Caroline Anderson, Josie Metcalfe, Maggie Kingsley, Margaret McDonagh

by Brides of Penhally Bay Vol. 03 (li

  The witnesses all attested to the fact that the young man had been speeding and driving erratically, having almost hit a pedestrian and a parked car farther along the seafront before colliding with her. What Lauren hadn’t said, but could not ignore, was the simple fact that she had never seen the car at all. It had come out of nowhere and sideswiped her. Her explanations had been silenced by the behaviour of the young man, his unsuccessful efforts to flee the scene and the discovery that he had no business driving at all taking precedence with the police.

  ‘Lauren!’

  Hearing her name and the sound of running feet, she looked round to see Gabriel and Oliver hurrying towards her. Someone must have phoned the surgery, she realised, stifling a groan. The last thing she needed was to have people fussing over her and asking her more uncomfortable questions. However, she couldn’t deny how comforting it felt to be enfolded in Gabriel’s embrace, and she allowed herself a few moments to lean against him and absorb his strength.

  These first months of the new year had been the happiest she had ever known. Everything would have been one hundred percent perfect if only she hadn’t had to hide two things…how much she loved Gabe and how frightened she was that her sight was deteriorating further. The night blindness she had managed to excuse and cover up, but the fuzziness, the blind spots and decreasing peripheral vision that had begun to occur in recent weeks terrified her.

  ‘Lauren, ma belle, what happened? Are you all right?’ Gabriel demanded, holding her slightly away from him so he could look her over, one hand stroking her hair before his fingers trailed down her cheek. He tilted up her chin and looked into her eyes. ‘Are you hurt?’

  ‘I’m fine.’

  Gabriel frowned, clearly disbelieving her, and glanced over his shoulder. ‘Oliver?’

  ‘Here.’ The smile curving Oliver’s mouth failed to mask the concern in his brown eyes as he stepped forward. ‘Hi, Lauren, how are you?’

  ‘She says she’s fine,’ Gabriel answered for her, increasing her annoyance.

  ‘I’m perfectly all right and able to speak for myself.’

  ‘OK.’ Oliver smiled, but she wanted to stamp her foot as the two men shared a glance before Oliver eased Gabriel aside. ‘Let me take a look at you to be sure.’

  ‘For goodness’ sake,’ she muttered ungraciously, aware that the shock of the crash and the fright about her eyes was making her uncharacteristically grumpy.

  ‘Did you bump your head at all?’ he asked her.

  ‘No.’

  With a gentle but impersonal touch, Oliver carefully checked her neck for any pain or stiffness. After assessing her pulse and her breathing, he cupped her face and she noted his slight frown as he studied her. What had he seen? She bit her lip to keep from asking, not ready for the answer.

  ‘Do you have any discomfort with this bruising?’ Oliver queried, moving on to check her arms and discovering the marks beginning to colour along her right forearm that had taken the brunt of the bang as the driver’s door had distorted inwards. ‘Any nausea or dizziness?’

  ‘Nothing, really. My arm isn’t even sore. Honestly, I’m OK. I was just a bit shaken up.’

  ‘I’m not surprised.’ Gabriel stepped close again and slid an arm around her waist, his angry gaze on the young man who was being arrested and put into a police car. ‘I’d like a few moments with that driver myself.’

  Oliver rested a hand on Gabriel’s shoulder. ‘Let the police take care of him. There are enough witnesses to make sure he doesn’t get away with it and from what I hear, he has no licence or insurance, so he will definitely be charged.’

  ‘I should hope so. He could have hurt or killed someone.’ Gabriel drew her closer and she could feel the tension in him. ‘Come on, I’ll take you home.’

  ‘No, it’s OK. I need to go back to the surgery,’ she insisted, determined to carry on as if nothing had happened.

  Gabriel turned her to face him. ‘Lauren, be sensible, you’ve had a shock. You need to rest, chérie—’

  ‘What I need,’ she stressed, her anger mounting as she pulled away from his hold, ‘is not to be babied and told what to do. I make my own decisions. And I’m going back to work to attend to my patients.’

