by Joanna Neil
‘I made it too difficult for him. I was angry and upset and I wouldn’t listen. I thought someone—he—should have known his father was having angina attacks. I lashed out at him.’
‘You weren’t to blame for him leaving. He’d have gone anyway. I worked for his father, remember? I know how his kind think. They simply move on.’
‘Nate’s different, Dad. He’s a decent man.’
‘He’s messing with you. James Branscombe always made it clear to me that his son was to marry aristocracy. It was always uppermost in his mind that his son would carry on the line and keep that upper-crust heritage. His family’s place in society means everything to James. And his son won’t go against him.’
Sophie flinched at the things he was saying. She’d probably known it all along, but having it spelled out for her so graphically made her stomach churn. Her father was upset and angry but she understood he was only trying to look out for her. He wanted to warn her there was no future for her with Nate, but deep down she already knew it, didn’t she? Her problem was that she had trouble accepting it.
‘I’m not looking to marry him,’ she said. ‘No one said anything about that.’ But if she had the chance to be with Nate for ever, wouldn’t she grasp it with both hands? Wasn’t she lying to herself if she said anything different? But she couldn’t say any of that to her father, could she? He wouldn’t understand. ‘Try not to upset yourself. You’ll only end up having another panic attack like you did last night.’ She knelt down beside her father’s chair. ‘Look, Dad, I’m sorry you feel this way...but I told you how Nate plans to put things right about the estate. He’s doing the best he can in difficult circumstances. If you’re not convinced, you’ll be able to talk to him at the Manor House tonight.’
‘Hmmph. We’ll see.’ He frowned. ‘You’ll be there, I suppose?’
She nodded. ‘I’m going with Rob. He said he wants to know what’s going on. Do you want me to take you, or will your friend be driving you there?’
‘I’ve already made arrangements.’
‘Okay.’ She stood up. ‘If there’s nothing else I can do for you, I’d better get back to the cottage. Jessica was having some kind of cramps in her abdomen this morning. They may be nothing, but I need to take her for her check-up at the hospital.’
He nodded. ‘Let me know how she goes on. Where’s your mother staying? I don’t suppose there’s room for her at the cottage, is there? Is she any calmer?’
‘She seems to be all right now. We’re making sure she’s taking her tablets and she’s booked herself into a room at the village pub. Tom will come over when he gets the chance but it’s difficult for him because he has to go to work every day and can’t get away easily. Anyway, Mum says she’s going to stay there until Jess has the baby. Don’t worry. We’ll look after her.’ She laid a hand on his shoulder and bent to kiss him lightly on the forehead. ‘I’ll see you later, Dad. Rob will be along in an hour or so to make a start on clearing out the spare room. He’s really keen to get things organised.’
She went out by the kitchen. Charlie’s tail thumped happily on the floor as she stroked him before leaving the house. She’d spent a fraught half hour with her father and she was almost relieved to be going home.
Jessica was still feeling uncomfortable when Sophie arrived back at the cottage, and she did her best to reassure her. ‘We’d perhaps better take your overnight case with us to the hospital,’ she said. ‘They might want to keep you in.’
Some half an hour later, she took her over to the maternity unit. ‘Stay with me when I see the doctor, will you?’ Jessica asked. ‘And I want you to be there when the baby comes—I don’t even know if Ryan will be able to be here for the birth. I need to have you with me.’
‘That’s all right. Of course I’ll stay with you—and once we know that you’re in labour, we can get in touch with Ryan. With any luck, he’ll be able to fly home at short notice.’
‘Thanks, Sophie.’
The obstetrician examined Jessica carefully and looked at the ultrasound scans. ‘I think we’ll admit you for observation,’ she said. ‘If things don’t start to happen overnight, we’ll induce labour in the morning.’
