‘No, you wouldn’t,’ Beth agreed warmly. She sighed as Joan Goodwin left, realising that the older woman had simply endorsed her own view of Adam. He was kind and caring, and dedicated and…and all manner of other things as well.
She frowned as she found herself wondering why Claire had ignored all that. Surely it must have been apparent to her sister the sort of man that Adam was? It made it even more difficult to understand why Claire had never attempted to contact him again after that first failed attempt. Unless she’d been afraid that Adam would want to pick up where they had left off?
Claire must have known that Adam was in love with her and had realised that she could never reciprocate his feelings. That had been why she’d decided that it was for the best never to seek him out and why she had made Beth promise not to do so. Claire hadn’t wanted to break Adam’s heart a second time.
The realisation made Beth gasp in dismay and Eileen, who happened to be passing along the corridor at that moment, must have heard her. ‘Are you all right, love?’ she asked, popping her head round the door.
‘Um, yes, fine, thanks. Just a bit of a tickle in my throat, that’s all.’ Beth cleared her throat to add more weight to the small white lie but she could feel her heart aching in the strangest way. It was an effort to hide how upset she felt from the other woman. ‘How are you feeling now, anyway?’
‘A bit better, although I’m still annoyed about what happened.’ Eileen sniffed her disapproval but Beth was pleased to see that she had been successfully distracted. ‘I don’t take kindly to being treated like that.’
Eileen went on her way and Beth buzzed for her next patient. However, all morning long she couldn’t stop thinking about Claire and Adam, and how he might still be in love with her sister even after all this time. The strange thing was how much it hurt to think about it.
The rest of the day flew past. Beth had a free afternoon so she spent it with Hannah, reading to her and playing board games. She got back to the flat just before four after doing some shopping on the way home and was surprised to discover that Adam’s car was still in the car park. She put her shopping away then went down to the surgery and tapped on his door.
‘Hi, what are you doing here? Did the chest clinic drag on?’
He tossed his pen onto the desk. ‘No, there were only four people booked in and they were all doing fine. It’s been a while since I dealt with any asthma cases so it was interesting to bring myself up to date on the latest drug regimes.’
‘The curse of the western world,’ she observed. ‘The latest theory is that more people are suffering from asthma because we’re too clean. We’re eliminating too many bugs so that we no longer have the same resistance to the allergens that provoke an asthma attack.’
‘It certainly isn’t as big a problem in Third World countries,’ he agreed, although she couldn’t help noticing that he seemed rather distracted. Her heart turned over when she suddenly remembered that he’d had to go for the blood tests that afternoon.
‘It wasn’t bad news, was it?’
‘Sorry?’ He frowned at her.
‘You went for the blood tests this afternoon. I just wondered what you’d been told.’
‘Nothing. I won’t get to know if I’m suitable as a donor for a few days yet.’ He let out in a heavy sigh. ‘I had a long talk with Chris after surgery this morning. He’s admitted that he needs a complete break away from here.’
‘I see. So what are you going to do?’ she asked worriedly.
‘I’ve already done it. I’ve been in touch with a couple of agencies about hiring a locum. They’ve promised to fax me a list of everyone who’s available later today.’
‘You aren’t wasting any time. Have you talked it over with your uncle?’
‘No, nor do I intend to. I’ve spoken to Aunt Mary and she agrees that it would be silly to let Jonathan know what’s happening because he will only worry.’ He shrugged. ‘And the sooner I get something sorted out the better. Chris desperately needs to take some time off.’
‘Well, I can’t argue with that. Let’s hope that you find someone suitable quickly.’ She paused but there was no way to avoid what had to be said when it had been at the back of her mind all day. ‘You must be sorry that you came back here. It’s been one problem after another ever since you arrived.’
‘I’m not sorry that I found out about Hannah, even though I wish that the situation had been rather different.’ He looked up and there was the oddest light in his eyes as they centred on her. ‘Coming back to Winton has changed my life, Beth. Nothing is going to be the same as it was before.’
