‘We’ll see what we can arrange.’ Kelly thought for a minute. ‘Do you like birds?’
‘Birds?’ That was obviously a strange question.
‘Yes, birds. In the garden. You must have heard them singing this morning.’
‘They sing every morning, just as it gets light,’ Jenny said gloomily. ‘They wake me up when my leg hurts most.’
‘Well, I’m sure they don’t do it on purpose. Later on we’re going to look at birds in a way you haven’t done before.’
What way?’
‘It’s going to be a secret until you’ve finished your medicine and had your breakfast.’
‘A secret! Does Daddy know it?’
‘Nobody knows it but me so far. And if you’re good then you can know it too.’
‘A secret,’ Jenny said reflectively. ‘I don’t really know any secrets.’
It took no time at all to administer the medicines and to give Jenny a quick bed bath.
Breakfast arrived—two trays, one for Jenny one for her. Minette smiled at Kelly, gave Jenny a quick kiss and then left. Kelly put her tray to one side for a moment and made sure that Jenny ate. A sensible breakfast for a little girl. A bowl of cereal, a fruit yoghurt, a bowl of freshly cut fruit salad. It looked appetising. But from behind Kelly came the smell from a cafetière of coffee. Now, that coffee was going to be good!
Just as Jenny finished her breakfast, Luc walked in the room. Kelly had been expecting him, known she’d have to see him, but his appearance still gave her a shock. Was she going to feel this way every time she saw him? It had only been eight hours or so since they had parted, but he looked somehow new, as if he was someone she was seeing for the first time—and he looked gorgeous.
‘Daddy!’ Jenny shouted. ‘Daddy, Daddy.’
Luc smiled at Kelly. ‘Good morning, Kelly. Did you sleep well last night? How are you feeling this morning?’
‘Good morning, Luc. I’m feeling much better for all that sleep. Just a bit bruised and stiff.’ She went on, ‘I’ll sit over here and eat my breakfast, you have a quick word with your daughter.’
She picked up her tray and took it to the far end of the room. Luc nodded his understanding. She was giving him time alone with his child.
Kelly sat at a little table, looking out of the window, she didn’t want to look at Luc and Jenny. Be honest, she didn’t want to look at Luc. The sight of him aroused so many conflicting emotions. She’d have to deal with them. Just what did she want?
Her breakfast, as she might have guessed, was wonderful. The coffee was far superior to the coffee she made (though it was in the same kind of cafetière). The croissants, she detected, were from the same baker she had used herself. Someone had been up early. It was a good breakfast, a pity she couldn’t enjoy it more.
Finally she heard the scrape of Luc’s chair, heard him saying goodbye to Jenny. She stood, walked across to him.
‘Now, you’re going to be good for Auntie Kelly aren’t you?’ Luc asked.
‘Yes.’ Jenny knew what she was going to say was important. ‘Cos we’ve having a secret.’
‘A secret?’ Luc turned to Kelly, raised his eyebrows.
‘Jenny will tell you her secret tonight,’ Kelly said firmly. ‘If she wants to, that is.’
‘Well, I hope she will want to.’ He kissed his daughter one last time.
‘Before you go,’ Kelly went on, ‘this bed is on wheels. I’d like to wheel Jenny’s bed outside for a while.’
‘Wheel the bed outside? What a great idea! Why didn’t I think of it? Kelly you’re a genius, shall we do it now?’
‘No. I need to be able to do it on my own. You go to work.’
‘You will remember about sunblock? She’s dark-haired but…’
‘Luc! Where was I working last? In the desert. Don’t talk to me about the dangers from the sun.’
‘True. Sorry, I forgot. Now, you’re sure everything is all right?’ He looked at her, his gaze thoughtful, penetrating,
‘Everything is fine. Jenny and Minette and I will get on very well together.’
She looked back at him, her eyes bold, defying him to question her further.
‘Good. Then we will meet again at dinner.’ He left and Kelly sighed with relief. For a moment there she thought he might have demanded to talk. And she just couldn’t face it.
