by Joanna Neil
She gave a soft sigh. ‘I can’t imagine what it must be like to go through that. I’ve always had my parents close at hand.’ She ran a fingertip lightly around the rim of her cup, giving herself time to think. ‘Of course, Martyn must have suffered along with you when he lost Grace. I’m assuming his parents lived long and healthy lives?’ She looked at him for confirmation, and he nodded cautiously.
‘They did, though his parents divorced when he was a youngster, and his mother married again, so you might say he’s had a chequered life.’
‘You wouldn’t think so, from all that he’s achieved. He said his grandfather started the plantation…How did you come to own half of it?’
He put his cup down. ‘It was partly an inheritance from my parents. My father took an interest in it along with Martyn, and the rest became mine because I bought into it. I learned a lot about how to cultivate land over the years, and it was always taken for granted that I would follow the family tradition, but I wanted to go into medicine. After what happened to my mother and Grace, I wanted to learn how to take care of people. I needed to know that I could do something to make their lives better.’
She put down her fork and laid her hand gently on top of his. ‘You do that every day,’ she said softly. ‘I’ve seen the way you handle the most difficult cases, and you’re very skilled at what you do.’
He made a rueful face. ‘But not skilled enough to help my uncle. I wish I could find a miracle of modern medicine that would make him whole again.’
They both knew that wasn’t going to happen, and by mutual consent they turned to other topics of conversation over the next few minutes.
They were finishing off dessert as Martyn came out of his study and saw the lawyers on their way out to their cars. When he came back, he looked like a cat that had licked the cream. ‘That’s all sorted, then,’ he said, coming into the dining-room.
‘What’s sorted?’ Ethan dipped his fork into a melt-in-the-mouth banana coconut cake, before glancing up at his uncle.
‘Oh, tidying up a few odds and ends. There were some minor alterations to be made to Caitlin’s trust fund, and a couple of papers I needed to sign to secure a piece of land for the plantation. I wanted to expand the coffee growing side of things, and I’ve been after that land for some time. Anyway, it’s all done now, and I’m well pleased.’ He looked from one to the other, smiling, and then glanced at the sideboard where the dishes on the hotplate were steaming gently.
‘Have you two saved me some lunch? I hope you haven’t polished off all the chicken…And there had better be some of that banana cake left.’ He looked pointedly at Ethan’s rapidly vanishing dessert.
Ethan immediately looked guilty. ‘Ah…banana cake…Now, that could be a problem. You do know it’s my favourite, don’t you? I actually crave it sometimes.’
Martyn frowned and ran his glance over the table. Coming towards them, he lifted up a ceramic cover and peered at the cake stand underneath. ‘Hah,’ he said, giving Ethan a narrowed look before his mouth curved into a crooked smile. ‘Just as well for you that there are a couple of slices left.’
Amber watched the repartee between the two of them and relaxed. It seemed that Martyn was back to his old self, and Ethan was on top form. Maybe, if she gave it time, he would even let her within warming distance of his heart.
They went to Caitlin’s house-warming party the next evening. Martyn was in jovial mood, enjoying the opportunity to mix with all the family and friends his daughter had invited. There were distant uncles, aunts and cousins, and they all seemed intent on having a joyful get-together.
Amber kept a careful eye on Martyn to make sure he wasn’t overdoing things, but he appeared to be coping well enough. Whenever she looked his way, he was chuckling at something someone was saying or admiring the gardens that Caitlin was trying to cultivate.
‘He seems to be doing fine, doesn’t he?’ Ethan said, coming over to her and handing her a glass of rum punch.
‘Yes. It’s lovely to see him looking so cheerful.’ She sipped her drink, enjoying the exotic flavour, and after a while she laid her glass down on a nearby table.
He slid an arm around her waist. ‘Come and see the palm grove,’ he murmured. ‘Ben and Molly offered to keep an eye on Martyn for a while.’