She wasn’t sure what he had meant by that. Obviously finding out about Hannah was bound to have repercussions for him in the future yet she sensed there had been something else behind that statement. However, before she could work it out, he got up.
‘I’m going to make myself a cup of coffee. Do you want one? I could do with a bit of a booster before the next round of patients arrives.’
‘Please. I spent the afternoon reading to Hannah and I feel a bit parched,’ she confessed, following him to the staff-room. ‘She was asking about you, by the way. I told her that you would go to see her tonight. I hope that was OK?’
Adam’s face softened as he turned from plugging in the kettle. ‘Of course. She’s such a great little kid. It would be hard enough for an adult to cope with what she’s been through in the past year.’
‘She’s very brave,’ Beth agreed softly. ‘Let’s just keep our fingers crossed that the blood test results are favourable.’
‘Amen to that.’ He made the drinks then took them to the table and sat down. ‘I think this is the worst time. Once we know one way or the other whether I’m a suitable donor then we can make plans, but everything seems rather up in the air at the moment.’
‘What sort of plans?’ she asked immediately.
‘For Hannah’s future, of course.’ He put his cup on the table with a small thud that made her jump. ‘I mean to be involved in her care from now on, Beth. I want you to understand that.’
‘Of course. But the fact that you are out of the country for so much of the time obviously means that your time with Hannah is going to be limited.’ She paused but there was no way to avoid what she had to say. ‘I don’t want you raising Hannah’s hopes then disappointing her, Adam. It wouldn’t be fair.’
‘I have no intention of doing that.’ He took a sip of his coffee then looked steadily at her. ‘I intend to be here for Hannah for however long she needs me. It’s the least I can do in the circumstances.’
‘It wasn’t your fault that you didn’t know about her,’ she said quickly, then wondered if that had been the right thing to say.
‘Maybe not, but that doesn’t alter the fact that I don’t intend to run away from my responsibilities.’ He shrugged. ‘Uncle Jonathan would like nothing better than for me to work here at the surgery with him. I’ve always refused in the past but it could be the answer to a lot of problems.’
‘You mean that you would give up your aid work?’ She could hear the astonishment in her voice. She felt a little tingle run through her as the idea that Adam might be staying in Winton sank in. For some reason she felt extraordinarily pleased about it.
‘Yes. I think it’s time that I reassessed my life and what I intend to do in the future.’
‘But are you sure that you won’t regret it?’ she queried, feeling that she had to play devil’s advocate for herself as well as him. ‘I know how important your work is to you, Adam. It won’t be easy to give it up.’
‘It won’t. I love the work that I do because I feel that I really make a difference to people’s lives. But there is no reason why I can’t gain equal satisfaction from working in this country.’ He must have seen her scepticism because he sighed softly.
‘I know it won’t be the same, Beth. But I also know that I would never forgive myself for not being here with Hannah. Why are you so surprised? Did you honestly believe that I would
walk away after finding out that I had a daughter?’
‘I don’t think I even thought about it,’ she confessed, sensing that she had hurt him.
‘Then I suggest that you think about it now because it means that you and I will need to come to some sort of arrangement.’ He shrugged when she looked blankly at him. ‘Hannah needs you, Beth, and I accept that. But I’m hoping that in time she will come to need me, too.’
He laid his hand over hers and it seemed to her that his voice had grown deeper all of a sudden. ‘Think you can put up with having me around on a long-term basis?’
‘I…’ Beth could hear the words she wanted to say echoing inside her head, a polite little speech which wouldn’t cause offence. The problem was that she couldn’t seem to get them out into the open. It was the way that Adam was looking at her, she decided dizzily. As though her answer really mattered to him.
‘I suppose so,’ she managed at last then flushed when he laughed.
‘You could have tried to inject a bit more enthusiasm into your voice.’ He sobered abruptly. ‘I do understand your concerns, though, Beth. Really.’
