‘I’m going in. There can’t be petrol. I was in there while he was spreading it.’ Frantically she fought him, wild with grief.
Fighting was useless. The only reason she’d broken from him before was because she’d surprised him. This time he was ready.
Niall stood holding her against him in an iron grip, one of his hands holding both of hers behind her back and the other encircling her body.
‘You don’t care,’ she sobbed. ‘You don’t care about anything.’
‘I care about you. And you’ll die in there.’
‘So what?’ she screamed. ‘At least I’ll die trying-and they need me. No one else does. It doesn’t matter about me. Let me go!’
‘Jess, you haven’t even got shoes on.’
‘I don’t care. Let me go.’
He took a deep breath then and steadied. His dark eyes perused her frantic face. ‘Tell me exactly where they are, Jess. The same place as I saw them last night?’
‘Why?’
‘I’m going in.’
Jess stared through frantic tears. ‘You…you can’t.’
‘I can. Tell me, Jess. The same place…?’
‘Y-yes. But…’
‘Stand back, then.’ Niall stooped to find Jessie’s rock again, then raised his arm with it held high.
The world was turning somersaults. He couldn’t. He didn’t care…
‘No!’ She clutched his arm and he paused for a fraction of a second. ‘Niall, you’ll be killed.’ Jessie’s voice broke in fright. It was OK for her. But for Niall…’No!’
‘Better me than you.’
‘But…’
‘Don’t you understand?’ Niall said fiercely. He smashed the rock into the window, sending a shower of glass into the room. ‘It’s me or you. And if you die…It’d be a damned sight better to be dead myself.’
‘But Paige…’
‘She has Hugo-and you. Look after her like you look after your wild animals if anything happens to me, Jess,’ he said roughly as he hauled himself up and over the sill. ‘That’s all I ask. Don’t follow me in. Promise me, Jess. Promise!’
‘I…’ Jess could hardly make her voice work for confusion. She felt dizzy and sick with fear.
He paused for a fraction of a moment.
‘Promise.’ It was a harsh command.
‘I…I promise,’ she made herself whisper.
‘My love…’
Niall leaned to give Jess one last fierce kiss-a kiss that bruised her lips-and then he was gone.
What followed was the worst three minutes of Jessie’s life. She stood by the shattered window, fighting for breath through the smoke, and her world shifted crazily on its axis. Shifted and spun so fast that she was in danger of falling off.
This wasn’t the Niall Mountmarche she’d condemned.
This man…
This man was risking his life for her animals. For two wild creatures.
She heard him coughing desperately as he stumbled through the room and smoke was pouring from the shattered window. It was all Jess could do not to climb in after him.
Crazy…
She had to force herself to stay outside.
She couldn’t go in because of Paige.
One of them had to be safe for Paige. Niall had made her promise and she had.
Please…
Please…
There was the sound of shouting from the other side of the building, frantic through the roar of flames. She opened her mouth to scream a response but no words came out.
How could it?
There were two hands at the window, a closed pouch in each.
Jess seized both pouches and laid them gently on the ground.
Then she took Niall Mountmarche’s grimed and bloodied hands in hers and helped him out of the window.
Somehow they got away from the fire.
They lifted the pouches back onto the lawn and staggered back away from the worst of the smoke.
There were no words said. When the wriggling pouches were laid on the lawn, safe, they turned as one to watch the end of the Barega hospital.
The flames were in possession of the building. Their smashed window was spewing smoke with fiercer and fiercer force-and then crimson flames spurted through the gap and the shattered window disappeared into the fireball that was once the hospital.
Jess could no longer bear to look.
She turned her face into Niall’s chest and wept.
The whole island was in the hospital grounds by the time the building subsided to a massive pile of glowing embers. The local firefighters were joined by every able-bodied man and woman on the island, and a few kids and dogs as well.
Jess and Niall were surrounded by a group of horrified well-wishers.
