Shadowed Stranger

by Carole Mortimer

  She gave a wan smile. ‘I don’t.’

  He shrugged. ‘Then I won’t let you in.’

  Robyn knew he meant it, it was there in the determination of his mouth, the coldness of his icy grey eyes. ‘You’ll say goodbye before you do—finally leave?’ she quavered.

  He gave an abrupt nod. ‘I’ll say goodbye. Now, are you going to get out or do I have to physically push you?’

  Any contact with him would be better than nothing, but she knew he wouldn’t thank her for forcing him to touch her again. ‘I’m going,’ she said huskily, pushing open the car door.

  She had no sooner stepped on to the pavement than the Jaguar accelerated away. The car belonged to a wealthy man, and yet the untidiness of Rick’s clothing pointed to him being the opposite of that. Not that it mattered to her what he was, she loved him anyway.

  For the first time in her young life she was in love, and it had to be with a man she just couldn’t have. She might not know much about Rick, but she did know he had no intention of marrying anyone as young and inexperienced as she was.

  And so much for her coolness! She had caught fire as soon as he touched her, was still burning from the contact. And he had known exactly how vulnerable she was towards him, had known and yet still rejected her. But this time she felt no shame, knew that if he ever changed his mind about her she would go to him willingly.

  Her father was just closing up when she entered the shop, although he looked up from his book-work to smile at her. The incident that had so upset her had been forgotten by them, and Robyn realised that her father was just being his protective self. It was only because it had been about Rick that she had been so sensitive to the remark; normally she would have laughed off such an idea.

  ‘Is it raining?’ her father frowned at her wet appearance.

  ‘Oh, Dad!’ she giggled at his vague expression. ‘Of course it’s raining.’

  ‘I didn’t realise. Well, you’d better go upstairs and change. Your mother has your dinner ready.’

  She was ushered upstairs to bath and change before her mother would even consider serving her meal. She also washed her hair, leaving it to dry as she ate her food.

  ‘Was that Mr Howarth’s car I saw outside?’ her mother asked casually.

  Robyn blushed. Her mother wasn’t a nosey person, she didn’t have time to be, and yet somehow she never seemed to miss anything. ‘It was,’ she acknowledged quietly.

  ‘Will you be going over later?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Oh?’

  ‘No,’ she said abruptly, not at all anxious to tell her mother that she and Rick had had yet another argument. Besides, it hadn’t exactly been an argument, more a desire on Rick’s part to let her know where she stood with him. And he had made his feelings more than clear.

  ‘Have you two fallen out again?’ her mother sighed her exasperation.

  Robyn’s mouth quirked into a smile. ‘You make us sound like a couple of children!’

  ‘You seem to act that way when you’re together. Ordinarily Mr Howarth seems to be a very nice man, very levelheaded, and yet you and he seem to do nothing but argue. And I know it can’t be all your fault, you have a temper, but it usually needs to be kindled. Mr Howarth obviously does that all too easily.’

  She gave a rueful smile. ‘I seem to do the same thing to him.’

  ‘I’ve noticed,’ her mother said dryly. ‘And so have other people. Mrs Reed was in today trying to get information out of me about the two of you.’

  ‘Goodness, she’s an old gossip,’ Robyn said moodily.

  ‘She doesn’t have any excitement of her own, so she tries to get it second-hand. Needless to say I didn’t tell her anything.’

  Knowing how relentlessly the other woman plied her questions, Robyn thought her mother probably deserved a medal for withstanding her. ‘Thanks, Mum,’ she grinned.

  ‘I really think—’

  Billy burst into the room, the bag that he had used to deliver his evening newspapers still slung over his shoulder, his hair as wet as Robyn’s had been when she got home.

  ‘Hey, guess what?’ he cried.

  ‘We don’t need to guess anything,’ his mother said dryly. ‘I’m sure you’re going to tell us anyway.’

  He threw the bag down in an armchair, uncaring of its wet state. ‘Do you know why I’m so late?’

  ‘Tell us,’ his mother invited patiently.

  ‘Well, I couldn’t believe it when I saw the car. It was such a mess, all crumpled in at the front, although the engine was still going, surprisingly enough. Of course I switched it off, but—’

  ‘Billy,’ his mother was sitting forward now, her face deadly serious, ‘what are you talking about?’

