Grace knew that he was waiting for her to explain; she also knew that he deserved to hear the truth. She owed him that after the years they had spent at loggerheads because of it.
‘My father was like you in a lot of ways, Harry. He was handsome, charming and great fun to be around.’
‘Sounds very positive so far,’ he put in gently.
She shrugged. ‘I wish it was all good but it wasn’t. The downside was that Dad used his charm and good looks to attract women. He had so many affairs over the years that I lost count. To be honest, I didn’t care in the end what he did. I was more concerned about the effect his philandering was having on my mother. It broke her heart and her spirit,’ she added, her voice catching.
‘Hell, I had no idea…’ He broke off, obviously guessing she hadn’t wanted to him to know. ‘It must have been awful for you, Grace.’
‘It was. I loved my dad, yet I had to watch him destroying my mum’s life. She was such a confident woman in the beginning, but she changed over the years and became very withdrawn. Sh-she died shortly before I went to med school and I’ve always believed that it was because she felt there was nothing left to live for.’
‘Did your parents get divorced?’
‘No. Mum refused to talk about it whenever I suggested it to her.’ She shrugged when Harry looked at her in surprise. ‘I thought it would be better for her if she and Dad separated, but Mum wouldn’t hear of it. She kept hoping he would see the error of his ways, I suppose.’
‘Do you ever see your father?”
‘No. He moved to New Zealand and remarried. I think he felt guilty about what happened so he hasn’t kept in touch.’
‘It must have been a nightmare for you, Grace. Going through all that when you were just a teenager. It makes me almost glad that my parents were never around while I was growing up.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Exactly what I said.’ He shrugged. ‘I had a nanny until I was old enough to be shunted off to boarding school. My mother loathed small children because they were so messy, and my father was too involved in making money to bother with me. I only became of interest to them once I grew up, but it was a bit late by then to play the doting parents. Suffice it to say that we aren’t exactly close. We send each other Christmas and birthday cards, and that’s about it.’
‘How awful. No child deserves to be made to feel as though they aren’t wanted. My childhood wasn’t ideal but I always knew my parents loved me.’
‘You were lucky in that respect. There are a lot of folk out there whose parents never really care about them.’ He smiled, making an obvious effort to appear upbeat. ‘Still, it wasn’t all bad. It taught me to stand on my own two feet at an early age, and I’m grateful for that.’
It had also taught him to avoid making any lasting commitments, and it was a sobering thought. Grace gave him a small smile, wondering why it worried her so much. ‘We’re a real pair, aren’t we?’
‘We certainly are. Obviously, we have a lot more in common than we suspected.’
‘I wonder if that was part of the problem. We recognised something of ourselves in each other.’
‘Please.’ Harry held up his hand. ‘It’s been a heck of a busy morning and I don’t think my poor brain is up to an in-depth conversation like this. What I need most of all is something to eat.’
Grace chuckled. ‘You only have yourself to blame. If you hadn’t decided to take on the role of my protector, you wouldn’t be so worn out.’
‘I know, I know. Next time you have a fight with a brick wall, I shall leave you to soldier on on your own.’ His smile told her that he was joking and she laughed. He grinned as well. ‘How about I treat you to lunch at the pub by way of an apology for poking my nose in where it wasn’t wanted?’
‘Sounds good to me.’
She turned towards the door then paused when Harry said softly, ‘I’m glad we’ve managed to sort things out between us, Grace.’
‘Me, too.’
She smiled at him, thinking how handsome he looked. He’d taken off his jacket and the pale blue shirt he was wearing made the most of his dark good looks. However, it wasn’t just his looks that appealed to her, but Harry himself. He was kind and considerate, clever and fun to be with. He was everything a woman could want all rolled into one gorgeous package. If he could overcome his reluctance to commit, he would be her ideal soul mate.
The thought accompanied her back to her room and stayed with her while she combed her hair and applied a little more make-up to her face. Normally, she didn’t bother too much about her appearance when she was working, but she felt like making more of an effort. She finished applying a soft gloss to her lips then studied her reflection.