Well-wishers or not, there was nothing that could be done to save the hospital.
Geraldine’s daughter appeared out of the night and took Jessie’s charges back to her mother’s house.
‘They’ll be better off away from this,’ Lucy said fiercely, ‘and I’ve formula there I took home when I looked after them last time.’
Jess could only be grateful. She had nowhere to take them. She had no home.
She stood in the protective circle of Niall’s arms and she couldn’t stop shaking.
‘T-tell me if they seem stressed,’ she managed and Lucy looked at her dubiously.
‘I know who seems stressed,’ the teenager said. She peered into the pouches. ‘I doubt if these two even knew there was a fire. It’d take a bit for smoke to get through all this wool. Good grief, though, Dr Harvey. You should see your face.’
‘It’s burned,’ Niall agreed. He held Jess close. ‘I’ll get you away from this.’
‘I don’t know where to go…’
‘You’ll come home with me,’ Geraldine said out of the darkness but Niall shook his head.
‘No. I’ll look after her…’
‘Begging your pardon, Dr Mountmarche…Geraldine directed a torch down to Niall’s hands ‘…but you need looking after yourself. How did you cut your hands?’
The broken glass on the window…Jess stared down at the bloody lacerations on Niall’s strong hands and a convulsive tremor shook her.
‘They’re nothing,’ he said harshly.
Someone had brought a blanket and Niall was holding it round Jess, keeping her vaguely decent in her tattered nightdress and holding the night chill at bay. Her feet, though, were still bare on the damp lawn.
Niall swore.
‘Enough of this.’ Regardless of his damaged hands, Niall lifted Jess strongly into his arms. ‘I’m taking the lady home.’
‘But…’ Geraldine was made of stern enough stuff to defy even Niall Mountmarche ‘…who’ll look after your hands, Dr Mountmarche?’
Niall smiled then, an exhausted smile with the strain showing through but a smile for all that.
‘I’ve just the lady in my arms to look after me,’ he said softly and his weary eyes were a caress. There was no fight left in Jessica Harvey and Niall knew it. ‘Will you look after me, my Jess?’
‘I…’
‘After I’ve finished taking care of you, that is,’ Niall added, and kissed her tenderly on her singed hair. ‘And that, my love, is going to take a very long time. I think maybe a lifetime…’
The rest of the night passed in a blur.
Jess sat in the front seat of Niall’s Range Rover and tried to make herself think.
There was no way that her mind would work.
Niall drove with one eye on her and the other on the road. As she shook he swore softly into the night.
‘You shouldn’t have been in that damned place alone. Never again…’ He was talking more to himself than to her but his words sank home and were somehow comforting.
In the terror of the night somehow things had changed.
The tilting world had somehow righted itself again.
What she’d learned of Niall that morning-dear heaven, was it only that morning?-had seem
ed crazy. Out of balance.
And in one mad night the balance had been righted.
She huddled tight within her blanket, trying to keep her teeth from chattering, but deep inside a warmth was settling and spreading with a speed that put a petrol fire to shame.
Niall Mountmarche had risked his life for two little animals.
For her…
This was no man set on finding a convenient mother for his daughter. There were easier ways than trial by fire.
She ventured a glance sideways up at him and found his eyes on her-and the warmth grew.
Her chattering teeth stilled.
‘Niall…I’m sorry…’
Niall lifted his hand and laid it tenderly on hers.
‘Don’t be. We’ll have you warm in bed soon, my love,’ he said gently and the warmth engulfed her totally.
After that…
Hugo was waiting, frantic with anxiety. Sergeant Russell had contacted Niall and asked him to go to the hospital-just in case-and ten minutes later Hugo had seen flames shoot skyward.
He couldn’t leave Paige and Niall’s mobile phone wasn’t working. On investigation Niall found that it was missing-torn off some time…Consumed by flames.
Hugo’s face when Niall finally brought Jess.out of the car said a thousand words.