  ‘It was such a fantastic car too,’ he shook his head.

  ‘Billy!’

  He blinked. ‘Sorry. I was just—It all happened so suddenly, I’ve only just had time to think about it. I had to ring for an ambulance, you see, and—Well, I suppose I’m a bit shaken up.’

  Considering what a tough little boy he was this must have taken some courage to admit. ‘Just tell us slowly, Billy,’ Robyn suggested gently. ‘Someone had an accident, right?’

  ‘Mm,’ he nodded, sitting down abruptly. ‘Mr Howarth was slumped over the wheel of the car—’

  ‘Mr Howarth?’ She went deathly pale. ‘Rick had an accident?’ Her voice was shrill in her distress.

  ‘Yes,’ Billy nodded. ‘His car was wrapped around a tree, and—’

  Robyn didn’t hear any more. The world suddenly went black as she fainted.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  SHE couldn’t have been unconscious long, but it was long enough for her mother to have called her father in from the shop, and for him to have lifted her still form on to the sofa. She was propped up against some cushions when she came out of her faint.

  ‘Rick,’ she mumbled weakly. ‘Rick!’ She shot up into a sitting position, her eyes fevered.

  ‘It’s all right, Robyn,’ her mother soothed. ‘Dad’s going to drive you into Ampthull.’

  He looked startled. ‘I am?’

  ‘You are,’ he was told firmly.

  ‘Okay,’ he shrugged defeat, ‘I am.’

  Robyn stood up, swaying slightly. ‘Can we go now?’ Rick had been injured, how badly she just didn’t know, he could even be dead, and She had to get to the hospital as soon as possible. God, if he were dead …

  She went white at the thought of it, and her mother was instantly at her side. ‘I think you should leave it for a few minutes,’ she advised softly. ‘Give yourself chance to get over the shock.’

  Robyn’s face was raw with pain, her eyes shadowed. ‘No, I—I have to go now,’ she insisted dazedly. Rick couldn’t be dead, he couldn’t be! Tears flooded her eyes and she began to sob.

  ‘It’s the shock.’ Her mother instantly pushed her into a chair. ‘Now you stay there while I get you a hot drink. Your father will telephone the hospital while I get you a cup of tea.’

  ‘I will?’ he sounded doubtful.

  ‘Would you, Dad?’ Robyn looked at him pleadingly.

  His expression instantly softened. ‘Of course I will, love, if you promise to drink your tea.’

  ‘I promise,’ she agreed eagerly, desperate to know how Rick was and yet terrified of telephoning the hospital herself. If they should say he was dead—God, she would want to die herself!

  The tea was strong and sweet, exactly the way she hated it the most, but at least it pulled her together. She looked up eagerly as her father returned from making the telephone call.

  ‘He’s having X-rays now,’ he told her as she stood up. ‘So they don’t know the extent of his injuries yet.’

  A sigh of relief left her body. ‘At least he’s alive!’

  ‘Of course he is,’ Billy spoke for the first time since Robyn had fainted. ‘I could have told you that,’ he added scornfully.

  ‘Then why didn’t you?’ his mother scolded, fluttering worriedly about Rob
yn as she pulled her jacket on in preparation for leaving for the hospital. ‘You could have saved Robyn all this worry.’

  Billy shrugged. ‘No one asked me.’

  ‘Well, we’re asking now,’ Robyn said angrily. ‘What exactly happened after you found—found Rick in his car?’

  ‘He got out of the car before the ambulance arrived. He was a bit shaky, but still on his feet.’

  She began to shake with reaction. ‘I wish you had told me that earlier. I’ve been imagining all sorts of things!’

  Her brother seemed puzzled by her behaviour. ‘What sort of things?’ he frowned.

  ‘Oh, Billy,’ she shook her head, ‘you’ll never know, you really won’t.’

  He gave a disgusted snort. ‘If you ask me you’re acting a bit strange. Mr Howarth—’

  ‘Well, no one did ask you,’ their mother gave him a push in the direction of the stairs. ‘Go and have a bath, you’re dripping water everywhere.’

  ‘Oh, Mum,’ he complained, ‘I had a bath yesterday.’

  ‘And now you can have another one,’ she said unsympathetically.

  ‘Spoilsport!’ he muttered as he slowly dragged his feet up the stairs.

