Free The Country Doctor's Choice by Maggie Bennett

wards.
    He shook his head gravely. ‘The poor kid will need to be thoroughly investigated after delivery, but we can do a full blood profile now for electrolytes, creatinine clearance and so on – and watch out for bugs in the urine.’
    She nodded. ‘I’ve sent the requests to the lab.’
    ‘Good. D’you think the old man will go for an early delivery?’
    ‘An early Caesarean section, I’d guess, to save her pushing,’ she said. ‘Her condition’s only going to worsen as long as she’s pregnant, isn’t it?’
    He sighed. ‘Oh, it just isn’t fair, Shelagh, that poor kid. Whatever kind of future has she got, if any? And the poor little beggar inside her, who’s going to take
him
on, or her? She hasn’t got a home for him, only a council flat with an alcoholic mother.’
    ‘It’ll be a case for the social workers to sort out,’ said Shelagh. ‘Foster care, most likely, while they wait to see how things go.’
    ‘Wish I could meet the father of that poor little bastard – he wouldn’t father any more!’
    ‘Then you’d be had up for grievous bodily harm! Nobody ever
does
find out who’s taken up one of these unlucky girls, get her drunk and then taken advantage of her. By the way, Dr McDowall, you’re on call tonight, aren’t you?’
    ‘Yes, but I can take a couple of hours off this afternoon – to keep an appointment with a very special lady!’ He gave a knowing wink, for theyboth knew that Tanya Dickenson had a half day.
    ‘Enjoy yourselves,’ she said coolly, putting away Trish Pendle’s case notes in the file.
     
    Miss Maura Carlin was scarcely able to hide her dismay when she saw her elder sister’s fragile appearance; the two of them clung together on their first meeting after nearly thirty years.
    ‘Sure, Bridie, none of us ever understood why ye upped and left us to marry that sailor feller, him that none of us ever saw,’ she said, smoothing back her sister’s white hair and looking reproachfully into the faded blue eyes. ‘Well, they’ll just have to manage widout me at home for a bit, so they will. I’m here to look after ye and little Shelagh until ye’re better!’
    The bustling Irish spinster was as good as her word, and Shelagh was filled with relief and gratitude towards an aunt she had never met. On her part Maura was open-mouthed when she saw that her little niece had become an efficient, attractive doctor.
    ‘But why didn’t ye write to me before, Shelagh?’ she asked. ‘How could ye let your mother face such an operation widout lettin’ her family know?’
    Bridget begged her not to blame Shelagh but herself, likewise for all the years without making contact.
    ‘But never mind, I’m here now, and here I’m goin’ to stay!’ declared Maura, before they were interrupted by the arrival of a visitor.
    ‘Bless yer, Dr Leigh!’ cried Bridget. ‘Meet me sister Maura!’
    ‘Hello, Maura, pleased to meet you. I just bobbed in to ask how you’re doing, Bridget, but I needn’t have worried, you’re looking fine! Let me explain, Maura. Bridget’s my sweetheart, or at least I thought she was, but she won’t give me any encouragement, says I’m too old for her – what a cruel world!’
    Amid the laughter, Maura brewed a pot of tea and found some biscuits in a tin.
    Shelagh felt a little awkward at such familiarity. ‘Good heavens, Dr McDowall, what are you doing here?’
    ‘Why, don’t you remember, Dr Hammond, I told you I had a rendezvous with a very special lady? Thanks, Auntie Maura, I’ll have another. Cheers!’
    Shelagh was both baffled and annoyed. What on earth was he up to, going behind her back to ingratiate himself with her mother?
    ‘I can’t stay long, Mother, I only wanted to see how you are, and Aunt Maura. It looks as if I needn’t have worried. Bye!’
     
    Mr Kydd’s decision to perform an elective Caesarean section of Trish Pendle resulted in the arrival of a small but healthy boy whom his young mother called Donovan. He was taken