Heart Surgeon in Portugal by Anna Ramsay

Belmira. You must get your employer to bring you here for a treat - Rico will see you’re very well looked after. And we have dancing every night.’
    ‘Oh what a wonderful idea - I should love that,’ breathed Ellie, her hazel eyes shining. Imagine dancing in the arms of Rafe Harland. It was almost too shivering to contemplate.
    ‘Not that I eat much myself.’Sharp collarbones showed above the shallow neck of her loose white dress. She chattered on about her career, but Ellie was acutely aware that her companion was eating next to nothing of this superb meal.
    ‘Mmm,’ said Ellie encouragingly, ‘this salmon is truly delicious – I can taste some kind of herb … mmm what can it be?’
    ‘It’s dill, darling.’
    ‘I must ask Giovana if we’ve got any in the garden.’ Ellie’s imagination began to run away with her … she was back in the kitchen at the Casa, whipping up an identical mousseline for Rafe’s supper… ‘What have you put in this wonderful food?’ he would ask. ‘ It’s just dill, darling!’ she would reply, and Rafe would say, ‘It’s inspired! You’re a marvel, Ellie, what would I do without you.’
    Smothering a giggle at such an improbable scenario, she shook her silly head and gave herself up to enjoying such a treat of a meal. To her consternation, Vivienne was refusing even to share a perfect ripe peach. ‘Full of sugars, darling. I have to watch my weight. I’m playing Madame Ranevskaya in a new production of The Cherry Orchard. Chekhov, you know. At the Aldwych. I hope you’ll come backstage and say hello to me.’
    ‘I certainly will!’ Ellie did know the play and wondered if her hostess wasn’t a little old to be mother of a seventeen-year old daughter. But Vivienne was in full flow now, describing the production – the director, the rest of the cast. It looked good, said the actress, to be slim onstage, especially in period costume…
    Ellie listened intently. Appearance meant little in her own world and it was difficult to identify with what she was being told. Thank goodness for uniforms. And for not having to worry about being other than clean and neat and tidy. The daily dilemma on the wards was always how to snatch a moment to grab a cup of tea or a glass of water and stave off total dehydration. All the same, Vivienne’s self-discipline was making her feel guilty. She feared she must have eaten three times as much as her hostess, who must think her downright greedy. ‘I suppose I should be watching my weight too,’ she said despondently.
    ‘Nonsense!’ came the surprising response. ‘You’re a lovely girl and perfect as you are. Wait till my Rico sees you - oh dear, it’s such a shame he’s not around today, I so wanted you two to meet. He dropped me in town and then went on to this hoteliers’ meeting in Silves and I don’t suppose he’ll be back till late afternoon. Come to the drawing room and I will show you a photograph of my darling boy …’
    ‘Just five minutes,’ smiled Ellie, ‘then I must leave you to your siesta. It’s getting really hot now and you’ve had such a busy morning helping me.’ And I don’t think you look well, she mused , You’re short of breath and your colour’s not good. You need to get some rest …
    Vivienne didn’t put up any resistance. ‘I’m going to see you settled,’ insisted Ellie, lifting the actress’s slender legs onto the covers and tucking a cashmere rug around her. The older woman sank back into her nest of pillows, her eyelids already closing. Ellie leaned over and lightly kissed the pale forehead, so translucent she could see the tracing of veins beneath the skin. ‘You take care of yourself,’ she whispered. ‘Now have a lovely sleep.’
    Softly she closed the doors and went back to the terrace where she tidied away the lunch things and then, tempted by the sparkling sea kicked off her espadrilles and ran down to paddle along the shallows. She hadn’t brought a hat but there was a nice