City Surgeon, Outback Bride

  ‘Look at me. I’m a mess.’

  She shook her head, a lock of hair coming loose from her band and falling across her face.

  ‘No.’ He gently tucked it behind her ear. ‘Not a mess at all.’

  His hand lingered on her cheek, caressing it lightly, and Rayne gasped at the touch, her eyes meeting his. There was something between them, something new and exciting. He looked at her lips, watching them part to allow the pent-up air to escape. ‘You’re very beautiful,’ he whispered, his tone filled with intimacy.

  Lucy Clark is actually a husband-and-wife writing team. They enjoy taking holidays with their children, during which they discuss and develop new ideas for their books using the fantastic Australian scenery. They use their daily walks to talk over characterisation and fine details of the wonderful stories they produce, and are avid movie buffs. They live on the edge of a popular wine district in South Australia, with their two children, and enjoy spending family time together at weekends.

  Recent titles by the same author:

  A WEDDING AT LIMESTONE COAST

  HER VERY SPECIAL BABY

  HIS CHRISTMAS PROPOSAL

  THE EMERGENCY DOCTOR’S DAUGHTER

  CITY SURGEON, OUTBACK BRIDE

  BY

  LUCY CLARK

  WWW.MILLSANDBOON.CO.UK

  CITY SURGEON, OUTBACK BRIDE

  To Bill—Thanks for letting us know about Deni Pr 13:1

  CHAPTER ONE

  HENRY HARCOURT changed the radio station once more, shaking his head as he picked up yet another country and western tune. ‘Well, what do you expect when you come out to the middle of nowhere?’

  He glanced up at the road, long and straight before him, paddocks and farms on either side, the ground a yellowish brown due to the drought plaguing Australia. Thankfully, the deciduous trees and the evergreen gums stood tall and true, bringing more colour to the surroundings. He pressed the button on his car stereo to try and find a different channel but, apart from the few he’d found, all he got now was static.

  Switching it off, he shook his head. Then he adjusted his sunglasses as he passed a side road, which was really nothing more than a dirt track. Henry did a double take and immediately slowed his vehicle down, craning his neck to look behind him.

  There was a car at an odd angle, the driver’s door flung wide-open, and someone appeared to be hanging half out of it. Doing a quick U-turn, glad there was no traffic around on the deserted road, Henry drove towards the stationary vehicle. As he came closer, he could see the tracks on the dirt road where the car had swerved several times before coming to a stop, black bits of car tyre littered here and there.

  Stopping his car and switching off the engine, his hand automatically reached for the medical kit which he kept in the back seat, then he was out and striding purposefully towards the occupant, his brain clicking instantly into medical mode.

  The person was a woman and she had somehow managed to get herself out of the car so she was sitting on the ground with her feet still in the car. She was also heavily pregnant and her skirt was wet.

  ‘Hi. I’m Henry,’ he said, crouching down beside her.

  ‘Donna,’ she panted, as she lay down on the hot ground.

  ‘I’m a doctor, Donna.’ Henry pulled a stethoscope out of his medical kit as though to prove his point.

  ‘I’ve just called her. My doctor, that is.’

  Henry looked at the flat surroundings as he hooked the stethoscope into his ears. ‘Might be a bit of a wait.’ He first checked Donna’s heartbeat before listening to the baby’s. ‘Sounding strong and healthy,’ he announced.

  ‘A-ah-h. And impatient, too,’ Donna muttered as she was gripped by a contraction.

  Henry smiled as he pressed two fingers to her pulse. Apart from being slightly elevated, which he had fully expected, it seemed as though Donna actually had things under control. ‘I take it this isn’t your first?’

  ‘No. Fourth.’

  ‘Were the others born by the side of the road or did you actually manage to make it to a medical facility?’ While Henry spoke, he pulled on a pair of gloves.

  ‘A funny doctor,’ Donna replied drolly. ‘Just what this town needs. A-ah-h.’ Another contraction gripped her and Henry looked at her stomach.

  ‘That was closer.’

  ‘You’re telling me.’

