The Army Doctor's Wedding

by Helen Scott Taylor

  "I expect it feels like two hours to my poor husband. He loves the children dearly, and he's very good with them, but he's probably ready for a break."

  Alice turned towards Henford, the local village, and threaded her way along the narrower roads back towards Radley and Olivia's house.

  Ten minutes later she swung the car between the stone gateposts and crunched up the drive. An expensive new silver sports car was parked outside the front door. Alice pulled up beside it. "Looks like you have visitors."

  Olivia frowned as she climbed out. "I don't recognize the car. Maybe it's somebody Radley knows from work."

  Alice locked the car and handed the keys to Olivia. "Thank you so much for spending time helping me practice. I really appreciate it." For the last six weeks she'd taken two lessons a week with a driving school, and spent as much time as possible practicing in Olivia's car.

  "You're welcome. You're family and the Knights are all about helping family."

  Alice had grown to understand that sentiment in the three months she'd been married to Cameron. It was so different from her childhood experience of family. It took a little getting used to, but she liked knowing that whatever happened she was not alone. Even with Cameron thousands of miles away, she had relatives to call on when she needed help.

  She followed Olivia inside, her thoughts turning to Sami. She couldn't wait to see her baby boy again. Radley's deep laugh sounded from the sitting room, making Alice smile. So much about Radley reminded her of Cameron. It was a bittersweet thing being around Cameron's older brother.

  Then another male voice joined in the laughter. Alice stumbled to a halt.

  Her father? He couldn't be here.

  She strained her ears to hear the men's voices. Any doubt disappeared as she identified her father's authoritarian tone.

  How had he known to find her here? The adoption agency must have told him. That meant he knew about Sami. Her heart lurched, nausea clenching her stomach.

  Olivia had already reached the sitting room door. She pushed it open. "Hello, we're back."

  "Good timing," Radley said. "Alice's parents have just arrived."

  Alice smoothed her hands down the front of her dress, summoning her composure. She would not crawl in there all meek and submissive. Her father had no control over her now. She was twenty-six and a married woman. No way would she let him use Sami to control her.

  Head high, Alice strode into the room and halted beside Olivia. "Hello, Dad, Mum, how are you?"

  Her mother was stunning in a peach silk dress and matching shoes, her makeup perfect, her blonde hair in a neat chignon.

  "Alice, darling." She stepped forward and they kissed each other's cheeks.

  Alice's father stood beside Radley, his expression carefully blank. Only someone who knew him well would notice the tell-tale tightness around his mouth. He was furious with her.

  "It would have been nice to know you were back in the country," he said.

  She hadn't told him she'd left. He must have been keeping tabs on her. Being a High Court judge, he had all sorts of contacts.

  "I'm back safely, thank you." She was going to be civil if it killed her.

  "We came to meet your husband, but I understand he's out of the country."

  "Yes. He's in the army." She stared at her father's forehead. She had learned not to look in his eyes.

  "We also want to see this baby you hope to adopt. It seems only fair we should be involved if we're to become its grandparents." A hint of disapproval crept into his tone and a chill went through Alice. This was why he'd come. As far as her father was concerned, the people in his life existed only to serve him or make him look good. Sami had to pass inspection before he qualified.

  "Sami's slept most of the time you were out," Radley said. "He might be awake now."

  Radley seemed to accept her father at face value, but Olivia was pale and wide-eyed as if she'd seen a ghost. Maybe she'd met Judge Conway in court. He had the reputation for being unpleasant to female legal counsel.

  "I'll bring Sami down." Alice might not want to show him to her father, but she was eager for her mother to meet her baby boy.

  She left the room, ran up the stairs, and entered the bedroom she and Cameron had shared when they stayed here. Closing the door, she leaned back against it for a few seconds to catch her breath, her heart thumping. She went to Sami's bassinet to find him lying quietly, his intelligent brown eyes tracking a mobile hung from the ceiling. "Hey, baby boy. Were you good for Uncle Radley?"

