Everlasting Love

by Carole Mortimer

  'Out with Fitzgerald?' His mouth was tight.

  She blinked. 'I beg your pardon?'

  'Did Fitzgerald invite you out?' he demanded to know.

  'I—He—'

  'Did he?'

  'Yes, he did,' she flashed. 'But I—'

  'I thought so,' drawled Marcus. 'His voice sounded young. How old is he, Olivia?'

  She frowned. 'Early forties, I would say.'

  'Older than me!'

  'Yes. But—'

  'Don't let me keep you,' he turned away. 'Fitzgerald sounded very entertaining.'

  'I'm sure he is. But—'

  'Just get going, Olivia. I wouldn't want you to keep him waiting.'

  'I never keep a man waiting,' she snapped, furious with him for making an assumption about her and then not even allowing her to defend herself. 'And I don't intend to make Jason the exception. He's an absolutely fascinating man,' she added spitefully.

  'Then go to him, damn you!' Marcus's hands were clenched into tight fists. 'Go to a man who can satisfy you,' he muttered.

  'What did you say?' she gasped.

  'I have good reason to know you're a highly sensual woman, Olivia,' his mouth twisted. 'And last night didn't quite meet up to your expectations, did it?'

  Her breathing was ragged as she tried to control her temper. It didn't work! 'I didn't expect anything of you, you tried to take something of mine.'

  'Not your virginity! You lost that years ago,' he jeered scornfully.

  She gasped at his vehemence. 'That's right,' she bit out furiously. 'I did. So one more man won't matter, will it? Go back to your self-pity, Marcus, but don't expect me to join in!' She slammed out of the room with great fury, shaking so much she felt ready to collapse.

  The Hayes family were the best antidote Olivia could think of to a breaking heart; and her heart was breaking, into a thousand tiny pieces.

  She had telephoned the Hilton before leaving the house to tell Jason Fitzgerald that she couldn't meet him, and had then driven over to see the Hayes. Rick and Natalie were out for the evening, but Clara and Eric were very welcoming.

  'How is Marcus progressing?' Clara asked interestedly.

  It was the perfect opportunity to tell them of the visit to the hospital today, and she spent the next few minutes doing just that, not realising how much she was revealing until she saw the warmth of compassion in Clara's eyes. The older woman might be a little scatty to live with, but she had the usual amount of feminine intuition. Olivia looked away with a blush.

  'Eric, how about a nice cup of tea?' Clara prompted her husband.

  'Hm?' He roused himself from his slouched position in the chair, having been watching television as the two women talked quietly.

  'Tea, dear,' Clara repeated in a firm voice. 'Oh—okay.' He got to his feet, blinking his surprise; his wife wasn't usually this forceful.

  'Men!' Clara sighed dryly once he had left the room. 'They have no idea when they aren't wanted,' she shook her head. 'How is Marcus really? We would have liked to come and visit him, but Sally says he still feels uncomfortable about his blindness.'

  'He's unbearable,' Olivia responded bluntly. 'Totally unbearable,' she repeated shakily. 'And rude. And insulting. He's just awful!' She shuddered at the emotional pressure she had been working under these last weeks.

  'And you love him very much,' Clara added softly.

  'Yes,' sighed Olivia, putting her hands up to her face. 'God, I just had to get away from him for a while!'

  'I understand,' the other woman said gently. 'I suspected something like this from the first day you met Sally at the pool party. You seemed to change that day, and then there was Sally's call later. But I'm not going to pry, my dear, that isn't what friends are for. And both you and Marcus are our friends. Why don't you stay here tonight? Give yourself a break from it.'

  'I couldn't.'

  'Why not?'

  Why not? It had been agreed that Saturday would be her day off, and a simple telephone call to Sally would make sure there was no concern as to her absence. Marcus, unless told otherwise by Sally, would put a different construction on her actions, she had no doubt, but at the moment she didn't particularly care what he chose to think.

  'Your old room can easily be made up,' Clara encouraged as she saw her hesitation. 'And as recompense for taking care of him all that time Rick can bring you breakfast in bed in the morning,' she added teasingly.

  Olivia had to smile at this suggestion. 'I think that might be rather nice,' she gratefully accepted the invitation to stay.

