A Very Special Child

by Jennifer Taylor

  Laura’s cheeks were burning as she hurried down the aisle and alighted when the bus stopped. She knew that everyone was watching as she ran over to the car and got in.

  Mark looked at her and raised his brows. ‘You look all hot and bothered. Is something wrong?’

  ‘No…’ She sighed. ‘Just something the lady sitting next to me said.’ She managed to smile. ‘She obviously took a fancy to you and told me that she’d have been off the bus like a shot if you’d been offering her a lift!’

  ‘Did she, indeed? Shame I’m spoken for, then, isn’t it?’ He gave her a teasing grin and Laura swallowed.

  ‘Spoken for,’ she repeated numbly, staring at him with luminous green eyes.

  ‘Uh-huh. Ever since we met I’ve had eyes for no one but you, my lovely Laura.’ He bent and kissed her quickly on the mouth then grinned as the bus driver honked and gave him a thumbs-up sign as he pulled away from the bus stop.

  ‘Hmm, I think we’d better move along before we attract any more attention, don’t you?’ Chuckling, Mark started the engine and pulled out into the flow of traffic.

  Laura quelled the urge to put her hand to her lips to see if they felt as hot on the outside as they did on the inside. It was an effort to act naturally when she felt so churned up that she could barely think straight.

  ‘I wondered where you were when I didn’t see you in the foyer,’ she began, then realised how that must sound and blushed furiously again.

  ‘I didn’t mean that I expect you to drive me home. I don’t want you to think that. And, of course, it isn’t any of my business where you were or what you were doing.…’

  She broke off, realising that she was digging herself an even deeper hole. She shot an uncomfortable look at Mark and wasn’t soothed when she saw the smile that played around his mobile mouth. However, he didn’t labour the point, mercifully sparing her any further embarrassment.

  ‘I got held up at a meeting with Roger Hopkins,’ he explained, referring to the hospital’s manager. ‘With Simon away I tend to get roped into meetings which I normally wouldn’t attend.’

  ‘Oh, I see. Was it about something important? Oh, I shouldn’t have asked that, should I? I’m sorry. I—’

  ‘Laura, relax!’ He covered her hands with his and smiled at her. ‘Take a deep breath and count to ten then just let it all hang loose.’

  ‘I’m not sure I know how to do that!’ She couldn’t help laughing, struck by the sheer ridiculousness of the phrase. ‘Let what hang loose?’

  ‘I’ve no idea, but it sounds great, doesn’t it?’ He grinned back at her, his eyes warm and teasing. ‘Blame it on too many nights spent in front of the TV. I have a stock of wonderfully obtuse sayings like that, gleaned from all those dreadful sixties films they show late at night. Maybe I should get out more, get myself a social life. What do you think?’

  ‘Might be a good idea. Still, you haven’t been stuck in front of the TV this weekend. Did you have a good time at your parents’?’ she asked, feeling easier all of a sudden. Mark had this wonderful knack of taking the sting out of embarrassing situations. She wondered how he did it before it hit her that it was simply that he cared too much about other people to want them to feel uncomfortable.

  ‘Great. Em managed to take some time out from her studies and it’s always fun when we get together. In fact, she promised that she’ll come and spend a week with me as soon as she gets a chance.’

  Had that been a gentle hint, a way of telling her that he wanted her to move back home as soon as she could? Maybe it was his way of making sure that she knew there was a time limit on her stay. She couldn’t help thinking back to what Cathy had said that morning, about her taking advantage of Mark’s generosity, as all her doubts came rushing back.

  ‘I’ll be leaving as soon as I can,’ she said quickly. ‘In fact, maybe it would be an idea if I found bed and breakfast accommodation—’

  ‘No way!’ Mark’s tone was firm. His mouth compressed as he shot her a stern look. ‘I know you’re looking for an excuse to leave the flat, Laura, but I simply won’t allow you to go to some seedy B&B.’

  At any other time she might well have picked him up on that. After all, what right did he have to assume that she needed to ask his permission? However, she was more concerned with the rest of what he’d said.

  ‘What do you mean, I’m looking for an excuse?’ she demanded.

