A Very Special Marriage

by Jennifer Taylor

  ‘What’s wrong, Gloria? Are you in pain?’

  ‘Yes…Oh, it really hurts!’

  Sophie got up and hurried around the table. ‘Where is the pain? Just in the centre of your chest?’

  ‘It started off in my chest but now it’s in my throat and in my jaw as well…’ Gloria broke off and groaned.

  It was obvious the pain was getting worse so Sophie turned to Randolph, who was staring at his wife in horror. ‘I think we need an ambulance, Randolph. Can you ask one of the waiters to phone—?’

  ‘No. No ambulance…Just need my bag.’

  Sophie looked round when Gloria clutched her arm. ‘You have medication with you?’

  ‘A spray the doctor gave me…’

  Sophie didn’t waste any more time as she grabbed Gloria’s bag and emptied its contents onto the table. She quickly found the spray of glyceryl trinitrate, a drug which was frequently prescribed for angina. Removing the top, she turned back to Gloria.

  ‘Open your mouth for me. You’ll soon feel better.’ She quickly sprayed the medication into the woman’s mouth and waited for it to take effect. She smiled when she saw the dawning relief on Gloria’s face. ‘Better now?’

  ‘Oh, yes, much. The pain’s easing off now.’

  ‘I don’t understand what’s going on. Where did you get that, Gloria, and why do you need it?’

  Sophie frowned when she heard the bewilderment in Randolph’s voice. If she wasn’t mistaken, his wife’s illness had come as a complete surprise to him.

  ‘Dr Maguire prescribed it, honey. I’ve been having some pains in my chest and he told me that they were caused by angina,’ Gloria explained rather sheepishly. ‘He said that if I had an attack then the spray would help, and it has.’

  ‘Angina!’ Randolph ran a trembling hand over his face. ‘I just don’t understand why you never told me.’

  ‘Because I didn’t want to worry you.’ Gloria patted his hand and Sophie felt a lump come to her throat when she saw the loving look the older woman gave her husband.

  ‘I knew how much you were looking forward to this trip, honey. I also knew that if you found out I’d been feeling ill, you’d have cancelled it.’ Gloria sighed. ‘I decided not to tell you until we got back home. Dr Maguire assured me I’d be fine if I took the tablets he prescribed for me, and made sure I had the spray with me, and he was right. I feel a whole lot better now!’

  Randolph shook his head. ‘I still can’t believe you kept it a secret from me.’ He turned to Sophie and she could see the fear in his eyes. ‘Is it correct what Gloria says? Will she be all right?’

  ‘If your doctor says so then I’m sure it must be true,’ she said carefully, because it would be wrong to give an opinion she wasn’t qualified to make. ‘A lot of people live with angina for many years and they learn how to deal with it. I imagine the heat was what triggered Gloria’s attack today.’

  ‘The heat?’ Randolph repeated dubiously.

  ‘Yes. Extremes of temperature are well known for triggering angina attacks,’ she explained patiently. ‘The pain is caused by insufficient oxygen getting to the heart muscle, usually because the arteries have narrowed. Changes in temperature and excessive exercise can both bring on attacks.’

  ‘But will it get worse and will Gloria have more of these attacks?’ Randolph demanded.

  ‘I’m really not qualified to say.’ Sophie smiled reassuringly. ‘The fact that the medication was so effective today is a good sign, but I’d advise you to have a word with Dr Kennedy when you get back to the ship. He’ll be able to tell you more about your wife’s condition and what you can expect to happen.’

  ‘I’ll do that.’ Randolph held up his hand when Gloria started to tell him it wasn’t necessary. ‘Maybe it isn’t but I’d like to hear that for myself. You are far too precious to me to take any chances with your health.’

  ‘Oh, Randolph, honey, I’m so sorry!’

  Sophie excused herself and went to the rest room to give the couple a few minutes on their own. She washed her hands at the tiny basin, sighing when she caught sight of herself in the mirror on the wall. Once upon a time she’d envisaged herself and Liam being like the other couple—growing old together and coping with whatever problems occurred—only it hadn’t worked out that way.

