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‘As close to a jiffy as I can,’ Isla answered wryly, checking over the foot. ‘But it’s still swollen and clearly painful, even though the painkillers I have given you are doing their job. There are also clear signs of a reduction of movement, so perhaps you won’t be back upstairs in time to enjoy your port this evening.’
Mrs Berridge-Jones cast her a distinctly disdainful glance. ‘Oh, just give me a few more pain pills to get me through the next couple of days and I shall be as right as rain.’
‘Before you go racing back up there to your port, Mrs Berridge-Jones, I have to tell you that sprains still require care and can be very painful. It involves tearing or stretching the ligaments that help hold your ankle bones together and stabilise your ankle joint.’
‘I’m not having a splint for a sprained ankle,’ the woman scoffed.
Isla smothered another smile as she adopted her best disapproving doctor voice. ‘Self-care is vital, Mrs Berridge-Jones. If you don’t look after a sprained ankle you could end up with chronic ankle pain, ankle joint instability, or even arthritis in the ankle joint.’
‘Piffle.’
‘I want to see it elevated and wrapped before I let you leave here, Mrs Berridge-Jones.’
And although the woman blustered, Isla noted she nonetheless obeyed.
* * *
Now, an hour later, Isla found herself hammering on Nikhil’s door and practically shouldering him out of the way to step inside, without waiting to be invited, the moment he opened it.
‘I’ve just been summoned by the Captain,’ she bit out. ‘He offered me a new job.’
It was useless pretending that she wasn’t nervous. That her heart wasn’t suddenly pounding, or her mouth dust-dry.
‘Right.’
She hated that he didn’t look surprised. Or concerned. Or anything at all, really.
‘The doctor who was originally on this ship wants to resume his post when the new cruise begins.’
‘Yes, he retains that right.’
She didn’t know what she wanted him to say, but it was more than that.
‘So they’ve offered me a post on another ship. Better than the Hestia, but not quite the Cassiopeia either.’
‘It’s a good career move.’
Emotions bubbled up in her chest. She’d told herself she was being paranoid, suspecting Nikhil of being s
omehow involved. But now, given his reaction, she was beginning to suspect worse.
That perhaps he’d been more than just involved. That perhaps he’d been the one to actually instigate it.
‘You knew,’ she accused, her chest feeling as though it was about to crack.
‘The Captain asked my opinion. It seems you’ve made quite an impression on Dr Turner. He wanted to keep you in favour of the original doctor.’
The truth walloped her hard, winding her.
‘So you said I was better to move ships.’
‘I merely pointed out that not letting the previous doctor resume his post might open us up to legal challenges. And your role here was only ever stated as temporary.’
‘You didn’t want me here.’ Nausea rose in Isla but she quashed it. ‘You told me to transfer, and when I refused you found some other way to get rid of me.’
‘You got a promotion,’ he corrected. ‘To a more prestigious ship than you were meant to have been on in the first instance.’
She supposed she should be grateful at least, that he wasn’t choosing to lie to her. At least he had the integrity to tell her the truth. But it didn’t make it hurt any less.