He led her to the foot of a grassy hill some short distance from the house, where ferns grew in abundance and trees made majestic silhouettes against the skyline. Darkness was falling, and the air was heavy with the scent of tropical flowers. The faint clicking sound of a gecko could be heard in the distance. It was peaceful out here, away from the bustle of people and the background hum of gentle music.
‘This must feel a little strange to you,’ Ethan said, ‘meeting our family, while yours is so far away. You said, a while back, how difficult it was getting used to being away from home.’
She nodded. ‘I thought I would be all right, but I’ve never been away for such a long time before. Of course, I talk to my parents on the phone, and I see them over the video link, but it isn’t quite the same. I think they’ve been arguing lately, but I can’t get to the bottom of what’s happening. They seem a bit tense with one another. I know my father’s busy with the medical practice. My mother is still a bit out of synch with everything. She isn’t usually rattled easily, but my coming here didn’t sit well with her for some reason.’
‘Will they come over here to visit, do you think?’
‘I hope so.’ She leaned back against the trunk of a palm tree and gazed around. ‘They talked about coming here in a couple of months. I’m sure they’ll love it as much as I do.’
‘The romance of the island is finding its way into your heart. It happens to everyone after a while. It casts a spell on you, and you never want to leave.’
He came to stand in front of her, laying a hand on the bole of the tree just above her head, and then he leaned towards her, dropping a kiss lightly on her mouth. ‘I hadn’t expected it to happen,’ he said softly, ‘but you’ve made a huge impact on my life. You caught me unawares, and now I can’t stop thinking about you, day or night.’
He gave a half-smile, his gaze running over her. ‘Especially in the night.’ He kissed her again, teasing the softness of her lips with the brush of his mouth, enticing a flurry of expectation within her nervous system, stoking the flame that burned inside her.
He ran his finger along the line of her throat and let it trail downwards, shifting over the full curve of her breast, until his hand came to rest beneath its ripe mound, cupping her gently.
Heat pooled in her abdomen, and Amber felt her legs go weak. He moved closer, his long body lightly pressuring hers, his kisses filling her with sweet anticipation. She wanted this to go on and on. For this moment he was hers, and hers alone.
She wound her arms around his neck, loving the feel of him, her mouth softening beneath his. He kissed her face, her throat, and dipped lower to brush his lips over the creamy swell of her breasts.
Then the reality of the world intruded on them. The sound of voices erupted from the house some distance away, and the spell was broken in an instant. Ethan eased himself away from her as the noise increased, and chattering people spilled out onto the garden terrace. Amber straightened, moving away from the palm tree, looking towards Caitlin’s new home.
‘People are getting ready to leave,’ Ethan murmured. ‘I suppose we’d better go and find my uncle and round up Molly and Ben.’
She nodded. The tantalising, wonderful moment had gone almost has soon as it had occurred, and she felt an overpowering sense of loss. She loved Ethan. It came to her in a startling flare of revelation that threatened to overwhelm her with its forcefulness. Her life would never be the same again. She loved this man, and she realised now that she had never felt this way before. It was all-consuming, a love that she knew with certainty would stay with her for all the years to come.
And yet she couldn’t help feeling that it was a revelation she could have done without. For Ethan
had made no sign that he loved her in return. He wanted her, desired her, but that was not at all the same thing.
They walked back to the house and took their leave of Caitlin and James just a short time later. ‘That was a good party,’ Martyn told his daughter and her new husband. ‘It’s lovely to see you settled here. I just know you’re going to be very happy.’
The journey home was a short one, and Amber left Martyn to chat with Ethan for a while. ‘It was a great night,’ she said, ‘but I have to make an early start in the morning. I’ll see you both tomorrow.’
Over the next few days, she tried to concentrate on her work at the hospital. The rota meant that she was based in the Accident and Emergency unit this month, while another doctor went out on calls.
Ethan had been asked to go and help the bosses at his former hospital with planning arrangements to coordinate emergency services throughout the region. It meant that Amber saw very little of him during that time. He dropped in on Martyn every day, to see how he was doing, but mostly he worked late into the evenings and continued with his emergency call outs as usual.