Niall carried Jess into the big master bedroom and laid her on the bed as if she was made of fragile china. Then he and Hugo cleaned and washed her burns. Her eyes were carefully checked and her throat and her burns coated with antiseptic cream.
‘I’m giving you something to stop the pain and make you sleep,’ Niall told her as Jess drifted in a haze of unreality.
‘I don’t need anything…’
‘Remind me to ask next time I want a vet’s advice on what my patient needs,’ Niall said softly.
He gave her an injection she didn’t feel, pulled soft blankets up to her scorched face and then sat by her side until she drifted into sleep.
CHAPTER TWELVE
HER love was still beside her when she woke.
Jess blinked and blinked again as consciousness flooded back. The sun was streaming through the north-facing windows. Niall was bathed and changed and there were dressings on his hands.
Niall can’t have sat there all night.
He must have gone.
But he’d come back.
That was all that mattered. He’d come back to her.
Jess opened her eyes wide and stretched a hand out to her love.
He didn’t take it.
Instead, Niall gathered all of her to him, lifting her tenderly to cradle her against him.
‘I was beginning to think you’d sleep till tomorrow.’
She smiled, her face cradled against the soft cotton of his shirt. Life was immeasurably good.
‘What time is it?’ Her voice sounded like a frog was down her throat and Niall smiled.
‘That’s a very sexy husk,’ he told her. ‘Smoke inhalation. It’ll fade, more’s the pity. It’s very fetching. It’s twelve noon, my love.’
‘Twelve…’
Jess pushed herself away from Niall and stared. ‘You’re kidding.’
‘Would I kid about anything so important?’
‘I…I have no idea.’
‘Well, it’s time you did.’ Niall’s smile slipped. He sat back and his eyes held hers. ‘Jess, you are my own true love,’ he said softly. ‘My lady in a million. My chance of happiness. If you don’t think you can trust me then I don’t think I can bear it. Yesterday…’
‘Don’t…’
‘It. has to be said,’ he told her. ‘There were some rotten accusations floating round yesterday. One is that I used my daughter to gain this vineyard. Not true. I never wanted this vineyard. I found out about Paige and I brought her home at the same time my family were discovering the terms of my uncle’s will. They put it to me that the vineyard belonged to Paige and I had no right to keep her from her inheritance.
‘I was trying to find some place where Paige and I could get to know each other and this seemed the right place. That’s all, Jess…’
She believed him. She knew now. Her heart was to be trusted and she trusted this man with all her heart…
‘Niall…’
‘I never wanted to come here,’ Niall continued. ‘But now I’m here…And last night…’ He shook his head. ‘This is your place, Jess. I can’t see you caring for your native animals in central London-unless you take pity on a few pigeons or stray cats. And Paige, too…I’m seeing how much this place can give her. She’s grown in health and, since she’s met you, she’s grown in happiness…So…If you could bear to marry a medical writer instead of a medical practitioner then maybe I’ll force myself to change direction…’
Marry…
Jess lay back on her pillows and her eyes filled with tears.
‘I’ll go to London with you, Niall,’ she whispered. ‘I’ll go anywhere…’
‘We’ll talk about this later,’ he said gently, ‘but there are things in my life more important than medicine.’
‘Niall…’
‘Hush.’
She shook her head. There was something really important she had to say. ‘Niall, Quinn and Fern-the island’s regular doctors-have asked if you’ll consider practising here,’ she whispered. ‘In partnership. Fern’s pregnant and there’s a huge tourist complex starting. You…you wouldn’t be very busy…’
He stared. ‘When did they make that offer?’
‘A week or so ago.’
He eyed her suspiciously.
‘So why are you telling me now?’
Jess flushed. It must be the drugs Niall had given her, she thought. She was away on cloud nine.
‘Because…because…’
‘Say it, my Jess…’
‘Because I’m sure I want you to stay,’ she whispered. ‘If you will…Or if you go-take me.’
