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  ‘I don’t expect you to make a decision immediately. It will take you a while to decide what specialisation you want to follow.’

  Jeremy rolled his eyes. It was as though he hadn’t spoken.

  ‘And I have enough connections to get you out of your contract. The old boys’ club has a long reach.’

  Jeremy could just picture his father tapping his nose and adjusting the old school tie. ‘I’m sure it has. Thanks for your call, Dad. I hope everyone is well down there. I have patients waiting. Goodbye.’

  He pressed disconnect before his father could reply and tucked the phone back into his pocket. As he leaned back against the wall—there were no patients waiting—Emma walked out of the small building in front of him, pushing another wheelchair. Her braid fell over her shoulder as she leaned forward to speak to the elderly woman in the chair. Her laugh reached him as he watched her, and a rush of warmth pierced his chest.

  Emma was wheeling the chair into the pathology room along the corridor and he could hear her talking to the nurse. He walked slowly up the corridor and smiled at her when came out.

  ‘You look happy.’ Emma pushed the empty chair into the corner.

  ‘Good morning, Doctor Porter. I am.’

  ‘What were you doing this morning? We could have done with you in emergency.’

  ‘Ah, I was busy.’

  She flashed him a curious look.

  ‘Have you got time to go over to the aged care building? Mrs Abernethy’s been asking for that good-looking young man to come and see her all night. I’m about to treat her toe infection with the fig leaves and I thought you might find it interesting.’

  ‘Sure. She’s a sweetheart. Thinks I’m her son. Come to the staff room and I’ll shout you a coffee on the way.’

  Emma followed him down to the small kitchen near his office. ‘Dementia is a cruel thing. She is such a sweetie. They all are.’ Her words were punctuated by a yawn.

  ‘Late night?’ He knew she was watching him as he crossed to the corner of the room and switched on the jug.

  ‘Bowser kept me up most of the night scratching at the door. We had a bit of a scare with a snake last week and I’m reluctant to let him outside after dark.’ Emma folded her arms and settled into the chair. ‘It’s not like him to carry on all night though. I was a bit worried that there was something—or someone—snooping around.’

  ‘Ever had any problems over there?’

  Emma’s forehead wrinkled. ‘No, not really. George generally keeps an eye on the place when I’m not there but—’

  ‘But what?’

  ‘I thought I’d shut the back door when I left yesterday morning and it was wide open when I got home last night. I probably forgot to shut it but it made me a bit jumpy all night.’ She pointed to the jug. ‘Water’s boiled.’

  ‘Make sure you lock it next time.’ He placed a mug of coffee beside her and straddled the desk chair.

  ‘So, I have a favour to ask.’

  She looked at him curiously. ‘Yes?’

  ‘I’ve found a place to stay and I’m moving out in a few days. Want to help me move?’

  ‘Where to? Wonga Beach?’ She closed her eyes and sighed as she took the first sip. ‘Perfect. Thank you. That’s what I needed.’

  ‘No. I’ve rented a small house on the road out to the gorge. If you’re free, it’d be nice to have some company when I unpack on Sunday.’

  She looked at him and began to shake her head but he held his hand up. ‘As a friend, Emma. I’m not putting any pressure on you. Really, I could do with a hand. And I could do with a friend.’

  ‘I’ll see what I’m doing. That’s all I can promise.’

  ‘And—this is where the real favour comes in—I’ve ordered a heap of furniture from a catalogue . . . and I’m sure you’ll remember my handyman skills?’

  ‘Mr Useless who couldn’t even change a light bulb till I showed him the difference between an Edison screw and a bayonet cap? I sure do.’ She grinned at the shared memory. ‘So what needs doing?’

  ‘Ah, the furniture is coming in a flat pack.’

  The peal of laughter that came from Emma’s lips sent warmth rushing through his veins. She put her cup on the table and waved her hand. ‘I guess I can help you out. But there’s a catch.’

  ‘And that is?’ Her eyes were dancing with mischief. It was his Emma of old times.

  ‘Help us with the setting up at the park on Saturday.’