There was a definite glow about her which she had never seen before. It was as though talking about the past had lifted a weight off her shoulders and she felt happier than she’d done in ages. She had a future to look forward to now, although the big question was what role Harry would play in it. Would he remain as a friend or would be become more than that? It all depended on what she and Harry wanted.
Grace popped the top back onto the tube of lip gloss. In her heart she knew she wanted Harry to be more than a friend. The problem was that she had no idea how he felt.
There was no sign of Grace when Harry went through to Reception. He sat down on a chair while he waited for her, thinking back over what she had told him about her father. For all these years he’d assumed that she had disliked him as a person, but now he could see that it hadn’t been him but what he had represented. He could understand why she had been so wary of him but he wasn’t like her father at all. He would never make a commitment and break it. He would never break a woman’s heart. If Grace entrusted him with her heart, he would love and cherish her until his dying day.
The force of his feelings stunned him. He’d gone from arguing with Grace to falling in love with her in the blink of an eye. And yet was that really true? Hadn’t he had years to develop these feelings for her?
It was as though a light had been switched on and he could see the situation clearly. For the past ten years he had thought about her, wondered about her reaction to him, felt more than a little aggrieved that she was the one woman he could never seem to charm. If he hadn’t cared about her then he would have dismissed her as nothing more than a nuisance, but he had never been able to write Grace off. His feelings for her had developed so gradually that he hadn’t realised what had been happening, but there was no doubt in his mind about how he felt. He loved her and all he had to do now was win her round to his way of thinking.
‘Sorry. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.’
Harry shot to his feet when Grace suddenly appeared. He could feel his heart thundering as he dredge up a smile. ‘I was glad of a breather.’
‘If you’re expecting any sympathy, you’ll have a long wait. It’s your own fault for interfering.’
‘You’re a hard woman,’ he declared, deeming it wiser not to pour out his heart at that moment. It had been a shock for him to realise how he felt and there was no way of guessing how Grace would react if he declared his love. It might be better if he worked on improving her opinion of him. He opened the door and bowed. ‘Your carriage awaits, my lady.’
She rolled her eyes as she swept past him. ‘We’re only going to the Dog and Duck so we can walk.’
Harry grimaced as he followed her out of the door. Not quite the response he’d hoped for. He waited while she locked the door then offered her his arm. ‘The path might be a bit slippery so you’d better hang onto me.’
Grace shot an assessing look at the path. ‘Janet has gritted it so there shouldn’t be a problem.’
Harry sighed as she set off down the drive. He wasn’t used to women who spurned his advances. Normally they were only too happy to let him minister to them, but Grace was different. She was too independent, too used to dealing with situations her own way. He smiled to himself because that was one of the reasons h
e loved her, of course.
The Dog and Duck was packed when they arrived but the landlord found them a table in the snug. Harry ordered a glass of orange juice for himself and Grace asked for the same. ‘What do you fancy?’ he asked, glancing up from the menu.
‘I think I’ll have the steak pie.’
‘Me, too. Do I have to go to the bar and order the food there?’ he asked, when he realised that a couple of people standing by the bar were holding menus.
‘Yes. It shouldn’t take long. They’re very efficient, even though it’s always so busy in here.’
Harry joined the queue. He placed their order and paid before going back to the table. Grace was talking to a middle-aged woman seated at a table nearby. She looked up and smiled when Harry came back. ‘This is Sally Arnold—Ben’s wife from Hilltop Farm.’
‘Pleased to meet you, Mrs Arnold.’ He shook hands then sat down as Sally smiled warmly at him.
‘I was just thanking Dr Kennedy for everything she did yesterday. It goes without saying that I’m equally grateful to you. Ian and Jill have told me how wonderful you both were. If it hadn’t been for you two, I could have lost most of my family yesterday.’
