After a few minutes he said softly, ‘Tell me how your mother came to find this place.’
Jandy smiled. ‘She’s been a star really—bringing up the two of us by herself. Dad died when we were in our early teens. Mum worked in a little dress shop in Delford and did some of their buying for them. She was sent to look at some clothes in a small factory in Inverness—and she met Bertie when her car broke down. He was the mechanic who mended it. He’s about twelve years younger than her, but they fell in love and have been together ever since! This was his little house.’
‘What a romantic tale,’ murmured Patrick. ‘And do you like him?’
‘He’s a lovely guy—and he’s made Mum so happy. Just the right man for her. The age difference doesn’t seem to matter in the least.’
‘If you find the right person, that sweeps all other considerations aside, doesn’t it?’
Jandy looked at him wryly. ‘I don’t think your father would agree with that!’
Patrick got up and came over to her, sitting on the wall beside her and taking her hands, an amused expression on his face.
‘You’ve got a thing about my father,’ he said. ‘He’s not the dinosaur you think he is. The thing is, circumstances have made him wary about choosing a partner for life.’
‘I’m with him there,’ sighed Jandy.
‘Like you, I lost a parent when I was young,’ Patrick said. ‘My mother died when I was three, and then my brother and I had a nanny, a lovely person. She’s still alive, bless her.’
‘I’m sorry about your mother,’ murmured Jandy, reflecting what different experiences she and Patrick had had when they were children. There had been no such things as nannies for her sister and herself when they’d been young! Her mother had scraped a living and they had never been hungry or without a roof over their heads, but a childhood in a place like Easterleigh was a world away from the council estate she’d been brought up in.
‘Actually, Robert and I had a very happy childhood—until my father remarried, that is.’ Patrick’s mouth tightened. ‘She wasn’t the best of step mothers, I’m afraid, and it wasn’t a happy marriage.’
A sudden memory of Patrick’s first day at work flicked into Jandy’s mind—the little boy with the head injury, Jimmy Tate, and his cold, unsympathetic stepmother—and Patrick’s reaction to that case.
‘What did your stepmother do to you?’ she asked quietly.
He shrugged. ‘That’s water under the bridge now—but she left me with this little legacy.’ He turned his face to Jandy and pointed to the white raised scar down the side of his face. Her eyes widened in horror.
‘She did that to you? What did she…?’
A wry smile touched his lips. ‘Robert and I had been making a noise. She had no patience with children and had snapped at us to shut up, saying that we’d have no supper if we weren’t quiet—her usual form of punishment. I had a temper and shouted that she was a wicked witch. She flung a pan at me and the the rim caught my face.’
‘She could have killed you…’
‘She was certainly frightened, because, like all facial wounds, it bled like crazy. But she said if I told anyone, she’d make life very difficult for my younger brother. And I knew she meant it—she could be cruel.’
Jandy reached out and took Patrick’s hand. ‘You poor little boys,’ she whispered. ‘You must have felt quite helpless.’
‘I certainly know what cruelty does to a child,’ he said grimly. ‘Visible signs like my scar are one thing—the emotional scars are harder to see.’
Jandy looked into his eyes and stroked his face, her finger drawing a line down his jaw to his mouth, moving gently over the jagged white line.
‘I was wrong, then.’ She smiled. ‘I thought it was a bad rugby tackle. How terrible for a young child to have to cope with that.’
‘She left my father when he became disabled and too frail to stand up to her,’ said Patrick simply. ‘It was a particularly unpleasant time, and she took him for every penny she could. That’s partly why my father is so eager to start the wind-farm business.’
‘And you came back to help him. Is your brother involved as well?’
‘No. He has nothing to do with the project,’ he said wryly. ‘Robert still lives in London, leading a merry bachelor life.’
They both sat in silence for a moment, gazing out over the tree-lined valley, and then there was the unmistakeable growl of thunder in the distance. Patrick looked up at the sky, which had darkened considerably. Black clouds were rolling over the mountains and there were flickers of lightning over the hills. A few large drops of rain began to fall, and he stood up and pulled Jandy to her feet.