  At the sound of her voice, Sami gurgled and kicked his legs. He'd started to do mini pushups when she laid him on his front on his play mat and he reached for toys now. She lifted him and deposited him on the mat, taking her time changing his diaper.

  When he had a clean bottom and there was no other reason to postpone, she gathered him in her arms and walked downstairs, pausing outside the sitting room to listen to her father regaling Radley with stories of when he rowed for Oxford University and won the famous boat race on the River Thames.

  He sounded normal when he was with other men. Why did he have to behave like a controlling jerk with his family?

  With a sigh, Alice slipped quietly through the door. Her mother rose immediately and came to her. "Oh, he's sweet. What happened to his lip, darling?"

  "He had a cleft lip, but it was repaired by a friend of Radley's about six weeks ago. The scar should fade to almost nothing eventually."

  "Poor little poppet."

  "Considering his uncertain start in life, he's a very laid-back baby." Olivia joined them with Emma in her arms. "I wish my daughter would take a page out of Sami's book."

  "Would you like to hold him?" Alice asked her mother.

  With a rare impulsive smile, Alice's mother stretched out her hands to accept the baby and cuddled him against the peach silk of her dress. Guilt whispered through Alice. She'd known her mother would love Sami. She should have taken him to see her sooner. But it was a fact of life that her mother could not keep anything from her father. The moment she'd known about Sami, Alistair Conway would also have known.

  That was academic now, of course. He knew anyway. She sensed rather than saw her father approach. Her skin prickled, the tiny hairs on her neck raised in warning.

  "He's black." Her father's words fell into the room with a thud of disapproval.

  "I know." Alice glanced over her shoulder at the mask of anger on her father's face.

  "This is ridiculous. I won't allow you to adopt a black baby."

  Alice's protective maternal instinct roused. She gently retrieved her baby from her mother's arms and held him close, cupping his dear little head against her shoulder.

  "Cameron and I don't need your permission. For your information, his parents are thrilled with Sami."

  Her father gave a dismissive grunt. "Your husband isn't even here to speak for himself. No judge will allow an absent parent to adopt. And how do we know you're really married to this man?" He gestured at her bare hand.

  "That's enough. I think it's time you left." Radley stepped in front of her father, shielding her and Sami from his view. Alice had wondered how a gentle man like Radley had made colonel so young. Now she got a glimpse of a different side of him as he stood his ground beneath her father's steely gaze.

  Alice's mother froze, her obvious distress tearing at Alice's heart. Why didn't she just walk out and leave the man? Alice had tried so hard to help her be strong, yet the one time they'd made it to a women's refuge, her mother had lasted one night before she caved and went home.

  Leaning close, Alice kissed her cheek. "I'll call you."

  "I'm sorry." She hurried towards the door and Radley stood aside to let her past.

  "That child is not for you," Alice's father said. "I'll make sure of it." Then the door slammed and Radley cursed.

  The moment they were gone, Alice's bravado collapsed. She sank into the sofa, her muscles trembling.

  Her father did not make idle threats.

&nbs
p; ***

  This was Cameron's favorite time of day. He sat on the hill above the field hospital, staring out across the desert. The sky, an endless expanse of deepest navy speckled with points of light, made him feel he was somewhere magical and out of this world.

  The heat of the day had faded and the temperature was more bearable. These first few weeks of November, a cooler wind had replaced the hot gusts that filled his eyes, nose, and mouth with gritty dust. The torrential bursts of rain had stopped and the humidity had fallen. It was a welcome relief from the muggy, baking conditions that left him soaked with sweat, and made his dust-encrusted clothes stick to his skin.

  He pulled his mobile phone from his pocket, tapped the screen, and checked the signal strength, then called Alice.

  A grin stretched his lips in anticipation of hearing her voice. The last couple of weeks she'd started holding the phone up to Sami's mouth. Sometimes he obliged them and made one of his cute babbling sounds for his dad.

