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'Since when?' asked Yona, almost spilling the food at the touch of him.

'Since four o'clock this afternoon—when my opposite number begged me to change with him so that he could attend his child's school concert tomorrow, undisturbed.'

'So you'll be on when I'm off tomorrow,' said Yona.

'You're also off tonight,' he murmured, kissing the back of her neck.

'Off, yes—and thoroughly knackered after a hectic weekend on.'

'I'll soon cure that,' he whispered.

He did, too—and soon enough after they'd eaten to give them both indigestion, anybody would have thought. But, no—it was as wonderful as the first time, which was saying something. While we've got this, how can anything possible go wrong for us? wondered Yona as they finally settled to sleep in one another's arms.

The next month was the happiest time Yona had ever known. Somehow—she never quite understood how—Mike contrived to arrange that their on-calls almost always coincided. Even the weather was on their side, allowing them long, lazy days in the country at weekends, with a nice diet of concerts, plays and leisurely meals, in and out, during the week.

It wasn't long before their friends were saying they never knew which number to ring, but at least when you did get an answer you could be sure of getting both of them. They were an item—and everybody knew it.

And then came the Burnleys' silver wedding party.

When she realised they were having the party at home, Yona naturally offered her help, but Meg said she was getting caterers in and all Yona needed to do was to turn up, looking pretty.

Sister Evans had already collected for and bought the unit's present, but Yona and Mike wanted to give something just from themselves. It was sitting on Yona's dressing table now—a delightful little chafing dish, beautifully gift-wrapped and beribboned. They knew that Meg had a weakness for Georgian silver.

Yona kept glancing at it all the time she was dressing. It seemed to confirm what she still, in her heart, was afraid to accept. That this thing she and Mike had was real—and permanent.

She had bought a new dress for this party—a lovely creation of russet gold, which made the most of her figure and complemented her colouring perfectly. 'Not bad,' she told her reflection, before running eagerly to the door when she heard Mike's key in the lock.

He gazed at her as though he couldn't believe his luck. 'You're the most wonderful, beautiful thing I ever saw,' he said slowly. 'What have I done to deserve you?'

'Everything right so far—so keep it up,' she teased, happy as always just to see him. And then she noticed.

'Darling! You've got that ruddy plaster off at last! Is it all right? No pain? You must be so glad to be rid of the wretched thing!'

'Not at all,' he said. 'Kindly remember it brought us together—so I'm having it stuffed and mounted and given the place of honour in our new house, when we get it.'

Yona doubled up with laughter at such a prospect. 'Promise me you'll never change,' she begged when she'd calmed down. 'Nobody has ever made me laugh as much as you do.'

'Only if you promise me the same thing. Oh, Yona...'

'Oh, Mike... But we don't have time, my hero. We're going to be late as it is.'

And certainly the party was in full swing by the time they got there, and the lovely old' house was packed with all the Burnley friends and colleagues, and relations from both sides of the family. Only the Burnleys' youngest son, who was taking a year out between school and college, was missing.

The caterers had wanted to put up a marquee in the garden, but Meg didn't trust the Salchester weather sufficiently for that so they'd opened the folding doors between the dining room and Ted's study for the buffet, and pre-food drinks were being served in the sitting room and hall. There was also a sizeable crowd in the kitchen, to the despair of the waiters.

Meg looked lovely and wonderfully happy in silvery grey and Ted had been persuaded into his best suit for the occasion. 'Find yourself a wife like mine—if you can,' he kept saying to all the people wanting to know his secret for a happy marriage.

Yona looked round for the Westons, but Mike said they'd probably not be coming as Billy had come down
with measles and they were waiting for the others to copy him.

'Why haven't they all been immunised?' Yona asked practically.

'Because they don't believe in it,' he replied, 'and, of course, neither of them would come without the other. Now, let's go and get something to eat before it all disappears.'

The speeches came after supper and by far the most moving was Ted's tribute to 'my wonderful wife whose selfless devotion to her family was at the cost of her own promising career'.

At that, Yona felt tears pricking her eyelids, but she couldn't help telling Meg how much she agreed with everything Ted had said.