‘There’s a storm brewing. Let’s go in and have some of this food I’ve bought.’
They gathered up their shopping and cases, but before they could reach the front door a flash of lightning and an enormous crack of thunder exploded almost over their heads. Quite suddenly a deluge of rain was pouring over them, pelting down like a waterfall, the drops leaping off the path as soon as they hit the ground. The temperature already seemed to have dropped several degrees.
Jandy fumbled with the keys and by the time she’d opened the door, they were both completely drenched. She slammed the door shut and they looked at each other then both began laughing helplessly. They were soaked to the skin, their hair plastered against their heads, water running in rivulets down their clothes, forming puddles on the floor.
‘What are we like?’ she spluttered through gales of laughter. ‘We might just as well have been swimming in our clothes!’
Their laughter died down and they stared at each other silently for a few seconds. Then Patrick’s blue eyes darkened and he put his hand under her chin, tilting her face to his. She didn’t put up a fight when he pulled her towards him. At the back of her mind she knew that what was going to happen was inevitable. So Patrick couldn’t offer long-term commitment? It was too late to worry about that now. The sudden rainstorm had made them both relax, and the wine had taken the edge off her feeble resolve.
‘What a beautiful waterlogged mermaid you are,’ he murmured huskily. Then he kissed her hungrily, his lips moving down her neck to the little hollow in her throat, his hands running lightly over her soft curves and making her arch against his muscled body.
‘Don’t you think we ought to take these clothes off?’ he murmured. ‘My nanny always said it was bad for you to stay in wet things…’
She laughed at him through the damp tendrils of hair dripping over her face. ‘Did you always do what your nanny told you?’ she asked mock-primly, again weakly attempting to put the brakes on the fiery physical attraction that was crackling between them.
He looked at her solemnly. ‘It was more than my life was worth to disobey her, sweetheart.’
And suddenly they were both tearing their clothes off, leaving them where they lay on the floor. All Jandy could concentrate on were Patrick’s arms twined around her and their naked bodies pressed against each other, slippery from their damp clothes. Too late to call a halt now, she thought hazily—and neither did she want to.
He whispered throatily, ‘I can’t tell you how often I’ve longed to do this over the past few weeks, my darling. You are so beautiful…’
He held her away from him for a second, his eyes feasting on her slender curves, the soft fullness of her breasts. Then he trailed his fingers delicately down her stomach, and covered her with butterfly kisses, and every nerve in Jandy’s body responded as his lips drew a path of fire down her body. He pulled her down onto the floor, and she didn’t resist as his hands brought her to a pitch of excitement. This was what she had missed for so long, and even if Patrick had said he was not a long-term prospect, for the time being he was hers—and the memory of her betrayal by Terry began to fade.
CHAPTER EIGHT
GRADUALLY Jandy woke from a deep sleep and opened her eyes then stared around the room, disorientated for a few seconds by the unfamiliar surroundings. Then eve
rything that had happened the night before came flooding back to her, and a little smile of contentment curved across her face as she stretched languorously under the quilt.
It had been the most amazing night of her life, she thought happily. Of course, the night her darling Abigail had been born had been wonderful too, holding that miraculous little bundle in her arms—but it had been mixed with bitter-sweet memories. She’d adored her baby as soon as she’d held her in her arms—but there’d been no father there to welcome his child into the world, no champagne or flowers from a husband or lover, but the very real worry about how she was going to support her new baby. Lying in her hospital bed and seeing the other mothers with their doting partners had been hard to bear.
But last night had been unadulterated ecstasy, when two people had given absolutely to each other. She had no regrets, even though Patrick had put his cards on the table. He had said he wasn’t up for a long-term relationship, but after last night she was convinced that they had a future together. How could anyone make love like he had and not feel more than a passing regard for her?
Light-heartedly she swung her legs over the bed and padded over to the window. The day was a complete contrast to the night before, with bright sunshine gleaming on the rain-washed road. In the distance the mountains were navy blue against the duck-egg blue of the skies and everything looked fresh and reinvigorated. Like she felt, said Jandy to herself, with a little thrill of happiness.
