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practice so I've brought her along with me.'
    Sarah acknowledged the introduction with a worried smile and led the way to where a small boy was lying on a sofa in the living room of the cottage. As Max approached him Fenella realised that he wasn't abrupt with everyone.
    His voice was gentle as he examined the child. 'So what's this I hear about you having a sore neck, Callum?' he said. 'Show me where it hurts.'
    'There,' the boy said tearfully, touching the parotid glands on either side of his neck.
    'And what happened when you had your breakfast?'
    'I couldn't chew,' the small patient said with tears still threatening.
    'I see,' Max said, and to Fenella's surprise asked the child, 'Will you let Dr Forbes feel your neck, Callum?'
    'Hmm,' he said dolefully, 'as long as she doesn't hurt.'
    'I'm sure that she won't,' Max told him. 'She has gentle hands, haven't you, Fenella?'
    'I wonder how you would know that,' she said in a low voice as she bent over the child.
    'So what do you think?' he asked when she'd felt Callum's swollen neck.
    'Mumps? The parotid glands are up.'
    The boy's mother was listening in dismay and Max asked, 'Did Callum have the mumps, measles and rubella immunisation in his second year?'
    She shook her head. 'No, he didn't. He was quite ill when he was immunised for diphtheria and whooping cough and my husband wouldn't let him have any more injections.'
    'And what about your two older boys?'
    'They had all the jabs without trouble, but Callum is allergic to so many things we didn't want to chance it.'
    Max nodded. 'Well, the bad news is that he's got mumps, Sarah, but the good news is that your other two won't catch it. Give Callum plenty of liquids and if his neck is painful, a dose of child's paracetamol formula should help. You'll need to inform his school and keep him away from other children until the swelling has gone completely, and I'll see him again in a few days.'
    'I feel so guilty that we didn't have him immunised,' the young mother said distractedly.
    'It is a decision that isn't easy to make for any parent who wants what is best for their child,' Max told her consolingly, 'and it is usually only in teenage males and adults that the illness can have adverse effects, so don't worry too much.'
    As they took their leave he said to Fenella, 'Well done.'
    'What do you mean?'
    'Picking up on it being mumps.'
    Fenella stared at him. 'It seemed pretty obvious.'
    'Yes, well, that is often the time when a doctor makes a mistake, by not looking any further. But in this case we were right.'
    For the rest of the home visits Fenella looked, listened, learned and was not asked to give an opinion again, thankfully. When they arrived back at the surgery Max asked, 'So how much did you enjoy doing the rounds with me?'
    She could have told him that she might have enjoyed it more with someone else, but he was waiting for an answer, so she said untruthfully, 'Yes, it was good.'
    'Come back the same time tomorrow and I'll let you know what I've decided. I have to get this matter settled as I am without my partner due to an accident and will be for some time. If I don't decide to take you on I shall have to advertise, so there is no time to waste.' And with that tie wished her a brisk goodbye and went striding into the practice.
    As she stood gazing after him Fenella thought, Don't do me any favours, Dr Hollister. If you offer me the position I'm not sure that I want it. I don't relish the prospect of being made to feel inadequate all the time just because the first glimpse you had of me was in a police cell.
     
    When Ann came home that evening her first words were, 'So how did you get on with Max?'
    'Terrible,' Fenella told her, leaving out the circumstances of their previous meeting. 'He's bossy and picky. I can't say that I like him.'
    Her mother eyed her in surprise. 'That doesn't sound like him. I know that he doesn't suffer fools gladly, but you are no fool, Fenella. Did you make sure he knew how well you did at