  Now Liam would spend his life with another woman, and as for her…well, she wasn’t sure what would happen to her. She definitely couldn’t imagine herself getting married again. If it hadn’t worked out with Liam then what chance was there of her finding happiness with someone else? She certainly couldn’t love anyone as much as she loved Liam.

  Her heart jolted when it struck her that she’d used the present tense and not the past. A small mental hiccup, perhaps, or something more revealing?

  The answer should have been obvious but for some reason she found herself wavering. She couldn’t put her hand on her heart and swear that what she felt for Liam was all in the past.

  CHAPTER NINE

  LIAM was on his way to his cabin when he spotted Sophie getting out of a taxi. Randolph and Gloria Walters were with her and he frowned when he saw her helping Gloria up the gangplank. It was obvious that something was wrong so he hurried to meet them.

  ‘What’s happened?’ he asked, trying to control the surge his heart gave when he saw what Sophie was wearing.

  She’d changed out of her uniform for the trip ashore into a short-sleeved lemon shirt and a cotton skirt in shades of citrus and lime. She’d had the good sense to wear a hat—a creamy woven straw with a wide brim that shaded her face and a jaunty yellow ribbon around the crown. She looked so young and lovely that it was an effort not to stare. However, Liam was very much aware that she wouldn’t appreciate his interest after what she’d said that morning.

  ‘Gloria wasn’t feeling well so we decided it would be best if she came back to the ship,’ she explained.

  ‘I see.’

  He could tell there was more to the tale but decided it would be best to get Gloria to her cabin before he asked any more questions. He took over from Sophie, slipping a supporting arm around the elderly woman’s waist as they made their way to the Walterses’ cabin.

  ‘Let’s get you on the bed, Mrs Walters.’ He helped her to the bunk then moved aside while Sophie packed pillows behind her back. Randolph had sunk down onto a chair and Liam could tell how shaken the old man appeared to be.

  ‘Would you mind ringing the steward and ask him to bring a pot of tea?’ he quietly instructed Sophie.

  ‘Of course.’

  She went to the phone while Liam drew up a chair beside the bunk. He smiled at Gloria. ‘So what’s been going on? Was it the heat that made you feel ill?’

  ‘I have angina,’ Gloria admitted. ‘Sophie said it was probably the heat which triggered the attack today, though.’

  ‘It could have done, especially if you’ve been doing a lot of walking around.’ Liam checked her pulse. ‘That seems fine at the moment but I’d like to check you over just to be on the safe side. What medication are you taking? I assume you do have some with you?’

  ‘Yes. I have tablets which my doctor prescribed.’ Gloria reached for the vanity case on her bedside table and handed him a blister-pack of pills.

  ‘Glyceryl trinitrate,’ he said, reading the label. ‘That’s fine. It’s one of the oldest drugs still in use and highly effective in many cases of angina. Do you have a spray as well?’

  ‘Yes. I carry it with me all the time.’

  ‘Good.’ He handed the packet back to Gloria then looked round when Sophie appeared at his side.

  ‘There’s a tray of tea on its way.’ She glanced towards the door, silently indicating that she would like a word with him in private.

  ‘Excellent. I’ll just fetch my bag while we’re waiting for it to arrive.’

  Liam got up and followed her to the door. ‘I won’t be long,’ he assured the elderly couple before he left the cabin. Sophie was waiting in the corridor for him and he turned to her as
soon as he’d shut the door.

  ‘So what’s been going on?’

  ‘It turns out that Gloria hadn’t told Randolph that she has angina. She only told him today because she had an attack while they were sightseeing in M’dina.’ She sounded worried. ‘I’m not sure if she’s making light of how bad it really is to stop him worrying.’

  ‘Tricky situation. Obviously we have to respect her wishes but we need to have a proper idea what we might be dealing with.’

  ‘Exactly!’ She smiled in relief and he realised just how concerned she’d been.

  ‘Gloria will be fine,’ he assured her, thinking how typical it was of her to worry like that. Sophie had always invested far more of herself than could be expected in her work. She really cared about people and wanted what was best for them. It was yet another thing he’d always loved about her.

  ‘I’ll give her a thorough examination so I can get a better idea about the situation.’ He briskly rid himself of that thought because it wouldn’t help to keep listing all Sophie’s good points. ‘Maybe she’ll tell me more if Randolph isn’t there. Is there any way you could get him out of the way for a while?’

