Marrying the Millionaire Doctor. Alison Roberts

a lot of blood. I think she’s gone somewhere with all the test tubes.’

      Charles was moving towards Susie. He paused for just a moment as he left the Allandales. ‘It’s your call,’ he told Miranda. ‘We’ve certainly got the space to keep Lauren in the centre overnight and I’m sure a flight out could be arranged tomorrow if necessary.’

      ‘No!’ Lauren’s face crumpled. ‘You can’t make me go home. I want to stay here.’

      ‘It’s too dangerous, darling,’ her mother pleaded. ‘There’s all these bugs!’

      ‘I don’t care! I’ve never been to a disco. Please, Mummy! What if…?’ Lauren’s eyes widened theatrically. ‘What if it’s the only chance I ever get?’

      ‘Oh, darling… Don’t say that!’ Kirsty’s arms went round her daughter.

      Miranda closed her eyes for a second.

      ‘Where’s Jack?’ Susie asked her. ‘If I get his therapy done, I can go to the disco myself and keep an eye on Lauren.’

      ‘Room 4,’ Miranda responded quietly. ‘I’ll join you as soon as we’re sorted here.’ She raised her voice slightly. ‘I’ve got Jack started on a hefty antibiotic regime but his chest isn’t sounding great.’

      Rick was frowning. ‘You know, they say the worst place to pick up bugs is in a hospital. Fresh air on the beach might not be such a bad idea.’

      ‘Is it?’ Kirsty looked fearfully over her shoulder, as though someone was about to pop out of a room and infect them all.

      ‘I’d better go and see Jack,’ Susie told them. ‘He really is sick.’

      That seemed to settle it for the Allandales. ‘Let’s go,’ Kirsty suggested hurriedly. ‘We’ll talk about the disco when we’re outside.’

      Jack Havens was twelve and quite independent. He had happily come to camp without any family support and usually managed his own airway clearance techniques by himself, but right now he was feeling rotten.

      ‘My head hurts,’ he told Susie. ‘And I feel all hot and everything aches.’