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Not long enough, though. After two dances he found that a number of the people he’d introduced her to earlier wanted to continue their conversations with Alex on the dance floor, and he gave her up. This was what she was here for, to make new contacts.
Finally he got her back. ‘Do you want to sit for a while?’ He wondered if she would admit it to him if she did, but she did so without hesitation.
‘Yes, I wouldn’t mind. Shall we give this one a miss?’
‘Good idea. There’s always the next one.’
But there wasn’t a next one. As they walked together over to the drinks buffet, he saw a commotion at the corner of the room. A couple of people looked around, and then someone pointed straight at him. A man dressed in the dark red jacket which was the livery of the hotel started to push hi
s way towards him.
‘Dr Leo Cross?’
‘Yes?’
‘There’s been an incident in the kitchen, sir. We need a doctor. It’s an emergency.’
‘All right. I’ll come now.’ Leo shot an apologetic look at Alex and she nodded, disappointment showing on her face. He followed the man through the crush of people, cursing whatever twist of fate had called him away from her a second time. Last Saturday had been unfortunate. This Saturday was beginning to look as if some malevolent force of nature had it in for him.
It couldn’t be helped. This was what he’d signed up for when he became a doctor. Alex would understand. She had to.
The man led him from the banqueting hall and along a service corridor. ‘What’s happened?’
‘One of the cooks, sir. He’s cut his finger off. I’ve got someone calling an ambulance, but we can’t stop the bleeding.’
‘You have a medical kit?’
‘Yes, there’s one in the kitchen. Gets used quite a bit so we keep it well stocked.’
‘And you have Health and Safety procedures for dealing with blood spillage?’ It sounded as if there was going to be a fair bit of blood, and there was no way of knowing whether there was a risk of infection.
‘Yes, they’re in place. I’ll get everyone out of there and cleaned up.’
‘Good.’
They rounded a corner and then hurried through a door, which led to a large kitchen. Even though it was late, there were still half a dozen people here who were currently all gathered around a man who was sitting on the floor in the corner. A trail of blood led from one of the nearby work benches, and was beginning to pool around his legs.
‘Everyone move back, please.’ Leo took off his jacket, rolling up his sleeves and grabbing a pair of gloves from the large medical box which stood open on the counter. The group around the man scattered, everyone craning to see what was happening.
The man was doubled over, cradling his injured hand and moaning loudly. Leo knew that he must be in a great deal of pain, but there was nothing he could do about that. He carried a medical bag in his car, but that didn’t include the drugs he needed now.
‘Alan...’ The man’s name was sewn onto his tunic, above the breast pocket. ‘Alan, I’m a doctor. Let me see your hand.’
Leo reached for Alan’s arm but he batted him away, rocking back and forth, blood leaking from the towel that was wound around his hand.
‘Alan... Look at me.’ Leo put his hand on the side of Alan’s face, tipping it towards his. ‘I’m a doctor. I know it hurts, but you need to show me your hand.’
This time, Alan didn’t resist when he reached for his arm. Gingerly, Leo unwound the towel and saw that the first phalanx of his index finger had been completely severed, leaving only a half-inch stump. Blood pulsed from the wound, dripping onto the floor.
‘Alan, I need you to hold your arm up.’ Leo elevated the man’s hand and Alan swore at him, moaning with pain. Finding the position of the main veins in his wrist, Leo pressed hard, and the flow of blood began to slow.
‘Can someone get me...?’ He looked up and saw six pairs of eyes staring blankly at him. He needed someone to help him and it didn’t look as if any of this lot were going to volunteer. Then he saw a flash of green by the door and a seventh pair of eyes, honey-brown. Alex was hurrying towards him.
CHAPTER TWELVE
‘I NEED SOME water and plenty of gauze. Put a pair of gloves on first. And be careful—there’s blood on the floor; don’t slip on it.’
Leo bit his tongue. Alex worked at the hospital, she knew all about procedures for blood spillage. But he couldn’t help saying it.