  ‘Listen, Donna. Mind if I take a look?’

  ‘Be my guest. Outback hospitality and all that!’ She chuckled to herself.

  Henry started to shift around when he was assailed by a cloud of dust and looked up in time to see another vehicle pulling up, a utility truck. He closed his eyes and held his breath while the dust passed quickly over them, then nodded. Good. He could use another pair of hands. He watched as a slim woman, wearing blue jeans, cotton checked shirt and bush hat, climbed from the ute, well-worn boots on her feet. She carried a medical kit which was very similar to his own and that was the first clue that this wasn’t just any well-meaning neighbour stopping to help.

  ‘Donna?’

  ‘Rayne?’

  ‘You do pick the oddest places to give birth. G’day.’ The last was directed to Henry, who’d just crouched down, medical gloves on his hands. ‘I’m Rayne Hudson. GP for Deniliquin.’

  ‘Henry Harcourt. Medic just passing by.’

  ‘Good to meet you, Henry. I’ve called for an ambulance and told Janic to get his butt down here pronto.’

  ‘How did he take that?’ Donna asked, breathing heavily.

  ‘Your husband? How do you think? He flew straight into panic mode. He’s over in the far paddock and had no idea you were in labour.’

  ‘I didn’t want to bother him. Just called him and told him the tyre had blown out but that I was OK. Actually, when I spoke to him, I didn’t realise I was in labour. It wasn’t until I found I couldn’t get out of the car without having a contraction that I sort of guessed— Oh, and when my waters broke.’ Donna chuckled. ‘Well, we are in the middle of a drought. At least I’m doing my bit to help.’

  Rayne laughed. ‘That’s Donna to a T,’ she told Henry. ‘As practical as ever. Anyway, let’s see how you’re progressing, Donna, and then we can—’ Her words were cut off as Donna’s abdomen contracted again and this time it was accompanied by a push, the woman on the ground grunting in pain. ‘I guess that answers my question. How about we start by getting your feet out of the car?’ Rayne swatted away a few flies, glad at least that this wasn’t happening at the height of summer. It was the first week in September—officially spring—and the weather was at least being nice to them today in that it wasn’t too hot and wasn’t too cold.

  ‘Delivered a lot of babies?’ she asked Henry. ‘I mean, is it too much to hope that you’re an obstetrician just passing by?’

  ‘Sorry. General surgeon.’ He said the words automatically even though he’d left Sydney three weeks ago on an indefinite sabbatical.

  ‘Well, beggars can’t be , although I’m sure Donna and the newest addition to her brood aren’t going to give us any trouble. The last birth was straightforward. Happened during the New Year celebrations at the beginning of last year but, still, straightforward.’

  ‘Loud bangs seem to set my babies off,’ Donna muttered, panting. She had her eyes closed to conserve energy and after Rayne had performed the internal examination, she sighed. ‘Everything all right?’

  ‘Perfect. You’re about seven centimetres dilated. Henry, could you keep an eye on the baby’s heartbeat, given that you’ve already got your stethoscope ready? I’ll just get a few extra things from the car.’

  Henry watched the woman walk away and asked himself if she was really old enough to be qualified.

  ‘She’s thirty,�
� Donna said, and he was surprised that she could read his mind until he realised he’d asked the question out loud. ‘I know. I hate her, too. I’m younger than her yet I look far more hagg—’ The word was cut off as another contraction hit.

  Henry kept an eye on both mother and unborn child, glancing up to see what Rayne was doing. He also found it hard to believe he was actually here, in the middle of nowhere helping to deliver a baby. For the past two years he’d locked himself away in a small little bubble of people and he’d been fine…fine until three weeks ago when the need to get away from everyone, including that small bubble, had overwhelmed him.

  ‘How long until we might expect the ambulance?’ Henry asked when Rayne returned, carrying a portable sphygmomanometer, as well as a bag containing blankets and towels.

  ‘Not for another twenty minutes at least.’

  ‘You made good time, though.’

  ‘I was at Donna’s neighbour’s house when she called me. She was next on my house-call list but apparently the baby wanted the attention immediately.’