Meg looked quite surprised. 'When you've been happily married as long as I have, you'll understand what I mean when I say that a happy marriage is worth any dazzling career you could possibly think of,' she told Yona. 'Besides, we've always been a partnership. Now, where's the dean? He's told me three times how much he wants to meet your father's lovely daughter.'

Oh, dear, thought Yona, depressed at the thought of being labelled her father's daughter just when she'd thought she'd put all that behind her.

But the Dean of the Salchester Medical School had other things on his mind. 'Professor Burnley thinks very highly of your work, Dr MacFarlane,' he said when they'd been introduced at last.

Yona flushed with pleasure as she responded, 'Thank you very much, sir. Rheumatology has been my main interest since I was a student, and I consider myself very fortunate to be working with such an eminent consultant as Ted— Professor Burnley.'

'I'm also told that you like Salchester.'

'Yes, I do, sir—very much. I've made some wonderful friends here.'

'I've been hearing that, too—and here comes one of them now, if I'm not mistaken,' he said as Mike joined them, looking curious.

There were several minutes of general chat before the Dean turned his attention exclusively to Yona again. 'You'll have heard that we're considering the creation of a junior consultant post in your speciality at the General, Doctor—Yona, if I may.'

'Of course, sir. Yes, I had heard about that possibility.'

'You're already taking clinics there—and very satisfactorily, I'm told.'

Yona sensed a sudden stillness in Mike, so close beside her, and she felt afraid for no good reason that she could think of. 'Ted suggested that, and I was only too glad of the chance to enlarge my experience,' she explained. 'I hope there's no problem about that...'

'None at all,' he returned emphatically. 'As a matter of fact, it was my own idea—a little test, if you like. But enough of that for the time being—things are still only at the discussion stage, but I'm glad we've had this little talk. And now I mustn't keep you any longer from enjoying this delightful party.' Gracefully, he melted back into the crowd.

It had been very delicately done, but his meaning was clear. Yona was being seriously considered for the new junior consultant post.

His meaning had also been very clear to Mike. 'Why didn't you tell him straight out that you're not interested in a consultancy?' he asked bluntly.

'Because I am,' she told him just as bluntly. 'And I'm very flattered that he obviously thinks I'm up to it.'

'Of course you are, darling,' he allowed, 'and I'm very proud of you, but it's just not on, is it?'

'Are you going to tell me why?' asked Yona.

'Well, we've already agreed that we want children— which is why we're looking for a decent house with a good garden.'

'I'd not be the first woman to be a consultant
and
a mother,' she pointed out.

'Get real, Yona,' said Mike, torn between amusement and impatience. 'What sort of life would we have if you tried a juggling act like that?'

'A much better one than we'd have if I turned into a bored housewife!' she flashed.

'Why should you be bored?' he said. 'Meg's not bored. Mary's not bored—'

'And I'm not a Meg or a Mary—I'm me! And I love my work more than—more than—'

'More than you love me?' he asked dangerously.

'Don't be silly! And keep your voice down,' she implored. 'People are looking at us.'

For answer, he took her arm and towed her through the crowd and towards the comparative quiet of the garden.
'Do
you love your work more than you love me?' he asked again.

'You're putting words into my mouth,' she protested. 'And it's not fair! You seem to be saying that I must give up my work in order to marry you.'

'No, I am not—I'm not that reactionary. But something part time—something less demanding than hospital work. I don't want you wearing yourself out.'

'Be honest,' she challenged. 'Admit that what you don't want is a wife whose job is just as important as yours!' Yona was seething now. 'What's your objection? Are you afraid she'll outshine you? Grow up, for God's sake!'

'What I don't want is a wife who's never there for me or our children!' he thundered. 'Is that clear enough for you?'

'Oh, very clear—to me and to everybody within half a mile, I should think! It's plain to see that you don't want a wife with anything resembling a
mind,
Mike Preston! You just want a—a devoted doormat! So why don't you marry Fran? She's tailor-made for the job!'