‘How are they?’ Harry asked, as the woman paused to wipe away a tear.
‘Not too bad, all things considered. Jill’s coming home this afternoon but Ian and Ben will have to stay in for a bit longer.’ She bit her lip. ‘The doctors are worried about Ian’s leg, and Ben’s foot is a real mess.’
‘But they will recover from their injuries,’ Grace said quietly.
‘Yes. And it’s all thanks to you two.’ Sally’s voice caught. ‘The consultant made no bones about the fact that it could have been a lot worse if you hadn’t gone up to the farm when you did. I’m truly grateful to you both.’
‘All in a day’s work,’ Harry said lightly. ‘Mind you, if anyone deserves praise, it’s young Steven. He was the real hero of the hour.’
‘So I believe.’
Sally beamed with delight and he saw Grace give him an approving smile for successfully distracting her. After Sally had left, Grace leant across the table and squeezed his hand.
‘Thanks for that. Sally dotes on her family and it’s been a real ordeal for her. Saying that about Steven really cheered her up.’
‘It was only the truth.’ He turned his hand over and captured hers, feeling his heart fit in an extra beat when she didn’t pull away. Maybe it didn’t need charm to win her over after all. Maybe all it needed was honesty and a willingness to open up.
He smiled at her, making no attempt to hold back the emotions he could feel bubbling inside him. If she realised that he loved her, so what? He had nothing to lose because the only thing that mattered to him now was her.
‘It’s easier to be honest, isn’t it, Grace? That way there are fewer misunderstandings. I know I was guilty of hiding my feelings in the past, but I’ve changed in the last few days and it’s all down to you.’
‘Me?’
‘Yes.’ He gripped her hand, hoping his courage wouldn’t desert him. He had to tell her how he felt soon or he would burst. ‘Grace, I—’
‘Two steak pie and chips.’
Harry jerked his hand back when the landlord arrived with their order. By the time they had sorted out cutlery and condiments, the moment had passed. He stole a glance at Grace but her expression gave away very little about her feelings. Was she relieved that they’d been interrupted, perhaps?
He sighed as he recognised that he needed to think before he acted again. Grace needed time to get used to the idea that he wasn’t like her father, and it would be a mistake to rush her. Of course, the real problem was that everything was out of sequence. They’d made love last night before he’d understood he was in love with her. They needed to start at the beginning again and take things slowly. It would be at least two weeks before Miles was fit enough to return to work, and he would use them to full advantage to court her.
He smiled to himself as he made a start on his lunch. The thought of winning Grace’s heart was the only incentive he needed to be patient.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
SEVERAL times during the following weeks Grace felt she should pinch herself to prove that she wasn’t dreaming. Her relationship with Harry seemed to be going from strength to strength. He was the perfect partner at work—efficient, thorough, amiable with the staff and courteous towards the patients. However, it was outside work that the biggest changes occurred.
Although there was no repeat of the night they had slept together, they spent a lot of time enjoying each other’s company, and she was amazed to discover how much they had in common. By the start of the third week of his sojourn at the surgery, she knew that she was in love with him, although she still wasn’t sure how he felt about her. Did Harry see her simply as a friend, or did she mean more to him than that?
The uncertainty nagged away at her day and night, making it difficult to concentrate. She found herself drifting off into a world of her own at odd moments during the day, and it was worrying to know that she was so easily distracted. She decided she needed to reduce the amount of time she spent with him so when he asked her out to dinner on Monday night, she refused.
‘Thanks, but I need a night in to catch up on some of the jobs that have accumulated.’
‘Are you sure I can’t persuade you?’ He grinned at her, his eyes full of a teasing warmth that made her insides melt. ‘I was going to suggest that we try that new restaurant in Dalverston, The Blossoms. I believe the food is excellent.’
‘It’s very kind of you, Harry, but I don’t think I can manage it tonight.’ Grace summoned a smile, hoping he couldn’t tell how hard it was to refuse. ‘Why don’t you see if Miles and Penny fancy a night out? They might enjoy a change of scene after being stuck at home for the past couple of weeks.’