  ‘I could try, but I’m not sure it will work.’ She shrugged when he looked at her quizzically. ‘He’s extremely upset because Gloria didn’t tell him about her illness. I doubt he’ll be prepared to leave her on her own, to be honest.’

  ‘Then let’s hope she decides to come clean and tell us both the truth. It would be a lot easier at the end of the day. Trying to protect someone’s feelings might be fine in principle but it can lead to a lot of problems.’

  He could tell immediately that she’d guessed he’d been thinking about the problems they’d encountered. He turned away because there was no point going over it all again. ‘I’ll fetch my bag and we’ll go from there.’

  He went to the surgery and collected his bag. By the time he got back to the Walterses’ cabin the tea had arrived. He smiled when he saw everyone decorously sipping the reviving liquid.

  ‘There’s nothing like a cup of tea to steady your nerves.’

  ‘A shot of bourbon would be even better,’ Randolph returned.

  ‘Now, honey, you know very well that you aren’t allowed to drink alcohol because of your blood pressure,’ Gloria scolded.

  ‘That’s as may be but at least you know what’s wrong with me whereas I had no idea that you’d been ill.’

  ‘There’s no point getting upset about what’s happened,’ Liam cut in quickly when he saw how agitated Randolph looked. ‘Our main concern at the moment is to make sure that Gloria will be fine for the remainder of the trip.’

  ‘I think we should forget about the holiday and go straight back home.’ Randolph’s tone was firm now. ‘I don’t intend to take any chances on this happening again.’

  ‘Just because your wife suffered an attack today, it doesn’t mean she will have another one,’ Liam assured him. ‘Obviously, I need to give her a thorough examination, and it would help if I could have a word with her doctor, but so long as Gloria keeps taking her medication then she should be fine.’

  ‘Please, don’t say that we have to go home, honey,’ Gloria pleaded. ‘You know how much we’ve been looking forward to this trip.’

  ‘Well, we’ll see,’ Randolph conceded when he saw her disappointment. ‘If Dr Kennedy thinks you’re fit enough to continue, I’ll be guided by him. But you’re to take things easy from now on, d’you hear me?’

  ‘Oh, yes. Anything you say, Randolph.’

  Liam breathed a sigh of relief that a compromise had been reached. He checked Gloria’s blood pressure, pulse and respiratory rates and also took down the name and telephone number of her doctor back home in Georgia so he could contact him.

  ‘Everything appears to be fine at the moment, although I suggest that Gloria rests for the remainder of the day.’ He rolled up his stethoscope and popped it in his case. ‘I honestly can’t see any reason why you should cut short your holiday but you can make up your mind what you intend to do after I’ve spoken to your doctor. We’re due at Naples in the morning so if you do decide to leave the ship then the hospitality team will be able to arrange flights home for you.’

  ‘Thank you, Dr Kennedy.’ Randolph stood up and shook hands. ‘I appreciate your advice.’ He turned to Sophie and smiled warmly. ‘And thank you, my dear. I don’t know what I’d have done if you hadn’t been there when Gloria had that attack.’

  ‘I’m pleased I was able to help.’ She laughed. ‘I told you that you’d feel better after you’d spoken to Dr Kennedy, didn’t I?’

  Liam’s heart swelled. He couldn’t help being touched by her confidence in him. He bid the Walterses goodbye and left their cabin. Sophie followed him out and he heard her sigh as they made their way towards the hospital bay.

  ‘Eventful day?’ he asked, smiling at her.

  ‘You could say that.’ She returned his smile and he felt his heart lift when he saw the laughter in her beautiful blue eyes. ‘Although I didn’t get much time for sight seeing. I never even made it to the cathedral because I was too concerned about getting Gloria back to the ship.’

  ‘So you’re suffering from an underdose of culture today, are you?’ he teased, referring back to their earlier conversation.

  ‘You could say that!’ She chuckled. ‘You’ll never let me live that down, will you?’

  ‘Nope. It’s good to score the odd point.’

  ‘Horrible man!’ she retorted, pulling a face at him.