  ‘Let’s get going,’ Robyn’s father said briskly.

  ‘You’re sure you don’t mind?’ she asked anxiously.

  ‘I—’

  ‘Of course he doesn’t mind,’ her mother cut in warningly. ‘I’ll warm your supper through when you get back, Peter.’

  ‘I can always get a taxi,’ Robyn suggested, sure that her father wouldn’t appreciate a warmed-through dinner.

  ‘I won’t hear of it this time of night,’ her mother said firmly. ‘Your father can take you. You can get a taxi back if it looks as if you’re going to be some time.’

  Robyn’s father opened the door for her to exit. ‘How your mother loves to organise!’ He shook his head.

  ‘And how lost you would be if I didn’t!’ and she followed them out of the room.

  Robyn knew that her parents were talking in this joking manner to try and ease her tension, but right now she couldn’t cope with anything else but the thought of Rick injured at the hospital.

  The rain hadn’t abated, making the driving conditions difficult and slow, which didn’t help her impatience in the least. Her father was always a careful driver, but tonight he had to be particularly so.

  ‘Shall I come in with you?’ he asked as he parked the car at the Casualty Department of the hospital.

  ‘Er—No, I—I think I’d rather go in alone.’ She looked down awkwardly at her hand, knowing her parents must be puzzled by her behaviour. ‘I’ve been making rather a fool of myself lately,’ she shrugged uncomfortably. ‘I’d rather you didn’t see me do it again.’

  His hand came out to cover both of hers. ‘If you care for the man, and you obviously do, then it isn’t making a fool of yourself. Just give him room to breathe, hmm?’

  She gave a shaky smile. ‘I thought you said you didn’t know him.’

  ‘I know the type,’ he squeezed her hand comfortingly. ‘They need plenty of space.’

  ‘I’ve noticed,’ she grimaced, bending forward to kiss him warmly on the cheek. ‘I’ll let you know what’s happening as soon as I know myself.’

  The Casualty Department was brightly lit, strangely deserted of people, although perhaps not so strangely, since it was almost seven o’clock in the evening. Still, she had thought these places were always busy, always a hive of activity.

  ‘Can I help you?’

  Robyn started, so deep in thought she hadn’t noticed the approach of the nurse now standing in front of her, a middle-aged woman who looked as if she had something more important to do than spend time being polite to a confused-looking teenager.

  ‘I’ve come to see Mr Howarth,’ she said breathlessly.

  The woman frowned. ‘Come to collect him, you mean,’ she corrected waspishly.

  Robyn’s face lit up with excitement. ‘He’s well enough to go home?’

  The nurse gave a disgusted sniff. ‘That’s a matter of opinion. Are you a relative of his?’

  Colour flooded her cheeks as she wished she could say yes. ‘No. I—I’m a friend.’ She hoped she was still that at least!

  ‘I see.’ The woman looked down her nose at her. ‘In that case perhaps you would like to sit outside in the waiting-room. Mr Howarth should be out soon, the doctor is just strapping him up.’

  Robyn swallowed hard. ‘Strapping him up …?’

  The nurse gave an impatient sigh. ‘It’s the usual practice with broken ribs.’

  ‘Rick has broken ribs?’ she gasped. ‘I mean—Mr Howarth has?’

  ‘He does.’

  ‘But—but surely he shouldn’t be going home straight away?’ Robyn protested. ‘Shouldn’t he be admitted for a few days?’

  The nurse looked affronted. ‘Of course he should,’ she confirmed haughtily. ‘That’s already been explained to Mr Howarth, but other than actually tying him to the bed we can’t force him to stay here.’

  Robyn bit her lip. ‘I see. Well, I—’

  ‘Robyn!’

  She turned to see Rick just leaving a room a few doors down the corridor. She ran towards him, just remembering in time not to throw herself into his arms. With broken ribs that was the last thing he needed!

  She looked up at him shyly, noting how grey he looked, fine lines of strain etched beside his nose and mouth. He must be in extreme pain, and yet he stood ramrod-straight, his only other apparent injury a cut to his brow. ‘Rick …’ she said huskily, her violet-eyed gaze eating in the warm vitality of him. After what she had been imagining broken ribs seemed quite trivial—although she doubted Rick felt that way about them!

