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IT DIDN’T help Sophie’s state of mind when she arrived at the airport to discover the small light aircraft had missed its take-off slot. Now she could do nothing but wait…and let her imagination run riot.
Determinedly, she blanked out all images of Xavier sampling various erotic delights with the television temptress. But as an hour ticked slowly past, all she could do was gnaw her nails with frustration. She was desperate to get back to the clinic where she was needed, and forced herself to accept that Xavier had let her go without a second thought. If he had cared at all, all he had had to do was ask the staff at the Inca Continental where the taxi had taken her, and he could have been at her side right now.
What excuse could he possibly have? Except that—as Anna Groes had so generously pointed out—Xavier was extremely highly sexed. She had been fooling herself into believing she was enough for him, Sophie mused angrily. Of course he was in bed with that television presenter woman. Who else could have been laughing so enticingly in the background?
When at last the small aircraft left the ground it was into an untroubled sky that gave no hint of the disaster Sophie knew was taking place just a few hours away. Shifting this way and that in her seat, she didn’t even attempt to engage the pilot in conversation. He was content flying the plane, and that suited Sophie just fine. She could feel her agitation building with every passing minute. ‘How much longer?’ she demanded at last.
‘We’re nearly there,’ he said, banking the plane. ‘Can you see the runway in the distance?’
She could, and instead of it being deserted as she had expected, as they dropped lower she noticed a large cargo plane was already on the ground. And then she saw the line of trucks crawling like ants into the shadow of the mountains.
‘Looks like someone got here before us,’ she remarked, thankful that aid was on its way.
‘There’s an emergency plan ready to roll out at a moment’s notice,’ the pilot said, levelling up for landing. ‘This is difficult terrain. Something like this is always threatening to happen. One phone call is all it takes now to set in motion a full-scale rescue operation.’
And she didn’t need to ask from whom that call had come: Xavier. Xavier knew but he still hadn’t attempted to come back to the mountains with her.
But why should he return when he knew there was no need? He was well aware that the delivery of aid was under control, because he coordinated it—and his expert services were clearly required elsewhere, she mused angrily.
As the X-rated scenes played out in her head Sophie couldn’t think straight for a moment, but as she started to calm down she realised the cargo plane carrying aid was the reason they had missed their take-off slot. At least something was how it should be.
‘I should have known,’ she murmured, half to herself, half in answer to the pilot’s explanation. She took another glance at the line of vehicles, clearly distinguishable now—a ragtag army of transport—even a bus. They would have come from villages like Agustin’s: volunteers only too willing to take the aid Xavier had provided straight to the disaster zone. The smooth-running operation had his hallmark all over it.
Sophie’s mood lightened when she saw Lola waiting for her in the truck, but when she started talking about Xavier as if he was the saviour of the region Sophie could only nod; her mind, her lips, her voice-box all refused to function.
‘It could have been so much worse,’ Lola chattered on happily as she leaned over the steering wheel to turn the truck into the compound outside the clinic. ‘But, thanks to Dr Xavier, everything is under control.’
‘Who’s that man?’ Sophie said curiously, hoping to change the subject.
‘Which man?’ Lola demanded, staring around as she wrenched on the handbrake.
The area was full of people, but everyone seemed to know exactly what was expected of them. The transfer of supplies from the ground to the vehicles waiting to take them up the mountain was being carried out with almost military precision under the direction of one man. He cut a purposeful figure as he strode about the yard.
‘That one,’ Sophie said, catching hold of Lola’s arm as she pointed through the windscreen.
‘Why, that’s Dr Henry,’ Lola said with surprise as if she couldn’t believe Sophie didn’t recognise him.
‘Henry!’ Sophie exclaimed softly. And it was, she saw as he turned around to acknowledge their arrival with a wave. She couldn’t have been more surprised as Henry opened her door. What had happened to his comfy overcoat of flesh, his smug expression?
‘Sophie,’ he said, helping her to climb down. ‘It’s really good to see you!’
