Free The Surgeon's Blade by Faith Mortimer

who ca—”
     
    “Hey, steady on. We don’t want Libby getting the wrong idea.” Robert turned to Libby. “Please don’t take any notice of them. They’re always trying to matchmake on my behalf.” He turned back towards his sister. “I forgot to tell you that Libby is engaged – to a surgeon from here as a matter of fact. We are just friends. Okay?”
     
    “We’re not here to talk about me. How are you both?” Embarrassed by the personal conversation, Libby moved nearer the bed.
     
    “I’m fine. It’s Stephanie who’s come off worse.”
     
    “Thank you, Libby. I’m okay, a bit uncomfortable. I got a shock when I woke up in here. I’d never imagined I’d end up in ITU.”
     
    “You’ll be moved into the main surgery ward after your op, I expect.” Libby said. “At the moment it’s full, which is probably why you’re here.”
     
    “So they say. Anyway, it’s very kind of you to accompany my brother here today. He loathes hospitals. I’m only sorry we didn’t get to the concert, and you’ve missed it.”
     
    “It’s only a concert, there’ll be plenty more,” Robert said.
     
    “All the same, we’ll go to another one as soon as I’m able.” Stephanie stifled back a yawn.
     
    Libby noticed Stephanie was getting tired. The shock and stress from the accident was taking its toll. It was time for them to leave her to rest.
     
    “Thank you for coming. We’re so pleased to have met you. As soon as I’m home, Robert must bring you over for dinner one evening.”
     
    Robert looked at Libby who nodded in agreement. “That would be lovely. Good luck with your surgery today. You’ll probably end up on my ward.”
     
    Graham saw them to the door. He was patently worried about Stephanie, and Libby did her best to console him. Despite his size, she could see he was a gentle giant, and dearly loved his petite wife. “I don’t know how long she’ll stay in, but I promise to make sure my staff keeps a special eye on her if she comes on my ward.”
     
    ~~~~~
     
    “When are you back at work, Libby?” Robert asked, once they were back on the road.
     
    “I’m not sure, to be honest. At the moment, I’m enjoying my free time at home. Luckily, I have plenty of leave I can use, even if the hospital decides I’m well enough to go back in the next week or so.”
     
    “That’s good.” Robert manoeuvred the car around a cyclist. “Why do they wobble so when you overtake them?”
     
    “Mmm. I always find cyclists scary.”
     
    “Thank you for coming with me today. I appreciated your company. As Steph said, I detest hospitals. It’s probably after watching my father die.”
     
    “That must have been horrible.”
     
    “Yes. Not only did he lose his memory, but he had the dreaded big C too.”
     
    Libby flashed him a look of sympathy.
     
    “Look, as we’ve missed the concert, and I do feel guilty about spoiling your fun, how about we go and have some dinner together? I know a great little Italian restaurant not far from here. You must be starving. I know I am.”
     
    “That would be very nice, thank you.”
     
    He gave a laugh, and Libby asked him what was so funny.
     
    “Well, it seems despite your fiancé’s efforts, I am going to be allowed to take you out to dinner after all and without any manoeuvring on my part! Sorry, I’m being mischievous. I’d like to see his face though. He would not be amused.”
     
    Libby smiled, but a small niggle of doubt crept inside her. What if Nigel returned home early? He didn’t even know she was supposed to be with Jem and Simon that day. She shrugged. It was her life and not his. She never knew what he got up to when he was away on business, and there had to some kind of trust between them. “Italian is one of my favourites.”
     

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 9
     
     
     
    Robert surprised Libby with his knowledge of food. The restaurant he had chosen was almost hidden down one of the back lanes of Southampton,