‘Do you?’ she asked, wishing that he would explain them to her. Why did she always end up feeling so confused? She had prided herself on being able to cope with most situations yet dealing with Adam seemed to be the one exception.
‘Yes. It’s what you said, about me going away after Hannah has grown fond of me.’ He gave her hand a final squeeze then let it go. ‘I won’t let her down. I promise you. I’m here to stay, Beth. You can be sure of that.’
He picked up his cup and stood. ‘Now I think I’ll go and see if that fax has arrived. The sooner we find ourselves a locum, the sooner Chris can take that holiday.’
Beth sighed as he left the room. Maybe that would solve one particular problem but there were so many others. Whilst she didn’t doubt that he was sincere about wanting to be here for Hannah, she wasn’t convinced that it was the right thing for him to do.
Could he really settle down to the life of a rural GP after what he had been used to? Adam had just admitted that he had refused to consider working at the surgery in the past, so was it right for him to decide to do so now out of a sense of duty? She couldn’t bear to think that he might grow to resent Hannah, and maybe come to blame her for involving him in the little girl’s life.
People always said that you should follow your heart, but where did Adam’s heart really lie? Here in this small Cheshire town or thousands of miles away in a different continent?
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE NEXT two days flew past. Between working and visiting Hannah, Beth had hardly any time for herself. Fortunately, Chris had cheered up and the atmosphere in the surgery had improved dramatically after he had apologised to Eileen. Obviously the thought of his forthcoming break had made a world of difference to him. By the time Saturday rolled around, everyone was feeling much better.
It was emergencies only at Saturday morning surgery so Beth didn’t have to work. She took the opportunity to go into town to look for something to wear for the party that night. She’d not bought herself anything new for ages and the thought of having to dig out one of her faithful old standbys for the occasion certainly didn’t appeal. No matter why Adam had seen fit to invite her, she intended to look her best.
She finally found the perfect dress in a small boutique off the high street. It was a wonderful shade of jade green which made her fine skin look like porcelain and emphasised the richness of her red-gold hair. Its simple lines made the most of her slim figure whilst the knee-length skirt showed off her shapely legs to full advantage.
Beth took a deep breath and said she would have it, refusing to think about the extremely large hole it was going to make in her meagre savings. It looked wonderful on her and it had been ages since she had treated herself.
She paid Hannah an early visit that evening, wanting to give herself enough time to get ready for the party. She was just about to leave when Adam arrived, although she almost didn’t recognise him. Her mouth fell open as she took stock of the smart navy trousers he was wearing with a creamy-coloured shirt and highly polished black shoes. He’d even had his hair cut and the crisp black waves were now neatly brushed back with just one unruly strand falling over his forehead.
‘I think Aunty Beth is impressed.’ He winked at Hannah, who giggled. ‘Either that or she’s catching flies.’
Beth closed her mouth with a snap. ‘I am impressed. I hardly recognised you, in fact. Are you sure that you’re really Adam Knight?’
‘I think so.’ He gave her a wide smile as he half turned. ‘Want to check if I’ve got a name tape sewn into the back of my shirt then you’ll know for certain?’
She laughed. ‘No, thank you very much! I shall take your word for it.’
‘He really is Adam,’ Hannah put in worriedly. ‘I’m sure he is, Aunty Beth.’
‘There, you’ve no need to worry. Hannah knows who I am even if you have your doubts.’ Adam’s tone was light enough yet Beth felt a ripple run through her. She frowned as she watched him bend down to look at something Hannah wanted to show him. Had she imagined that strange undercurrent in his voice just now?
She shrugged aside the feeling, knowing that it was pointless going down that route again. Whenever she started wondering what Adam was thinking she ended up feeling even more confused.
‘I’d better be off, then, if I don’t want you to outshine me at this party,’ she said lightly, bending to kiss Hannah. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow morning, sweetheart. OK?’
