By the time Ben and Cynthia returned, the rain was falling steadily and the roof had started to leak, not a gentle drip this time, but a steady trickle. Megan had emptied the bucket several times, braving the icy wind that seemed to be scouring the warmth from the landscape. She contemplated another attempt to light that fire, but couldn’t be bothered.
In fact, her body felt at as low an ebb as her spirits. Perhaps she had been wrong to marry Ben? He didn’t love her and never would. Why should he? She was so ordinary, compared with the women he had associated with before.
When she heard the car drive up, she didn’t make any attempt to go outside. As the front door opened she greeted them with, ‘The roof’s leaking worse than ever.’
Cynthia stared at the drip bucket as if she had never seen such a thing before. ‘How quaint!’
Ben, whose mood seemed to match Megan’s, came over to scowl at the water filling the bucket rapidly and growled, ‘That’s all I need!’
He didn’t look at her, let alone kiss her or touch her. She had clearly driven him away.
But then she realised he wasn’t looking at Cynthia, either. Indeed, the two of them were looking everywhere but at each other. A tiny seed of curiosity and hope began to draw Megan out of her misery.
In fact, they looked like people who had been quarrelling. Had he not enjoyed his day out, then? Oh, she hoped not!
Cynthia went to leave her handbag in the bedroom and came back smelling strongly of perfume to drape herself along the other couch. ‘Any chance of a cup of coffee, Megan?’
‘You’re more than welcome to make some!’ She sneezed several times in rapid succession. Her eyes were watering and she was sure her nose was red. He’d think she looked like a clown. Well, she probably did.
Ben came across the room and stared down at her. ‘Are you all right?’
‘Just a bit cold. I went out for a walk and got soaked.’ Another shiver ran through her. ‘I haven’t been able to get warm since. I tried to light that stupid stove, but the wood’s all wet and we didn’t have any more newspapers.’
She couldn’t prevent her voice from shaking and tears welling in her eyes. If Cynthia hadn’t been there, she’d have flung herself into Ben’s arms and howled all over his chest, just for the pleasure of being held and comforted. As it was, she could only sniff and try to blink the tears away.
He patted her arm. ‘I’ve got a couple of newspapers in the car. You stay there and I’ll soon have a fire started, wet wood or not.’
Megan leaned her head back, closing her eyes to blot out the vision of blond elegance opposite her. Cynthia made no attempt to get any coffee. When Ben returned, a gust of cold damp air blew in.
‘You’ll have to empty the bucket!’ he said sharply.
Megan opened her eyes, unable to believe that he was speaking so harshly after telling her to rest.
‘Not you, Megan. Cynthia.’
Their guest sat bolt upright. ‘Me? Empty that rusty old thing!’
‘It’s not all that heavy,’ he said briskly. ‘Shove the plastic bucket underneath the drip and empty that one. I’m busy with the fire and poor Megan is chilled through.’
When Cynthia didn’t move, he added more sharply, ‘The bucket’s nearly overflowing. Go and chuck the water off the edge of the back veranda, then make us all a cup of coffee.’
He went into the bedroom, returning with a blanket, which he draped over his wife. ‘You’re to stay there until you’re warm again, and no arguing!’
She nodded, touched by his concern. As she looked up, she met his eyes and warmth flooded through her. That might not be love in his expression, but it was certainly affection. Which wasn’t to be scorned.
The blanket seemed a tangible proof that he cared about her. She snuggled into it, smiling as she listened to Cynthia grumbling about the weight of the bucket, nearly choking with suppressed laughter as she watched the other woman walking awkwardly to avoid splashing her jeans.
When Megan’s eyes met Ben’s, she had to bite on her index finger to prevent herself from chuckling aloud. Suddenly she felt much better.
He came across and bent over to kiss her lightly on the cheek, whispering, ‘I’ll take her back to Perth tomorrow, I promise. Come with me? Please don’t leave me alone with her again. Ever.’
A shriek of outrage from outside made them both jerk up in shock.
‘What the—?’ Ben began.
Cynthia came running in, brushing muddy water off herself, and slammed the dripping bucket down on the floor. ‘I’m not emptying that filthy thing again!’
Ben’s face remained expressionless, but Megan had to blow her nose hard.
‘Just look at me!’ Cynthia shrieked, waving her hands at him. ‘I’m soaked! Absolutely soaked. And it’s rusty water. It’ll never come off! My new jeans are ruined!’