  He shrugged, his attention focused on the road as they came to a junction. Maybe it was the fact that he needed to concentrate on what he was doing which made his voice sound so flat.

  ‘You made it plain that you didn’t like the idea of accepting my hospitality, so it’s a simple matter of adding two and two.’

  He was right, but wrong! She hadn’t liked the thought of staying in his flat but she certainly hadn’t been trying to use his sister’s visit as an excuse to leave! Without stopping to think, she set him straight.

  ‘It wasn’t an excuse, Mark. I just don’t want to abuse your kindness. There isn’t enough room in the flat for your sister to stay, with Robbie and me being there.’

  ’em won’t be coming for weeks yet. And even if she turned up on the doorstep this very night, it wouldn’t make a scrap of difference. I want you and Robbie there, Laura. I wouldn’t have asked you if I hadn’t,’ he stated firmly.

  ‘Are you sure? I did wonder if maybe you regretted it.’ She shrugged when she saw his surprise. ‘You stayed away all weekend and maybe that was because you found it…well, awkward having us around.’

  ‘No way! Did you really think that? Oh, sweetheart, no!’

  He stopped the car and turned to her. His eyes were very dark as they held hers and she felt her breath catch. When had anyone looked at her with such tenderness? she found herself wondering.

  ‘I couldn’t get back to the flat because I had to stay at work on Saturday evening.’ He shrugged but she could see the regret in his eyes. A boy was brought in, only fourteen years old—he’d taken a drug overdose and didn’t make it.’

  ‘Oh, how dreadful!’ Without stopping to think, she covered his hand with hers. ‘It must have been awful for everyone involved, Mark.’

  ‘It was. The family was distraught. They’d no idea he’d been using drugs, you see. I spent over an hour just talking to them and then, as I was about to leave, I suddenly noticed the date on the calendar and realised it was Mum’s birthday the next day.’

  He turned his hand over and captured hers, his thumb painting gentle patterns on the soft flesh of her palm. ‘It’s sort of an unspoken rule that Em and I try to get home for her birthday, so I headed straight off after I phoned you. My parents live in the north-east, just on the Scottish Border, so it’s a bit of a drive.’

  He took a deep breath. ‘I did think about inviting you and Robbie to go with me, but I decided it was too soon.’ He smiled at her, a world of tender understanding in his eyes. ‘You aren’t ready for that yet, Laura, are you?’

  She didn’t know what to say. How could she answer the question when the answer itself was fraught with danger? One part of her would love to meet his family while the other part knew that it would be giving out the wrong kind of signals. Even though she was over her guilt about Ian there were other obstacles in the way of their relationship…

  She paused as the thought sank in. She was over Ian’s death and no longer felt guilty at the thought of loving someone else. How had it happened so quickly when just a week ago the idea had been unthinkable?

  She searched her mind and realised that the healing process had begun the night she’d told Mark about Ian’s death. Until that point she’d kept all the pain and anger bottled up inside her so that she hadn’t given herself the chance to heal. But telling Mark about it had been the catalyst which had set her free. Now she knew that she had a future to look forward to, not just a past to mourn. The realisation both scared and excited her because it made it that more difficult to act sensibly.

  ‘Laura?’

  Mark pro
mpted her, making her aware that she hadn’t answered his question. She withdrew her hand, knowing that she needed all her strength at that moment. She had to think about Robbie, about the fact that she had a handicapped child who would need lifelong care and that there was always the chance—slim though it might be—that she could have another child who wasn’t perfect. She simply wasn’t the woman Mark needed in his life!

  ‘I…I’m sure your mother would have had a fit if I’d turned up unannounced,’ she said softly, deliberately fudging the issue.

  Mark’s eyes blazed, making her see that he knew what she was doing. However, his tone was even enough. ‘Mum loves company so that wouldn’t have been a problem. Still, maybe next time, eh?’

  He started the car while Laura turned to stare sightlessly out of the window. There wouldn’t be a next time because she wouldn’t let things progress that far! It wasn’t fair to Mark to raise his hopes, neither would it be fair to take advantage of his feelings for her. Oh, she didn’t doubt that he felt something, which was what made it all the more difficult to do what was right. But she wouldn’t ruin Mark’s life by grasping this chance of happiness. She cared too much about him to do that.