  'Good,' said Clara with satisfaction. 'While you call Sally I'll go and tell Eric he can come back into the room now.' She left with a serene smile.

  Olivia put the call through to Sally before she changed her mind. The evenings were basically her own anyway, and with the whole day to herself tomorrow she was free to do what she wanted.

  'Sally isn't here at the moment,' Miss Podmore told her. 'And Mrs Carr went to her room over an hour ago. I'll put you through to Mr Hamilton.'

  'Oh no—' Too late, she could already hear the call being put through to the extension in Marcus's room!

  'Yes?' he barked unwelcomingly.

  She moistened her lips nervously, not having expected to talk to Marcus himself. After the way they had parted earlier she didn't know what to say to him.

  'Well?' he snapped at her continued silence. 'Who is that?'

  'Olivia,' she told him huskily.

  'Olivia?' he repeated sharply. 'What's wrong? Are you hurt?' His voice had deepened with concern.

  'No—no, nothing like that,' she hastily assured him. 'I just—I won't be coming back to the house tonight, and I—I didn't want anyone to worry.'

  There was silence for several minutes. 'You don't have to do this, Olivia,' Marcus spoke-gently.

  'Do what?'

  'I'm sorry for the things I said earlier,' he didn't answer her question. 'I had no right to pass judgment on your morals. Come home, Olivia.'

  'I—'

  'Olivia, I have—Oh, sorry,' Eric's voice lowered to a whisper as he realised she was still on the telephone. 'I didn't know,' he grimaced before leaving the room again.

  'Was that Fitzgerald?' Marcus demanded harshly. 'Of course it was,' he answered himself. 'I'm sorry, Olivia,' his voice was heavily laced with sarcasm now, 'I didn't realise he was the reason you weren't coming back tonight. I didn't know you were into one night stands.'

  Olivia didn't dignify this last insult with an answer, slowly replacing the receiver, composing her features before joining Clara and Eric in the kitchen, sipping gratefully at her waiting cup of tea.

  'I didn't interrupt anything important, did I?' Eric frowned at her pale face.

  'No, nothing important.' She gave a bright smile. 'I—I think I'll go to bed now. Would you mind?'

  'Not at all,' Clara encouraged softly. 'You know the way.'

  Olivia had been lying wide-eyed in the bed for almost an hour when she heard Clara and Eric go to their bedroom, grateful when the other woman didn't try to talk to her about Marcus again tonight; she would probably have broken down and cried.

  Marcus's verbal attacks were becoming more and more personal, and she wasn't sure how much more she could take. It was one thing to tell him she was staying, quite another to continue working with those cruel barbs day after day. Maybe the instantaneous physical response she had to him had given him reason to question her morals, but she couldn't help loving him, couldn't help wanting him. And if that made her a wanton in his eyes then so be it.

  'Wakey, wakey!' greeted a cheerful voice. 'Breakfast in bed for the lovely lady!' Rick added encouragingly.

  Olivia was buried far below the bedclothes, and she felt far from lovely; her eyes felt gritty and sore from lack of sleep, and her whole body seemed to ache with fatigue. It had been the early hours of the morning before she drifted off to sleep, and her head ached from lack of rest.

  'Are you in there?' Rick teased.

  'I think so,' she
muttered, emerging from beneath the blankets, blinking at the bright daylight that shone in through the lemon curtains. 'Okay, okay,' she laughed softly as Rick's eyes widened. 'I know I don't look my best first thing in the morning—but I'm sure I can't look as bad as a certain young man I remember waking up for three months,' she mocked, sitting up, the sheet pulled up beneath her chin to cover her nakedness.

  Rick grinned, as goodnatured as usual, handing her a cup of tea. 'No, you aren't that bad—you just have coal sacks beneath your eyes!'

  'I love you too!' she grimaced.

  'I know,' he said cheekily. 'Come on, hurry and get up. Natalie and I are taking you out with us this morning.'

  'You are?' she smiled, sipping her tea.

  'We are,' he nodded. 'So don't be long.' He moved to the door, turning back with a wicked grin. 'Mum always used to pull the bedclothes off me if I wouldn't get up,' he told her threateningly.

  Olivia's fingers tightened about the sheet. 'Don't you dare!'

