Page 108 of The Moon Sister
‘No, Ulrika.’ I shook my head, distraught. ‘You’ve got it all wrong.’
‘I don’t think so. It’s obvious to everyone that you’re smitten.’
‘I’m really not—’
‘What I’m asking, Tiggy, is that you leave my family alone. You can think what you like about my marriage and my relationship with my daughter, but you can do it well away from all of us.’
It took a few seconds to grasp what she was suggesting. ‘You want me to leave my job? And Kinnaird?’
‘Yes. I think it’s best all round, don’t you?’
Her steely blue eyes bored into me and I lowered my own.
‘I’ll leave you to think about it. I’m sure you’ll see it’s the best thing for everyone. Get better soon,’ she added tersely, before she stood up and disappeared behind the curtain.
I slumped back on my pillow, feeling another shock ricochet through me. No wonder I had palpitations at the moment, I thought miserably. Too exhausted to even begin to think what I should do, I closed my eyes, willing myself to go back to sleep, because my heart reallywasracing now. I dozed fitfully, woken periodically by nurses coming to check on me. I was just nodding off for the umpteenth time when I heard a familiar male voice.
‘Tiggy? It’s Charlie.’
There was just nowayI could face him now, so I feigned sleep.
‘She’s obviously out cold and sleep’s the best thing for her,’ I heard Charlie whispering to the nurse. ‘Tell her I came to see her and that I’ll visit her as soon as I can tomorrow morning. Her numbers are okay at the moment but any problems overnight, bleep me. The Adenosine I’ve prescribed should keep things calm. Give it to her when you do the next set of obs.’
‘Yes, Dr Kinnaird. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her,’ the nurse replied as the curtain closed behind them before their footsteps faded away.
Why has he prescribed more medication?I thought. Perhaps it was for the muscle that had taken the brunt of the bullet as it had passed through my jacket. It hurt a little to breathe, but that was probably just the bruising . . .
I dozed off, woken later by the nurse appearing to do my last obs.
‘Good job we didn’t remove your cannula, because the consultant’s prescribed something for you,’ she said as she squirted liquid through a syringe she’d attached to it. ‘Now, I’ll leave yae to rest. Press the call bell if you need anything.’
‘I will. Thank you.’
*
I was woken from a broken sleep by the morning nurse, who wanted to do yet another round of obs.
‘You’ll be pleased to know everythin’s looking much more like it this morning,’ she said as she recorded the details. ‘A tea trolley will be round shortly,’ she added as she left.
I sat up, thinking that Ididfeel better this morning. My heart had stopped jumping around and I felt clear-headed enough to process the conversation with Ulrika last night.
How could she claim that I was after her husband? How dare she say that I’d tried to influence Zara! I tried to help her! What right hasshegot to fire me . . . !
Then I contemplated my options: the first was to tell Charlie what had happened, but I knew I’d be far too embarrassed to recount Ulrika’s accusations that I was ‘smitten’ with him.
Is this because she might be right . . . ?my inner voice asked me.
It was no secret to my soul that I had been drawn to Charlie from the first moment I’d met him. I’d loved spending time with him, and yes, I was definitely attracted to him . . .
The simple truth was that Ulrika’s radar had spotted it.
‘She’s right,’ I groaned. The tea trolley arrived and as I sipped the tepid, watery substance I was given, I wondered what to do.
I thought about Zed, still up at Kinnaird, and the fact that someone had taken a potshot at me. On top of which, from what both Zed and Zara had told me, the future of the Kinnaird estate was just about as unsteady as my heartbeat . . .
‘There may be no job in a week’s time anyway,’ I muttered to myself. ‘Best to get out whilst the going’s good.’
‘You is goin’. . .’ Chilly had said . . .