Any awkwardness between them sank beneath Sophie’s amazement. Taking in Henry’s weather-beaten face, the crinkles around his piercing blue eyes, she could hardly believe it was the same man. The businesslike set of his shoulders and the baggy, rumpled suit, which it took her some time to register was the same impeccable tailor-made outfit he had arrived in, belonged to a man who seemed to have found his true role in life.
Confirming this impression, when he escorted her inside she found the clinic buzzing with activity. Marcos, the boy Xavier had been tutoring, was there, working alongside Anna. And then she saw the teenage girl whose headwear had been decorated with a splash of vivid embroidery working with them.
‘Angelina wants to be a nurse,’ Henry explained, beaming at the young girl as he ushered Sophie off on the next part of her whistle-stop tour.
‘There seem to be a lot more local volunteers,’ Sophie observed, feeling a thrill as she looked around and saw the way everything was shaping up.
‘More every day,’ Henry confirmed, ‘and several whom I am ready to recommend to Xavier for his training programme in Spain. He’s made a real difference here, Sophie.’
‘I know that,’ Sophie agreed, forcing her personal feelings to take a back seat.
Acknowledging Anna with a smile, she was surprised to find it returned with warmth. There was no time to consider the change before Henry urged her on to show her what else he had been doing while she had been away.
‘Xavier’s sending more supplies,’ Henry explained with pleasure, ‘and he’ll be arriving soon—’ He broke off to glance at his wristwatch, unaware that the colour had drained from Sophie’s face.
‘Xavier’s coming here?’
‘Yes, on the next flight,’ Henry confirmed. ‘Surely you knew that?’
‘I wasn’t sure which flight,’ Sophie fudged as emotion condensed in the pit of her stomach. She had no idea what Xavier’s plans were—or who he would have with him. ‘What do we know about casualties, Henry?’ she said, forcing some steel into her voice to try and take her mind off Xavier’s imminent arrival.
‘We’ve been very lucky—no fatalities, and no serious injuries.’
That was the best news Sophie had heard. And if she focused on that—on her job, as she should have been doing all along—maybe she could even cope with Xavier. She would have to, Sophie realised, pa
ying close attention as Henry continued.
‘And those that needed more care than we could offer here at the clinic have already been transferred to the Armando Martinez Bordiu Hospital. The damage is mainly structural. Some people have lost their homes.’
‘Oh, Henry.’ Whatever she thought of his behaviour on a personal level, Sophie knew his concern was genuine, and under Xavier’s direction he had made a very good start on getting life back to normal for everyone as quickly as possible. ‘You’ve come to care deeply for the people of this region, haven’t you?’ she observed softly.
‘Yes, I have,’ Henry admitted, ushering her outside again. ‘And there’s something else, Sophie. Someone else.’
‘Henry!’ Sophie exclaimed gently, ‘I’m really pleased for you. Who is it?’
‘Anna Groes.’
‘Anna!’
‘You don’t mind?’
‘Mind? Of course I don’t mind.’ Suddenly everything made sense. They certainly brought out the best in each other.
‘Now, who’s going to collect Xavier from the airstrip?’ he mused aloud.
‘Why don’t I?’
‘You, Sophie?’
‘You’ve got everything under control here. I’d like to,’ she said, softening her voice and hoping the venom didn’t show in her eyes. ‘Leave it to me, Henry.’ If Xavier had brought the South American beauty along she wanted to be the first to know about it. ‘When did you say Xavier’s plane arrives?’
‘I’m afraid you’ll have to leave right away—still OK about it?’
‘Absolutely fine,’ Sophie said, mentally gearing herself up.
Fishing the keys Lola had given him out of his pocket, Henry handed them to her.
There was a certain irony in the fact that now it was her turn to be in the driving seat, Sophie mused, taking the truck to the limit of its speed. Recalling the welcome Xavier had given her on the airstrip just a few short weeks back, her adrenalin began to race.
