HANNAH stepped out of the lift and turned to walk along the hospital corridor. She had wasted an hour or more that morning, following up on another false lead in the search for her mother, and even the news that Dean was getting better couldn’t lessen the disappointment of that failure.
Added to that, there wouldn’t be time now to look in on the young mother who had been hurt in the car crash. Perhaps she would manage to go and look in on her later. In the meantime, she could have a word with the ward sister about her condition. She needed to know how she was progressing.
‘What are you doing here? I thought this was supposed to be your day off?’A familiar, deep voice cut into her thoughts and she glanced up to see that Adam was coming towards her. She stopped, the sudden encounter making her heart begin to thump discordantly in her chest, sending the blood rushing to her head. She hadn’t expected to run into Adam.
His stride was purposeful, and she guessed that he was heading towards A and E. Perhaps he had just come out from one of the offices along here.
He looked immaculate in a dark grey suit, the jacket sitting well on his broad shoulders, the perfect fit of his trousers drawing her attention to his long, muscular legs. He had caught up with her now, and his nearness sent her already overwrought nervous system into hyperdrive. He was altogether too male for her peace of mind, and memories of the closeness they had shared made her cheeks flush with heat.
He was waiting for an answer, and she managed to find her voice and said, ‘Yes, this is my day off, but I’ve just been up to the wards to visit my neighbour, Dean. I treated him when he took too many painkilling tablets and ended up in here.’ She turned with him into another corridor and they walked together towards the next junction.
Adam nodded. ‘I remember. It happened on your first day at work, didn’t it? How’s he doing?’
‘He’s a lot better. The knee has healed up nicely, too, but he’ll need some intensive physiotherapy to get him moving properly again. At the moment he’s hobbling about on crutches.’
‘That’s good, isn’t it…that he’s up and about, I mean? So, when will he be going home? I would have thought it would be any day now if he’s on his feet.’
‘You’re right. He was hoping to go home soon, but the doctor wanted to make sure that he would be able to get around at the flat before he agreed to it. I said I’d keep an eye on him whenever I was home and they’re going to arrange some transport for him for when they finally agree to release him.’
Hannah glanced along the corridor and came to a halt. ‘I’m heading for the café to meet up with Abby and Ellie…that’s another neighbour…and her little girl. We were planning on having a day out on the river.’
‘That sounds as if it will be fun.’ He sent her a quizzical glance. ‘I suppose Ryan is going along on this trip with you?’
She shook her head. ‘He’s travelling back to the Chilterns to visit our foster-parents.’ Her expression sobered.
‘Oh, I see.’ He frowned. ‘You look as though that bothers you. Is something wrong? Are you sorry he’s not still with you?’
‘No. He only planned on staying with me for a day or so.’ She wasn’t going to share her worries about her foster-brother with Adam, but the truth was it troubled her that Ryan had not managed to sort out his problems with his landlord and that the debt collectors were still hot on his heels.
Adam was watching her curiously, as though he would have probed further, but instead he murmured, ‘I imagine it’s good that he’s going back for a visit. Does your adoptive mother manage to keep in touch with all the children who have been in her care? There must have been quite a number over the years.’
‘She’s stayed in contact with all of them, but I think Ryan and I were with her for longer than the other children, and of course she adopted me in the end. She tells all the foster-children that she wants them to think of her house as home. That’s how it was. She made us feel as though we belonged with her. She says we’re all part of her big family.’
‘A woman with a heart of gold, then?’
Hannah’s lips curved as memories of happier times flooded through her. ‘You could say that.’
Adam was looking at her oddly, and she tilted her head slightly as she studied him. ‘What’s wrong?’
‘Nothing.’ He shook his head. ‘I haven’t seen you smile like that in a long time.’
‘No? Well, Mum is someone special. She’s had to deal with all sorts of children over the years, children who were coping with problems of separation and those from all kinds of troubled backgrounds, but somehow she manages to bring out the best in everyone.’
‘That can’t have been easy for her. It takes a special kind of person to be able to do that.’
‘Yes, it does.’ She locked those thoughts inside herself and said quietly, ‘Do you know if there has been any news of the woman we brought in the other day…Jessica, the young mother with the aortic rupture? I heard that she came through the operation, but that she had been taken to Intensive Care. No one could tell me any more when I enquired after her, and I’ve been worrying ever since…I keep seeing her little girl in my mind.’