They found a bed for Jessica on the ward and Sophie helped her settle in. ‘You can walk about if you want, use the day room and talk to the other mums-to-be,’ the midwife told Jessica. ‘But make sure you get some rest if you feel you need it. We’ll be checking your pulse and blood pressure and listening to the foetal heartbeat and so on at regular intervals.’
‘I’m leaving you in good hands,’ Sophie told her sister a little later. She glanced at her watch. ‘I’m here on borrowed time—I need to go over to the Children’s Unit and get to work, but I’ll come over to see you later.’ She left Jessica making a phone call to Ryan.
The rest of the day passed without anything untoward happening, and after checking on Jessica once more in the late afternoon, Sophie spent some time getting ready for the meeting at the Manor House. She missed Nate and wanted to be with him, but she hadn’t seen much of him all day. They’d both been busy with their own lists of patients, and now she was edgy with anticipation at the thought of seeing him again at his home. Last night at the Wayfarer’s Inn, he’d kissed her and made it very clear how much he wanted her. How would it have been if she’d spent the night there with him? A frisson of nervous excitement rippled through her at the thought.
A crowd of reporters had gathered outside the gates of the Manor by the time Rob and Sophie arrived, but security staff were on hand to make sure none of them had access to the grounds. They’d been told to expect Sophie and her brother, so they were allowed in without any fuss, and Sophie was able to drive up to the house without restriction.
Nate met her and Rob in the wide hallway and immediately took them to one side. ‘Hey, I’m glad you came.’ He greeted them cheerfully, but after a moment or two of general chit-chat, Rob excused himself and went to find his father. Nate drew Sophie into a side room.
As soon as they were alone, he put his arms around her and held her close. ‘I wish there wasn’t such a crowd here tonight,’ he said. ‘I’d much rather it was just you and me—I’d like to have the time to show you properly just how glad I am to see you.’
‘That might not be such a good idea.’ She felt warm and safe in his arms, but even so, she looked at him uncertainly, her father’s warnings echoing in her head.
‘No?’ He took no notice of her doubts, folding her to him and sweeping away her qualms with a kiss that was passionate, fervent and full of pent-up desire, as though he’d been holding back and couldn’t resist any longer. His kiss left her breathless, clinging to him in startled wonder, definitely wanting more.
‘Oh, wow!’ she said. ‘I wasn’t expecting that.’ He held her so that her body meshed with his and she smiled up at him, loving his nearness. She was all too conscious of the way his hands were moving slowly over her, shaping her curves, exploring the soft hills and valleys of her body. It made her feel good, made her tingle all over with longing.
‘I can’t get enough of you,’ he said, his voice ragged as he bent his head to nuzzle the silky-smooth column of her throat. He nudged aside the flimsy fabric of her top, exposing her bare shoulder. ‘I’ve been thinking about you all night and all day, waiting until I could get you alone.’ He ran the flat of his palm lightly down her spine, moving ever lower until he drew her against him and his strong thighs tangled with hers. ‘You’re so, so beautiful,’ he whispered. ‘You tantalise me every time I’m with you.’
She kissed him, a deep-seated need growing in her. She wanted this, was desperate to be with him. And yet, even as she returned his kisses and ran her fingers over his taut biceps, at the back of her mind the doubts were creeping in. Why did it have to be so difficult for her to give in to her heart’s desire?
Perhaps it was because she knew, dee
p down, that she would never be satisfied with a relationship that was going nowhere. She wanted more, much more from Nate, but was he prepared to give it? Her whole life had been torn apart when her parents’ marriage broke up, and her own relationships with men had been fraught up to now. Perhaps those experiences had made her afraid. She couldn’t face being hurt again and if Nate let her down she would be devastated. More than anything, she needed to experience a love that would last—and she was coming to realise that it was his love she wanted above all.
She ran her hand lightly over his ribcage as though she would memorise the feel of him. She wanted him and needed him, but... When she looked up into his eyes, she knew he read the uncertainty in hers. ‘I won’t let you down,’ he said. He kissed her passionately, his hand moving to the small of her back, crushing her soft curves to blend with his.