‘Mr Martyn has appointed extra people to take charge at the plantation,’ Molly told Amber one day at breakfast. ‘I think he was worried that Mr Ethan would find it too much to cope with, running the business, as well as working at the hospital.’
‘Is Ethan all right with that?’
‘Am I all right with what?’ Ethan came into the dining room and helped himself to a buttered croissant along with apricot preserve. He sat down at the table, biting into the croissant and wiping crumbs from his mouth.
Amber watched him in fascination. How was it that everything about him drew her attention and held her absorbed whenever he was around? ‘Are you all right with having managers appointed to take over from you at the plantation?’
‘I’m fine with it,’ he said, taking another bite and pouring a cup of coffee. He lifted the pot and raised a questioning brow, indicating Amber’s cup. She pushed it towards him and he gave her a refill. ‘I asked him to make the changes,’ he said, putting the coffeepot back on its stand, ‘and I suggested the people I wanted to fill the slots.’
‘Does that mean you’re going back to your job at the main hospital?’ Amber asked. She finished off her omelette and laid down her knife and fork, taking a sip of hot coffee.
He shook his head. ‘We’re setting up a new joint system, making it a smoother process to deal with emergencies. I’ll probably be based at both hospitals. It should prove interesting.’ He finished off his coffee and looked around. ‘What’s happened to Martyn this morning? Is he running late? He’s usually joined us by now.’
‘I looked in on him, but he said he was still tired and said he would have a bit of a lie-in this morning,’ Molly said. ‘I told him I would take a breakfast tray up to him.’ She indicated the tray she was preparing. The plate was covered to keep the food warm, and she was adding freshly squeezed orange juice along with croissants and preserve. ‘I’ll take this upstairs now and see if he’s feeling more rested.’
Molly left the room and Amber glanced at Ethan across the table. He had just finished off his third croissant and was starting on a plate of scrambled eggs and ham.
‘What?’ he said. ‘Something wrong?’
She hid a grin. ‘Nothing at all. I’ve no idea where you put it.’ There wasn’t an ounce of fat to spare on him. He was long and lean, with muscles honed to perfection, and she guessed that was a result of him being constantly on the move, full of energy. He was bursting with vitality, always up for the next challenge.
‘Hmm.’ He looked her over, starting with the silky length of her hair, and moving down to linger on the smooth, bare flesh of her arms before gliding over the fullness of her curves. ‘I’d say you had things just about right. No need for you to diet, obviously. That heavenly feminine shape is perfection itself.’
Warm colour flowed into her cheeks. He had caught her out in staring at him and paid her back in kind. Did he really like the way she looked? A little glow started up in her.
Molly came back into the room just then. ‘Mr Ethan…’ she said, and then she stopped.
‘Yes, Molly, what is it?’ He glanced towards the doorway where she stood, and for a second or two Molly simply stayed there, just looking at him and saying nothing.
It was clear that the housekeeper was upset, and both Ethan and Amber stood up to go over to her.
‘Molly, what’s wrong?’ Ethan placed an arm around Molly’s shoulders, looking down at her as though he would comfort her in any way he could.
‘It’s Mr Martyn. I don’t know what to do. You should go up to him.’
Ethan nodded and sent a quick glance towards Amber to let her know that she should take care of Molly. Then he strode out of the room and went quickly upstairs.
‘Come and sit down, Molly,’ Amber urged, helping her into a seat. ‘What’s wrong with Martyn, do you know? Is he struggling for breath?’
Molly shook her head. ‘I don’t think he’s breathing at all. I think he’s gone, passed away. He was just lying there, so peaceful, and I thought he was sleeping, but he didn’t wake when I spoke to him, and then I realised that he’d gone.’
Molly reached for a hanky from her pocket and began to wipe her eyes. ‘He was such a lovely man.’