  Jeremy put his finger to his lips with a mock frown. He had no intention of telling her that Jeff had already asked him and he’d agreed to help. ‘Hmm . . . well, I suppose . . . yes, okay, I guess I could.’

  ‘Good. We have a deal.’ She stood and smoothed her hands down her navy work trousers. ‘Come on, let’s get to work. I’m due at the clinic soon.’

  ‘While I think of it I wanted to let you know . . . I’m heading up to Cooktown tomorrow. I’ll be away for a couple of days.’

  ‘If you think Dalrymple’s a frontier town, wait till you see Cooktown. Is the four-wheel drive here for you?’

  He nodded. ‘It arrived yesterday.’

  ‘Are you taking the main highway to Cooktown?’

  ‘No, I’m expected at Quarantine Bay mid-morning so it’s the coast road.’

  ‘That road is really bad once it gets onto the Bloomfield Track. Have you had much experience in a four-wheel drive vehicle?’

  ‘What? You think I only know how to drive a flash car on a freeway?’

  She lifted her chin. ‘In a word, yes.’

  He regarded her steadily. ‘There’s a lot you don’t know about me now, Emma Porter. And who knows, you might enjoy finding out.’

  The hmpph she gave him reminded him of old George, and he smothered the grin that threatened.

  ‘Well, just be careful on that road.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am.’

  ‘I’ll see you at the park early Saturday morning if I don’t see you before.’ She flicked her braid over her shoulder. ‘Which house are you renting on the Gorge Road?’

  ‘It’s on the last corner before you turn off the road.’

  Her eyes widened. ‘Are there two big Poinciana trees in the front yard?’

  ‘There are two big trees but I’m not sure what they’re called. They’ve got orange flowers.’

  ‘That’s a lovely place. Albert and Lorna James are both in care here now. It’ll be good to have somebody looking after it. You can meet them after I’ve done Mrs Abernethy’s treatment.’

  Jeremy was smiling as they headed over to the aged care building. It was the first time he and Emma had managed a conversation without descending into an argument. A good start. And he’d see her both days of the weekend. And she was worrying about him.

  Perhaps he had a chance after all.

  *

  Emma was thoughtful as she walked back across to the main building. She’d left Jeremy chatting to Albert and Lorna James who’d been delighted to hear the new doctor was going to rent their house. The hospital was quiet and only the distant sounds from the kitchen reached her as lunch was prepared for the patients. Jenny had had a quiet word to her about Jeremy’s avoidance of the emergency ward this morning and she was disappointed in him. He had to learn the expectations of a rural hospital if he was going to be accepted. It was all very well to be popular and social but he had to pull his weight. He needed to have some of that Sydney doctor attitude rubbed off.

  This was not the time to worry about Jeremy. She had her own patients to attend to. They were her priority. Talking about the Outreach work with Jeremy on the weekend had made her realise she hadn’t given enough thought to what the job would have meant. Three or four days on the road some weeks would have impacted on the clinic too much. Even so, she still had reservations about his ability to manage it.

  She found it hard to accept that he had made such a drastic change to his life. He’d listed the reasons, but it was very different to what he was used to. What would he think when he pulled up
outside the old Quarantine Bay pub and was shown the small room that they were planning to use as a clinic?

  Time would tell.

  How long would it be before he got sick of life up here and missed Sydney? She’d gotten used to having him around very quickly. She realised she’d miss him if he left. Back to where he had everything he wanted . . . and the best of everything. Not flat pack furniture and an outside loo.

  She grinned, wondering if he had noticed the outhouse at the old James house.

  Chapter 20

  Wednesday morning

  Daintree Rainforest

  Jeremy was the first to drive onto the vehicular ferry and he decided to stay in the car for the short trip across the river. The brand new LandCruiser’s air con had kicked into cool and he didn’t want to get hot and sweaty before his first stop. A grin tugged at his mouth as he looked down at his suit. Emma would have laughed at him—he was seriously overdressed—but it was his first official visit to Cooktown and the other towns up the cape, so he wanted to make a good impression.

