by Ruth Hay
“So , my darling,” he concluded, “it seems our lives have changed totally in this one amazing day but I am adamant that the newshounds shall not spoil our happiness whatever happens.”
She settled her legs under the quilted cover and rested her hand on her stomach as if to reassure the little one there, that he was safe.
“I think you have handled this remarkably well Wesley. You have thought of everything and we are far away from trouble for now. We should enjoy this spell of anonymity and I am glad you brought us here to Scotland but I have known, since the photo I gave to Abi fell into the wrong hands, that we were on borrowed time as far as our privacy was concerned. We haven’t discussed this before, although I have thought about it a great deal.”
Wesley moved onto the bed and sat beside his wife holding her hand in his. She was taking the news very well indeed. He should not have worried so much about her reaction.
“What have you been thinking?”
“I feel there’s only one way to survive this media attention. We need to take control of the situation. We should find a trusted outlet and do a photoshoot with a magazine like Hello that often profiles royals or celebrities in their pages. That would take the wind out of the sails of the paparazzi. There’s no need to harass us if everything is out in the open and the best pictures are already published.”
Wesley marvelled again at his wife’s ability to find a positive in even the most dire of circumstances. She had turned Portia’s mental condition into a project to help women with psychological issues and her initiatives with free packages of toiletries for breast cancer sufferers was another breakthrough. He should have known she would come up with something brilliant.
“If you are willing to open our lives up to this kind of scrutiny, my dearest, I will be right by your side.”
“Oh, Wesley, I know this will be harder on you than on me. I am used to being in the public eye occasionally but your situation is different. We will have to ensure your work with patients is kept under wraps.”
He had been thinking the same thing. “I admit I am concerned about the possibility of someone digging far enough to find out how we first met. We know there was no impropriety but that wouldn’t stop prurient speculation.”
“It’s a risk we may have to take. We know the truth and your reputation is unassailable.”
Wesley had a brief thought about Beth and how wary she now was with regard to inquiries about his private life. Nothing would get past her. He took a deep breath and let it out before speaking again.
“This feels right to me, Zoe. You have found the only possible solution for us. I will set the magazine contact in motion while we are in Scotland and we’ll promise them exclusives when the baby is born. How do you feel about that?”
“I’ve seen their photo spreads with mothers and children before, and they are beautifully done. It’s the price we have to pay, I think. After that is published I believe we will drop off the radar. We’re not so important that reporters will want to hound us every day. We are hardly at the level of Prince William and his Catherine. With any luck the royals may decide to produce another heir and no one will care about our small family.”
The bed rocked as they chuckled at this thought and clung together in delight. The grim atmosphere Wesley had dreaded as his news was revealed, had not emerged. In fact, a holiday feeling enveloped them and he was so relaxed he felt he could almost fall asleep in this quiet hotel room with his pregnant wife by his side.
But Zoe had other ideas.
“We are five hours ahead of Canada and the States. I must call Valerie with our news and try to reach Corinne………… and Sandra of course! Could we possibly visit them in Mull? No one would track us down there. Wesley, go and get ready for bed and I’ll do all that right now.”
He went off, gladly, to wash and change. It had been a long and arduous day but he knew the worst was over. In the morning they would have breakfast with Michael and Isobel then set off for Mull. The last call he had made from the train was to alert Sandra and Ian about their arrival and Sandra was squealing with excitement. He knew there was no one more experienced with children than Sandra and he also knew Zoe would be able to get advice and reassurance from her own long-ago babysitter.
Wesley could hear Zoe’s voice on the phone. She must have reached Valerie in Canada.
He decided to pour a hot bath and relax while his wife spread the happy news to her dearest friends. His mind jumped ahead to Christmas and he counted the months. Their son would not be born until spring but it would be a Christmas of anticipation. There was much to do before then and he relished every stage of the happy preparation that was to come.
* * *
When he emerged from the bathroom wreathed in steam and smiles, Zoe was ready to relay all the news.
“Valerie loves her townhouse and is rarely on her own there with her grandchildren visiting and studying in Ontario. She says they go home in the summer and we should visit her then with the baby. She will see us at Christmas of course.
I left a cryptic message for Carla in L.A. She’ll get in touch when she hears it. I can’t wait to tell her our children will be born in the same year.”
“Aren’t you sleepy yet, Zoe? I could run you a bath. I feel so much better since I had one.”
“I might just do that, Wesley, but first we have something important to decide.”
He thought his brain would not be able to endure another decision more vital than what he might order from room service. Then he looked into her eyes and changed his mind.
“What is it?”
“Just that I have had a thought about our son’s name and I need to get your approval.”
In a day of surprises, both good and bad, this was probably the most unexpected.
Wesley knew in his heart he could not deny his Zoe any choice of name, no matter how outlandish it might be. And yet his heart beat a little faster as he waited to hear what she had decided.
With an impish smile on her face and a toss of her hair to show the deep purple lock, she stated firmly.
“I think his name will be Zachary Philips. We can choose his middle names together.
I want to be known as Zoe Morton-Philips from now on and, Wesley, my darling man, I promise you can choose our daughter’s name next time.”
THE END
This concludes the Seven Days Series.
Ruth Hay is presently writing a new episode of the Seafarer novels titled,
Gwen’s Gentlemen.
Find news and views at Ruth’s website: www.ruthhay.com and sign up for her exclusive newsletter.
Also by Ruth Hay
Visit www.ruthhay.com for links to all of Ruth’s stories: the Prime Time series, the Seafarers series, and the Seven Days series!
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Prime Time Series
Auld Acquaintance
Time Out of Mind
Now or Never
Sand in the Wind
With This Ring
The Seas Between Us
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Seafarers Series
Sea Changes
Sea Tides
Gwen’s Gentleman
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Seven Days Series
Seven Days There
Seven Days Back
Seven Days Beyond
Seven Days Away
Seven Days Horizons
About the Author
Ruth Hay published the first two novels in her Prime Time Series in the fall of 2010. Since then, this retired teacher-librarian and university teacher has produced two sequels each year. In 2013 the sixth title brought Prime Time to a close, and she started the Seafarers series. In 2015, the Seven Days series continued her tradition of writing compelling women’s fiction for discerning readers.
Ruth would love to hear from you! Ruth would love to hear from you!
www.ruthhay.com
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Ruth Hay
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Cove
r photograph: Certaldo Alto by Stella Sinclair, whose help with materials on Italy was much appreciated by the author.
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