She had the feeling that he was intentionally trying to hurt her and she didn’t understand it. He wasn’t unkind, she knew he wasn’t. Why would he want to hurt her? ‘Obviously I’m not qualified to make that diagnosis.’ Suffering agonies of embarrassment, she cleared her throat. ‘He’s in my room now. He’s suffering from an attack of hero-worship and is desperate for your opinion on his leg.’

‘Ah…’ He spoke softly. ‘Patient pressure. And I’m willing to bet you tried Logan first.’

‘Fraser is Logan’s patient so he was the logical first choice.’

‘And nowhere near as terrifying as facing me. How much courage did it take for you to knock on my door?’

She stiffened. ‘Please, don’t make fun of me, Dr MacNeil.’

‘Do I look as though I’m laughing?’ With a low growl of impatience, he rose to his feet. ‘There are things I need to say to you, Flora.’

‘You made your thoughts perfectly clear the last time we spoke. If you could just see the patient and give me your opinion, I can take it from there.’ Terrified that she was about to make a fool of herself, Flora turned and walked quickly back to her room, her heart thundering in her chest. Aware that Conner was right behind her, she concentrated on Fraser. ‘Dr MacNeil will take a look at you, Fraser.’

Conner threw her a dark and dangerous look that promised trouble for the next time they were alone. ‘Can you lie on the couch, Fraser? I want to examine you properly.’ He waited as Fraser winced and limped to the couch and then examined the boy, his hands gentle.

‘It’s not my hip, it’s my leg,’ Fraser muttered as Conner examined his joints.

‘But your hip is attached to your leg,’ Conner observed in a mild tone, ‘so sometimes a problem with one can cause a pain in the other. Does this hurt?’

‘No.’

‘This?’

‘Ow! Yes, yes.’ Fraser swore and his mother gasped in shock and embarrassment.

‘Fraser Price, you watch your language! Where did you learn that?’

‘Everyone says it,’ Fraser mumbled. ‘It’s no big deal.’

‘It’s a big deal to me!’

‘I bet Conner swore when he was my age.’

‘He’s Dr MacNeil to you,’ Aisla said sharply, and Conner cleared his throat tactfully and examined the other hip.

‘I can’t remember that far back. Is this OK? I’m going to bend your knee now—good. Do you play a lot of sport?’

‘Yes, all the time. Just like you did.’ Fraser grinned. ‘Football, beach volleyball, loads of different stuff.’

It wasn’t just the women who adored him, Flora thought helplessly, it was the children, too. They thought he was so cool.

Aisla looked at Conner. ‘Do you think we need to have it X-rayed?’