After that they glared at one another for a long fraught minute. Then Mike said grimly, 'You know what? I'm beginning to think you're right!'

'I hope you'll both be very happy,' yelled Yona, before half running, half stumbling towards the house.

Once
in the house, Yona went to hide in the cloakroom which was mercifully empty. She was shaking with rage. Mike was impossible, completely out of his time. What right had he to demand that she should make all the sacrifices? It made no more sense than it would if she were to tell him that he must put his career on hold! Compromise was the thing, but he wasn't capable of that. Her mind teemed with all the arguments she could have put forward, if only he hadn't hurt her so much with his draconian demands. The man was a dinosaur!

A woman came in and asked if there was a queue.

Yona nearly asked what for, before getting to the point and saying that there wasn't.

'It is rather hot, isn't it?' remarked the woman sympathetically as she went into the loo.

It was actually quite a cool day and Yona wondered briefly if the poor woman was deranged before catching sight of her flushed and furious face in the glass over the washbasin. Good grief, she looked as though she were approaching boiling point! She splashed her face with cold water before going to look for Meg and making her excuses for leaving early—and alone.

'Mike and I—we've had the most awful row,' she explained shakily, because only the truth would serve. 'So I've ordered a taxi. Time needed to cool down—you know how it is,' she wound up, acutely aware that Meg wouldn't really have any idea. It was unlikely that she and Ted had ever fought about anything.

'Go upstairs and wait in our room, dear, while I find Mike,' soothed Meg, proving that.

'No, no—it's serious, Meg. The end. He's going b-back to Fran.' Yona forced herself to spell it out, though she found the telling appalling. 'I'm sorry, Meg... Bless you. Thanks for everything...' Yona broke away, thrusting through the crowd and out of the house. She ran down the drive and stopped her taxi coming in.

Back home, she roamed restlessly about the flat, unable to keep still or think clearly. When the phone rang, she flew to it with fast-beating heart and surging hope, but it was Ted. 'Just checking that you got home all right,' he said gruffly.

'Oh...yes, thanks. Sorry I didn't see you before I—'

'No need, my dear—Meg has explained.'

'That's all right, then,' she responded, while thinking how absurd that sounded when everything was all wrong.

'If you want to come out here tomorrow, you'll be very welcome.'

'Thanks, Ted, I appreciate that, but I've promised to stand in for the chest registrar—some f-family thing.' His firstborn's christening, but it would have hurt too much to spell that out. Would she ever have a child of her own— now?

'You take on too much,' Ted was saying.

'I've never minded work, Ted.'

'Just so long as you remember there's more to life than work, Yona.'

How ironic that was after the day's events. 'Depends on the work,' she said, determined to keep her end up. 'See you on Monday, then—and thanks again...'

'You're welcome, dear girl,' said her boss as he hung up.

Yona resumed her restless prowling. How to put in the rest of the day? Gil Salvesen had never forgiven her for standing him up and Nonie Burke had a new man. If only she'd been longer in Salchester, she'd know more people. Thank heaven she had a fortnight's holiday coming soon.

Yona hung up her new dress, took a bath and a sleeping pill and went to bed.

'I'm very sorry, Dr MacFarlane, but I can't find a vein,' said the new junior house officer, coming into the doctors' room.

'Dear me, that is serious,' murmured Yona, intent on the notes she was making. 'Have you asked Dr Price to take a look?'

'He's busy.'

And I can't be because I'm sitting down, thought Yona. Come back, Chris Connor, wherever you are. She'd lost count of the times this new boy had interrupted her this morning. 'I'll be done with this in three minutes and then I'll come and see. This is something I have to do for the prof—and it's urgent.'

'OK. I'd better take the tourniquet off, then, had I?'

'You mean you've—' Yona leapt up, scattering her precious notes, and shooed him ahead of her to the ward.

She needn't have worried. He hadn't put the thing on tight enough to constrict the blood flow, which was presumably why he hadn't been able to find a vein, as he'd put it.

'Why do we need blood from this lady now, anyway?' asked Yona in a low voice. 'I wrote her up for all the routine tests myself two days ago.'