Everlasting Love

by Carole Mortimer

  The sun was shining brightly in the secluded garden, and Marcus was seated under the shade of a gaily-coloured sun-umbrella, a glass of lemonade on the table beside him. Jasper became aware of her presence first, getting up from his position at Marcus's feet to bound over and give her an ecstatic greeting; she and the Labrador had become good friends in the last few days.

  Marcus turned in her direction as the dog gave excited barks, the dark glasses he wore hiding a lot of his face, and in turn a lot of his thoughts. 'Olivia?' he questioned softly.

  Hot colour flooded her cheeks as she remembered the magic of those firm sensual lips. 'Yes,' she confirmed huskily, patting the dog absently as he stayed at her side.

  'Come and sit down,' he invited.

  She did so, sitting on the edge of her chair opposite him, Jasper nudging at her hand.

  'He wants the biscuit you usually bring him,' Marcus drawled.

  Olivia flushed. 'How did you know…?'

  'He nudged my hand for one when I came out here,' he explained derisively.

  'Oh.' She chewed on her bottom lip, her embarrassment making it hard for her to talk to him.

  Marcus seemed to sense her confusion. 'About last night,' he said suddenly. 'I want to say I'm sorry.'

  'That's all right. I—It was my own fault. I shouldn't have—'

  'You don't understand,' he rasped impatiently. 'I'm not sorry for what happened, I'm sorry I pried into your personal life and broke the mood.'

  She swallowed hard. 'I see.'

  'I doubt it,' his mouth twisted. 'And I'm not in a position to tell you. I may never be,' he added with bitterness.

  Olivia frowned at his vehemence. 'I don't understand.'

  'And I don't want you to.' He stood up jerkily. 'Would you take me up to my room now, I'd like to lie down for a while. I had a—a disturbed night,' he added tauntingly.

  'Of course.' She put his hand in the crook of her arm, giving him soft decisive instructions as they went into the house and up the stairs. 'Do you want me to stay with you?' she asked quietly as he sat back in the chair with his eyes closed, the dark glasses discarded now he was once again in the house.

  'No,' he replied abruptly. 'I'll see you at two o'clock.'

  'Your lunch—'

  'Not today, Olivia,' he bit out tautly.

  She respected his wish to be alone, knowing how genuinely disturbed he was by the thought of going to the hospital. She was disturbed herself, remembering her promise to him last night. So much depended on Marcus's meeting with Jason Fitzgerald this afternoon.

  This unexpected time alone gave her time for thought when she would really rather not have had any time at all! Marcus's apology, especially the nature of it, had come as a surprise. He really had wanted to make love to her, would have done so if his curiosity about her past hadn't got the better of him.

  Did he remember her? Could he possibly have realised she was the gullible little first-year nurse he had known six years ago? He had given no indication that he knew that, and yet she felt an uneasiness. Six years ago he must have known of her infatuation with him; what construction would he put on her actions of last night if he ever realised she was the same girl?

  He sat rigidly at her side as they drove to the hospital later that afternoon, disinclined to talk, his expression stony. Olivia had learnt from Miss Podmore that Marcus had insisted Sally go to college today rather than accompany him, and while she knew the young girl must have put up an argument, she had obeyed her father in this. She could understand his reluctance to have his daughter with him; if the examination proved to be negative then at least Sally wouldn't have to witness her father's desolation until the worst of it was over, and if it was positive then there would be plenty of time for celebration this evening. Whatever the result, it would be better if Sally didn't witness her father's reaction, not when he already felt so vulnerable.

  Simon met them outside the main hospital doors, shaking Marcus warmly by the hand, giving Olivia's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

  Several people greeted Marcus as they made their way to the consulting-room, and Olivia could see his tension rising with each step they took.

  'I want you to wait here,' he instructed Olivia as they stood in the waiting area.

  She glanced at Simon, seeing his frown. 'Oh, but—'

  'I said wait here!' Marcus bit out forcefully, his agitation evident from his clenched fists at his sides.

  She swallowed hard at his vehemence. 'All right,' she choked her agreement.

