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had never broached the subject. He should have known that Stella would see through him right away. ‘I was simply thinking.’
    ‘Ugh huh,’ nodded Stella. ‘And putting yourself on a diet while you were doing it …’
    ‘Sometimes I hate you,’ smiled Bannerman.
    ‘Eat up,’ said Stella. ‘You can always dance it off at the disco on the way home …’
    Afterwards, as they sat on the couch with their cof fee, Bannerman said, ‘I almost bottled it today.’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘Lost my nerve. The tumour section wasn’t as clear as I would have liked and theatre insisted on an answer before the new prep was ready.’
    That isn’t exactly the easiest of positions to be in,’ said Stella.
    ‘I know but it’s what they pay me for,’ said Bannerman.
    Tell me about it,’ said Stella.
    Bannerman told her the details of what had happened and Stella looked at him in disbelief. ‘You call that losing your nerve?’ she exclaimed. That was an absolutely nightmarish situation to be in, and you got it dead right.’
    That’s the way it worked out but it could have been so different,’ said Bannerman. The woman could have lost her breast unnecessarily.’
    ‘Nonsense!’ exclaimed Stella. ‘She had the best histopathologist in the country examining the biopsy.’
    Thanks,’ said Bannerman, but his expression showed that he wasn’t convinced.
    ‘You really are down aren’t you?’ said Stella. ‘What brought all this on?’
    ‘I’m not sure,’ said Bannerman, ‘I had a lecture this morning and before it I suddenly found myself thinking what a waste of time it all was.’
    ‘We’ve all thought that from time to time, especially if you get a bad class,’ said Stella.
    ‘But they weren’t bad at all as it turned out. We were discussing slow virus brain disease and they seemed genuinely interested. I finished up feeling guilty for misjudging them.’
    ‘What you need is a change,’ said Stella. Take some time off, re-charge your batteries.’
    ‘I can’t. I’ve got too much to do.’
    ‘No one is indispensable Ian, not even you. I’m sure the hospital could survive for a cou ple of weeks. Leeman could cope with the lab couldn’t he?’
    ‘Yes,’ agreed Bannerman.
    ‘And you have a first-class chief technician in Charlie Simmons?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘So, do it.’
    ‘I have two more lectures to give on brain disease for the course.’
    ‘Ah,’ conceded Stella, ‘that’s more difficult. When do your lectures finish?’
    ‘The last one is a week on Friday.’
    That’s not long,’ said Stella. ‘Finish your lec tures and then take time off.’
    ‘I’ll consider it,’ said Bannerman.
    ‘Do it!’ urged Stella.
    Bannerman thought for a moment then said, ‘Maybe I’ll do something I’ve planned to do for a long time but haven’t quite got round to.’
    ‘What’s that?’
    ‘Go winter climbing in Scotland.’
    ‘You’re serious?’ asked Stella.
    ‘Absolutely. I used to do it when I was a student at Glasgow. I promised myself that I would do it again one day.’
    Stella looked bemused and said, ‘I must confess I was thinking more along the lines of you lying on the beach in the sunshine, chatting up dolly birds, drinking ice-cold beer, but if this is what you really want …’
    ‘We’ll see,’ said Bannerman attempting to close the subject, but Stella made him promise that he would give it some serious thought.
    ‘I promise,’ said Bannerman. ‘Can I give you a hand with the washing up?’
    Stella declined the offer, saying that she would do it in the morning. She wasn’t due at the hospital until eleven. ‘How about you?’
    ‘I said I’d do the autopsy on the Bryant kid who died at the weekend and I’ve got a meeting at ten-thirty so I’d better get an early start.’
    ‘I heard about that,’ said Stella. ‘Very sad, brain cancer wasn’t it?’
    ‘Almost certainly,’ said Bannerman, ‘but I sup pose I’ll know for sure tomorrow. If it is, the MRC will