  ‘What are you doing here!’ he rasped, his eyes narrowed.

  Not a very encouraging welcome, but she wasn’t going to be put off now, not with that superior-looking nurse watching them as closely as she was.

  She moved forward, reaching up on tiptoe to kiss him on the lips, taking care not to touch him and so cause him unnecessary pain, blushing at the mockery in his eyes as she moved away. She linked her arm through the crook of his with a challenging flick of her head. ‘I’ve come to take you home,’ she told him stubbornly, the look in her eyes daring him to dispute her right to do that.

  His mouth twisted as he looked down at her, taking his time about answering, deliberately so, Robyn thought. ‘That’s good of you,’ he drawled, making no effort to remove her hand from his arm. He looked up at the nurse. ‘Thanks for your help,’ he said with a sincerity that had been noticeably absent seconds earlier when he had spoken to Robyn. ‘I appreciate it,’ he added deeply.

  ‘If you appreciate it that much,’ a doctor appeared from the room behind Rick, ‘why won’t you let us admit you for a couple of days, just to make sure there are no complications?’

  Rick gave a tolerant smile. ‘I’ve already told you why. Besides,’ he smiled down at Robyn, his eyes full of mockery, ‘I couldn’t possibly leave a beautiful girl like Robyn on her own too long. I’d lose her to someone else, someone younger.’

  Robyn stiffened at his taunting smile, would have removed her hand from his arm if his fingers hadn’t clamped around hers to stop her. ‘Shall we go, darling?’ she enquired sweetly, getting back at him that way. Two could play at this game. ‘I’m sure these good people have more—important things to do.’

  He raised his eyebrows. ‘That’s putting me firmly in my place.’

  ‘No,’ she said innocently. ‘If you were in your place you would be in a hospital bed. It’s pure madness—’

  ‘Thank you, Robyn,’ he interrupted coldly. ‘I’ll take your criticism as said.’

  She blushed at his anger. ‘If you’re ready to leave …?’

  He nodded. ‘I’m ready.’ He made his goodbyes to the doctor and nurse, his hand firm on Robyn’s elbow as he guided her outside. Once outside he immediately removed his hand. ‘Now what’s the reason behind you’re being here?
’ he rasped.

  ‘I already told you, I’m here to take you home, or rather, my father is. He’s parked over here.’ She walked in the direction of her father’s car.

  ‘Wait a minute!’ Rick caught hold of her arm, spinning her round, wincing with pain as it jarred his broken ribs. ‘You mean,’ his eyes narrowed, ‘that you dragged your father out this time of night to pick up a complete stranger?’

  ‘You aren’t a stranger to me!’

  ‘But your father—’

  ‘Unless you’ve forgotten, it was Billy who found you. It’s only natural that we should all be concerned about you.’ Her voice was stilted at his ingratitude.

  ‘Is that the only reason?’

  Her eyes snapped with anger. ‘You’re damned arrogant if you think I came here for any other reason! I wouldn’t cross the road to help you if you were—’ Her words were cut off by the fierce pressure of his lips on hers.

  ‘Hell!’ he swore, flinching back as the movement caused agonising pain to shoot through his body. ‘Damn, damn, damn!’ He doubled over with the agony of it.

  ‘Rick?’ Her anger at once faded to be replaced by anxious concern. ‘Oh, Rick, are you all right?’

  ‘Fine,’ he choked. ‘Except that I feel as if I’m dying,’ he added derisively.

  ‘You—’

  ‘Let’s get him to the car.’ Miraculously her father had appeared at her side, helping Rick walk over and get into the car. ‘You sit in the back, Robyn,’ he instructed.

  She scrambled inside, still watching Rick as he sat completely straight in the front sea. ‘Let’s get Rick home and into bed,’ she told her father. ‘Which, incidentally, is where he should be right now.’

  ‘I already gathered that,’ her father said dryly. ‘Hang on, Mr Howarth, this could be a bumpy ride.’

  ‘I’ll manage,’ Rick mumbled, obviously not ‘managing’ at all.

  Each little bump and pothole in the road seemed larger than life to Robyn, and she felt sure they must to Rick too, although he didn’t complain. In fact he was so quiet she began to wonder if he could possibly have passed out. Then she heard him groan as her father swerved to avoid a particularly large hole in the road.