“He’s been in a few times,” Marjorie said in a flat tone. The scene from that morning played back in her mind, along with the awful accusation she’d thrown at him. Once again, Marjorie was struck by her own foolishness.

Lydia paused and closely studied her friend. “What’s the matter? You said that as though you don’t want anything to do with the man.”

“Oh, Sam Bretton is everything you said he was…and more. But to be frank, he simply doesn’t interest me.”

The perfectly shaped eyebrows above Lydia’s dark eyes drew together sharply. “He doesn’t interest you?”

“Not really.” Marjorie studied her fingernails with feigned interest.

“Do you have a raging fever, girl? Are you stupid? He’s wonderful…He’s handsome enough to tempt any woman.”

“Not me,” Marjorie claimed, her voice gaining conviction. “Nice guy, but not my type.”

“He’s every woman’s type!”

“Maybe.” That was as much as Marjorie was willing to concede.

The way Lydia was regarding her, Marjorie had the feeling her friend was considering having her arrested for treason. If she didn’t watch it, she would be dragged before a firing squad at dawn.

“I don’t understand you,” Lydia said in a low, curious tone. “The last time I came to visit, the scent of a good old-fashioned romance was so thick in this room that I walked away intoxicated. I was convinced you were hooked and would be head over heels in love with him within a week.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

“What went wrong?” Lydia crossed her arms and glared at Marjorie as though she’d let a million dollars’ worth of gold slip through her fingers. “When Dr. Sam phoned before the surgery, he sounded…I don’t know…interested, I guess. We must have talked for a half-hour. He asked a hundred questions about you.”

“He did?” Marjorie wasn’t sure she wanted to hear that.

“I don’t know what happened between then and now, but obviously something did.”

“I’m his patient,” Marjorie insisted, because to do anything else would be ludicrous. That relationship was not to be tampered with. All afternoon she’d forced herself to view it as something like the relationship between a woman and her priest. It was much safer that way.

“That’s too bad,” Lydia said with an exaggerated sigh. “I was really hoping things would work out between you two.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Lydia repeated, astonished. “Because I think Dr. Sam is the most amazing man I know, and because you’re my best friend. That’s why. The two of you are perfect together.”

“You’ve got to be kidding!” Marjorie cried. Her words resounded throughout the room; the echo taunted her for long hours afterward.

Four