‘I heard just a short time ago that the surgery was successful and that she’s making a good recovery. They’re keeping her under observation, but I think she’ll do just fine.’
Hannah let out a slow breath. ‘I’m so relieved. I was afraid that there might be some nasty complications.’
‘That was always on the cards, but our thoracic surgeon is exceptionally skilled, and he tried out a fairly new technique. He sealed the injury with a stent graft to control the haemorrhage. Instead of doing major surgery, he inserted an introducer sheath into the femoral artery and pushed the self-expanding stent into place using a special device. Doing things this new way means that there’s minimal surgical damage, and it has a good success rate.’
‘She’s been fortunate, then, in a way?’
‘You could say that.’ He sent her a quick glance, his gaze flicking over her and taking in her soft cotton top and the skirt that clung to her hips and kicked out in a gentle swirl below her knees. ‘But it was thanks to your careful observation that she survived at all. You should be pleased with yourself.’
It was strong praise, coming from him, and warm colour tinged her cheeks. ‘I was anxious for her. It was instinct, really.’
‘Maybe.’ He looked thoughtful, but his grey eyes gave nothing away.
‘I should go,’ she said. ‘Abby and Ellie will be waiting for me.’
‘I won’t keep you, then.’ His searching gaze made her uncomfortably aware of the simplicity of her summer outfit. It wasn’t anything special, and she wished she knew what he was thinking. Only the light jacket she was wearing was the same one that she had worn when Ryan had come with her the other day to A and E. Had he noticed that? Had it stirred memories in him? It shouldn’t disturb her after all this time, should it? There was always going to be a barrier between him and Ryan.
He watched her turn to go on her way, and as she walked away from him she felt the heat of his gaze on the back of her neck. It didn’t mean anything, of course, that he was keeping his attention fixed on her. It was more than likely that he was simply remembering her connection with Ryan, and was questioning whether he had seen the last of him.
She went to meet up with Abby and Ellie, who was brimming over with excitement at the thought of the trip that lay ahead. ‘Is we going on a big boat?’ she asked, her eyes wide, then added in a sudden afterthought, ‘What if I fall in the water?’
‘We’re not going to let you fall in,’ Abby said, chuckling. ‘You’ll be quite safe, I promise.’
They boarded the boat at Westminster Pier, and stood on deck, watching the waters of the Thames and the riverside scenery, as they cruised along by the South Bank.
The sun was a shimmering, golden globe, and there was only a faint breeze, making it ideal for their day out. Abby stood against the boat rail, looking out over the water, and said thoughtfully, ‘I meant to ask you how your foster-brother’s day out went. Did he go and visit the woods?’
‘Yes, he did. He said they were well worth seeing. He even jotted down some notes and made a few quick sketches. He showed them to me, and they’re really good. He’s quite artistic, but he doesn’t often put his talent into practice.’
‘I’m glad it worked out for him. He seemed a bit down when I talked to him.’
Hannah nodded. ‘Yes, I noticed that, too. I think he was a little brighter in himself when he came home, though.’ Ryan still hadn’t told her any more about why he was in debt, or how the damage to his accommodation had been caused, and she worried about that. She had believed that he had put his rebellious years behind him and she had faith in him that he had changed for the better. Even so, she wished she knew what was going on.
She glanced at Abby. ‘What about you? Are you all right? You don’t seem to be your usual self today.’
‘I’m fine, I think. It’s probably just that I’m fighting off a virus of some sort. I’ve been a bit headachy lately, but I expect it’s just a cold coming on. That’s why I didn’t go with you to see Dean earlier today. I thought if I had a coffee and a couple of paracetamol I would start to feel better.’
‘I’m sorry.’ Hannah was dismayed. ‘We could have done this another day, you know, if you’re not feeling well.’
Abby smiled. ‘No, I wanted to come out today, rather than be stuck at home in the flat, and I didn’t want to let Ellie down. She’s been talking about this trip all week.’
Ellie started waving a hand in the air. ‘What’s that?’ she said, pointing to a place on the riverside. The huge circle of the London Eye rose up against the blue back-cloth of cloudless sky, and Abby hugged her and explained what it was, pointing out the glass capsules where people stood and looked out at the view over the city.
‘We’ll have a ride on it one day,’ Abby promised.