  The ferryman tapped the window and he wound it down to show him the twelve-month pass that had come with the vehicle’s paperwork. A gust of tropical air immediately filled the cabin.

  ‘You’re the bloke who was with Doctor Emma on the weekend.’

  ‘Yes, Doctor Jeremy Langford.’

  ‘Ah, another doctor.’ The man held his hand out. ‘Clive Montgomery. Welcome. You going up to see old Wilma the Witch, are ya?’

  Jeremy shook his head with a frown. ‘No. I’m heading up to Quarantine Bay today.’

  ‘Okay. Watch that road. Shame to get such a shiny car dirty. Where you from? Cairns?’

  ‘No, Sydney.’

  ‘Ah.’

  Jeremy sensed he had been tagged as a city boy. He grinned; he might have been accepted in the hospital but it seemed the rainforest community would take a bit more time.

  He paid due care as he headed north. It was so green up here—the trees, the ferns and the rainforest canopy. It was peaceful and so different to the cityscape he was used to. He could feel the tension leaving him as he drove. He’d checked out the map and had decided to take a coffee break at Cape Tribulation before he hit the Bloomfield Track. After Emma’s warning, he’d Googled the area, and checked the shire council website for current road conditions and he knew what to expect. The track was subject to seasonal flooding, slips, loss of traction, potholes and fallen trees and the warning was clear: if it’s raining, don’t drive on it.

  The conditions didn’t faze him at all. When he’d applied for the Outreach position he’d undertaken a four-wheel drive course in the Blue Mountains and was confident he could tackle anything the Daintree Rainforest threw his way.

  He drove past the lookout where he’d stood with Emma the other day. She was in his thoughts as he drove along. When he could, he’d tell her what had happened in Sydney and why he found it difficult to work in emergency care.

  He stared ahead at the mountain looming over the gap in the canopy. Truth was, he was the one who had delivered the harshest judgement on himself. If he’d listened to a patient with the same problem, he would have told them to go to counselling, but for some reason he’d been unable to do what he knew was right.

  ‘You’re running away,’ his father had said when he’d first told him about the move to North Queensland. ‘Face it, son.’

  Hell, maybe it was running away, but he liked this life so far. Emma being here had been an unexpected bonus. Now to see if his new job shaped up as well as he was expecting . . .

  He slowed the vehicle down as the road began to wind up through the mountains. The sealed section narrowed and some of the curves were very tight. He passed the Rainforest Tourist Centre where Troy worked and most of the traffic behind him turned off down that road.

  Two small creek crossings posed no problem for the high four-wheel drive. The tyres gripped the stones firmly and the water splashed no higher than the running board. He wondered what they’d be like in the wet season if the creeks were already running after the small shower of rain they’d had last night.

  He reached down and turned the radio on, scanning the channels until he found a station with music. Then he settled in to enjoy the drive up to the cape. He turned the music up loud as a country and western song came across the air. ‘Can’t take the country out of the boy,’ the singer crooned.

  But I will take the city out of the boy, he thought with a grin.

  Thornton Peak appeared ahead in the gap in the canopy and the road began to climb another hill. The car slowed as he reached a line of traffic stopped at the top. He looked ahead, wondering if there’d been an accident, and jumped as the small UHF radio mounted on the base of the dash crackled into life.

  ‘Six to go south and all clear, mate.’

  Roadworks.

  Jeremy looked down curiously at the radio. He’d have to learn how to use that.

  The traffic began to move and he waved at the lollipop man who was holding the sign to slow. The man waved back at him. The cars ahead of him accelerated, but Jeremy kept his speed down as he approached a muddy four-wheel drive parked on the side of the road. As he drew closer, the driver’s door opened and Troy Greaves climbed out.

  Jeremy pulled over and parked the car before climbing out. He’d take the opportunity to talk to Troy.

  ‘Hi Troy.’

  ‘G’day, Jeremy. What are you doing out in the wilds?’