Minette came in to collect the trays and to talk about lunch. Kelly asked her to sit with Jenny a moment while she fetched a book from the living room. She had noticed it the night before. Then Minette left and Kelly turned to Jenny. ‘Time for our secret now,’ she said.
She’d checked that the wheels of the bed would easily unlock. And once unlocked it was so easy to push the bed outside. Jenny loved the ride. ‘Now push me back in and then back out again,’ she called.
‘I don’t think so,’ said a slightly puffed Kelly.
Now for the secret. It had been a thought that had flashed across Kelly’s mind as she’d listened to the dawn chorus. She pointed Jenny’s bed towards the copse of trees at the bottom of the garden and then settled her upright with extra pillows. Then she ran into her own room, pulled something out of the bottom of her trunk. Something she had never used. Then she fetched herself a chair, returned to the side of Jenny’s bed.
‘The secret! You,’ she said importantly, ‘are going to become an ornithologist.’
Jenny’s face filled with excitement and puzzlement. ‘I am? What’s that?’
‘An ornithologist is someone who likes birds. You like birds, don’t you?’
‘Yes.’
‘Well, we’re going to look at all the birds in your garden and write down their names. And you’re going to find them! With these!’
From behind her back Kelly produced her binoculars. They were lightweight and very powerful. Kelly adjusted the setting then handed them to Jenny.
‘Look at the wood and see what you can see, Jenny!’
A few moments silence and then a squeal of delight. ‘I can see the wood, it’s so close I could touch it. And there’s a bird!’
They had a good hour together and then, while Jenny was still enthusiastic, Kelly said that they had done enough of being an ornithologist for one day. They had seen three birds, found them in Luc’s bird-spotters’ book which Kelly had fetched from the living room and had written down their names. Jenny had learned to say ‘ornithologist’. It had been a good start to the morning.
Kelly pushed the bed back inside, re-locked the wheels and then put Jenny’s TV set on her bedside table. French children were just like English children. There were TV programmes that just could not be missed.
Minette had put two jugs of fruit juice in the little fridge in the room, one for Kelly, one for Jenny. No need to worry about Jenny for the next three-quarters of an hour, it was her favourite programme. Kelly poured herself a glass of freshly pressed orange juice and sat in an easy chair in a corner of the room. Looking after children was hard work.
Usually Luc enjoyed the twenty-minute drive along the quiet road to his surgery. There were odd glimpses of the sea, he could think about the day ahead or simply listen to his car radio. An easy time before work started.
Today was different. He had had a disturbed night. He had known Kelly for so little time. But during that time she had made an impression on him that no woman had ever made before. It wasn’t just that physically she was gorgeous. Her ideas, her interests, her training all fascinated him. No, there was more to it than that.
As a doctor, a man who had seen more than his share of the good and bad in people, he couldn’t explain it. When he looked at Kelly he just knew that there was something pulling their souls together. They belonged together. And he knew that she felt the same—though there was no way he could ever explain it. It was just so.
With a shudder, he realised that he had never felt this way about Merryl. And he had married her!
He had made some kind of decision. Whatever it was between him and Kelly, it was serious. He had
to press on—even thought he knew she had doubts. When he got to work he was slightly happier.
Kelly’s day passed quickly and well. She enjoyed Jenny’s company. Jenny was a typical little girl, usually happy in her life, curious about everything, but unable to concentrate on anything for too long. So for Kelly there was a constant need to find something new for them to do. But she liked it. It kept her busy, stopped her brooding about things.
They read, drew, looked for more birds, watched television, sang songs, talked about things. Minette kept them supplied with the most wonderful food and suggested that when Jenny had her afternoon sleep, Kelly might like to walk for an hour. So it was a good day.
But what would the night bring? What would it be like when Luc came home? She didn’t really have time to think.
Minette told her what would be expected. Luc was working a long day at the surgery, he had phoned to say that he might be even later than usual. Jenny would be given her tea, have her wash and be ready to sleep. Then Luc would come in, read her a story and chat to her a while, and then wait till she went to sleep.
‘He makes time for his daughter every day,’ Minette said. ‘Not just a few minutes, but a long time. He is a good parent.’