A clock chimed the hour and he sighed, releasing her slowly. ‘We should go,’ he murmured reluctantly, resting his head lightly against her temple, and she nodded. ‘I didn’t want any of this,’ he said quietly. ‘This business of the Manor and the estate. I simply wanted to be a doctor.’
They broke apart and she spent a moment tidying herself up, straightening her camisole top and smoothing a hand over her jeans. ‘Is my hair a mess?’ she asked and he gave her an amused smile.
‘You look fantastic,’ he said. ‘You always do. That’s part of the problem.’ There was a faint note of regret in his voice.
They went into the main hall, where people were beginning to take their places around a long, rectangular solid wood table, and Sophie slid into a seat next to her brother and her father. The walls in here were panelled in oak and the evening light filtered in through leaded panes, casting a warm glow over everything.
Nate welcomed everyone. He’d provided them with tea and coffee and soft drinks or wine, and there was a buffet table at the side of the room behind Sophie, where a selection of finger food had been set out. Sophie guessed that his housekeeper, Charlotte, had been busy organising things. She noticed that as well as a variety of tiny sandwiches, there were mini Yorkshire puddings with rare beef and mustard and horseradish sauce, bruschetta with goat’s cheese, basil and tomato, and blinis with smoked salmon. He’d done his best to make sure his guests were treated well.
His efforts certainly helped to put his audience in a better mood and encourage them to listen to what he had to say. He told them of the plans he’d outlined to Sophie, and added that he was hoping to start an organic farming business on the land that up to now had been left to pasture. ‘I’ll need skilled workers to help me with that,’ he said.
There were some dissenting voices. Some people didn’t like the fact that he was planning to organise fishing weekends. ‘There’ll be a lot of strangers roaming around, and they’ll start up competitions and so on,’ one man said. ‘The village won’t be the same.’
‘It’s better than having to sell the houses to Peninsula, though, don’t you think?’ Nate pointed out the advantages but added, ‘The costings aren’t all in yet, so I’m making no promises...but this is what I’m aiming for. I’ll do my best to hold off any sale.’
When the meeting finished, people stayed to eat some more and talk for a while and ask questions but gradually they started to drift away. Sophie’s father spoke to her briefly. He seemed slightly appeased by what he’d heard but said tetchily, ‘I’m going home. I can’t be in this place without remembering all my dealings with James Branscombe. He was a difficult man to work with. I don’t know if his son’s going to be different—let’s hope he is.’
Rob frowned, watching his father leave. ‘He’s very bitter still, isn’t he? I can’t blame him. His whole life changed after the accident. I just don’t know why he stayed with Lord Branscombe so long if he felt that way about him.’
‘I think the money was probably good, and the work suited him. It kept a roof over our heads. People put up with a lot to have a secure life.’
‘Perhaps he’ll feel better when I go to live with him. I’ll be able to help him out if he’s struggling.’
‘That’s true.’ Sophie nodded. ‘Though sometimes it might do him good to struggle a bit.’
Rob frowned. ‘How can that be?’
‘It might help him to do things for himself as much as possible.’
‘But he can’t, can he? He’s in a wheelchair.’
Nate came to join them. ‘I couldn’t help overhearing the last bit of your conversation,’ he said. ‘I think Sophie means that if your father has to try to do some things within his ability, it will help strengthen his muscles. Being able to pull himself up to a standing position, for instance, will help—though he’ll need someone to be there with him to make sure he doesn’t fall.’
‘Oh, I see.’ Rob nodded thoughtfully. ‘Yes, I can do that.’
Nate studied him. ‘How are you doing these days, Rob? Are you feeling any brighter in yourself?’
Rob pulled a face. ‘I think I’m better now I’m a bit more settled. I have mood swings and I don’t understand why I feel that way. I worry about it sometimes.’