  He was laughing his enjoyment as he went back downstairs. Olivia lay back against the pillows with a weary sigh, her smile fading. She was so tired, it was hard to keep her eyes open. The last thing she felt like doing was going out.

  And yet she was determined to enjoy her day off, knew she would return to Marcus's taunts soon enough. Besides, it was a matter of pride to her, a matter of not letting Marcus know how deeply he could upset her. She would not crawl back to the house as if she were guilty of something.

  It was for that reason and that reason alone that she presented herself downstairs ten minutes later, the toast and tea Rick had brought up to her consumed in spite of her lack of appetite.

  'Ready?' Rick stood up as she entered the kitchen. 'I told Natalie we'd pick her up at her home.'

  'Can I come?' his sister asked shyly.

  'Why not?' Rick ruffled her hair affectionately.

  In the end it was a family trip. Rick drove them out of London to Woburn in Bedfordshire, spending the day looking around the magnificent estate of the Duke of Bedford, driving around the safari park he had made of the extensive grounds.

  'It always seems a shame to me that those people are reduced to doing that to what is basically their home,' Clara said wistfully on the drive back to London later that afternoon.

  'It's either that, or a lot of these stately homes would have to be sold,' Eric pointed out.

  'Why are men so practical?' the other woman grimaced at Olivia.

  'We can be romantic when we need to be,' Rick put in teasingly, and received a glaring look from Natalie.

  They all laughed together, having managed to squash into Eric's station-wagon for this enjoyable day out in the country.

  It was after six when they got back to London, and Olivia refused the offer to have dinner with them all, deciding she really should get back to the Hamiltons'. Marcus might be a cruel devil of a man, but he was still her patient, her responsibility.

  Sally and her grandmother were in the lounge when she entered the house, Sally telling her that Marcus was refusing to leave his room again, that he had shunned company all day.

  'Did you have an enjoyable day—and night, Miss King?' Sybil Carr asked bitchily.

  Her mouth tightened. 'Very nice, thank you.' She pretended to take the query at face value, knowing very well it hadn't been meant to be. 'I'll just go up and see my patient, if you'll excuse me.' She left the room before the other woman could throw out any more insults.

  She couldn't ever remember working anywhere where so much resentment was shown to her!

  Marcus stiffened as she entered his room, staring sightlessly out of the window, although it was obvious he knew she was there. Jasper came over to greet her, having none of the reserve of his master, and at last allowed into the house. This softening attitude towards the dog pleased Olivia.

  'You came back, then,' Marcus suddenly rasped.

  She walked over to stand beside his chair, Jasper at her heels. 'I told you I wouldn't be forced into leaving,' she said huskily, wishing she could ease that frown between his eyes.

  'I smell a different aftershave this time,' he bit out, his expression stony.

  'Really?' she asked uninterestedly.

  'Yes, I—It wasn't Fitzgerald,' he realised suspiciously.

  'No.'

  'Some other man?' he frowned.

  'That's right,' Olivia confirmed.

  'Who?'

  'Just a man,' she dismissed.

  'Just a ! I can't believe this of you, Olivia.' His hands clenched. 'It isn't like you.'

  'How do you know what I'm like?' she scorned.

  'You sound sweet and—and innocent.'

  'I thought I had a "hard little voice"?' she reminded him dryly.

  'You do,' his mouth twisted. 'Sometimes. At others it can be soft and gentle. Why do we argue so much, Olivia?' His mood changed, became softer, less bitter.

  'We don't—you do.'

  He gave an angry sigh. 'Who was the man, Olivia?'

  'Just an old friend,' she evaded.

  'Do you have a lot of "old friends"?'

  'Quite a few. I have a lot of new ones too,' she added defiantly. 'As you've already mentioned.'

  'Why did you change your mind about Fitzgerald?' he rasped. 'You said you were seeing him last night.'

  'A woman doesn't have to give a reason for changing her mind. Sally tells me you've been fine since I've been away,' she changed the subject, her tone professionally brisk.

  'What does she know?' he scowled.

  'She takes her studies very seriously. I think she'll make a good doctor.'

  'In your expert opinion?' he sneered harshly.

  'Exactly,' she bit out. 'Well, you seem in your normal pleasantly charming mood,' she scorned, 'so I'll leave you alone. I need an early night.'

  'Tired?' he tormented suggestively.