‘Can I come in?’ said a deep voice.
‘No. I’ve nothing on yet,’ replied Jandy sternly, trying not to giggle.
‘Good—that’s how I like you!’
Patrick shoved the door open with his elbow and entered the room carrying a tray laden with tea and toast. He put it down on a chair and came towards her with a happy smile on his face.
‘You look delectable, my sweet,’ he said softly, gathering her in his arms and kissing her extravagantly.
Jandy made a half-hearted attempt to push him away. ‘Patrick! This isn’t the time…’
He looked at her with wide, innocent eyes. ‘Oh? Why not?’
She laughed. ‘As your nanny might have said—because! Anyway, I want to get to the hospital early and I’ve got to have a shower.’
‘Oh…that!’ he said absently, and continued to kiss her until they both fell in a heap on the bed. And Jandy didn’t say anything more for some time…
Afterwards Patrick said tenderly, stroking back her honeyed hair from her face, ‘You’re wonderful, my sweet. I’ll never, never forget this day, forget you—even when I’m old and grey…’
Then they lay in each other’s arms for a while, until the front door rang and Jandy was galvanised into action, wriggling out from under Patrick and scurrying for a jacket to put on.
‘Oh, no, Patrick, that’s probably Ian! And we’ve got to get to the hospital. I’m not ready and neither are you!’
‘It won’t take me long. You have that tea and toast I brought and a quick shower, and then we’ll be off. I’ll answer the door. I’m the only one who should look at you when you’re totally naked—I’m selfish that way!’
Jandy giggled and threw a pillow after him as he went out of the room. As long as her mother and Bertie were going to be OK, the future suddenly looked bright and exciting. She knew she had fallen hook, line and sinker for Patrick, and she was sure he felt the same way about her.
* * *
‘Have you been to see Bertie yet?’ asked Leony from her hospital bed, anxiously looking at Jandy. ‘Nobody will tell me anything about his state of health. Please go and see him if you can.’
‘I will, Mum—don’t worry. I’m going to see his consultant when he’s done his rounds.’
‘Thank you, darling.’ Mrs Marshall looked at her daughter appraisingly. ‘You do look well—quite blooming! You must have had a good night’s sleep last night after all your travelling yesterday!’
‘Very good indeed,’ replied Jandy, unable to stop a broad grin spreading over her face. Not surprising after the energetic episode before it!
‘And you managed to put up the sofa bed for your colleague OK?’
‘Er…yes, no trouble there,’ said Jandy, adding quickly, ‘How do you feel today, Mum? I think you definitely look brighter and the swelling on your face seems to have subsided.’
‘I’m on the mend, feeling better today. In fact, they say as soon as I’ve found someone to look after me, I can go home as all I need is rest and to keep my foot off the ground.’ She put her hand up quickly as she saw the concern on Jandy’s face.
‘I know that you’ve got to get back to Abigail and work but perhaps we could find someone from the village for a few weeks?’
‘Ian suggested his girlfriend might help,’ said Jandy.
‘Netta? Oh, that would be lovely—she’s a sweet girl. Do you think that could be organised, then?’
‘Of course. I’m glad you know her—that makes it easier.’
Her mother smiled. ‘What a relief it will be to go home! I must be getting better because I’m getting so bored now, although they’ve been wonderful to me in the hospital. What about bringing your colleague in? I’d love to meet her—so kind of her to come up with you. Is she a nurse too?’
Jandy hesitated for a second. Her mother was of a romantic turn of mind and would very quickly put two and two together when she met Patrick!
‘Actually, it’s a he and he’s a doctor in A and E,’ she said brightly.
‘Oh, I see! But that’s wonderful!’ exclaimed her mother, looking at her searchingly.
Jandy almost laughed, her mother’s thoughts were so transparent! She was obviously already marrying her daughter off to this eligible man she’d never met!
‘I’ll go and get him, Mum. He’s looking forward to meeting you too.’