‘What happened?’ he asked, all wide-eyed innocence.
She began to dab at herself with the tea towel. ‘The dirty water blew back at me, that’s what happened!’
‘Oh yes. I should have warned you to check the wind direction first. Never mind, you’ll soon dry out and you’ll know better next time, won’t you?’
‘Next time! If you think, Ben Saunders, that I’m going to even touch that damned bucket again, you’ve got rocks in your head!’
Megan had to change another laugh into a strangled cough.
Ben said blandly, ‘You shouldn’t let these little things upset you, Cynthia. What you need, what we all need, is a hot drink. Why don’t you put the kettle on?’
She glared at his back, but he had bent once more over the recalcitrant fire and wasn’t paying her any attention.
Megan concentrated on repeating the twelve times table inside her head, to stop herself from grinning, then started on the thirteen times, but didn’t get beyond three times thirteen before she had to bury her face in another tissue.
In the kitchen, Cynthia began to bang the crockery around. ‘Haven’t you even got a coffee plunger?’
‘Nope.’ Ben didn’t turn round. ‘There isn’t room for fancy things here.’
‘You’re telling me! It’s a real hovel. I don’t know what you see in it, I really don’t! It’s not as if you couldn’t afford a decent place.’
‘We love it here.’ He exchanged a laughter-filled glance with his wife.
Suddenly Megan was feeling wonderful. Warmth seemed to be coursing through her veins. She beamed across at him and he grinned back, rolling his eyes in Cynthia’s direction.
As she sipped the coffee, Megan felt happiness continue to surge through her. Far from being besotted with their guest, Ben seemed to be getting more irritated by her each minute. The fire was starting to burn well now and in the small room its warmth was soon felt.
But best of all was the warmth of her husband’s gaze.
He came to perch on the arm of Megan’s couch. She looked up at him. ‘That’s a lovely blaze. You’re a dab hand with fires. I shall have to appoint you Lord of the Flames.’
He gripped her shoulder briefly. ‘I shall be honored, milady.’
Megan could feel the familiar longing uncurl in her belly. It seemed ages since they’d made love properly. If only Cynthia weren’t there, she’d drag him into the bedroom right now! Or spread the blanket in front of the fire and tug him down to join her.
A sweetly acid voice broke the spell. ‘I hate to interrupt you two love-birds, but what are we going to do about a meal tonight?’
Megan came reluctantly back to reality and her duties as a hostess. ‘Did you bring back some steak?’
It was Ben who answered. ‘Sorry. I forgot. I was – um, having a few other troubles.’
She bounced to her feet. ‘Well, it won’t take me long to whip up a spaghetti bolognese.’ Something fell on her head and she looked up. ‘Oh, no!’ She pointed to the ceiling.
‘Hell!’ Ben stared up at the dripping water, whose rate had definitely speeded up. Several drips now formed a line across the middle of the ceiling.
Cynthia rolled her eyes. ‘Look, why don’t we all go into Bunbury? There’s a rather nice hotel there. We can stay the night and travel back to Perth tomorrow.’
Ignoring her, Ben spoke to Megan, ‘I’m going to have to do something about that leak, I’m afraid, or the furniture will be ruined. Keep the fire going, will you? I’ll have to get up on the roof and stick a tar patch over the hole. Lucky someone left a half roll of tar paper here. I think it’s still usable.’
He went over to the window, pulling a face at her over his shoulder. ‘That rain’s here to stay and it’s going to be dark soon.’
She stood up. ‘You’ll need help.’
‘You’ve only just got yourself warm.’
‘So, I’ll have to get warm again afterwards.’ Their eyes met in a promise about how that warming would be accomplished.
‘It won’t take me long once I’m up there.’ The wind whistled round the house and he added ruefully, ‘Though it won’t be much fun in this weather.’
Within minutes, he had the ladder leaning against the side of the house. With his hair plastered down by the driving rain, he had a sleek otter look about him, Megan thought dreamily.
She stood at the bottom of the ladder, making sure it didn’t slip as he climbed on to the roof. He had a very nice backside, she decided, looking up. There was something distinctly sexy about damp, clinging jeans on a muscular male body.
He slipped and cursed as he found his footing again.
That jolted her out of her dreaminess. ‘Be careful!’ she warned him unnecessarily.
