Rescuing Dr. MacAllister

'Well, that's probably not her fault, given who her father was.' Sean's tone was thoughtful and Ben lifted an eyebrow.

'Go on, then,' he prompted softly. 'Who was her father?'

'Phil Harrison.'

Ben stared at him, his attention caught. 'The Phil Harrison? The climber who died on Everest?'

Sean nodded. 'The very same.'

Something struck a chord in Ben's brain and he frowned at his friend. 'I remember reading something about his daughter. Wasn't she there when he was killed by that avalanche?'

Sean nodded, a grim expression on his face. 'She was at Base Camp, yes. Her father took her everywhere with him. Except to the top, of course. But knowing Ellie, she would have gone there, too, given the chance.'

Ben's expression showed his amazement. Ellie had trekked all the way to Everest Base Camp when she'd only been in her teens? She must be tougher than she looked.

'So what happened to her when he died?'

Sean flicked through some papers on his desk. 'Jack Morgan is her uncle. Married to Phil's sister.' Sean tossed the papers to one side and stood up. 'He owns the Outdoor Pursuits Centre in Little Langdale and he's leader of the Mountain Rescue Team. When Phil was killed Ellie went to live with them. Sometimes she helps out at the centre as a climbing instructor. Most of the time we keep her busy here.'

Ben looked at him curiously. 'And is Ellie a member of the Mountain Rescue Team?'

'Oh, yes.' Sean gave a short laugh, as though it was a silly question. 'She's a chip off the old block. An amazing climber. To be precise, she's a member of SARDA.'

The Search and Rescue Dog Association. Like all mountaineers, Ben was well aware of their role in rescuing climbers from the mountains.

'She doesn't look old enough.'

Sean was amused. 'She's no baby, but I suspect she's not particularly worldly either if that's what you're asking. I don't know much about her love life but I suspect she loves her damn dog more than any person.' He gave his friend with a speculative look. 'You're very interested in her all of a sudden.'

'I am not.' Ben's voice was terse as he answered the question and Sean looked at him quizzically.

'Well, maybe you should be. She's a sweetheart.'

'She's also incredibly, young.' Far too young for him. He'd made that mistake once before in his life. Ben gave a twisted smile and made for the door. 'Time for me to go and help Nurse Harrison, I think, before you turn into Cupid and shoot me with your bow and arrow.'

'Ben, wait.' Sean's voice stopped Ben as he reached the door, and he turned.

'What now?'

Sean rubbed a hand over the back of his neck and didn't even try to disguise the concern in his eyes.

'Will you be OK?'

It was a question he'd been asking himself since he'd walked through the doors of A and E earlier that day.

Ben's knuckles whitened as he gripped the door handle. 'I don't know,' he admitted finally, 'but there's only one way to find out, isn't there?'

Ellie looked up and smiled as Ben strode into the room. 'Hello, there. I've warned X-Ray that we might need them urgently and I've prepared Resus,' she told him briskly, looking away as she talked. He was so good-looking she found him distracting. 'And I've put some woollen blankets to warm and dug out some polythene. Is there anything else I should do?'

She dragged on an apron and gloves in readiness and then suddenly realised that Ben seemed to be frozen to the spot.

Plucking up the courage to look at him, she immediately saw the lines of tension around his firm mouth and the bleak expression in his dark eyes. He seemed to be staring at some point in the middle distance; his mind clearly elsewhere.

She frowned with concern. 'Is something wrong?'

For a long moment he didn't answer, his eyes slowly scanning every inch of the room as if searching for ghosts.

Ellie walked across to him, tilting her head so that she could see his face. 'Ben?'