  ‘Lauren…’

  Aware that Gabriel and Oliver were staring after her, she picked up the belongings that had been rescued from her car and walked purposefully along the pavement towards the surgery. She was not yet ready to deal with the consequences of what had happened today—or to face the horrifying truth that the problems with her eyesight were getting worse.

  ‘Leave her for a while,’ Oliver advised.

  Angry, confused and scared, Gabriel wanted to shake off his friend’s hand and rush after Lauren, needing to cuddle her and satisfy himself that she was really all right. The rational part of him accepted the sense of Oliver’s words, so he fell into step with him and followed Lauren back to the surgery at a discreet distance. At least he was keeping her in sight.

  Her outburst had been so unlike her. She had been genuinely irritated by his concern, while all he had wanted to do was take care of her. The day was mild and the March sunshine gleamed off the lighter streaks in her hair as she moved on ahead of them. Another three weeks and they would be in France for their long weekend. He couldn’t wait for them to be alone, away from the usual distractions and demands on their time and energy.

  Professionally, things had been hectic since the new year, with the surgery busier than ever. Oliver and Chloe had returned from Scotland to much fuss and celebration of their marriage. Only Nick had displayed any sign of disapproval about the elopement, not that anyone had taken much notice of him because it was clear to everyone how happy the couple were and how perfect for each other.

  Some of the pressure had been taken off for all the doctors, the workload easing, especially for out-of-hours and weekend calls, with Dragan Lovak back from paternity leave. Gabriel admired the calm, quiet Croatian and was enjoying getting to know him.

  Adrian Wescott, the local schoolteacher with long-term tinnitus, had seen the specialist at St Piran and had been declared a suitable candidate for surgery. The operation to remove the stapes and implant an artificial plastic bone was scheduled for the Easter holiday when Adrian would have time off school to recover and, if all was successful, to accustom himself to his altered hearing before the new term began.

  Personally, things between himself and Lauren had been just as blissful as they had at the end of the previous year. If anything they were even closer physically, their relationship more intense, but still neither of them had spoken of the future or their feelings, and Gabriel was becoming edgy as almost half his time here in Cornwall was already over. He’d noticed more small moments of concern with Lauren’s sight but she refused to confide in him and that lack of trust hurt.

  Gabriel thought back to his talk with Chloe in December and her request that he talk to Oliver if he became worried about Lauren. He’d been worried for a while but…He let out a rough sigh. Maybe now was the time to consult his friend and get some advice.

  ‘Did you notice Lauren’s eye?’

  Oliver glanced at him. ‘The right one?’

  ‘Yes.’ Gabriel paused, a frown on his face as he watched Lauren disappear through the entrance to the surgery a few yards ahead of them. ‘What did you see?’

  ‘Her eyelid was a bit droopy and I thought I detected a squint I’d not noticed before,’ Oliver admitted, his voice serious and concerned.

  As if by mutual consent, they slowed their pace, coming to a halt outside the car park and turning to look out over the harbour. ‘But you’ve noticed other things before—about Lauren’s sight, I mean—since you’ve been here?’ Gabriel asked, sliding his hands into his trouser pockets.

  ‘Nothing I could be definite about, Gabriel.’ Oliver sighed and leaned against the wall. ‘As an outsider coming in, I was suspicious about Lauren’s supposed clumsiness. Everyone laughed at her mishaps and said she had always been that way
. I had a hunch there was more to it…but no facts.’

  ‘Me, too,’ Gabriel agreed. ‘From the first day I met her I knew she was having trouble with her night vision, but I didn’t know if it was a long-standing problem or a symptom of something else.’

  ‘And now?’

  Gabriel shook his head. ‘I’m still worried. She’s definitely night blind but copes well and manages to cover it. I’m sure that’s why she changed her work hours. And she never drives after dark now. There have been a few other incidents lately and over the last couple of days I saw what you did with her right eye.’ He hesitated but decided to keep his nagging suspicions about today’s accident to himself.