Ellie nodded, looking pleased about that, and then pointed a finger towards the London Aquarium building. ‘We been there,’ she said gently. Then she frowned. ‘I didn’t like the big fish. They was big as this…’
She spread her arms wide to show her, and Hannah laughed. ‘It’s a good thing they were in a huge tank, then.’
Their journey took them past the Tower of London and the remarkable sight of the Millennium Dome before they started back towards Westminster Pier.
Ellie was enthralled by her sightseeing cruise. ‘Can we go on the boat again another day?’ she asked, when they were back on dry land some time later. They started to walk towards the nearest tube station.
‘Yes, I expect so,’ Abby told her. ‘You had a good time, then?’
Ellie nodded vigorously. ‘I liked seeing the ducks,’ she said. ‘They was the bestest.’
Hannah and Abby exchanged wry looks. ‘We could have taken her to the park, if that was all she wanted,’ Abby murmured ruefully.
Hannah smiled, and glanced at her friend. ‘Are you feeling worse?’ she asked. ‘You’re looking a bit off colour.’
‘I don’t feel too good,’ Abby admitted, ‘and my headache’s really bad now. I’m not sure quite what’s brought it on, because I’ve had a lovely, restful day.’
‘Perhaps we should go and sit down somewhere for a while?’
‘That’s probably a good idea.’
By the time they reached a café, though, Abby had taken a turn for the worse, and Hannah was beginning to be really worried about her. Her friend was feverish, and some of what she was saying was starting to make no sense at all. Hannah sat her down on a bench seat, and Abby slumped sideways.
‘Why isn’t Mummy talking to me any more?’ Ellie asked. ‘Is she poorly?’
‘Yes, Ellie. She’s very poorly. I think we need to get someone to help us to look after her.’
Hannah checked Abby’s pulse. It was lower than it should be, and her consciousness was slipping. From the look of her, this was more than just a simple viral infection.
Hannah took out her phone and called for an ambulance. ‘I’m going to try and get your mummy to hospital,’ she told Ellie. ‘The doctors and nurses will be able to look after her there, and they’ll try to make her well again.’
Ellie was unusually quiet. Abby’s skin was hot to the touch, and Hannah tried to cool her down by drenching a handkerchief in cold, bottled water and applying it to her brow. It didn’t seem to be having much effect.
By the time the ambulance came, Abby was starting to convulse. Hannah shielded her from Ellie so that the child would not be upset any more than was necessary, and once they were in the ambulance, Hannah tended to her friend.
‘Will you let A and E know that there are signs of raised intracranial pressure?’ she asked the paramedic. ‘I’m very worried about her. I think we’ll need to do a CT scan.’
‘I’ll do that,’ the paramedic said. ‘We’ll get her to hospital as soon as possible.’
Adam met her in the ambulance bay. As soon as he had made a swift examination, he instructed his team to take Abby for a scan and electroencephalogram. ‘You should stay back,’ he told Hannah. ‘Let us deal with her.’
‘But she’s my friend,’ Hannah protested. ‘I want to do something for her.’
‘I know you do, but perhaps you should stay and take care of the little girl for a while. She must be confused enough as it is.’
He was right, of course, and Hannah put an arm around Ellie and led her away. She was shocked and upset by the way things had turned out, but she had to be strong for the child’s sake.
‘What’s wrong with my mummy?’ Ellie asked again.
‘I don’t know, sweetheart. The doctor will come and tell us as soon as he’s taken care of her.’ She turned the child towards the doctors’ lounge. ‘We’ll go to the room where the doctors have their coffee-breaks,’ she told her. ‘There’s a table in there, and you can sit and draw for a while.’ She might even be able to borrow some toys from one of the waiting rooms. They would help to take Ellie’s mind off things for a time.
When they reached the lounge, she settled Ellie by the table. ‘Would you like some ice cream? I think there might be some in our fridge.’
Ellie nodded, but didn’t say anything more. She sat and drew pictures on paper that Hannah found for her and played with the toys, and Hannah waited for news.
It was a long time coming. Eventually, Adam came into the room and said quietly, ‘We’re going to admit her. We’ve done a lumbar puncture and taken throat swabs so that we can be clearer as to what’s happening. I suspect that the inflammation of her brain is being caused by a viral infection, so we’re treating that with an infusion of an antiviral drug, acyclovir, along with mannitol to minimise the swelling of the brain tissues. It’s too early to see results just yet, but there hasn’t been any change for the worse, and that’s something to be thankful for.’