  "Hello, Cam." The slight catch in Alice's voice wiped his smile and replaced it with a frown.

  "Is anything wrong with Sami?"

  "No."

  "What's the matter then, love?"

  Silence.

  He'd learned that she didn't like to bother him with problems. She tried to deal with things herself and pretend all was well.

  "Alice, tell me."

  "You can't do anything about it."

  "I can't if you don't tell me." Of course, if she did tell him he was too far away to help much, but he could always call Radley or his father if the problem was serious. And he sensed this was.

  "My father's found out about Sami. He came to Olivia and Radley's looking for me. He'll try to stop me from adopting Sami."

  Cameron knew Alice had issues with her father, although she'd not confided much of her childhood. She didn't like to talk about it, and he hadn't pressed her. But even if her father was a bastard, Cameron didn't see how the man could influence the adoption process.

  "I'm sure he was just trying to upset you."

  "He did that all right." Her voice cracked as she suppressed tears.

  "Sorry I wasn't there. Don't let him get to you." Cameron longed to hold her and provide moral support. He always missed her and Sami, always wished he was with them, but for the first time he felt frustrated and angry at the distance between them.

  "Remember he's a judge in the family division of the High Court. He knows social workers in the adoption agencies."

  Unease stole through Cameron. Was this man really in a position to influence the adoption process?

  "Don't worry, love. Let me talk with Radley and Dad."

  They moved on to happier topics. Alice told him what Sami had been doing that day.

  "Love you, sweetheart," he said, and reluctantly ended the call.

  In the distance came the familiar drone of a Chinook helicopter bringing in supplies to the nearby airfield under cover of dark.

  Cameron tuned out the noise and stared at the lights of the refugee camp, his gaze losing focus. It sounded as though Radley had met Alice's father, and he was a pretty good judge of character. He called his brother to get an account of what had taken place.

  "Olivia recognized him," Radley said. "She's never encountered him in court, thank goodness. He's got a grim reputation among the female lawyers. Sounds like he's a misogynist. I thought he seemed okay at first, but as soon as Alice turned up he started giving her a hard time. I didn't like him much."

  "Did he really threaten to interfere in us adopting Sami?"

  "I'm afraid so."

  Cameron had hoped Alice was overreacting. "Perhaps I should resign from the army now and come home. Looks like I might end up having to do that anyway to satisfy the adoption requirements." He didn't like leaving Alice at home, worrying, facing all the anxiety and uncertainty alone.

  "Call Dad first," Radley said. "Don't make any life-altering decisions until you've checked with him."

  "Okay. Thanks, Rad."

  Cameron tapped his phone on his knee, turning over what his brother had said. They had a problem with Alice's father by the sound of it. One more thing to overcome.

  His phone vibrated against his knee and he glanced at the screen to see it was his father.

  "Hello, Dad."

  "Radley called me. Don't resign. I have a posting in the pipeline for you."

  Cameron's dismal mood lightened at the enthusiasm in his father's voice. "I need some good news."

  "This is a pet project of mine, something I've been pushing for. It's based in the UK and you'd be the perfect person to head it up. It would mean a promotion to lieutenant colonel if the idea works out."

  A shiver of excitement passed through Cameron. He'd thought he'd be stuck at major for the rest of his career as he was considered a bit of a maverick. "Tell me more."

  Chapter Twelve

  The black limousine slid through the rush hour traffic, the engine purring. Alice had never ridden in a limo before. She leaned back in the plush leather seat, enjoying the ride.

  She had passed her driving test in time to pick Cameron up from the airport, but then everything changed. Three weeks before Christmas he was flying home early to take up a new post.

  Cameron's father sat in the back with her, his attention absorbed by the documents on his lap. Every now and then he made a notation in the margin.