  ‘Have you spoken to her about it?’ his friend asked, meeting his gaze.

  ‘No. Once or twice I’ve tried to mention the night blindness, as well as the fact that she’s stopped painting, but she gets defensive and changes the subject.’ Shifting with restless impatience, he let out a shaky breath. ‘I’m scared of rocking the boat, Oliver, of pushing her away if I press too hard. I have a feeling that Lauren is increasingly worried but she’s not facing up to the problem.’

  Oliver gave his shoulder a reassuring pat. ‘I never said anything either, even though I noticed that Lauren didn’t judge distances well, that she tripped on kerbs and didn’t see things in shadow. I didn’t know that had progressed to such serious night blindness, though.’

  ‘So should I wait a while longer?’ He looked up and saw the answering worry in Oliver’s eyes, as if neither of them wanted to voice out loud the various and increasingly frightening explanations that could be the underlying cause of Lauren’s sight problems. ‘You think it’s right that I don’t confront her about it?’

  ‘Until Lauren admits it to herself, she’s not going to appreciate or accept anyone else challenging her on it. Especially you.’

  ‘Would you try to talk to her?’ he asked, knowing he was expecting a lot of his friend.

  Letting out a heavy sigh, Oliver ran his fingers through his hair and moved away. ‘Damn, Gabriel.’

  ‘Please. I’m worried about her.’

  ‘If the opportunity presents itself, I’ll see what I can do,’ he agreed with evident reluctance, a warning in his eyes when he turned back to face him. ‘But I have to tell you, Gabriel, that if Lauren confides in me as a doctor, I’m not going to break her trust and divulge anything if she asks me not to. Not even to you.’

  Gabriel felt rigid with tension, his hands clenched to fists. He wanted to argue, but he knew Oliver was right, knew he would do the same if the situation were reversed—their oath allowed them no other option. ‘On a personal level I don’t like it, but I understand. And I’d just be relieved to know that Lauren was getting some help.’

  ‘I know it’s difficult.’ Oliver’s smile was sympathetic. ‘If the chance arises, I’ll be advising her to talk to you—count on that.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  Knowing there was little more he could do right now, Gabriel tried to be satisfied with the progress he had made. At least now he had voiced his fears to Oliver and he knew his friend would do his best. But knowing he wasn’t alone in recognising Lauren’s problems was a double-edged sword—while it confirmed it wasn’t his imagination, it increased the real possibility that there was, indeed, something wrong. Filled with a mix of emotions, he walked back into the surgery with Oliver, planning to check on Lauren before taking his afternoon appointments. For now his most important job was to be there for her, to love her…and hope that she would trust in him.

  Lauren hesitated outside Oliver’s consulting room, her hand poised to knock on the closed door.

  It was early Friday evening at the end of March and the surgery was quiet. Most of the staff were having a farewell drink with practice nurse Eve Dwyer, who was leaving not only the surgery but the country, too, and heading out to Switzerland to marry Dr Tom Cornish. Lauren didn’t know the whole story but apparently the couple had been reunited at the time of the October flood and had spent the last few months rekindling their relationship. Now they were getting married in Tom’s adopted country where he was based for his work with the international rescue organisation, Deltraron.

  Lauren had been for a drink and had said her goodbyes. Oliver, too, had been at the pub but had returned to the surgery to finish some paperwork while waiting for his wife. Chloe was out with Gabriel attending Diane Bailey, the mother-to-be who had been under their joint care since the autumn and who was determined to have her baby at home—a baby that was now on its way. It was the perfect time to see Oliver alone and confide in him. If she could pluck up the nerve.