  ‘I’m not being horrible.’ He laughed as they walked down the steps together. ‘I’m just trying to keep your feet on the ground by pointing out that you do have the odd flaw in your character.’

  ‘Thanks very much.’ She elbowed the swing doors open. ‘If you’re not careful, I’ll start looking for flaws in your character, too.’

  ‘I’ve never claimed to be perfect,’ he replied loftily, earning himself a speaking look.

  ‘Mmm, I don’t think I’ll answer that. It might be safer to let it pass.’ She waited while he unlocked the surgery door. ‘Anyway, back to Gloria. Are you going to get in touch with her doctor and see what he says?’

  ‘Yes. I’d like a word with him even though I honestly don’t believe there’s any reason to panic about what happened today.’

  Liam put his case on the desk and turned to her. She was standing in the doorway and he felt heat pool in the pit of his stomach when he saw how the light shining along the corridor had turned her skirt semi-transparent. He could see her shapely thighs outlined beneath the fine cotton material and had to look away when his body immediately reacted to the sight.

  ‘So long as she doesn’t try doing too much, she should be fine,’ he said thickly.

  ‘That’s what I told Randolph. Obviously it was a shock for him to discover that Gloria has angina, but I’m hoping he won’t decide to cut short their holiday. It would be such a shame, wouldn’t it?’

  ‘It would.’

  Liam decided it was time he put an end to the torture. The temptation to look at Sophie again was unbearable but he refused to put himself under that kind of stress. There was no point wishing he could take her in his arms and make love to her because he didn’t have the right to do that.

  His breath caught when he realised in which direction his thoughts had led him. Making love to Sophie wasn’t an option for any number of reasons, the main one being that he was supposed to be marrying Julia in a few months’ time. It was just proving incredibly difficult to keep sight of that fact.

  He checked his watch, deeming it safer to focus on work because once he started thinking about his private life, everything fell apart. ‘I’d better get myself to the purser’s office and phone Dr Maguire. It’s just before eight a.m. in Georgia and I might be able to catch him before he sees any patients.’

  ‘Good idea. Let me know what he says, Liam, won’t you?’ She groaned as she used her hat to fan herself. ‘I am absolutely boiling! What I need is a nice cool d
ip in the pool so that’s where I’ll be if you want me.’

  ‘Fine.’ Liam held his smile until she’d left but he knew there was no way he was going to seek her out. The thought of Sophie in a swimsuit was more temptation than any red-blooded male could be expected to withstand!

  He locked the surgery and went to the purser’s office to phone the Walterses’ doctor. The man couldn’t have been more helpful when Liam explained who he was and what had happened. He thanked Dr Maguire and hung up, wondering if he should have a word with the elderly couple and tell them that Dr Maguire had given them his blessing to continue their holiday. In the end, however, he decided to wait until the morning because he didn’t want it to appear as though he was pushing them into making a decision. There was still almost an hour left before he needed to get ready for dinner so he went to the LiteBite Café and ordered himself a large glass of chilled fruit juice.

  He sat down at a table by the window to drink it, hoping it would help to clear his mind if he sat quietly for a while. Although he was no longer surprised by his response to Sophie, it did worry him. He’d taken this job, confident that he’d be able to get on with his life once he’d sorted out their past mistakes, but it wasn’t working out that way. The more time he spent with Sophie, the harder it was to imagine a future without her.

  Liam sighed as he put the glass on the table. He could beat about the bush for ever but there was really only one course open to him in the circumstances: he would have to tell Julia that he couldn’t marry her. Although he hated the thought of letting her down, he knew it was the right thing to do. He couldn’t go ahead with the wedding when Sophie still had this much of a hold over him.

  His hand shook just a little as he picked up the glass because there was no way he could avoid the truth. Although their marriage might be over, the ties that bound him to Sophie were impossible to break.

  The weather started to change almost as soon as they left Malta. Huge black clouds began to gather along the horizon and a strong wind sprang up. The sea became increasingly rough so that several times Sophie had to grab hold of the furniture while she was getting ready for dinner. She wasn’t surprised when Charlie Henshaw knocked on her cabin door and warned her they were expecting a storm to break later that evening.