  'Marcus, I really think—'

  'Do you imagine I want a witness to this?' Marcus ground out savagely, glaring in the other man's direction. 'Stay and keep her company if it makes you feel better,' he rasped. 'Just don't let her in there with me. I don't want her there, don't you understand?'

  'Only too well, Marcus.' Olivia was the one to answer him, turning shakily to walk away. There was only so much of his abuse she could take in her own emotional state. She knew she should never have become his nurse, knew she should never have become involved with the Hamilton family a second time.

  'Olivia,' Simon touched her arm gently a few seconds later as she sat outside in one of the luxurious leather armchairs.

  She turned with a frown. 'Marcus…?'

  'In with Fitzgerald. He told me to come after you,' he added gently.

  'So that you could pick up the pieces he'd ripped me to?' she said bitterly.

  'I think so that you wouldn't leave,' Simon told her softly.

  'Isn't that what he wants me to do?' she asked moodily.

  'You know it isn't,' he chided. 'At the moment Marcus just wants to hit out at everyone. We just happen to be in the firing line.'

  'Yes,' she sighed, some of the tension leaving her. 'I know that really, it's just—well, it doesn't make it any easier to accept his cutting barbs.'

  'Because you're emotionally involved,' Simon . pointed out gently. 'I'm sure Marcus is far from the first rude patient you've had,' he teased.

  'Yes,' she admitted ruefully.

  'Then just bear with him for a while longer, hmm?'

  'You know I will,' she sighed again. 'I shouldn't let him get to me. I just—I love him,' she stated simply. 'That makes everything about this case different.'

  'I understand,' he squeezed her hand. 'But you'll wait here, won't you?'

  She nodded. 'How long do you think they'll be?'

  'I have no idea,' Simon shrugged. 'I'm going to slip back in in a couple of minutes. Want to come with me?'

  Olivia shivered as she envisaged Marcus's anger if she went against his instructions, shaking her head.

  But as the time passed she began to wish she had gone with Simon. It was one thing to be in there and see what was going on, it was something else completely to sit out here, the minutes slowly ticking by. After another hour she was almost going crazy wondering how the tests were going. No one had come back into the waiting-area, and no one had come out of the consulting-room in all that time—and she was going insane wondering what was going on behind that brown-painted door.

  Ten minutes later it seemed she wouldn't have to wait any longer, a tall fair-haired man leaving the consulting-room, his long easy strides telling of his relaxed state, his mode of dress informal, casual brown trousers and a cream shirt. Somehow she knew this had to be Jason Fitzgerald.

  His blue gaze flickered over her impersonally as he closed the door, coming back to rest appreciatively on her face. A tall good-looking man with sun-bleached blond hair and a lithe attractive body, he was confident of his own attraction.

  But Olivia was oblivious to his appreciative glances, going over to him anxiously. 'Have you finished your examination?'

  Dark brows rose questioningly. 'You would be…?' he drawled softly.

  'Olivia. Er—Olivia King,' she explained as he still looked puzzled. 'Mr Hamilton's nurse.'

  'I didn't think you could be his daughter.' His humour faded, his expression grave. 'How can I help you, Miss King?' His tone wa
s kind.

  'How did the examination go? Can you operate?' She couldn't keep the eagerness out of her voice.

  'An operation wouldn't do Mr Hamilton the least bit of good. He—'

  Olivia didn't hear any more; there was a sudden rushing noise in her head, then blackness forcing in on her. Marcus was going to remain blind for the rest of his life!

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  'Come on, honey, wake up. Olivia, open your eyes!' the Atlantic drawl ordered briskly.

  She reacted to years of training to obey her peers, and opened her eyes slowly, looking up into a friendly bronzed face, sun-bleached fair hair falling forward over the man's forehead. Jason Fitzgerald… 'Oh God!' she groaned, turning her face into the pillow beneath her on the couch. She frowned. 'Where am I?'

  'The consulting-room down the corridor,' Jason Fitzgerald sat on the side of the couch. 'I persuaded Simon Brooks to take your patient home.'

  'Oh no!' She closed her eyes, struggling to sit up, swinging her legs to the ground as the specialist stood up. 'What must Marcus think of me?' she groaned.

  'He thinks we're having a consultation about him,' Jason drawled reassuringly.