There had been emphasis on the ‘he’. Evidentally Minette didn’t think much of Merryl as a mother.
It went just as Minette had said. When Luc came in there was the usual heart-pounding moment. Just to see him, just to see him smile at her…But there was not the fear that she had felt that morning. They were still friends.
‘You’ll want to spend some time alone with Jenny,’ she said. ‘I’ve got a few things I need to do in my room.’ She leaned over the bed, gave Jenny a kiss and said, ‘See you in the morning, darling. Are you going to tell Daddy your secret?’ And she was gone.
She’d enjoyed her day, but now she was just a little tired. She thought she’d stretch on the bed a while, Luc could find her here when he was ready. Say in half an hour…
Where was she? What was that knocking on the door? Why had she…? Kelly opened her eyes, blinked and focussed on the bedside clock. She’d been asleep for an hour! She rolled out of bed, stumbled over to the door and opened it. It was Luc.
‘I’m sorry,’ she gasped, ‘I was asleep but I never sleep like this in the evening. I just…’
He smiled that gentle smile. ‘You’re still getting over yesterday. And looking after children is demanding work. I understand you have had a full day. Jenny too has gone to sleep quickly.’
‘Good. And I’ve enjoyed being with her.’
‘She has enjoyed being with you. But I am afraid you’ll have to think of another secret for tomorrow. Now, we have an hour before supper. Shall I drive you over to the cottage so you can get what you might need over the next two weeks? You can leave some stuff there. I gather there’s a lock on the small bedroom door.’
‘Right.’ There were things she needed to do in the cottage. Some things could be left, some food would have to be brought away, she needed clothes, books, her medical bag—there wasn’t a lot to move. She had only brought a little with her.
When they got there, she shook her head as she saw the mess the cottage wall was in. The lorry had been towed away, builders had already erected some scaffolding and there were piles of bricks ready to be replaced. Inside, she sighed again. What had been her haven was now half wreck, half building site.
‘I won’t be long,’ she said to Luc, ‘I’ll drive back myself in my own car? Why don’t you go on ahead?’
He shook his head. ‘I’ll stay with you. I can see what you’re feeling,’ he said. ‘You’re sad. Some place that was particularly yours—it’s been spoiled. It’s almost as if you’ve been betrayed.’
‘Yes,’ she said after a moment. ‘It’s just like that.’
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE receptionist looked up as Luc entered the surgery. She seemed a little upset. ‘Dr Laforge, Dr Briard says would you go to his room as soon as you arrive, please? There’s something rather important to deal with.’
‘Thank you, Renee.’ Luc frowned. Not the kind of message he usually expected from his medical partner. Arrangements between them tended to be more casual. He hurried along to the room.
Paul Briard was in his consulting room, sitting on a chair, crouched over the sink. He didn’t move as Luc entered.
‘Paul, is anything wrong?’ Luc walked to where he could see what Paul was doing, and winced. The sink was running red with blood. Paul was clutching his right forearm with his left hand, stopping blood from spurting from a deep cut in his wrist.
‘Paul, we have a nurse here! Why didn’t you call her?’
‘She’s out on a visit. Called in to say that she’d be delayed by half an hour. Luc, this is silly! I’m a doctor, I don’t do this kind of thing! My shoelace was undone, I stood on it, fell over, put a hand out to save myself—and ripped it open on that picture on my desk.’
Luc glanced behind him. Paul had had a silver-framed picture of his wife and children on his desk. The frame and the shattered glass were now on the floor. There were blood stains too. ‘Right Paul, for a start I want you on your back on your examination couch.’
Luc grabbed at the roll of paper that was used to cover the couch for each new patient. He tore off a large piece, wrapped it roughly round the still bleeding cut and said, ‘That will stop you from bleeding over your clothes. Now, come over to the couch.’
He put an arm round Paul’s waist, helped the man to stagger to the couch. Then he held the hand high to examine the wrist. ‘At first sight there don’t seem to be any glass fragments here. I’m going to put a temporary dressing on this, get you something warm and sweet to drink and then make a few arrangements.’
