Hilda Nickson

There is nothing so dead as a dead love, it is said, but Joanne Hampton was to doubt the truth of those words when Robin Crowther, after an absence of three years, came back as a consultant, she found his continual presence very disturbing to her hard-won peace of mind. They had fallen in love when she was a student nurse and he a struggling houseman, but the romance had fallen apart when he accused her of putting her career before him. Now Joanne had achieved her ambition to become Sister of Nightingale Ward, but it seemed curiously unsatisfying now that Robin was back again. But what was the use of trying to resurrect the past, when by this time Robin was back again. But what was the use of trying to resurrect the past, when by this time Robin was so clearly disinterested in another woman anyway?

Midsummer MadnessPagan revelers dance naked to the music of flute and lyre, their lithe bodies golden in the firelight, inviting the lord of their deepest desires to appear from the shadows. Marius soon comes, his tall, muscular body changing in the dark of the moon—is he man or animal? Or the best of both? Only Linnea, the beautiful goddess of the hunt, shall see his true self. His ultimate transformation will ensnare her—and his matchless erotic skill will ensure her amorous surrender. Retreating to a hidden bower of pleasure, they are at last alone. And Marius brings her to the heights of sexual ecstasy…again and again and again…

Doctor Laura Travers had always mothered and taken charge of her young sister, and when an unfortunate episode threatened to ruin Jacqueline's life she was only too willing to give up her job in London and help her sister to make a fresh start. So they retreated to a remote Norfolk village, where things at last seemed to be sorting themselves out - but would they be able to escape from the past for ever?

Staff Nurse Adele Palmer had always brushed aside Sister Margaret Bowen's bitter comments on her romance with Norman Wayne as the jealousy of a frustrated woman -- until it began to dawn on her that Margaret might be right after all...

Sister Netta Rowlands, with her pretty face and bubbly personality, could have had her pick of escorts from the staff at Witteringham General. So it was ironic that the one man who really interested her, the surgeon Roger Henderson, hardly seemed to know she existed!

Elaine Finchley fell in love with Tony Richards. Carefree, gay Tony, who, while travelling through Europe forgot their wedding day -- forgot their love -- and married an Italian girl. It took a long time to heal her wounds and it was David who helped her forget. It was the perfect partnership for her, David, ruggedly handsome and self-assured was able to make their boat rental business prosper. Only one thing could make it more perfect, perhaps ease that secret in her past, and that was marriage. When David did propose, Elaine was thrilled, but something wasn’t right. She thought she loved David, but deep, deep down in her heart, she knew that there was another man, Tony. Could she marry him now? Her moment of decision came much sooner that she expected. Tony returned from abroad, no longer married. He pleaded with Elaine to forgive him. “I still love you, I will always love you. I want to marry you,” he told her. Was she still in love with Tony -- enough to marry him? Or was she safer with David? Could she ever truly give her heart to him? Where could her aching heart find the answer?

When Lisa's engagement to David Webster was broken off. Adrian Howard began to take her out. Torn between the two, she did not know which to chose—the gentler younger man, or the older consultant who had been hurt and suffered in the same way as Lisa.

What on earth was she doing in a hospital in Italy? And why couldn't she even remember who she was? When an unknown Englishman, who had seen her car crash, offered his help, Jane had no way of knowing he was the very person she'd been running away from. She fell in love with him all over again. But happily, this time the outcome was different!

All her life Melanie had worked with her father, Richard Lawrence, in the family firm of R. Lawrence & Son. There was no son, and sometimes Melanie wondered wryly why one never saw the sign and Daughter. But that was before she met Drew!

Competition was fierce -- for money and love. Sara found herself in a man's world when she set up her own business as a real-estate agent. There was no lack of men who wanted to help her out, however. Ian Mannering, an experienced agent, gave her a few much needed breaks. Roger Hempstead helped her fix up her office -- and made her, her first offer. Both men were attractive, well-off and interested in her ... but she didn't know if she could trust either one!

Lesley's good luck quickly turned bad. Lesley Heswell was thrilled to be dating the hospital's most eligible surgeon, Ivor Bentley, but as soon as they became engaged, everything began to go wrong. First, Ivor became impossibly jealous; then Lesley's work began to suffer when operating-room instruments disappeared. And most shocking of all, Lesley became involved in a drastic blackmail plot. Someone was obviously behind it all -- someone who wanted Lesley to break off with Ivor!

After her father's death, Michele was determined to keep the family nursery business going. She soon found, however, that she could not manage without the help of Hugh Daly-which turned out to be a mixed blessing...

Juliet hoped that Switzerland would help her to get over her broken engagement, but all that happened was that she fell in love with Richard Thornton, who was not interested in her.

For sentimental reasons Julia had wanted to buy her late fiance's boatbuilding business--but was beaten to it by Roger Leighton. She ought to resent him, but somehow she found a very different feeling developing...

"It Began in Te Rangi - He had married her best friend and now he was coming back--back to work at her firm. Maggie did the only thing she could think of..run. She hid out as housekeeper for a sheep farmer. She had her horse. She loved the children. She also loved the sheep farmer. Not that John Dangerfield noticed!" "The Gentle Flame - Vicki tried not to succumb to the romantic atmosphere of southern France and the presence of the renowned surgeon, Dr. Guy Ransart. What was the point? He was involved in his work, reportedly engaged to his beautiful associate. And besides, he thought she was an accident-prone nuisance. She might as well go home." "To My Dear Niece - Not only did Great-Aunt Maud bequeath her sprawling country home to Vanessa, but she left her the overgrown garden and her friendship with the next-door neighbor, Ian Hamilton. But Vanessa didn't want friendship; she wanted something much more. And when subtle methods failed, she tried the direct approach!"

Netta had known Julian for years, looking on him as a kind of honorary older brother, and it was only recently that she had discovered that she loved him deeply. But what was the use of that, when he not only clearly saw her as just a "kid sister", but was himself interested in another woman?

Many things puzzled Margaret at the small hospital--not least, the unspoken rivalry of two doctors...

Nurse Foster began admiring him, grew to love him and ended by despising him. It was as simple as that. This strange volte-face took place when, as theatre nurse, she first saw him work as a surgeon. A more demanding, over-bearing man she had yet to meet. Then she discovered that her sister had come under this man's spell, and in order to protect the girl from the sharp disillusionment she knew must follow, she evolved a little plan of her own. I seemed a good plan at the outset, but before long she was near to confessing she had made a hopeless mess of things as she watched her own happiness, her sister's and even the unsuspecting surgeon's disappear into the melting pot of her well-intentioned contriving. Fortunately the situation again took an unexpected turn and in the end worked out well for everyone; which made Nurse Foster wonder how foolish can be the human heart.

He spoiled her holiday Instead of enjoying the luxurious cruise Gail was miserable and confused--thanks to Stuart Landon. From the captain's dining table to onshore excursions around the fascinating Canary Islands, her relationship with Stuart grew from mutual irritation to outright hostility. Yet Gail felt strangely drawn to the irascible fellow passenger. When she finally realized that she had lost her heart to this impossible man, Gail had another problem. Stuart was engaged--to a woman who had become Gail's friend.