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‘I’m sure it’ll all be okay.’ Cass ventured some reassurance
, based rather more on Jack’s expertise than what she knew about Mr Hughes’ lifestyle.
‘He doesn’t listen to me. I’ve told him more times...’ Mrs Hughes broke off as Jack emerged from the sitting room. Behind him, Mr Hughes looked suitably chastened.
‘I’m taking your husband’s results to the hospital this afternoon.’ He gave Mrs Hughes a smile and she brightened immediately.
‘And...?’
‘His consultant will review them and give you a call. There’s nothing to worry about; his pacemaker is doing its job and there are no problems there, but I think that Mr Hughes may well benefit from taking a few measures to improve his general health.’
‘Thank you, Doctor.’ Mrs Hughes shot a look of triumph at her husband.
‘I’m a paramedic.’
Mrs Hughes leaned towards Jack confidingly. ‘I don’t care who you are. Just as long as you told him...’
Jack nodded, clearly unwilling to commit himself about what he had or hadn’t told Mr Hughes, and Mrs Hughes saw them to the front door. Cass followed him down the front path and fell in step with him.
‘More exercise. Give up smoking and change his diet...’
Jack grinned. ‘Very good. You want to take the next visit?’
Cass shook her head. ‘Everyone in the village knows. I imagine the only person who doesn’t know is the consultant at the hospital. When I asked Mrs Hughes if she’d spoken to him, she said she didn’t like to.’
‘Why not?’
Cass shrugged. ‘Because he’s far too important. And clearly far too busy to be worrying about his patients’ health.’
Jack gave a resigned groan. ‘Okay. He’s actually a good man, and very approachable. I’ll be making the situation clear in my notes and he’ll follow up.’
‘Thanks.’ Cass swerved off the road and climbed over a stile, jumping down on the other side. ‘Short cut.’
Jack had almost completely lost his bearings. Here, on the other side of the village from the river, the land sloped more gently and houses were scattered between fields and copses of trees. The ring of water that surrounded the area spread out into the distance, encroaching wherever it could through gullies and streams and into homes. But Cass seemed to know every inch of the place, and so far they hadn’t even got their feet wet.
‘Any other bits of interesting gossip I should know about?’ It sounded as if the villagers knew who needed medical help long before anyone else did.
‘Don’t think so. Joe Gardener pulled a muscle yesterday, carrying my kitchen door.’
‘He mentioned that last night when I saw him. The tube of vapour rub from the chemist is for him. What about you?’
‘Me? Nothing wrong with me.’
Jack had expected her to say that. But he’d heard a little village gossip too, last night. ‘It’s just that if there was someone who’d been up all night on more than one occasion in the past few weeks, who’d been holding down a physically demanding job, digging ditches and looking after a pregnant sister...’
She shot him a warning glare, compressing her lips into a hard line. Jack ignored it.
‘...rescuing kids, and then going through the trauma of having her own house flooded, I’d be a bit concerned.’
‘Would you, now?’
‘Do you want to talk about it?’
She stopped short, almost tripping over a tree root when she turned to face him. ‘What’s all this about, Jack? I’m fine. I told you.’
‘Okay. Just asking.’ If she wasn’t going to talk about it, then he couldn’t make her. ‘But if you do need anything.’
‘So I’m needy now, am I?’ She frowned at him.