  Her shoulders hunched over defeatedly. 'What would be the point? There's nothing to consult about.' Marcus was never going to see again, there was nothing else to say.

  The famous specialist shook his head, his mouth twisting wryly. 'You didn't let me finish a few minutes ago,' he reproved. 'If you had you might not have passed out on me in that way.'

  Hope began to burn deep within her as she looked at him wide-eyed, swallowing hard, moistening her lips nervously as they suddenly seemed too stiff to move. 'Wh-what do you mean?'

  He shrugged broad shoulders, supremely confident of himself and his ability. 'If you had let me finish I would have told you that Marcus Hamilton doesn't need an operation to regain his sight, that in time— and don't ask me to pinpoint that time,' he added at her sudden eagerness. 'He will see as well as you or I—better than me, I happen to wear glasses some of the time,' he mocked.

  Olivia knew the last teasing comment was made to lighten her tension, and to a certain degree it worked. 'You mean his blindness is only temporary?' she asked wonderingly.

  He nodded. 'He has what we call hysterical blindness. That means—Hey, don't pass out on me again!' he chided impatiently as she paled once more. 'You pass out when you think he's permanently blind, you almost react the same way when I tell you he isn't!' His eyes were narrowed to blue slits. 'Are you sure you're the guy's nurse?'

  A deep flush coloured her cheeks under his speculative gaze, and she gave a nervy smile. 'I get involved with my patients,' she excused lamely.

  'Hm,' he looked sceptical.

  'Marcus Hamilton is the least hysterical man I know,' she declared firmly, wanting to at least regain her authority as a highly qualified nurse.

  Jason Fitzgerald smiled. 'I'm sure you know it's just a term for his symptoms. I happen to agree with you, Marcus Hamilton is the least hysterical man I know too. I've heard he's one hell of a good surgeon,' he added thoughtfully. 'And with time he will be again. But to get back to the blindness; he received an emotional blow of some sort before the accident, the bump on the head he received just gave him a good excuse to stop seeing. It's a way of blocking out whatever is troubling him.'

  Olivia knew the meaning of the diagnosis, she just couldn't believe it of Marcus. 'You mean he's mentally willing himself not to see?' Even her years of training couldn't comprehend this in connection with Marcus.

  'He isn't doing it consciously, honey, his subconscious is doing it for him. There's something he doesn't want to face, something he can't face, so he's evading it in this way. Once the pressure is off he should get his sight back.'

  Olivia frowned. 'But what's bothering him?' 'Ah well, if I knew that I wouldn't have needed to have come here, I could have telephoned my diagnosis,' he derided gently. 'I've recommended he see a psychiatrist—'

  'And he's refused,' she scoffed, knowing Marcus's reaction to an idea like that.

  'You know your patient very well.' The speculative look was back in Jason Fitzgerald's eyes.

  'As his nurse I'm supposed to,' she evaded. 'How did Marcus take your diagnosis?'

  His mouth twisted. 'Predictably, I imagine,' he smiled. 'He told me I'm a fool.' 'Oh no!'

  The specialist chuckled. 'From a man like him I took it as a compliment.'

  Her mouth quirked as she joined in his humour. 'It probably was one.'

  'I like you, Olivia King,' he smiled across the room at her. 'I don't leave England until tomorrow, how about having dinner with me tonight?'

  She flushed at the unexpectedness of the request. Jason Fitzgerald was only in his early forties, was a very attractive man, and yet somehow she hadn't thought of him in that light. She had seen the doctor and not the man, but he certainly hadn't seen just the nurse. She shook her head regretfully. 'Marcus may need me.'

  'I'll tell you what, I'm staying at the Hilton, if you find you're free tonight after all, give me a call before seven-thirty. Okay?' he prompted throatily. 'Have pity on a lonely man in a strange country,' he coaxed.

  'I have a feeling you don't need to be lonely wherever you are,' she lightly mocked his easy charm.

  'I'm trying not to be,' he taunted dryly.

  'What happens if I don't telephone before seven-thirty?' she asked thoughtfully.

  'You really want to know?'

  'You find someone else to spend the evening with?' she laughed softly.

  'Exactly,' he returned her grin. 'Although I would enjoy talking to you some more, Olivia.'