  ‘Mark do, Mark do!’

  Robbie jumped up and down, becoming more and more agitated in his determination to get his own way. Laura fixed a firm smile to her mouth as she took hold of his hand.

  ‘Mark is busy, as I told you, darling. Now, come along.’

  She attempted to lead him to the bathroom but the child struggled free and threw himself on the floor. Drumming his heels on the carpet, he screamed out his frustration.

  ‘Want Mark! Want Mark…!’

  ‘Hey, what’s this all about? That’s a dreadful noise. You’ll frighten Lucy.’

  Mark came out of the sitting-room and stared at the child lying on the floor. Laura was so mortified that she could have died as she wondered what he thought.

  It wasn’t like Robbie to behave this way. Normally, he was very even-tempered and there had been no sign of an impending tantrum when they’d collected him from Claire’s house and brought him back to the flat. He’d seemed a bit tired over tea, had needed coaxing to eat up the spaghetti she’d made for them, but that was all. However, her refusal to ask Mark to bathe him had prompted this outburst.

  She opened her mouth to apologise as Mark hunkered down beside the child, but he shook his head. ‘Don’t worry about it,’ he said softly, then turned his attention to the little boy, who had calmed down a bit now. ‘So, what’s the matter, then? Tell me.’

  Robbie stared up at him, his lower lip quivering ominously. ‘Mark bath,’ he said between hiccoughs. He looked round as the cat came into the hall and he held out his hand to her. However, she ignored him as, with a twitch of her tail, she stalked disdainfully towards the kitchen. His lower lip wobbled even harder as he repeated his demands in a shrill voice.

  ‘Mark bath!’

  Mark shook his head. His tone was kind but firm as he spoke to the little boy. ‘No, Robbie. Your mummy has told you that I’m busy. Now, you must do what she says. Maybe I’ll give you a bath tomorrow if you’re a good boy tonight.’

  Robbie stared at him, obviously weighing up whether or not Mark meant it. He smiled, his tantrum forgotten all of a sudden. ‘Tomorrow?’

  ‘That’s right. Now, come, up you get. And no more of this naughtiness.’ Mark grinned as Robbie scrambled to his feet. ‘Lucy doesn’t like people shouting. It scares her.’

  Robbie nodded solemnly. He seemed his usual happy self once more as he ran to the bathroom. A few seconds later they could hear him brushing his teeth with great gusto.

  ‘Thank you,’ Laura said sincerely. ‘I’m so glad that you didn’t make the mistake of giving in just to stop him crying.’

  ‘I guessed that would be the wrong thing to do,’ Mark said wryly. ‘Although I’m afraid I don’t have a lot of experience in child-rearing!’

  ‘Some people are just born with the right instincts and that’s why they make wonderful parents,’ she said without thinking.

  ‘I can hardly wait.’ His voice was very deep. When she looked at him there was an expression in his eyes that made her pulse race. ‘I’m looking forward to having children of my own, Laura. But sharing Robbie with you is a bonus.’

  ‘Mark, I…’ she began, but he chuckled as he pressed a finger against her mouth.

  ‘I know! I shouldn’t say things like that. But can I help it if they just sort of slip out?’ He grimaced, pulling such a comically contrite face that she couldn’t help laughing.

  ‘You’re incorrigible, Mark Dawson. You have an answer for everything!’

  ‘But you love me anyway.’ It had been said lightly enough, the kind of off-the-cuff remark that people used all the time. But it hit Laura hard. Her heart seemed to skip several beats before it began racing like crazy.

  ‘I…I’d better go and see what that little horror is up to,’ she muttered, making a beeline for the bathroom. She closed the door and took a big breath but her heart was still having the time of its life, pumping away like mad. She pressed a hand to her chest and could feel it beating against her palm, tangible proof of how Mark affected her…

  Laura let her hand fall to her side, not needing any further evidence. She could tell black from white—she wasn’t stupid. She was on the brink of falling in love with Mark Dawson, maybe even halfway there already, but it had to stop!