‘Good idea. I’ll give Penny a call now and see how they’re fixed,’ he agreed, heading for the door. He paused and glanced back. ‘If you change your mind, though, just let me know.’
‘I won’t,’ Grace said firmly, before temptation overruled common sense.
She sighed as he disappeared into his own room. She knew that she would spend the night thinking about what she was missing so why didn’t she admit defeat and go with him? Miles would be returning to work next week, which meant that Harry would no longer be needed. Once he went back to London, she might not see him again for ages, so what was the point of denying herself the pleasure of his company? This might be the last opportunity they had to spend any time together.
The thought was so depressing that it was hard to put it out of her mind. It was another busy day and her morning list was full. Mr and Mrs Clarke had brought Bethany in to discuss her treatment. The tests had confirmed that the child had acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and her parents, naturally, were extremely worried. Grace sat them down, knowing it was her job to reassure them.
‘I’m glad you’ve come in today. I’ve had a copy of Bethany’s notes from the hospital and I see that she is due to start her treatment this week. It must be a tough time for you.’
‘It is.’ Brian Clarke could barely hide his distress. ‘The thought of her having to go through all that at her age…’ His eyes filled with tears as he looked at his daughter sitting on her mother’s knee.
‘It’s a lot for any child to cope with, but it’s the best chance Bethany has of beating this horrible illness,’ Grace said quietly, her heart going out to the poor man.
‘So you do think that she’ll beat it, Dr Kennedy?’ Sandra Clarke put in quickly. ‘I know the consultant said that the odds were very good, but we weren’t sure if he was just saying that.’
‘He wasn’t,’ Grace said firmly. ‘The survival rates for children with this type of leukaemia are excellent nowadays. New drugs mean that more and more children are going into remission.’
‘So Bethany really does have a good chance of beating this?’ Brian asked hopefully.
‘Yes, she does.’ G
race glanced at the letter that had arrived from the hospital. ‘There’s no sign of blast cells in Beth’s cerebrospinal fluid, which is a good sign. She will be given anticancer drugs to destroy the leukaemic cells then transfusions of blood and platelets. She will also need antibiotics because the treatment will destroy her immune system, leaving her highly susceptible to infection.’
‘They mentioned something about a bone-marrow transplant,’ Sandra said, as Bethany climbed down from her knee and went to play with the toys. ‘Brian and I have offered to be tested, but what happens if we’re not suitable?’
‘There is a worldwide register of people who are willing to donate bone marrow so if it turns out that neither of you is suitable, Bethany’s details will be checked against that.’
‘Really? So if there’s someone with the right bone marrow—in Australia, for instance—they would be able to donate?’ Brian exclaimed.
‘That’s right. More and more people are adding their names to the list. You will be asked if you want to go on it after you’re tested.’
‘Oh, there’s no question about that, is there, Sandra? Even if we can’t help our Beth, it would be good to know that we could possibly help someone else’s child.’
‘That would be wonderful.’ Grace smiled, thinking how generous it was of him to think about other parents at such a difficult time. ‘A bone-marrow transplant used to be suggested only if the patient had relapsed, but these days it’s offered during the first period of remission. I expect that’s what Bethany’s consultant will do.’
‘Yes, he explained that was what would happen.’ Brian glanced at his wife. ‘Is there anything else we wanted to know? I can’t seem to remember what I’m supposed to be doing at the moment.’
‘It’s only to be expected,’ Grace assured him, when Sandra shook her head. She stood up and shook hands. ‘If there’s anything at all that you’re worried about, don’t hesitate to phone the surgery.’
‘Thank you. We really appreciate that,’ Sandra said, picking her daughter up and giving her a cuddle. ‘Will you thank the other doctor for us, too? If it wasn’t for him, our Beth might not have been diagnosed so quickly.’
The Woman He's Been Waiting For Page 13