  She had a feeling he would like to do more than talk, and although she would have liked to talk to him she didn't want any more complications in her life. 'I'll call you before seven-thirty with my answer,' she promised, standing up. 'Now I really should be going, we've taken quite long enough for the consultation,' she teased.

  Sally was in with her father when Olivia reached the house, so she took the opportunity to go to her room to freshen up. She still didn't quite feel recovered from her faint, despite a short walk in the fresh air, and her embarrassment about the incident was still acute. If Marcus were ever to know of her reaction he would surely realise she loved him.

  Sally knocked on her bedroom door a short time later, and came into the bedroom to sit on the side of the bed as Olivia changed into close-fitting denims and a black tee-shirt, smoothing the latter down over her breasts.

  'He doesn't even seem pleased!' Sally finally burst out.

  'He is,' she assured the girl. 'He just can't believe it yet.'

  'Neither can I,' Sally said shakily. 'Simon told me when I got home, and I expected Daddy to be elated. Instead he seems—Oh, I don't know, distrustful is the word, I think,' she frowned. 'What do you think?'

  'I haven't seen him yet.' Olivia sprayed on a liberal amount of her favourite Estee Lauder perfume. 'I'm just going in now.'

  'Well, don't expect a fanfare and bright lights,' Sally said despondently. 'Daddy isn't at all pleased by Jason Fitzgerald's diagnosis.'

  Olivia found that out for herself a few minutes later!

  'Where the hell have you been?' Marcus growled at her angrily.

  She had given up questioning how he knew it was her; he just did know. 'With Mr Fitzgerald,' she answered briskly.

  'Oh yes?' he sneered. 'You've been consulting with him about me for almost two hours, have you?'

  Olivia stiffened at the insult in his tone. 'As a matter of fact, no,' she answered calmly enough. 'I went for a walk after I left the hospital.'

  She had needed to be alone for a while before she saw Marcus again, and had spent the last hour wandering around a park in the centre of London. He was going to see again! That was the most important thing to her, and it had been difficult to think past that, to think of the time she would have to leave him. She refused to think about that.

  'Oh yes?' Marcus scorned, anger simmering beneath the surface coldness. 'With
Fitzgerald?'

  'Hardly,' she retorted. 'I just needed some air.'

  'He told you his diagnosis?' he rasped.

  'Yes.'

  'Hysterical blindness!' Marcus said with disgust. 'I think the man's an idiot!'

  'So he told me,' she said dryly. 'Marcus—' she began intently, 'the man you went to operate on the night of your accident, what happened to him?'

  'Amateur psychology, Olivia?' he taunted.

  'Please, Marcus, just answer me.' Hysterical blind-ness, Jason Fitzgerald had said, difficulty in accepting an emotional blow, he had explained. While walking in the park she had suddenly thought of the man Marcus had operated on the night of his accident, remembering how Marcus had once explained to her that even surgeons were human. 'Please, Marcus,' she repeated softly.

  His mouth twisted. 'He left hospital before I did,' he mocked. 'Completely recovered. Try again, Olivia.'

  She drew in a ragged breath, disappointed that she hadn't found the key to his emotional block. 'Why do you find it so hard to believe you're going to see again?' she demanded angrily. 'Sally's so excited, and you've put her down. She's depressed now. And I—' she broke off awkwardly.

  'Yes?' he prompted hardly. 'I don't suppose you can wait for the time you can leave here,' he scorned harshly. 'But think on the positive side of things, Olivia—you've met two new men by being my nurse, Simon and Fitzgerald.'

  She flinched at the contempt in his voice. He was deliberately trying to hurt her, was taking his anger and frustration out on her, and in any other circumstances she would have let the insults pass over her. But not from Marcus; she couldn't take that from him.

  'And you,' she pointed out softly.

  'Me? I don't count,' he rasped.

  'Really?' she derided tautly. 'I don't happen to agree with you.'

  'Would it surprise you to know I don't give a damn for your opinion?'

  Olivia refused to even flinch under his contempt. 'No, it wouldn't,' she replied coolly. 'But you're going to get it anyway. You're going to see again, Marcus, and I for one am ecstatic. I refuse to let you ruin that for me by your insults. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go.'