‘Will you tell me all about the party?’ Hannah pleaded.
‘Of course I will.’ Beth gave the child a last hug then straightened.
‘I’ll pick you up around eight,’ Adam told her, taking her place by the bed.
‘Would you like me to drive?’ she suggested. ‘After all, this party is being held in your honour so you may as well enjoy it.’
‘I don’t need to have a drink to enjoy myself,’ he told her with a grin. ‘Not to mention that my mother would have had a pink fit if she’d found out I’d allowed a lady to chauffeur me around. She was a stickler for good manners.’
‘Well, I would hate to ruin all her good work so I’ll expect you at eight, then.’
Beth gave him a smile then hurried away. She paused to glance back and felt her heart lift when she saw them huddled together. Hannah was laughing at something Adam had said to her and her face was glowing with happiness. Suddenly she was convinced that she had made the right decision by contacting Adam, despite any problems that might arise in the future.
She left the ward, refusing to dwell on how that decision was going to affect her. It was Hannah who mattered most.
Beth had just finished getting ready when Adam arrived spot on eight o’clock. She shot a last satisfied glance in the mirror then hurried to the door, secure in the knowledge that she had been right about the dress. It had been ages since she had taken so much trouble getting ready but she knew that she looked her best.
He gave an appreciative whistle when he saw her. ‘Wow! What can I say except that you look stunning.’
‘Thank you kindly, sir!’ Beth smiled at him, feeling a small glow of happiness inside her when she saw the warmth in his eyes. ‘You don’t look so bad yourself, as I think I mentioned earlier.’
‘I decided that I should make an effort for once so I went into town this morning.’ He grimaced. ‘It’s been so long since I bought myself any new clothes that I couldn’t remember what size I take! Fortunately, the guy in the shop helped me out.’
‘Well, one of you certainly has good taste,’ she assured him as she locked the door. ‘Have you tracked down your luggage yet, by the way?’
‘Last reported sighting, it was languishing in Milan,’ he informed her, opening the car door with a flourish. ‘Your carriage awaits you, madam!’
‘Thank you, James,’ she said in a suitably regal tone. She waited until he had got into the driver’s side before con
tinuing, ‘How did your bags get to Milan? It wasn’t on your route, was it?’
‘Nope.’ Adam started the engine and drove out of the surgery car park. ‘The airline has no idea how they got there. It’s one of those little mysteries that are destined never to be solved. However, they assured me that they will have my cases ready and waiting for me at Manchester airport in the morning.’
‘That’s something, I suppose. But it must have been very inconvenient for you. I imagine you could claim some kind of compensation?’ she suggested.
‘I don’t think having a couple of suitcases go missing is all that high up the scale of earth-shattering events,’ he said easily. ‘It’s just one of those things.’
‘Not many people would agree with you there. I remember Ian taking me to Paris not long after we started going out together and making a huge fuss because his case had been damaged in transit.’
‘I find it hard to worry about things like that. They just don’t seem important. It’s people who matter, not things.’ He grinned wickedly. ‘Anyway, if you saw the state of my clothes then you’d know why I wasn’t unduly worried if my bags never turned up!’
Beth laughed but she knew that what he’d said had made an impression on her. Adam was so different to the other men she had known. Granted, she’d not had all that many boyfriends and no real relationships until she’d met Ian, but Adam stood out. He cared about the things that really mattered in life and didn’t waste time on incidentals.
Maybe it was as a result of the life he had led yet she didn’t fully believe that. It was an intrinsic part of his nature and she found it very appealing, but, then, there were a lot of things about him which appealed to her.
The thought stayed with her throughout the drive to James and Lillian Dickinson’s house. Beth couldn’t deny that she found it worrying that she liked him so much. In the end, she decided that it might be better not to dwell on it and focused on the forthcoming party. It was obvious that James and Lillian intended to give Adam a warm welcome home from the number of cars parked in the driveway of their large detached house.
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