Reawakened by the Surgeon's Touch by Jennifer Taylor

have thought you would have had more than enough of this place by now. How long is it since you first came out here?’
    â€˜Almost two years.’ Claire replied distractedly as she watched Jude drop his bag by the door then wander into the communal sitting room. If she was to find out what was troubling him then it would be best to get it over sooner rather than later, she decided. If he did have a problem then she knew from experience how quickly it could affect the smooth running of the team and that was something she wanted to avoid. They were under so much pressure as it was that even the smallest problem could rapidly turn into a major issue.
    She turned and smiled at Lesley. ‘I just need a word with Dr Slater—make sure he’s up to speed about what’s expected of him. I didn’t get chance to run through all the dos and don’ts with him before.’
    â€˜No wonder. You were too busy dodging bullets from the sound of it,’ Lesley retorted.
    Claire laughed. ‘Something like that. Anyway, is it OK if I use the spare bed in your room?’
    â€˜Be my guest. Another pair of hands to swat the bugs is always welcome!’
    Lesley sketched her a wave and headed up the stairs. The rest of the team had already disappeared and Claire guessed that they would be using the time to shower before dinner. It was the ideal opportunity to speak to Jude on his own.
    She went into the sitting room, feeling her pulse leap when she found him standing by the window. He had his back towards her and there was an air of dejection about the way he stood there, staring out across the grounds. Had he suddenly realised what he had let himself in for? she wondered. From what Lola had told her, this type of work was a million miles away from what he was used to and she couldn’t help wondering what had prompted him to apply for the job in the first place. Had it been just a desire to help his fellow man? Or had there been another reason?
    He suddenly turned and Claire hurriedly squashed the thought when she saw him stiffen as he caught sight of her. He seemed less than entranced to see her and she found herself wishing that she hadn’t bothered seeking him out. So what if he had a problem: why should she care? However, deep down she knew that she owed it to the team to find out what was troubling him.
    â€˜I just wanted to check that you’re all right.’ She shrugged. ‘I didn’t get chance to discuss any issues you may have earlier, I’m afraid. There was too much going on.’
    â€˜Don’t worry about me. I’m fine.’ He moved away from the window and she could see a nerve beating in his jaw as he crossed the room.
    â€˜Oh, right, well, good. I know it must seem a bit restricting to have to stick to all these rules and regulations, but we have to be careful.’
    â€˜Of course. And I’m sure I’ll get used to it.’ He stopped, one dark brow arching when she failed to move out of his way. ‘Was there anything else you wanted to say to me?’
    â€˜Er...no, not at all.’
    Claire hurriedly stepped aside to let him pass, wondering why she had the feeling that he was upset about her . She gave herself a mental shake because now she was being ridiculous. He was probably tired and stressed after everything that had happened that day and the best thing she could do was to give him some space. A lot of new recruits found it overwhelming to be thrown in at the deep end, and Jude Slater had been thrown into deeper water than most. The fact that he had coped so well was to his credit.
    The thought was more than a little alarming in view of the fact that she was determined not to find anything good about him. Claire hurried from the room and headed upstairs. Lesley was in the bathroom when she got to their room, so she sat down on the spare bed and waited for her to finish. She didn’t have a change of clothes with her but she knew that her