‘That’s understandable.’ Nate was sympathetic. ‘Sophie told me you were afraid you might be suffering from bipolar disorder like your mother but, to be honest, seeing you and hearing how you react to things, I think you’re going through what every teenage boy goes through. Your hormones are all over the place. It’s a difficult time for you.’
‘I think Nate’s right.’ Sophie joined in. She was glad Nate had taken the time to try to reassure her brother. ‘You’ve been better in yourself since you came here and met up with some of your old friends. You said a few of them are studying at the college in town—perhaps you might want to look into signing up for one of the courses that start soon. You’ve already done a year of Psychology—why not try to finish your studies?’
Rob gave it some thought and then nodded, seemingly invigorated. ‘Yeah, I might do that. My mate has to go to an Open Day in a couple of weeks. I could go along with him.’
‘That’s a great idea.’
Nate glanced at Sophie. ‘How’s the rest of the family doing?’
‘They’re fine, thanks.’ He already knew about Jessica being admitted to hospital. ‘Jess’s still having odd abdominal cramps—they’re not really contractions as such but she’s quite uncomfortable. Her back’s aching and she doesn’t like being on her own in hospital. And I checked on Mum before we came here and made sure she took her tablets.’ She sent him a quick concerned glance. ‘Is there any news of your father?’
‘He’s much the same. He’s been readmitted to hospital so he can have intensive treatment. They have him on antibiotics and diuretics to try to reduce the fluid in his tissues, but he seems to be struggling.’
‘I’m sorry.’
She and Rob had to go soon after that so that Sophie could drive to the hospital and check on Jessica. She was reluctant to leave Nate—she wanted to stay and talk some more—but her sister was uppermost in her mind just then.
Jessica was thrilled to see her and Rob. They spoke for a short time and Sophie rubbed her back for her, but Jess was tired and soon dozed off. It looked as though they would go ahead with inducing labour in the morning.
* * *
Everything went as planned. A whole day went by after the midwife inserted the pessary that would hopefully start things off. By then the weekend was almost on them and Sophie was glad because it meant she would be able to spend time at the hospital without worrying about having to take time off work.
She went to the village High Street on Saturday morning to buy things that Jessica might need, like baby bottles, nappies and wipes. She found a lovely congratulations card and some of Jessica’s favourite chocolates. Lost in thought, she came back out on to the street only to be pulled up short in surprise as she saw Nate coming out of the post office. Her pulse quick
ened.
‘Hi there. It’s good to see you.’ He smiled and gave her a hug. ‘I wasn’t sure if I would see anything of you over the next couple of days, with Jessica being in hospital, but here you are. It’s my lucky day.’ He waved a hand towards the post office. ‘I had to send off a registered letter—’ He glanced at her packages. ‘It looks as though you’ve been stocking up on essentials in preparation for the baby.’
She nodded. ‘Jessica brought a few things with her on the train, but there was a limit to what she could get in her case. As it was, it was a good thing it had wheels on it.’ They walked along the street together to where she had parked her car.
‘Are you headed for the hospital now?’
‘Yes, I—’ She broke off, frowning as she noticed a small boy walking with his mother. They were going towards the pharmacy nearby and the child was coughing quite badly, dragging his feet as though being out and about was too much for him. He was a thin little boy around seven years old and he was breathless and didn’t look at all well. His mother looked at him worriedly, supporting him, and as Sophie and Nate looked on, the little boy’s knees started to buckle under him.
Nate reached them and helped to catch the child before he collapsed completely. ‘Can I help you?’ he asked the mother. ‘He looks quite poorly.’ He held the child, kneeling down and cradling him in his arms as his mother nodded anxiously.
‘Oh, yes...please can you help?’ She knelt down beside him, saying urgently, ‘I recognise you—you’re Nate Branscombe, aren’t you? Can you do something for him? You’re a doctor, aren’t you? I tried to get to see our GP but the surgery’s closed.’