  It was two weeks since the car accident. Two weeks in which Gabriel had been supportive, caring and concerned. He hadn’t pressured her at all, had asked no questions, but she feared he suspected things were not right. It had made things tense between them. Physically things were as wonderful as ever, but she’d been more reserved, concerned about what was wrong with her and trying hard to hide it. She felt guilty. Gabriel would be hurt if he thought she didn’t trust him. It wasn’t that. It wasn’t him. She was scared…terrified. How long could she continue to deny the problems with her sight? It was one thing to fool herself, quite another to put other people at risk.

  The young driver who had crashed into her was being prosecuted. Not only had he been driving while disqualified and without insurance, but it turned out he had taken the car without permission. Crashing into her had been a minor sideshow compared to the other charges against him. Her car had been towed to a garage and, as nothing vital had been damaged with the chassis frame or alignment, it was being repaired. While she waited for the work to be done, the insurance company had arranged for a rental car for her.

  Although the days continued to lengthen and the nights became shorter, she refused to venture out after dark. During daylight hours, she had been too nervous to do more than the basic local travel she needed to see those patients who relied on her for home visits. Even then she was taking extra care and time. It was an impossible situation and one she knew could not continue.

  However scared she was, she had to talk to someone—a doctor—and find out once and for all what was wrong with her eyes. She admired Nick, but she couldn’t feel comfortable seeing him and discussing something like this. Dragan and Adam were delightful colleagues, but she knew it would be Oliver to whom she would turn. She trusted him. Despite being aware she was putting him in a difficult position, she knew he would not tell Gabriel, Chloe or anyone else anything she told him in confidence.

  She was still undecided what to do when the door in front of her suddenly opened and she stepped back with a gasp of shock, her hand dropping to her side and her startled gaze clashing with Oliver’s.

  ‘Hi, Lauren. Were you coming to see me?’ His easy smile faded as he looked at her. ‘Is something wrong, sweetheart?’

  Much to her dismay, she felt an uncharacteristic welling of tears. She never cried. What was the matter with her lately? ‘No, I—Sorry…’ Horrified, she heard her voice break and felt the moisture on her cheeks.

  ‘Come here.’

  Oliver gently drew her inside his consulting room and closed the door. He led her to a chair and sat her down, pulling another up so he could sit beside her, his arm around her shoulders as he held her close. After pressing a tissue into her hand, he waited in silence while she gathered her composure.

  ‘Sorry,’ she whispered again.

  ‘There’s nothing to apologise for.’ He took her hand, making her feel comforted, safe, less lonely. ‘Lauren, anything you tell me in this room is strictly between us.’

  His reassurance gave her the courage to speak up, but also alerted her to the fact that maybe she hadn’t hidden her problems as well as she had thought. ‘You know why I’m here.’ It was a statement, not a question, and he met her gaze steadily.

  ‘I think maybe you are ready to talk about your eyes.’

  The words were gentle but she flinched nonetheless. ‘
How long have you known?’

  ‘I suspected when I first came here last summer that there was more to your mishaps than clumsiness.’ He paused a moment, his touch gentle as he brushed her hand. ‘There was nothing I could put my finger on at the time.’

  ‘Does everyone else know?’

  ‘I very much doubt it. No one has said anything…except Gabriel,’ he added, watching her.

  Lauren swallowed against the sudden restriction in her throat. ‘What did he say?’

  ‘Just that he’d noticed a few things, including how you have trouble seeing in the dark.’ His expression was sympathetic, understanding. ‘He’s worried because he cares about you, but he knew it would be wrong to pressure you, that you needed to come to terms and ask for help yourself.’

  ‘I see.’

  She pulled her hand away and looked down at her lap, toying with the damp tissue. Part of her was relieved, grateful that Gabriel had given her space and not nagged her, but the knowledge that he had guessed all along, had apparently spoken to Oliver about her, made her uncomfortable.

  ‘Gabriel didn’t betray any confidences, Lauren. It was a one-off conversation after your crash when we both noticed that your right eye appeared…different.’

  ‘Different how?’She remembered the way Oliver had looked her over, his frown when he had studied her face. At the time she hadn’t wanted to know—now she did. ‘What did you see?’