to call the cardiologist. I’m afraid I don’t know who he is. I haven’t been here long enough to find out.’

‘It’s a she,’ Tom said immediately, something flickering in his blue eyes, ‘and her name is Chantal Mornington. She’s half-French.’

And Tom liked her. That much was obvious.

Not liking the feeling of jealousy that stabbed through her, Sally forced a smile. ‘Are you going to call her or shall I?’

‘I’ll call her and talk to her about the echo—you sort out the chest X-ray. I want to see that before I speak to Chantal.’

Wondering just what Chantal Mornington was to Tom, Sally made the necessary arrangements and stayed with Mrs Singh while she went to X-ray.

Tom was waiting for the films when she arrived back on the unit. She handed them over and he examined them in silence, his expression intent.

‘Well?’ Sally glanced at him expectantly and he stirred.

‘She has an enlarged left atrium and some shadowing here …’ He tapped with his pen, and then glanced over his shoulder with a smile as an elegant, dark-haired woman walked up to the desk. ‘Chantal. Thanks for coming.’

‘As if I’d refuse. You’re one of the few of my colleagues who doesn’t waste my time.’ Her voice was smoky and seductive and Sally felt as though she’d stepped naked into a mountain stream.

There was no mistaking the beautiful cardiologist’s feelings for Tom and, judging from the warmth in his eyes, he wasn’t exactly immune either.

‘We seem to have a case of pulmonary oedema due to mitral stenosis,’ he said, and Chantal stepped closer, her body brushing against his as she took a closer look at the X-ray.

‘I’ve seen one or two similar cases in my career,’ she said smoothly, ‘but it’s actually quite rare in this country now. You did well to spot it, Tom.’

Her dark eyes glowed with approval and invitation and Tom smiled down at her before turning briefly to Sally.

‘Actually, Sally was the one who picked it up,’ he said easily. ‘She’s worked in Pakistan and she’s seen it before in young Asian women. Very smart of her.’

‘Indeed.’ The cardiologist’s eyes slid to Sally and then away again, dismissing her as unimportant.

‘You’ll want to do an echo, of course,’ Tom said, ‘and I suppose we ought to start her on beta-blockers.’

They spoke about the management for a few minutes, their heads close together, and Sally decided it was time to remind them that she existed.

‘Why beta-blockers?’

Tom dragged his gaze away from the beautiful cardiologist. ‘Because as her heart rate increases so her stroke volume falls, and that puts increasing pressure on the left atrium,’ he explained. ‘All of those effects can be reversed by the use of beta-blockers.’

‘That’s why I like working with you,’ Chantal said huskily, removing the X-ray from the light box and slipping it into its cover. ‘Very few obstetricians understand even the most basic principles of cardiology. We’ll move her to CCU, do the echo and see if she’s suitable for a balloon valvuloplasty. Are you happy with her from an obstetric point of view?’

‘For the time being.’ Tom nodded. ‘We’ll want to monitor the baby, obviously.’