Unknown by Unknown Read Free Book Online Page A

Anna said, severely. 'I don't need your dentures! There's nothing wrong with my own teeth. See.' She opened her mouth, displaying neat, even white teeth, and Mr Pearson had the grace to look ashamed.
    'Well, they ain't here,' he muttered, picking up his newspaper and ignoring Anna's further efforts at conversation.
    Who, she wondered, making her way to the day-room, was the big-boned woman who visited Mr Pearson so regularly? Visiting hours were very relaxed at St Aidan's, as the hospital authorities believed it was in the patients' best interests to have visitors at various times during the day rather than having them all sandwiched between seven and eight in the evening.
    Despite her short time on the ward, Anna had seen Mr Pearson's visitor several times already so the woman obviously cared. She frowned, wondering if the big woman was his daughter. She just might be, but somehow Anna doubted it. Whoever she was, she deserved great credit for looking after such a miserable man!
    Anna was soon engrossed in a game of ludo with two of the older men. The day-room was warm and comfortable, with plenty of old but still elegant armchairs and a settee, all donated by the local League of Friends.
    One or two members of the League were coming in during the evening, and she'd been warned to keep an eye open for them. There were only two visitors in the day-room, both seemingly relatives so Anna relaxed a little.
    When she won a hard round of ludo she beamed at everybody, pleased at her small success—the first that evening, and old Mr Mitchell chuckled.
    'You would think you'd won an Oscar, you look that pleased!' he chortled, and Anna laughed.
    'I'm sorry but I'm not generally a lucky person. At snakes and ladders I find all the biggest snakes! My mother always wins. It's a standing joke by now,' she added, then a shadow fell across the ludo board and she glanced up, the smile still hovering about her lips, green eyes sparkling.
    Dr Alexandre's eyes gazed steadily into hers, and her laughter faded away as she politely began to rise. Because there wasn't much room around the small table she had difficulty in getting up, then the registrar put his hand on her shoulder and pressed her down again.
    'Sit still, Anna. I'll join you,' he announced, while Anna sat, frozen into her seat now. Rick was going to play ludo with them! Senior registrars had no time for that sort of thing. Why, the poor man must be asleep on his feet!
    Anna's soft heart went out to him and her sympathy must have communicated itself to the registrar in some way, for he smiled into her eyes. 'I'm not dead yet, Anna. I've got enough strength left to trounce all three of you at ludo!'
    Nervously, Anna made room for him. Because there was so little space he sat very close to her. Disturbingly close, long legs brushing against hers. She tensed, wishing he would sit further away. How could she concentrate on the game with this attractive man so near?
    Yet you love Mike! a little voice reminded her, and she sighed, causing the registrar to pause as he was about to rattle the dice.
    'Cold, Anna?' he asked softly, and she shook her head and managed to laugh.
    'No, I was just thinking, you are probably the ludo champion of Jersey and I won't win any more!'
    He raised a dark brow, his expression quizzical. 'How did you know I came from Jersey?'
    Mr Mitchell saved Anna from answering just then. 'One of us asked about the unusual spelling of your name, Doctor. Staff Nurse said as how you were from the Channel Islands,' he put in, and the registrar seemed to relax.
    'A regular Jersey potato, I am!' he laughed, and Anna watched, fascinated, at the way his eyes crinkled with laughter. His face was full of laughter lines she noted, before dropping her gaze to her coloured counter. It was a face made for mirth and she wondered why she hadn't noticed before.
    True, he wasn't classically handsome in the way that Mike Forster was. His nose was too long, his brows too heavy . . .
    'You