  Jeremy leaned back against his car. ‘I’m heading up the Bloomfield Track a ways. We’re looking at establishing a clinic up there so I’m on a bit of an exploration foray. What about you?’ He nodded to the backpack. ‘Looks like you’re off for a hike.’

  Troy nodded. ‘Yes. Parks and Wildlife were planning on putting a walking track in here, but they’re not so sure about it now so I’m going for a look.’ He beamed at Jeremy. ‘It’s good to be out of the office and not dealing with tourists for the day. Shame you’ve got your day planned. It’s a good stroll in to the peak. Emma loved it when I took her in a few weeks back.’

  ‘Yeah, she brought me out to the rainforest on Saturday. Great scenery.’

  Troy’s eyes narrowed. ‘Saturday?’

  Jeremy nodded. He wanted Troy to know that he wasn’t the only one that Emma spent time with. ‘She needed some stuff for her bush medicine. It was interesting. Anyway, I’d better keep going.’

  As he turned away a tendril of smoke through the treetops caught Jeremy’s attention. ‘Not a fire in there, is there?’

  ‘No, there’s a private house.’ Troy frowned. ‘An Aboriginal woman lives there. She makes our job hard sometimes.’

  Jeremy looked around and recognised the spot where Emma had turned off the other day. ‘How’s that?’

  ‘We have the difficult situation of a privately owned narrow band of three acres from here to Thornton Peak . . . totally surrounded by national park.’ His voice held a note of frustration. ‘National Parks have to get her permission every time they want to access parts of the rainforest. The main track to Thornton Peak crosses the back of her property. And she isn’t always cooperative.’

  Another vehicle pulled up and Jeremy turned around, surprised to see the police car.

  Craig Anderson stepped out. ‘Troy.’ He ignored Jeremy.

  ‘Morning, Craig.’ Troy frowned. ‘You’re a long way from your patch.’

  The policeman shook his head. ‘We look after the whole road from Dalrymple to Cape Tribulation. Those backpackers up at the old pub were apparently on the grog last night and Sarge asked me to come up here and read the riot act. Again.’

  ‘Understaffed like everything else up here,’ Troy replied, knowingly.

  ‘What brings you up this way, Doc?’

  So he does know who I am, Jeremy thought.

  Even though his words were friendly, the policeman’s voice was laced with hostility. He obviously remembered their encounter the night he’d manhandled Emma.

  ‘Working.’ He nodd
ed curtly to Craig. ‘And I’d best be off. I’ve got a long drive ahead.’

  Troy gave him a wave and headed for the track but Craig stood by the police car staring at him as Jeremy walked to his vehicle.

  He drove away, the gloss taken off his morning. The policeman was obnoxious but he could deal with that. When Emma had come back in from the verandah at the club the other night with Troy she’d seemed troubled. And she brought him up frequently in conversation.

  It was Troy that he was more worried about. What were Troy’s feelings for Emma?

  Chapter 21

  Friday afternoon

  Alternative Alchemy, Dalrymple

  Despite being busy both at the clinic and at the hospital, Emma had missed having Jeremy around. More than once she wondered how he was coping with the rough roads up the cape. The last couple of days had flown by with the clinic at full pace and a tummy bug doing the rounds of the school. The preschool kids who’d ended up in emergency the other day had shared the virus with their siblings. It seemed half the kids in town had come down with it. Mid-afternoon Friday, she walked out into the waiting room relieved to see there was only one woman waiting with a young boy.

  She’d let her admin assistant leave early. Lily was in a panic about her face-painting stall at Rainbow Day; there was some issue with the delivery of fairy glitter.

  ‘Thank you, Doctor Em. Oh my god, I just couldn’t bear it if we had no glitter.’ Lily jumped up from the reception desk with a huge smile on her face. ‘The little kids would be devastated.’ She put her hand to her chest in a dramatic gesture and Emma waved her away with a smile.

  ‘Go. We can’t have devastation on Rainbow Day.’

  Lily grabbed her in a hug on the way past. ‘Have I told you today you’re the best boss ever, Doctor Em?’