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‘Solet o?’

Effie loathed the way the older wo back the days She smiled cheerfully and made herself sound as breezy as she could

&nbs

p; ‘Must be, yes Anyway, I should leave you to enjoy yourdrink in peace’

Tak’s y to be sincere And still it locked Effie in place

‘I wouldn’t dream of it Sit down—tell me about yourself and how you met my son I understand that you’re a doctor, too?’

She could still go Ignore the woman’s instructions, turn around and leave Tak’s h, without the fact that Effie was hardly even dressed But if she went it would feel like a retreat, or that she had so to be ashamed of And Effie couldn’t explain it, but she didn’t want to feel asha that had happened between her and Tak

And so she stayed, quietlyaround the kitchen tothe shirt as low as possible and sliding into the seat across the table from Mrs Basu

Only then did she finally speak

‘I’m a trauma doctor with the air ambulance,’ Effie confirmed neutrally ‘I take patients to several hospitals in the area, including the Royal Infirmary’

‘Quite an impressive career You don’t look much older than Hemavati’

Effie recognised the test She offered a light laugh, as if she hadn’t noticed ‘Hetti’s barely twenty-six It’s ’

‘I see’ The other woman sipped her coffee carefully ‘So, then, are you all about your career, like Talank, or do you i a family?’

‘You don’t need to answer that, Effie’

Effie jumped at the sound of Tak’s voice over her head