Amber stared at her in shock. She tried to comfort her, and all the while she was thinking that she should go to Martyn, but Ethan was with him and if what Molly had said was true, Ethan might want to be alone with his uncle for a while. If he’d needed help, he would have called her, wouldn’t he?
She waited, desperately wanting to hear him shout her name so that she could go to help. That would mean that something could be done, wouldn’t it?
But Ethan didn’t call, and Amber stayed with Molly until Ben came to see what was happening and find out why Martyn hadn’t arrived to go through the list of jobs for the day with him.
‘Will you stay with Molly, Ben? I need to go and find out how Ethan is coping.’
Ben nodded, and turned to comfort his wife. Amber hurried out of the room and went in search of Ethan, stopping to knock quietly on the door of Martyn’s room.
‘Ethan, are you all right in there? Is there anything I can do to help?’
He didn’t answer, and it was a while before she heard him walk across the room towards the door. ‘There’s nothing anyone can do,’ he said. ‘It’s too late. It’s over.’
She looked beyond him to where Martyn was lying on the bed. Like Molly had said, he seemed to be at peace, the remnants of a faint smile on his face, and she said huskily, ‘I’m so sorry, Ethan.’ Tears were trickling down her cheeks, but she let them fall. Martyn had been good to her and to everyone around him, and it was only fitting that his loss should be mourned.
Ethan didn’t say very much at all over the next hour or so. It was as though he was in shock, and Amber reflected that they were all in much the same state.
Over the next few days she helped the family with the arrangements that had to be made, and she stood with them alongside Molly and Ben as Martyn was finally laid to rest in a secluded corner of the cemetery where his ancestors were buried.
She helped prepare a reception for family and friends who came to pay their respects, and she was amazed by the number of people who came to grieve for him. ‘He was such a well-respected man,’ his plantation manager said. ‘His name will go on for years to come. Everyone who knew him will have something good to say about him.’
Ethan thanked everyone for coming to the house. ‘Caitlin and I have been overwhelmed by your thoughtfulness and consideration,’ he told the gathering. ‘We’ve lost a truly great man, a man who did so much to provide work for people on the island, and who has been responsible for serving a community way beyond these shores. I know he would want to thank you for the help you gave him over the years, and he would value the work you do in keeping on with the traditions he set in place.’
Amber walked aro
und as though she was in a daze. She mingled with people in the house, and spoke to visitors who assembled outside on the terrace. She comforted Caitlin as best she could, and through it all she wanted to wrap her arms around Ethan and hold him close.
He was distant from her, though, wrapped up in his own grief. He was finding it difficult to relate to anyone at all just then, and Amber realised that all she could do was let him know that she was here for him if he needed her.
After a few days Amber went back to work and made an effort to adjust to life without Martyn’s presence. He had promised her the use of the bungalow for as long as she needed it, and Ethan had continued to expect her to join them up at the house as before. She didn’t know how much longer things would go on this way, though. Now that Martyn had gone, her position in the household was precarious and she was uncertain as to how she should go on.
‘The family solicitor is coming over to the house late this afternoon,’ Ethan told her one morning as she was preparing to leave for work. ‘He wants everyone to meet up for the reading of my uncle’s will. Given the intricacies of the estate, it might go on for a couple of hours, so Molly’s going to prepare coffee and snacks. We should have enough room for everyone to be seated in the main reception room.’
‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Thanks for telling me. I’ll keep out of the way. I have plenty of chores to keep me busy back at the bungalow.’
‘No,’ he said. ‘Leave them for another time, please. The solicitor says you’re mentioned in the will, so you should be there.’
Amber stared at him. ‘Why would Martyn have left me anything? And how is that possible? He didn’t say anything about changing his will, did he?’
‘No, he didn’t. But, then, he invited the lawyers over to the house a few weeks ago, and he was fairly offhand about his reasons, wasn’t he?’ He sent her a brief, assessing look. ‘I knew something had to be going on with him. It was odd, him bringing you over here in the first place…generous and altruistic maybe, but I always felt there was something more to it than that.’