  He had come straight from work in London and still wore his uniform, his hat laid on the seat between them. Alice felt underdressed in jeans, but she'd paired them with a pretty pink lacy cardigan. She had taken extra care with her makeup and straightened her hair so it hung down her back, sleek and shiny. Sami liked tangling his sticky fingers in her hair, so these days it was normally tied back.

  Major General Knight put down his papers and glanced up. "Sorry to ignore you. I wanted to get this finished tonight."

  She had grown used to him over the past weeks. He and Sandra sometimes babysat Sami. Cameron's father seemed less intimidating when he wasn't in uniform, but she still hadn't summoned the courage to call him George. She couldn't really call him by his military rank either, so she just avoided calling him anything. It was kind of embarrassing.

  His phone chimed. Picking it up, he checked the screen. "Cameron's flight has landed on time."

  Her excitement at seeing Cameron overcame her nerves. She bounced forward on the seat, staring out the window as they slowed to pass through the gates at RAF Brize Norton.

  The limousine pulled up outside the terminal building. Major General Knight picked up his papers and straightened them. "You go on ahead and meet Cameron. I'll follow in a few minutes." He smiled, his eyes warm like Cameron's. Alice softened at the thought he was giving them time alone. Although he seemed a little scary at times, he was a kind man. She knew that from watching him play with Sami.

  "Thanks." She pushed open the door and jumped out, then dashed through the airport entrance, heading for arrivals, her pulse racing.

  She and Cameron had only been married for a short while, and half that time had been spent apart. Although they had talked nearly every day, it wasn't the same as being together. She couldn't wait to sink into his arms and kiss him again.

  Cameron strode out through arrivals in his desert camouflage uniform, a bag slung over his shoulder. His hair was a little longer than when he left, and he was tanned a golden brown.

  When he saw her, he dropped his bag and opened his arms. "Alice!"

  Heart thumping, she ran towards him. He picked her up, swung her around, and kissed her.

  "It's so good to be home," he whispered, his face buried against her neck. "I missed you so much."

  He smelled of the desert, of dust and heat. Memories rushed back of their days together in the field hospital. Even though her arm had been in a cast and she'd had nothing but the clothes on her back, those weeks were some of the best of her life.

  "I missed you too."

  He set her back on her feet but kept his arms around her, a gri
n on his face. "I wish you'd brought Sami. I can't wait to see him."

  "Your dad said not to. Aren't we looking around your plane?"

  "That's right. My new responsibility." Cameron kissed her again, then picked up his bag and gripped her hand. "Let's go and find my father."

  Major General Knight stood a short distance away, a commanding figure, his hands linked behind his back.

  "Dad!" Cameron embraced his father with obvious affection. The older man returned the hug with equal enthusiasm.

  "You're looking fit and well, son. You certainly thrive in challenging conditions. This new posting should suit you perfectly. Are you looking forward to it?"

  "You bet." Cameron looped his arm around Alice's waist.

  Cameron had mentioned his new job would be based at Brize Norton and involved a plane, but that's all she knew. She'd been so excited at the thought of having him home with her and Sami, she hadn't asked for details.

  They headed back to the limousine and climbed in while the driver stowed Cameron's bag.

  "We need to go through a different gate to access the hangars," Major General Knight said.

  Alice snuggled up to Cameron's side as the limo slid away, wishing they were alone so she could kiss him.

  The car didn't travel far. They left the main terminal and took a private road to a military checkpoint. The tinted car window lowered and Cameron's father flashed his identification. They were quickly allowed through. The limousine followed the service road along the side of the runway towards a group of massive aircraft hangars at the far end of the compound.

  Cameron and his dad chatted about the continuing conflict in Africa. Alice listened with half an ear, staring out the window. Lights gleamed in the gathering dusk through the fine misty rain. The car stopped outside the open door of a brightly lit hangar. A few people in army overalls were busy inside.

  A massive dull green aircraft with a red cross on the side stood under the lights. The back was open, providing a ramp for them to walk up. Alice knew little about medical equipment, but one glance inside told her this was a mobile hospital.