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scowl at him. ‘I don’t know how you manage it,’ she said. ‘How do you stay so jaunty and unruffled? It’s as though nothing touches you.’
    ‘It comes from years of practice.’ He nodded towards the glass doors at the side of the restaurant. ‘Shall we go and sit out there? There aren’t too many people in the courtyard just now. It will be peaceful.’
    ‘Okay. I’ll come and join you just as soon as I’ve collected my food.’ There was no sign of Jessica or Alex, and it was already after seven o’clock. Perhaps they wouldn’t be able to make it down.
    She chose a light cheese salad with crusty bread and a fruit tart to follow. Connor cast a swift glance over her tray as she set it down on the table. ‘It’s no wonder that you never put on any weight,’ he said. ‘You don’t eat enough to keep a sparrow alive.’
    She gave him a withering smile. ‘Unlike you. I don’t know where you put it all—and yet you never add an ounce of fat to your waistline, do you? You’re all lean and fit, as though you’ve just come from working out in the gym.’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘In fact, I suspect that’s what you do. Otherwise, it’s just not fair.’
    He laughed, and stabbed his fork into a substantial cottage pie. His gaze wandered over her, taking in the fullness of her curves beneath the light cotton top she was wearing, and then drifted down over her narrow-fitting skirt to explore the length of her shapely legs. ‘It has to be said, though you’d still look good even with extra padding.’
    Her cheeks heated under that appreciative scrutiny. To distract herself from the hectic play of emotions that he evoked in her, she fixed him with an exasperated stare. ‘That’s it, isn’t it? That’s what you do all the time…you lead people astray. It’s what you did when you encouraged your friends to stay out all night on Exmoor, and it’s what you did when you produced those bottles of cider a few weeks after you turned sixteen. You shared them among your friends. No thought for the consequences, just live for the moment.’ She glowered at him. ‘Just try telling Jessica to pile on the pounds, and she’ll give you short shrift.’
    He paused, his fork midway between his plate and his mouth. ‘Now, there you have one lady I wouldn’t like to cross.’ He nodded, a brooding expression on his face. ‘When she gets that look in her eyes, I know she means business.’
    Phoebe took a sip of her coffee. ‘I doubt a little bit of trouble would bother you. I heard that you were still causing mayhem, even here in the hospital.’
    His brows lifted. ‘You must have me confused with someone else. What kind of mayhem would I be causing?’
    ‘There was a rumour going round about you trying to change how things were organised around here—something about improving waiting times and persuading doctors to treat more patients.’ She frowned. ‘It seems to me that you’re quite likely to be treading on toes with that kind of venture. Didn’t you have a word with Mr Kirk about the waiting list for some of the cardiology patients?’
    His eyes widened. ‘Word certainly gets around in this place, doesn’t it? Why should it matter if I decide to have a chat with a few people?’
    ‘You know very well why. The consultants won’t like it if you start making waves. You’re still a junior doctor as far as they’re concerned. Besides, you don’t even work in cardiology.’
    He shrugged, and speared broccoli with his fork. ‘I don’t see the point in keeping quiet when I know that things can be put right. We have theatres that aren’t in use at the weekend. How many more patients could be treated all the sooner if we made proper use of the facilities?’
    She made a wry smile. ‘So, if you became a consultant, you’d be prepared to give up your weekends and spend them working in Theatre or seeing patients, would you?’
    ‘Of course. It goes without saying. You bring in a rota system and keep things