His Diamond Like No Other (Mills & Boon Medical) by Lucy Clark Page B

testing each one, clearly enthralled with the gift. Then she put it down on the bedside table and shook her head. Sean edged closer, wanting to hear what Jane was saying to the girl.
    ‘There are no strings attached,’ she told Tessa softly. ‘I know what it’s like to accept a gift from someone who later demands payment—often a payment that’s too high for you to give.’
    Tessa watched Jane for a moment then asked, ‘Who hurt you?’
    The colour instantly drained from Jane’s face and Sean watched as she bit her lip and swallowed three times before answering. ‘My big sister.’
    ‘Where is she now?’
    ‘She died.’
    ‘Did you kill her?’
    ‘No. She was in a car crash.’
    ‘I wish my sister was in a car crash.’ The words were out of Tessa’s mouth before she could stop them and she quickly covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide and wild with fear. ‘Don’t tell anyone. Don’t say anything.’ Her pleading was an urgent whisper.
    Jane looked directly at Sean and it was only then he realised she’d known he was there the whole time. Had she just said all of that to Tessa in order to get the little girl to confess? To let them know exactly who was hurting her? This information would certainly help the medical students to hone their observation skills now they knew exactly what they were looking for.
    ‘I’ll come back and see you later tonight,’ Jane promised, before pointing to the torch. ‘There are no strings attached to this gift, Tessa. It’s just something to help you not to be so afraid of the night.’
    ‘How did you know it was her sister?’ Sean asked Jane as they re-entered the nurses’ station.
    ‘I didn’t, but sometimes sharing your own stories with these kids, to let them know you really do understand what they’re going through, even though the circumstances of the abuse might differ, is an important step in forming a connection. I’ve chosen to utilise the bad things that have happened to me throughout my life in order to help me bond with my patients, because when eating disorders are involved, it’s been proved through extensive research that if a true connection can be made between doctor and patient, there’s far more opportunity for a successful recovery.’
    ‘That must be very draining for you.’
    Jane shrugged. ‘It helps abate the loneliness.’ She spoke to the medical students, asking them if Tessa’s sister had come in to visit and to highlight those sections when they gave their report. ‘I need to prepare for the meeting,’ she murmured, and Sean nodded, still reeling from everything he’d learnt about her today.
    As she walked away, he couldn’t help thinking back to the things Daina had said about her younger sister. It wasn’t that she’d talked about Jane or her parents much at all, but if she had had something to say, it had always shown her in the best light, to ensure he was left with a positive opinion of her.
    ‘I took Jane in.’ He could hear Daina’s voice in his head. ‘I was only eighteen when our parents died but I was there for Janey throughout her time in hospital and I cared for her, stepping up and being her legal guardian to ensure she wasn’t put into the foster system. It wasn’t easy. I was grieving for our parents and looking after a confused teenager who was terribly sick, both physically and mentally. It was tiring and exhausting but I managed, by the grace of God, to get us through that difficult time.’ And of course every word Daina had spoken had been delivered with the dramatic flair of an award-winning actress, oftentimes with tears.
    As he returned to his office to try and once more distract his mind with paperwork, he instead found himself looking Jane up on the internet. Surprisingly, he was able to access several of the papers she’d co-authored with Professor Robe and soon he was reading his way through them. He shook his head in stunned amazement. Jane was clearly an expert in her field, as