She was gathered again into the safe haven of his arms.
‘If I will,’ he whispered softly into her mass of charred curls. ‘How can you ask anything so absurd…?’
Jess slept away most of that day-and the next. It was as if her body was recuperating from more than just the shock and the bums, though they were enough to dictate rest.
The following afternoon she finally asked Niall for a mirror-and was appalled.
The explosion of petrol had taken the skin from her forehead and singed all the front of her hair. Her nightgown must have caught fire but luckily she’d fallen forward and the force of her body against the verandah had smothered it.
Her face was puffed and swollen. She looked like she’d been crying for a month.
‘How can you love me when I look like this?’ she whispered.
‘It’s not what you look like but what you feel like that’s stopping me from loving you,’ Niall grinned. ‘If I thought a quick squeeze would result in anything more than a yelp of agony I’d be back in my bed like a shot…’
‘Is this…is this your bed, then?’
‘Our bed,’ he smiled lovingly. ‘As soon as I can get a ring on your finger.’
‘Oh, Niall…’
‘You’ve been incredibly lucky.’ Niall was carefully applying cream to the few areas of blistered skin.
‘Do they know…? Have the police found Barry?’
‘We assume so.’
Jess stared. ‘What…what do you mean?’
‘Barry must have underestimated the power of petrol,’ Niall said grimly. ‘We think he broke into the hospital at the French doors and went through the place splashing petrol. Maybe he thought Ethel was there and we were hiding her. Who knows? Maybe he just thought up a plan and then couldn’t think of a better one when she wasn’t there.
‘We assume he smashed open the laundry door to make an exit and then threw a match on the floor. The petrol did the rest. We found what we think is his body trapped in the ruins of the laundry.’
‘You think…?’
‘It’s burned beyond reco
gnition. I went down this morning to make a dental report,’ Niall grimaced. ‘The dentist flies in from the mainland twice a month so the report has to be sent to Sydney for matching against records. But there’s little doubt.’
‘I…I see.’
‘Are you up to facing visitors?’ he asked her.
‘Niall…Looking like this?’
‘You look beautiful,’ he told her.
‘Says you.’
‘And who are you to argue with your affianced?’ He kissed her carefully on her unburnt chin. ‘Back to the case at hand. Visitors or no visitors?’
‘Who…?’
‘The whole world is clamouring to see you,’ Niall smiled. ‘I think every islander and their dog, cow, pig, hen or whatever has sent their best wishes, by phone or in person. Your cousin and his wife-Quinn and Fern, is it?-have rung on the hour every hour demanding I care for you as if you were more precious than diamonds. And I’m to tell you Fern is flying over in person tomorrow to make sure her orders are carried out.
‘I’m also to inform you that there’s no problem with insurance and the hospital rebuilding started yesterday. Every islander worth his salt is beavering at the site as we speak. Also, Lucy has brought first-hand reports of Wilfred and Wobble’s glowing good health. And…’
He hesitated.
‘And?’
‘And my small daughter is aching to see you. I didn’t let her in until now-because I thought she might want to touch you.’
‘Because…’ Jess sat up in bed, winced at the sudden movement and positively glared at her love. ‘There is nothing I want more than to have Paige touch me.’
‘You’re sure?’
‘I’m sure.’
He smiled and walked across to open the door.
‘Paige…’
Paige had been waiting. She stood on the threshold, her eyes enormous.
‘Wow…’ she whispered. ‘Jess, you look awful.’
‘The swelling will go down soon,’ her father promised her. ‘It’s really our Jess in there.’
‘You…you like my new hairstyle?’ Jess whispered.
The little girl swung herself across on her crutches to touch the frizz that had once been Jessie’s fringe. Her fingers were feather light.
‘Oh, Jess, does it hurt?’
‘Only when I laugh,’ Jess smiled.
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