  End. Terminate. Cease. Finish. There must be dozens of different words to describe what had to happen. Not one of them sounded in the least bit appealing, funnily enough!

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  MARK was sitting at his desk when Laura went into the sitting-room a short time later. He removed his spectacles and tossed them onto the pile of papers he’d been working on when he saw her.

  ‘Everything all right now?’

  ‘Fine. Robbie’s fast asleep. He seems to have got over his tantrum, thank heavens.’

  She looked around uncertainly. Getting Robbie bathed and ready for bed had helped calm her jittery nerves. However, it wasn’t easy to ignore the volatility of the situation now that she and Mark were alone. Just being in the room with him made her feel all churned up again, and that was the last thing she could afford. She had to be sensible, if not for her own sake then for his.

  ‘I can see you’re busy so I won’t interrupt,’ she said, edging back out of the room.

  ‘I’ll be finished with this very shortly.’ He glanced at the papers and sighed. ‘I promised Simon weeks ago that I’d dig out some statistics for him, but I haven’t had the chance until now to start on it. Still, it’s not so bad when you set your mind to it…or that’s what I’m telling myself!’

  Laura laughed dutifully, although she wasn’t convinced that it would be wise to hang around too long. ‘It can’t have been easy, covering for him. Children’s Med is such a busy department.’

  ‘Which is why Simon wants these figures.’ Mark tapped his pen on the papers. ‘This is a breakdown of the number and variety of cases we’ve dealt with in the last six months, compared with the same period for the past three years. From what I can tell, there has been around a twenty per cent increase in our case load.’

  ‘Really? That’s an awful lot. Is there a reason for it?’ Laura asked, interested despite herself.

  ‘Yes. The area health authority has been running down services at the Royal for the past few years, although they’ve taken care that the public doesn’t know that. Simon suspects that they’ll close the Royal eventually and transfer everything to us.’

  He shrugged philosophically. ‘Cuts to services are commonplace nowadays and it could work out for the best, concentrating resources in one hospital rather than trying to find sufficient funding for two. However, it means that in the interim Dalverston is being put under increasing pressure. Simon wants all the ammunition he can get to take to the hospital board and ask them for extra funding.’

  ‘Is that what you had to see Roger
Hopkins about?’ Laura guessed.

  ‘Yes. Roger’s as worried as we are. We’re already at our limit and if the situation continues there’s a very real danger that we won’t be able to cope. Roger has offered his support when Simon puts his case to the board. Once they see these figures we’re hoping they’ll put pressure on the health authority to come up with extra cash for more staff and to improve facilities.’

  ‘It would be a help, wouldn’t it? There are a lot of things which need replacing, for instance,’ she agreed thoughtfully.

  ‘Exactly. I’d like to see the whole ward closed and a new one built, but that’s a little too ambitious perhaps.’ He grinned as he picked up his spectacles and put them firmly back in place. ‘In the meantime, I’d better get down to it!’

  He turned his attention back to his task and was soon engrossed. Laura hesitated but there seemed no real reason to hurry away now that Mark was fully occupied with what he was doing. She went and sat on the sofa, taking a magazine from the shelf beneath the coffee-table. It was an old copy of Lancashire Life and she flicked through its pages, pausing when she came to an article about Dalverston.

  She settled down to read it and was soon caught up in a story about a local highwayman who had roamed the area surrounding the town many years before. It was a story she’d heard before, but the writer had a particularly nice turn of phrase and had added several new twists to the tale so she was soon absorbed.

  It was quiet in the room with just the crackling of the logs in the grate to provide a background. When Mark tossed down his pen she jumped. She glanced at the clock and was surprised to find that a good hour had passed. Funny, she wouldn’t have imagined they could spend so much time together so comfortably, but wasn’t that just another facet of Mark—the fact that he could be such an easygoing companion as well as an exciting one?

  ‘I think I’ve just about cracked it!’ He sounded relieved as he got up from the desk. He flexed his back and groaned. ‘Oh, wow, I’d forgotten how tiring it can be, poring over a stack of papers.’