‘Eileen, you can’t do this,’ Abbey said weakly.

‘Watch me! Dr Henry will do the right thing. Won’t you, Dr Henry?’

Both women looked at Ryan like they expected a rabbit to appear from his hat. And Ryan was left with nowhere to go.

‘Hey, if you think you’re hijacking my honeymoon,’ Ryan expostulated. ‘I haven’t had a holiday in a year.’

‘Dr Wittner hasn’t had a holiday for as long as I can remember,’ Eileen said solidly. ‘And you knocked her off her bike.’

‘Eileen, leave him alone,’ Abbey said wearily. ‘We don’t need him.’

‘Oh, yes, we do.’ Eileen fixed Ryan with her very hardest glare. ‘You damaged our doctor, Dr Ryan. Provide us with a replacement model!’

‘Eileen!’ Abbey was half laughing, half horrified.

But Ryan looked down at Abbey and his protests died. He didn’t see her laughter. He saw weariness and pain and need. In fact, he saw absolute exhaustion. Until now he’d thought of himself as tired. This girl was bone-weary.

And she was way too thin. Abbey’s eyes were ringed with shadow. Her hands were aged beyond their years with hard physical work.

He saw what Eileen’s defiant glare was telling him. And there was no way he could get out of this one.

What on earth would he tell Felicity?

Well, Felicity had already sabotaged the first part of their honeymoon. And now circumstances and these two women were hijacking the rest.

A man knew when he was beaten.

‘Very well,’ he said wearily. ‘I know when I’m licked. Lie back, then, and let me put this damned leg into position, Dr Wittner. From now on it seems you’re on my honeymoon! ’

Abbey stared up at him. ‘What on earth do you mean?’

‘I mean I damaged your leg and I’m on holiday,’ Ryan said bluntly. ‘Or I was on holiday. It seems that now we just swap roles.’

If Ryan had thought Abbey would accept his offer with open arms he was very soon put right Abbey protested the whole time he and Eileen carefully cleaned, positioned and dressed her leg. In the end, Ryan took drastic measures.