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‘Xavier tells me he is leaving tomorrow,’ Henry said brightly, looking across to Xavier for confirmation.
‘That’s correct,’ Xavier agreed, placing three mugs of freshly brewed coffee on the table and a glass together with an unopened bottle of still water in front of Sophie.
‘And then?’ Henry said pleasantly.
‘Then back to Spain,’ Xavier said casually as he sat down again.
There was no mention of her accompanying him, Sophie thought, staring fixedly at her glass. He might as well have dragged her heart out of her chest and tossed it aside. She had imagined he was laughing with her, but he was laughing at her. And what would he do in Spain—for the next month, the next year…the rest of his life? She turned quickly to hide the rush of emotion showing on her face.
‘Don’t look so worried, Sophie,’ Henry said.
‘Worried?’ Sophie shook herself out of it and drained the water in her glass.
‘I said, you mustn’t be worried because Xavier is leaving tomorrow. I know you’re new here—’
‘Not that new, Henry, and I’m not worried,’ Sophie said firmly.
‘And no need to be,’ Henry said warmly, ‘because I’ll be here to look after you.’
As he sat back with a gleam of satisfaction on his face Sophie very nearly choked on her drink. As it was, she spilled half of it down the front of her shirt. ‘You mean you’re staying?’ she said incredulously.
‘Of course—if Xavier will have me. There are plenty of new recruits for me to train.’
He was actually rubbing his hands with anticipation, Sophie realised, feeling her stomach clench in alarm. But she knew she must not retaliate. The project needed all the doctors it could attract, and Henry was a superb mentor as well as an excellent doctor. ‘I’m learning all the time,’ she conceded.
‘Quite right,’ Henry said happily as if she was making his point for him. ‘And, to make sure that continues, I shall be here to keep an eye on you, until you feel confident enough to—’
‘I’m confident now,’ Sophie said firmly. Now he’d gone too far. Her heart bounced off the toecaps of her boots. The clinic was too small to work in it with Henry. It would be like being confined on a very small boat—no avoiding him, no escape.
She wasn’t even conscious of the angry appeal for help she flashed up at Xavier, who had observed the exchange in silence. But as the shadow of a smile touched his lips the annoying prospect of being shipwrecked with Henry sank to second place in Sophie’s thinking. How was she supposed to concentrate on anything when all she wanted to look at was that harsh, sardonic curve at the corner of Xavier’s mouth? All she could remember, all she cared about, was Xavier kissing her, Xavier touching her.
‘I think it would be great if you could stay for a while, Henry,’ he said, jolting her out of the reverie.
Xavier was only playing with her affections, Sophie thought furiously as she realised what he was saying. Was this his way of exacting revenge on the Ford family? He had made a fool of her one way, and now he was finishing the job by consigning her to the role of trainee under Henry’s tutelage.
‘Your training expertise would be of inestimable value to the project, Henry,’ he continued evenly.
Sophie knew that everything he did, every ounce of energy Xavier dedicated to Peru, was in tribute to his brother, Armando. How could she put her pride before that?
‘Are you sure you have the time to spare us?’ Xavier continued, training his perceptive gaze on Henry’s face.
‘I have the time.’ Henry hesitated for a few moments before he spoke again. ‘I wonder, Xavier… This is rather awkward for me, but as Sophie’s boss—’
Sophie tensed automatically.
‘I realise that, strictly speaking, you inhabit that territory now—’
‘Yes?’ Xavier said, his voice hinting at the first signs of impatience with anyone other than Sophie.
‘I wonder whether I might have a moment alone with you, Sophie?’
Xavier glanced across at her with an expression of enquiry on his face.
‘Of course,’ Sophie said, knowing that if Henry had any concerns about her work it was better to address them immediately.
‘Just a few minutes should suffice,’ Henry assured them, getting up.
‘Well, I have paperwork to catch up on,’ Anna said.
Content to go now, Sophie deduced. She could see there was nothing to hold Anna now that the drama had dwindled to little more than a storm in a coffee cup.
Xavier stood politely as Anna left the table and then, directing his comments to Sophie as she went to join Henry, he said, ‘I’ll be right outside.’
‘Henry,’ Sophie said with concern the moment Xavier shut the door behind him. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Well, perhaps you could tell me why you’re not wearing my ring,’ he said harshly. ‘That would be a good start.’
And, to Sophie’s horror, he shot out his hand and grabbed tight hold of her fist.
As she exclaimed and pulled away, he let go of her. ‘I don’t wear your ring because it would be inappropriate to wear such a large and ornate piece of jewellery while I’m working,’ she exclaimed, nursing her hand. ‘But I realise how precious it must be to you, and I keep it safe.’
‘I’m supposed to believe that?’
‘That I keep it safe?’ Sophie exclaimed softly.
‘No!’ Henry replied in an angry whisper. ‘That you took it off for the reason you claim. Living and working out here in such close proximity with a man like Martinez Bordiu—’
‘Stop right there,’ Sophie insisted, raising her hand, ‘before you say something we’ll both regret, Henry.’ Moving away from the table, she tried to give them both a little space, but he followed her. And, when instinct drove her to the door of
her room, he placed his hand over hers, preventing her from seeking out the only private space she had.
‘I know Xavier’s a lot younger than me, passionate—’
‘Henry? Henry! Please, don’t do this!’ Sophie exclaimed as he closed in on her.
‘But I have feelings too—’
‘Henry!’ Sophie had to whip her face to one side to avoid his clumsy attempt to kiss her. As she called out, the door swung open and Henry catapulted back.
Remaining with her face to the wall for a few moments until she heard him sit down again, Sophie remained silent. For a few tense moments no one moved, no one spoke. Then the outer door closed softly and footsteps crossed the room towards her. Backhanding the tears from her cheeks, Sophie sucked in a deep breath and turned around.
‘I hope I gave you enough time?’ Xavier said, his face a grim mask as he looked down at her. With a slight movement of his head, he indicated that she should return to the table.
‘Quite enough, thank you,’ Henry replied tightly, dabbing at his lips with a spotless white handkerchief as he sat down again.
‘Sophie?’
‘Henry and I said everything we have to say to each other,’ Sophie confirmed steadily. And then, just so that neither man could be in any doubt, she delved into the depths of her jacket pocket and pulled out the beautiful antique ring Henry had given to her back in England. ‘You really should have this, Henry,’ she said, walking across to hand it to him. ‘This is not the place for it.’
‘Yes…forgive me, I can see that now,’ he said, unable to meet her eyes as he took it back.
He couldn’t leave Sophie to Henry’s tender mercies after what he had overheard outside the door, Xavier mused grimly. He would just have to take Sophie away—put some distance between the two of them as soon as possible. But the more time he spent with her, the more he wanted her. And where could it possibly lead? If his mother learned of his relationship with a member of the Ford family, it would be a nightmare. But what choice did he have?
‘I would be proud to join you here in Peru,’ Henry was saying in reply to a question from Xavier. He shot an imploring look at Sophie. ‘I’ve taken a sabbatical from my work to come to Peru. I’ll do anything—’