It was obvious from the moment she saw him that Leony was bowled over by Patrick—and she observed accurately that her daughter was too!
‘I’m so grateful to you for coming up with Jandy,’ she said to him. ‘It’s lovely that she’s got someone to look after her while she’s up here.’
‘I’m just glad I was able to be of some help,’ said Patrick, adding with a grin, ‘And you do live in a beautiful part of the world…’
‘Then you must both come up for a proper holiday soon, and explore the whole area together,’ said Leony. ‘It would be lovely to get to know you better!’
‘I think we’ll go and see Bertie and find out how he is then we can report back to you,’ said Jandy hastily, before her mother could start organising a wedding reception!
As they turned to go out, Leony took hold of Jandy’s arm. ‘Just one moment on your own, darling,’ she said in a low voice. ‘I won’t keep her a minute, Patrick—you go on down to see Bertie.’
‘What is it, Mum?’ asked Jandy, looking at the frown on Leony’s face.
‘I…I couldn’t help wondering. Patrick’s wearing a wedding ring—does that mean he’s married?’
‘He’s a widower, Mum…he’s got a little girl.’ She smiled and patted her mother’s hand. ‘Don’t worry, I’m not about to fall for another Terry!’
Her mother smiled and relaxed back against the pillows. ‘You know it’s just that I wouldn’t want you to be hurt again—falling for a married man can only lead to trouble. Of course, if he’s a widower…’
‘See you later!’ Jandy smiled, blowing her a kiss from the door. ‘As I said—don’t worry!’
But as she followed Patrick down the stairs to ICU she sighed. That wedding ring was a sign that he hadn’t forgotten his wife—in a way, as long as he wore it, Rachel was still in the picture.
* * *
The ICU was quiet, just the dull thrum of machines and clicking of monitoring equipment keeping track of the condition of the patients in the unit. Bertie was sedated and had an oxygen mask over his face, and a nurse was busy checking his vital signs, fluid balance, blood oxygen levels and blood pressure. She turned and smiled at Jandy and Patrick.
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‘Bertie’s had his craniotomy,’ she said. ‘He’s doing very well, and breathing by himself. He’s going to the high-dependency unit very soon, and after a day or two there he’ll be going to the general ward. Mr Muir wants to have a word with you if you’ll go to his office.’
‘Phew—what a relief,’ breathed Jandy to Patrick. ‘I don’t know how I could have told Mum if anything had gone wrong with Bertie’s operation.’
Mr Muir had the look of an elderly chick, with fluffy grey hair standing up over his round head and a little beak nose, but when he spoke his voice was surprisingly loud—but reassuring and confident.
‘We’re very pleased indeed with Bertie’s progress,’ he boomed. ‘He had an open skull fracture, which led to some cranial bleeding. But we’ve drained the blood and managed to repair some damaged blood vessels. With any luck, he should be as good as new soon.’ He chuckled. ‘Surprising how well the human body can restore itself after a major trauma, isn’t it?’
‘Not without some intervention on your part,’ said Jandy, smiling. ‘We’re so grateful to you, Mr Muir.’
‘Not at all, not at all.’ He smiled. ‘He’ll be kept in for a little while yet, just to be monitored, but we don’t anticipate any complications. You can tell your mother that her friend will be as good as new soon!’
* * *
Leony had been allowed home after Netta had promised to come in every day, and stay the night if need be, when Jandy and Patrick had returned to Delford. Leony sat in a high-backed chair downstairs with a smile on her bruised face.
‘I can’t believe I’ve made it home—a few days ago I wouldn’t have thought I’d be back for months!’ She turned to Jandy. ‘I know you’ve got to get back to Abigail, darling, but you’ve both been wonderful to give up everything and come and see me—I’m so grateful.’
‘We’re going back on the evening plane tonight, Mum. There isn’t much room for Netta and us in the house together! I’m going to dash out now to get some shopping. Patrick’s just gone for an exploratory walk but Ian’s only across the way at the garage so if you need him, ring him on his mobile.’
From Single Mum to Lady Page 12