‘I’ve got appointments in ten minutes!’
‘Not this morning you haven’t. In fact, I don’t think you’ll have any all day. You’ve lost too much blood.’
‘But, Luc, I—’
‘Paul, right now I’m the doctor and you’re the patient. Be happy with that. Now, lie still.’
He went to the receptionist. ‘Renee, check my appointments, and Dr Briard’s. He won’t be seeing anyone today, so I’ll take over the more important ones. Will you look at all our patients and make me out a list of the most important? Then phone and cancel the rest. I’m going to take him a hot drink.’
‘Yes, Dr Laforge. Is Dr Briard all right?’
‘Just a cut,’ said Luc.
Luc worked in a large, a well-equipped medical centre. They were some distance from the nearest hospital. Sometimes it was necessary to perform tasks that were not really their job. Like now. Luc X-rayed the arm, checked for glass fragments. None. He sutured the cut, put Paul to bed in the tiny ward they had and erected a giving set to replace the lost fluids. It was good when you could be self-sufficient.
He had a full day—because of Paul’s injury, much fuller than usual. He phoned to say that he would be late so could Minette or Kelly put Jenny to bed? And when he arrived home, Jenny was asleep and Minette said that Kelly had gone for a walk for an hour. Well, she was certainly entitled to time away from the house—but he had been rather looking forward to seeing her. So he showered, changed, sat in his living room, looking out across his sunlit garden, and poured himself a glass of red wine. He needed to relax. No, not relax. He needed to think about his life and how suddenly it had changed.
Feeling this way about a woman whom he had known for just over a week? He must be mad! But…he couldn’t help it. Kelly had that effect on him. But what did he want of Kelly?
Deliberately, he made himself think of Merryl. He remembered the happiness he’d first had with her, the feeling of luck that he’d had when he’d thought she had chosen him. He remembered the things that, because he’d thought he was in love, he had chosen to ignore.
He had been on a year’s secondment to a London hospital, where the work had been fascinating but non-stop. He’d had to work and study. Merryl hadn’t understood that. I
f she’d wanted to go out, then he’d had to take her. He had told himself that this was a sign of her devotion to him. The idea of selfishness had never crossed his mind.
Kelly was so different in her attitude to work. If it was there, it had to be done.
It wasn’t Merryl’s fault. It was just the way she was.
After he had parted from her he had been wary of all women. He had Jenny in his life, and that was enough. Or had been enough.
The attraction between Kelly and himself had been instant—but cautious. Both of them had been hurt, neither of them had wanted to chance love again. But something had made them. When he’d kissed her, it had said it all.
So what now? She had recognised the attraction between them—but in effect had asked for time. She needed time and Luc didn’t care for inaction.
Of course, he knew that doing nothing was sometimes the only possible course of action. Some medical conditions you didn’t try to treat until the time was right. Some quite painful diseases were not treatable, they just had to be left to run their course.
A good doctor knew this. But Luc hated it, he felt he was a man of action.
When he had been a soldier he had been told that, above all, he was not to be seen helping anyone. That would mean taking sides. But how could any person not try to stop suffering? Still, he had obeyed orders. That is, he had obeyed orders if he had been likely to get caught. His superiors had never known what he had managed on the quiet with his access to his small medical kit. Perhaps that’s what had pushed him into becoming a doctor?
So how could he make Kelly love him more? Or just acknowledge the love that was there?
He sipped his wine, frowned. Was he considering manipulating her—as Merryl had manipulated him? That was not to be even thought of! At that moment Kelly entered the room. He walked across to meet her.
She was lovely. The formal dress she had worn to the auberge, the simple trousers and shirt that she wore at the moment, whatever she wore she was always lovely. He could tell that she had done a little something to her hair and her face but basically what he saw was pure, simple, lovely Kelly. For a moment he remembered her expression when he had knocked on her bedroom door the other evening. He had woken her, she had been still sleepy eyed when she’d answered. And the innocent smile she had greeted him with had told him a lot. She had been so happy to see him. She had not yet had the chance to put up her defences. But the defences were up now. Her smile was guarded, he would have to be careful.
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