“But God knows what the government puts in vaccinations!” she said, almost screaming. “Have you ever seen an autistic child?!”

Cormac, of course, had seen many.

“If you think I’d subject my perfect daughter to something the government—the government—thinks is okay, you have another think coming.”

Her face was now bright red, and Cormac didn’t think she was anything like as beautiful as he had when they’d first met.

“It can protect other people who can’t be vaccinated,” he said gently.

The woman stared at him. “You’ve been totally brainwashed,” she said quietly.

The child moaned on the bed.

Cormac held up his hands. “I think Titania needs rest. She’s going to be fine.”

“Of course she is!” said the woman. “She’s being treated. Naturally! By me!”

And the great city had looked a little meaner to Cormac as he’d headed back home.

For no stupid reason! Because of some stupid woman who thinks she knows better than hundreds of years of medical science!!!! Stupid spoiled spoiled spoiled cow.

Then ten seconds later he realized.

Shit! This is our official NHS account!!!!

I know!!!!!!!

Shit! Can you delete that? Please? Quickly?!

It’s NHS IT. They can’t tell the arse codes from their elbow codes!

I know. But!!!

I know.

And that was how they moved on to text messaging and swapped telephone numbers.

Chapter 43

Jake finally plucked up the courage—much to the disappointment and the rather unkind remarks, if we’re being honest, of Ginty MacGuire in the hairdresser’s, who also might have mentioned in passing that if that new nurse thought that she, Ginty MacGuire, was going to do her hair for the big night, she had another think coming—to ask Lissa to the farmers’ dance that took place before the fair arrived.

It was a big affair around their neck of the woods, and with the typical Highlands imbalance of men to women, it wasn’t like Ginty MacGuire hadn’t already been asked four or five times by shy, sturdy red-cheeked young men; but that didn’t matter. She wasn’t the least bit interested in them and very interested in the dark-eyed Jake Inglis and the excellent time they’d had last summer, but he seemed to have time for no one these days but that exotic-looking incomer, which was men for you.