  ‘I told Henry the baby was impatient.’

  ‘I never doubted you.’ Henry smiled at Donna, and Rayne watched how the action changed the structure of his face. She’d looked at him several times, noting the firm squareness of his face, his three-day growth obscuring his jawline but giving him that rugged outdoorsy look a lot of city men liked to sport. Thankfully, it worked for him.

  He looked up then, and caught her staring. For a moment, neither one moved. It was an extremely odd sensation and one Rayne had never felt before in her life. She swallowed, unable to look away, unable to get her mind to focus on what she’d previously been doing. His chocolaty-brown eyes were making her breathing increase and she was beginning to feel a little light-headed.

  Ridiculous. She wasn’t the type of woman to be attracted to a man at first sight. In fact, she wasn’t the type of woman who allowed herself to be attracted to men at second or third sight. She was more than happy with her life at the moment—an outback GP in the town of Deniliquin in New South Wales’s south-west—and she had no room for the sort of look she’d just shared with this handsome stranger.

  When the next contraction came, along with a very long and hard push on Donna’s part, Rayne was ready. She’d set up blankets and towels beneath their patient to at least make her a bit more comfortable. ‘Fully dilated. Gee. I hope Janic gets here in time.’

  ‘Well, I’m not holding on for him,’ Donna protested.

  Rayne laughed and Henry felt it wash over him like the warmth of the sun. ‘I don’t think this little one’s going to let you. It’s ready and it’s impatient.’

  They set to work, the three of them working hard—Donna most of all—to bring this new little life into the world. Janic arrived only moments before the ambulance.

  ‘Do you want to cut the cord, Janic?’

  ‘No. You do it,’ he said, focusing on his wife. He’d glanced at the baby Rayne held in a sterile towel before looking at his wife again. ‘You know I’m not good with the blood, mate.’

  Rayne smiled and looked down at a very healthy little girl with a good set of lungs, making herself known. ‘All right. Henry? As I’m holding this gorgeous squirming little girl, do you want to do the honours?’

  Henry was surprised for a moment but didn’t hesitate to pick up the clamps and put them in place before using the scissors to cut through the tough umbilical cord which had helped to keep the baby alive these past nine months. It was an odd sensation and one he hadn’t actually experienced before. Of course, he’d delivered a few babies during his medical training but once he’d entered the general surgical programme, delivering babies had become a thing of the past.

  Another memory flashed into his mind, that of a dream he’d once had…the dream of cutting the umbilical cord of his own child. But that dream had disappeared years ago. He blinked and refocused his mind.

  ‘What are you going to call her?’ Rayne was asking as she handed the baby over to Donna to cradle.

  ‘Davina Tanneth,’ Donna announced proudly, kissing her daughter’s head. Janic looked at the little girl—his youngest, his newest—and touched her cheek.

  Rayne nodded. ‘Original—like the others. You’re not going to refer to her by her initials, too, are you?’

  ‘Why not?’ Donna asked. ‘That’s how Janic calls all of them.’

  ‘What are the names of your other children?’ Henry asked, intrigued. He helped Rayne get ready to deliver the afterbirth.

  ‘We have JJ, he’s four and a half. CC, she’s three, and then JR is twenty-one months and now DT—the newest addition to our family,’ Janic supplied as Donna tensed with another milder contraction. ‘What’s happening, Rayne? Is she all right?’

  ‘She’s fine. Just getting ready for the next stage of labour.’ Rayne smiled at him and then glanced at Henry. ‘This is the closest Janic has been for the birth of any of his children. DT should be quite flattered.’

  They continued to do their job and while he worked, Henry felt completely at ease. It seemed quite natural that this little life be born against such a peaceful and beautiful backdrop, the exact opposite of a sterile and impersonal hospital atmosphere.

  ‘Are we ready to move me to the hospital now?’ Donna asked, exhaustion starting to take its toll.

  ‘Absolutely.’ Rayne took little Davina Tanneth from her mother and after a very quick cuddle handed her to one of the paramedics who had a baby capsule ready and waiting for the newborn to be transferred alongside her mother.