  'As a matter of fact, yes,' she flashed. 'I didn't sleep much last night. And I doubt I'll have breakfast brought to me in bed tomorrow morning either,' she added with challenge.

  His brows rose. 'A considerate lover!'

  'Yes, very considerate. Do you need anything before I go?'

  'What I need you can't give me.' His mouth was tight. 'But I'll take some sleeping pills.'

  She went to get them from the adjoining bathroom. 'You should be starting to ease up on these now.' She handed him a glass of water to help get them down.

  'It's the only way I can get any sleep,' he bit out grimly. 'Unless you have a better idea?'

  'Not one,' she dismissed coldly, too conscious of the last time she had tried to help him with his insomnia.

  Sally had already gone up to her room when Olivia got downstairs, Sybil Carr now alone in the lounge. Olivia was at once wary of the other woman, having good reason to know this woman didn't like her.

  Tonight didn't look like being any different from the other occasions they had spoken. 'So you changed your mind, Miss King,' Sybil drawled contemptuously.

  Olivia moistened her lips tentatively, wondering what bees' nest she was about to bring down on her head this time. 'About what?' she asked slowly.

  'About making yourself indispensable to Marcus— in some ways.'

  She drew in a sharp breath. 'A nurse can't help but—'

  'I meant as a woman, Miss King.' Sybil eyed her confidently, perfectly assured as she sat in one of the armchairs, looking as attractive as usual, not a hair out of place. 'You see, I occasionally suffer from insomnia…'

  Olivia stiffened. 'Yes?'

  'And when that happens I find it helps to take a walk…'

  'Yes?'

  'Which is what I did Thursday night,' Sybil added pointedly.

  Olivia clenched her hands together to stop their shaking, knowing what was coming next. She had never met such a venomous woman as Sybil Carr!

  The older woman's mouth twisted with contempt. 'Did you really think Marcus's visits to your bedroom would go unnoticed?' she scorned.

  'Mrs Carr—'

  The wom
an stood gracefully to her feet. 'I just wanted you to know that your unprofessional behaviour has been noted, that I know exactly how far you are willing to go as regards your patient's welfare. But remember one thing, Miss King, you were dispensable to him once—and you will be again. Highly dispensable,' she added dismissively.

  Olivia knew she couldn't go on with this much longer; the whole situation was impossible. And what would Marcus say if he knew Sybil, his beloved Ruth's mother, was aware of the time he had spent in his nurse's bedroom?

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  'No improvement,' Simon told her on Monday afternoon after he had examined Marcus and they had both gone downstairs to the lounge.

  Olivia grimaced. 'None at all?'

  'Not that I can see,' he shook his head. 'Mentally I would say he's worse.'

  She knew that, had detected a subtle change about Marcus that was difficult to define. He no longer argued with her, but was chillingly polite, his depression of a week ago back in full force.

  'He's stopped fighting, hasn't he?' Simon said with a frown.

  'Yes,' she agreed huskily.

  'What happened?'

  'I don't know,' she shrugged her confusion. 'I really have no idea. We had an argument on Saturday evening when I got back, but since then, nothing.'

  He sighed. 'It's a strange form of therapy,' he gave a rueful smile. 'But with Marcus it was working.'

  Olivia nodded. 'But not any more. What do we do now?'

  'Leave it for a while, I think,' he said thoughtfully. 'This mood could pass.'

  'And if it doesn't?'

  'Then we rethink our strategy.'

  She smiled. 'You make it sound like a war!'

  'Sometimes I think it is,' Simon muttered. 'Marcus against us. He's going to see again if it's the last thing I do!'

  'That's what I like to hear!' Sally came exuberantly into the room like her usual whirlwind. 'I've just been up to see him. How do you think he is?'

  'No better,' Simon answered truthfully.

  'He will be,' the girl said with certainty. 'I have faith in you both.'

  'Thanks!' Simon said dryly.

  'Don't you like compliments?' Sally taunted, eyeing him challengingly.

  Olivia watched as Simon flushed. For such a talented and accomplished man he was very bashful in front of Sally. And the young girl knew it too! She could see the feminine knowledge burning in Sally's eyes, eyes that glowed with mischief—and something else. For the second time she began to wonder if Simon's interest weren't more than returned.