Hannah nodded. ‘Thank you for taking care of her. Can I go up and see her?’
‘You can, but she’s still not very responsive and she needs to rest. Make it a quick visit.’
‘I will. I think it might help Ellie if she can see her mother for a moment or two before I take her home.’
‘Are you going to take her to stay with her grandparents?’
Hannah shook her head. ‘I don’t know where they are. They haven’t been in touch with Abby over the last few years, and they’ve never met Ellie. I’ll try to find them, but in the meantime Ellie can stay with me. It will be less disorientating for her that way.’
‘Are you sure that’s wise?’Adam said in a low voice. ‘Don’t you think you have enough to cope with already?’
‘I don’t see that I have any choice. Abby is my friend, and I know that she wouldn’t want Ellie to go to strangers. I’ll have to find a childminder who can take care of her while I’m at work.’
‘How will you do that?’
Hannah shrugged. ‘Perhaps one of Abby’s friends will be able to help out. I’ll ask around at the nursery school.’
‘Well, whatever you decide, I’ll see you both home. I’m due to finish my shift here now, and when you come back down from the ward, I’ll have my car outside, waiting.’
‘You don’t have to do that…’
‘I know I don’t, but I’ve made up my mind, so don’t argue with me, Hannah. I think you’ve both had enough for one day, and Ellie looks wiped out.’
He was as good as his word. When Hannah came back from seeing Abby, he helped her and Ellie into his gleaming silver car and made sure that Ellie was fastened into a child seat.
‘Where did that come from?’ Hannah asked, frowning.
‘I bought it for my brother,’ he explained. ‘He’s expecting a new addition to his family in a month or so. This gift is a bit premature, but you know my family, we all like to plan ahead.’
She managed a faint smile. His was a strong family unit. They were all well-grounded, confident, successful people. Even thinking about them made her feel inadequate.
When they drew up outside the house just a short time later, she had something new to worry about. What would he think of her tiny flat? He was used to the very best and his father’s estate covered acres of ground. He was almost bound to suffer from culture shock when he saw her place, wasn’t he? Perhaps she was worrying unnecessarily, though. He might not want to waste time coming into the house.
‘It looks as though Ellie’s half-asleep already,’ he said as he switched off the ignition and looked at the small child in the back seat. ‘I’ll carry her inside for you.’
‘Thanks. I’ll put her straight to bed,’ Hannah murmured. It seemed as though her hope that he might stay away was dashed.
She led the way up to her flat. ‘It isn’t up to much in here,’ she warned him, ‘but it’s easy to clean and the furniture is reasonably good quality.’
He settled Ellie down on the bed, and then looked around. ‘Where is she going to sleep?’ he asked. ‘There’s only one bed, and that’s a single.’
‘She can stay there. I’ll make up the sofa bed for myself.’
‘Do you have a bathroom, or do you have to share with the other tenants?’ He was frowning.
‘No, I have my own bathroom. It’s through there.’ She waved a hand towards a door. ‘There’s a shower, but it isn’t actually working at the moment.’ She grimaced.
‘What’s wrong with it?’
‘I’m not sure…Someone came to fix another plumbing problem, and now I can’t get the shower to come on. I’ll have a word with the landlord about it as soon as he returns from his holiday.’
Adam raised a brow. ‘When’s that going to be?’
‘Around three weeks’ time, I think. He was going to cruise the Greek islands. Lucky for some.’ She attempted a smile, but in fact none of this seemed real, or relevant, while her friend was ill in hospital. This whole business was unsettling her. How was she going to cope with looking after Ellie?
‘Would you like a hot drink?’ she asked. ‘I can make tea or coffee…and perhaps a sandwich, if you like?’
She thought he would probably refuse, but he said, ‘That would be great, thanks. Tea and a sandwich would be good. I haven’t eaten for a while.’
Before she did that, she went to cover Ellie with a light duvet. The child was drowsy, but stirred enough to ask, ‘When’s my mummy coming home?’
‘I don’t know, sweetheart. I hope she’ll be well again soon, but until then you can stay here with me. I’ll look after you. I’ll get hold of the key to your mummy’s flat and bring some of your toys up here.’ She stroked the little girl’s curls and tried to soothe her. She would need to bring a supply of clothes, too.
