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about my cancelled wedding.’
    For the first time since she’d met him she saw Leo’s pleasant manner chill as he told her, ‘Certainly not! If Harry and Phoebe were kind, it’s only because that is what they’re like. I wouldn’t dream of discussing what you told me on Saturday with anyone. Your private life is yours alone.’ And with the coolness still there he pointed to the door nearest to them, said, ‘That’s Harry’s room,’ and disappeared down the corridor in front of them where all the activity seemed to be taking place.
    She’d unintentionally insulted him, Amelie thought as she tapped on the door of the senior partner’s room. Suddenly the morning wasn’t so exciting and challenging. She was just a temp from across the Channel, a bride-to-be who’d ended up on the outside of things.
    Somehow she managed to put on a good face for the head of the practice and smiled her pleasure when he told her that she was being provided with a hire car that would be available the next day.
    ‘You’ll be in the room next to Leo at the other end of the passage,’ he told her, ‘and for a time will do the home visits with him until you are familiar with the area.’ He shook her hand. ‘Welcome aboard, Dr Benoir. I hope you enjoy your time with us.’ And that was that.
    His phone was ringing so she left him to it and went to introduce herself to the receptionist at the desk opposite, who in turn took her to meet the rest of the staff, who were gathered in the kitchen for what she was to discover was a daily ritual—a mug of tea before surgery commenced.
    The first thing she saw was that Leo wasn’t there and wondered if he was still smarting from what she’d saidearlier. On her part it had just been innocent curiosity, yet she could understand his annoyance at the inference that he might have repeated what she’d told him to others.
    But there was no more time to dwell on that. There were hands to shake, names to remember, and by the time the introductions were over she was feeling more comfortable.
    Amongst those present were the two practice nurses, Lucy the elderly one, and Maria, young, pretty and the daughter of the beach lifeguard.
    The district nurse, Bethany, only recently appointed, was there too, as well as the cleaner, a pleasant woman who came early and finished early in time to get her children off to school.
    As she drank the tea Amelie was still wondering where Leo was and when she moved nearer to the open kitchen door she could hear his voice coming from Dr Balfour’s room and he didn’t sound happy.
    He’d gone outside to get something out of his car and on returning had found that the senior partner had left Amelie to introduce herself to the staff, instead of doing it himself, and his frown had deepened when Harry had said laughingly, ‘She wandered off while I was on the phone. Don’t fuss. I’ve told her she’s getting the cherry on the cake.’
    ‘And what might that be?’ he’d gritted.
    ‘Doing the house calls with you, of course.’
    ‘Really. And how exciting is that not going to be…for her?’
    She’d heard everything that was being said exceptthe last two words because Leo had lowered his voice. If she’d felt she’d upset him before, it was twice as bad now. He obviously had no desire to be lumbered with her on his house calls.
    He joined them all in the kitchen seconds later and her glance raked his face for signs of how he was feeling now. She was surprised when he had a smile for her and asked, ‘Are you all right, Amelie?’
    ‘Yes. I’m fine,’ she told him, relieved to see that he was back to his normal manner. ‘I have met all the staff, except the manager of the practice, and someone said she will be along shortly.’
    ‘That’s Janet. She doesn’t start until nine o’clock, but often works later than we do in the evenings. Bethany, the new district nurse, is her daughter.
    ‘They’re a good lot. Don’t hesitate to ask any of them if you have