  Once they were organised, Rayne shut the back door of the ambulance and gave two sharp raps, indicating it was ready to go. ‘You’re not going to the hospital?’ she asked Janic, who stood there with his hands on his hips, nodding proudly as the ambulance made its way off the dirt road and back onto the main road, heading towards Deniliquin.

  ‘No. I’ll get these cars organised.’ He indicated both his and Donna’s vehicles. ‘And let people know the news. My other babies need their papa and then we will all go and see their brave mama.’

  ‘Sounds like a plan.’ Rayne nodded as she started clearing away all her equipment. The area did look a little like a used-car lot with vehicles parked at odd angles here and there. She turned to find Henry pulling off his gloves and locking his medical kit. ‘Here.’ She held out the bag used for rubbish.

  ‘Thanks.’ Henry ditched his gloves. ‘I have to say, Rayne, that you’re well organised.’

  Rayne smiled. ‘Let’s just say I’ve learned to be. Out here, it’s best to be prepared for any contingency.’ She finished rolling up the blanket and towels before stowing them in the tray of her ute. Henry followed her over, bringing her medical kit as well. ‘Thanks.’ She took it from him and put it away, then she turned and held out her hand. ‘We haven’t been properly introduced. I’m Rayne Hudson.’

  ‘GP and midwife all rolled into one.’ Henry nodded and slid his hand into hers.

  Rayne shook his hand, expecting the handshake to be light, quick and polite, but Henry’s entire hand seemed to engulf hers in its warmth. The sensation of his skin brought a slight tingling awareness that flooded through her, and she quickly glanced down at their connected hands, half expecting to see them catch fire, the heat was that intense. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case and when she returned to look at his eyes, she got lost again in the deep, rich brown. She watched as they widened imperceptibly and she noted he seemed just as surprised at the effect of their brief touch as she was.

  Both let go instantly, Henry shoving his hand into his jeans pocket. Rayne cleared her throat and looked away, hoping she wasn’t blushing.

  ‘So…Henry. Uh…are you just passing through? Er… Deniliquin, I mean.’ Rayne laughed nervously and indicated their surroundings. ‘Of course you’d just be passing through here because here is just a few open fields but, uh…Deni. Are you planning to, um…stay?’

  Henry couldn’t help but smile at the way she was tripping over her words. When
had been the last time a woman had made him smile like that? Or perhaps the question was, when had he had the time to notice? He couldn’t remember. He also realised Rayne was waiting for an answer.

  ‘Actually, yes. I heard there was a festival starting soon and was told it was something everyone should experience at least once in their lives, so here I am.’ He spread his arms wide for a moment.

  ‘Well, that’s great.’ Rayne tilted her head to the side. ‘You do know the festival doesn’t officially start for another two weeks?’

  ‘Yes. I haven’t booked any accommodation so thought if I got here early enough, something might be available.’

  ‘There’s bound to be something available now but you may be out of luck during the actual festival. Most people book a year in advance.’

  ‘A year?’

  Rayne nodded at his bewildered expression. ‘Yes. You see, some people like to see the festival more than once.’

  ‘Ah. Of course. I see.’

  ‘I’m not sure if you do.’ Rayne took her hat off her head for a moment and put it inside the tailgate so she could fix her hair. Quite a few strands had been blown loose and she hated it when her hair flicked around her face. ‘Deniliquin is a sleepy little town all year around, boasting almost eight thousand residents in the district, but during festival time numbers swell to in excess of twenty thousand.’

  Henry’s eyebrows raised in surprise. ‘Sounds like a bit more than a festival.’

  ‘Which is why everyone should experience it. There’s something for everyone. Craft and photography exhibitions, cake-making and decorating competitions. Schoolchildren take part and perform little plays as well as the school band concerts…’ Rayne dropped her tone a little and said in a stage whisper, ‘Where it’s advisable to perhaps stuff a little bit of cotton wool in your ears.’ She pulled the band out, tucked stray wisps back into place, then retied the band.