Ellie was frowning, staring into space. ‘I want my mummy,’ she said.
‘I know.’
Hannah tucked the teddy bear under the duvet so that Ellie could cuddle him, and then she sat on the edge of the bed, gently comforting her until the child’s eyelids began to droop. She knew only too well what Ellie must be going through, being separated from her mother.
When she finally stood up, she saw that Adam was across the room in the annexe that was her small kitchen, making tea. She pulled the screen she had bought around the bed, dimmed the light and went to help him with the preparations for supper.
He had already started making the sandwiches, and she said awkwardly, ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean for you to have to do that. I hadn’t expected to take so long. She was half-awake, and she was feeling anxious.’
He nodded. ‘I heard what she was saying.’ He sent her an oblique glance and said, ‘You look uneasy. Everything that’s happened must have been upsetting for you.’
She poured the tea, and said quietly, ‘I’m worried about Abby…She looked in a bad way when I left her, and I can imagine how bewildered Ellie must be feeling right now.’
He pushed a plate of sandwiches towards her. He had found cheese, ham and salad in her fridge, and he had made up a selection. ‘I suppose you’ve been through all that yourself…not once, but many times. This must have brought it all back to you.’
She nodded. ‘Just lately, it doesn’t take much for the memories to come flooding back. I remember being moved from pillar to post, finding myself in different foster-homes from time to time, wondering when I was going to see my mother again.’ She sent him a swift glance. ‘Shall we take these into the sitting room? We can at least sit down in there.’
‘If you like.’ Adam loaded up a tray with cups and plates and carried everything through to the main room, setting the tray down on a low coffee-table. They sat on the sofa and Hannah sipped at her tea, feeling its warmth slowly revive her.
‘Didn’t your father ever look after you when your mother wasn’t around?’ he asked. ‘I know he was asked once, but he had only just remarried then. What about later on?’ He bit into his sandwich, waiting for her answer.
‘He did, for a short time, when my mother was taken ill. He persuaded his wife to have me stay with them for a while, but they had a child of their own by then, and it didn’t really work out. I went back to my mother for a while, but soon after that she had a nervous breakdown. I had the feeling that my mother was unhappy because he had married someone else. It wasn’t long after that when I went into long-term foster-care.’
‘It must have been very confusing for you. It’s almost as though your mother tried her best, but wasn’t able to cope.’
‘I suppose so.’ She was quiet for a moment or two, thinking about that. ‘I’ve come to the stage, now, where I need answers, once and for all, even if I’m not going to like what I find.’
‘Have you had any success in searching for your mother?’ he asked.
She shook her head. ‘The missing persons line hasn’t come up with anything yet, and I’ve tried an internet search. There have been a few false leads…I followed up on one or two, but either the people were the wrong age or they didn’t fit the description properly.’
‘That must have been a blow?’
She nodded. ‘Yes, it was. I should have been prepared for disappointment, but I was so hopeful when the information came through. Someone had discovered where my grandmother used to live, and I rushed to check it out, but it turned out to be a wasted journey. My grandmother passed on some years ago, and the house was sold. There are strangers living there now.’
Her fingers fidgeted in her lap. ‘I don’t appear to have any other relatives, but I suppose I just have to keep on looking. I’m searching the local records offices, just now, looking for any mention of my mother or her family.’
Her mouth made a straight line. ‘At least, I can be fairly certain that my mother wasn’t in trouble with the police, or involved with drugs or alcohol, and I’m thankful for that—I feel so sorry for Ryan, because he knows his background, and there’s nothing he can do but live with it. I think it colours everything he does, and that’s why he was in trouble such a lot when he was younger. He was even more disturbed than I was.’
‘You can’t compare yourself with Ryan.’ His tone was dismissive. ‘He had a choice, the same as you did. He decided to kick against the system, and cause mayhem, whereas you made something of your life…You made up your mind to become a doctor, and you worked hard until you had carried that ambition through. You can be proud of yourself.’
She looked at him. ‘I don’t feel that way. I feel as though I’m out of place, at odds with everything. I want answers to questions that go way back.’
‘Hasn’t it helped you to know that your adoptive mother cares about you…loves you? Her feelings towards you are genuine, I’m sure.’
‘I know that, and I love her dearly, too, and I’ll always be thankful that she took me in and treated me like her own child. Even so, I was with my natural mother on and off for the first years of my life, and I can’t help feeling as though there’s this huge, empty space inside me. My life is a jigsaw with pieces missing, and until I’ve found them I shan’t be complete.’
Adam’s arm went around her. ‘I know that all this must be difficult for you, but I can’t help thinking that you might come to regret looking for your mother in the end. You don’t know what you’re going to uncover, and the answers to your questions might make you feel worse than you do already.’
‘Even so, I don’t think I can move on until I know the truth of what happened…of why my mother left. If she had been ill, why didn’t she come back for me when she recovered? I feel as though I’m stuck in some other dimension, as though my life’s on hold.’
He drew her close to him, and she registered the warmth of his embrace just as if he had folded a warm blanket around her, sheltering her from a cold, harsh wind.
‘I wish I could take some of the hurt away from you,’ he murmured, his voice softening, his grey gaze moving over her with slow deliberation, smoothing over her like a balm to her shattered senses.
He leaned towards her, his long body gently pressuring hers, urging her to nestle up against him. She could feel the steady beat of his heart beneath her cheek, and she lifted her gaze to him. Then, slowly, compellingly, his head lowered and his mouth claimed the softness of her lips.
It was a gentle, explorative brush of his mouth on hers, and then he lightly nudged her lips apart. She was suddenly dizzy with the shocking, unexpected intimacy of that kiss, her body vibrant with smouldering sensation that sparked into white-hot flame.
He tasted the fullness of her lips, the sweetness of her mouth, and his kiss was slow and tender, his tongue lightly flicking along the lush curves, coaxing a sizzling, sensual response from her.
Hannah’s head was spinning. She couldn’t resist that honeyed invitation, but neither was she prepared for the way her treacherous body was reacting to him, for the way her senses erupted into tumultuous disorder. All at once, this wasn’t enough. She wanted so much more.
He seemed to recognise that urgent need in her. His hands swept over her, inciting an urgent thrill of sensation to ripple through her body, filling her with unbidden, tantalising hunger for something she couldn’t define.
‘You take my breath away,’ he said, in a low ragged voice. His glance trailed over her like the lick of flame, and his grey eyes became smoky with desire as his fingers slid along the line of her bare arm, smoothing over the silk of her skin.
The tender brush of his hands over her soft curves made her pulses leap, and she melted against him, her softly feminine curves merging with the powerful, muscled strength of his body.
Wasn’t this what she had always wanted, longed for? For so many years, she had watched Adam from afar, respected him, idolised him, had dared to believe that he might be the one man who had the power to make her whole again, and yet her dreams had ultimately been shattered.
Ellie began to stir, mumbling in her sleep, a sob in her voice. Hannah swallowed, coming to her senses slowly, and perhaps Adam recognised her withdrawal from him, because he looked at her quizzically.
‘Hannah?’
She couldn’t answer that unspoken question. He wouldn’t understand.
Perhaps she had been fooling herself all along. He lived in a different world from hers and the two would never come together, would they? Besides, she couldn’t rely on him to be there for her, fighting her corner. Where had he been when she had needed him to support Ryan’s cause?
She had been desolate when her mother had left her behind, but it had made her fiercely protective of those who were dear to her. Ryan had always been her ally, her defender, like the brother she had never had, and she would never let him down by going over to the enemy.
Hannah said softly, ‘I should go and check on Ellie. She’s going to be unsettled for quite a while, as long as her mother is away from her.’
‘Yes, that’s probably true.’ Adam had never really taken to Ryan, and then he had made his position clear by siding with his father and hurting her foster-brother in the process.
He was watching her carefully. ‘Hannah…about what just happened…between you and me…’
‘It was a mistake,’ Hannah cut in. ‘Perhaps we should put it behind us. It’s been a long day for both of us, and I, for one, wasn’t thinking too clearly.’
He nodded and seemed to brace himself. ‘You’re right. Anyway, I’d better go. As you say, it’s been a long and difficult day. We should forget what happened this evening. We have to work together, and it wouldn’t do for us to let any relationship get in the way.’ He stood up. ‘I’ll see myself out. You should go and see to Ellie.’
She didn’t look at him as he left the room. She was afraid that her face would betray her feelings, and she felt extraordinarily close to tears.