‘Don’t worry! I don’t intend to get hurt!’ He smiled down at her and she realised they were working as a team. That made her feel even better.
‘You might as well stand under the shelter of the veranda until I’m ready to come down,’ he called.
‘I’d rather stay here and keep an eye on you. Besides, I’m already soaked. What’s a little more rain between friends?’
He grinned down at her, and began to crawl across the roof. She stood watching him, her heart in her mouth. Surely that wind was getting stronger? After a few minutes, she could not help asking, ‘Are you certain you’re all right up there?’
‘Never better!’
‘Some sunburned country this is!’ She tried to match his cheerfulness, but shivered as the wind blew moisture into every opening in her clothes and cold rain started to trickle down her neck. The wind seemed to be getting stronger by the minute.
She watched him investigate the leak and listened incredulously as he began to whistle. But the same happiness was welling up in her. ‘You know, this is fun, in a backhanded sort of way,’ she called out. ‘We only need Gene Kelly to start us off and we’ll be dancing – and singing – in the rain.’ She sang the words of the song to him.
He sat up for a moment to ease his back. ‘You’re incredible. There you are, cold, soaked to the skin, yet you’re managing to smile and joke, and you’re even serenading me.’
‘Well, you’re whistling.’
‘I think we’re both mad.’
‘I know we’re mad!’ He turned back to his work and the whistling started again.
‘Megan!’ Cynthia peered out of the door. ‘Where’s Ben?’
‘Up on the roof.’
‘Well, that bucket needs emptying again and I’m not touching it.’
‘You’ll have to, or it’ll overflow all over the floor and then you’ll get your nice new Reeboks wet.’
‘You come and do it, then.’
‘As you can see, I’m holding the ladder and I daren’t let go.’ Megan choked back a laugh at the expression of fury on Cynthia’s face.
As the door was banged shut, her smile faded, however, and she stared back up at the roof. Heavy rain was slashing sideways across the darkening landscape, so strong was the wind now. ‘How’s it going?’ she called, needing to hear his voice.
‘Nearly finished. It’s only a temporary repair, but it should hold for a day or so till this rainy spell is over, then I’ll get someone in to fix the roof properly.’
Five minutes later he eased himself up into a half crouching position and threw his tools down onto the soft earth beside her. ‘Hold that ladder steady.’
But he never got to the ladder. As he edged across the roof, an even stronger gust of wind screamed across the block, sucking up debris and leaves. Megan was thrown backwards onto the ground. The ladder thumped against the front of the house then spun away into the darkness.
She watched helplessly, unable to move for a moment. The wind pinned her down, whirled debris about and lashed the trees into a frenzy. She was still watching as it caught Ben and made him lose his footing. He came bumping down the roof, yelling and clutching in vain at the flimsy guttering as he fell off the edge. He yelled even more loudly as he landed on the ground, then his voice cut off with terrifying suddenness.
As he lay there still and silent, terror filled Megan. She tried to go to him, but couldn’t move a step, only moan his name helplessly. The wind shrieked round her like a demented torturer, lashing stinging rain and debris into her face. She could only clutch the wooden veranda post and pray he’d be all right.
Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the freak wind dropped and the rain started falling straight down again, showing in a pale curtain against the lights of the shack. Megan jumped to her feet and rushed across to Ben, who was lying ominously still with one leg bent under him. Dropping to her knees beside him, she felt the pulse in his neck, breathing a sigh of relief as his eyes flickered open. ‘Don’t try to move yet! You may have hurt your spine.’
He groaned and moved his head very gingerly to one side. ‘I think it’s my leg, not my back. Hurts like hell.’
By the light from the windows, Megan could see that he looked dazed.
‘Keep as still as you can and I’ll have a look.’ Unfastening his shoe, she removed it to find his left ankle swelling fast and already showing dark mottled bruising. She straightened the leg as gently as she could, but he groaned as she touched it. Quickly she checked the rest of him. He had a gash on one cheek, but it was nothing serious, and there was a long shallow scrape on the back of one hand that was bleeding sluggishly.
‘I think you may have broken your ankle.’ She tried to keep her voice matter of fact.
‘Mmm.’ His face was a white blur in the darkness. ‘You’ll have to – drive to a phone – call an ambulance.’
‘I’m not leaving you lying out in the rain. You’ll get pneumonia.’ She couldn’t believe this had all happened so quickly and for a moment she had difficulty thinking what to do. ‘What was that? A hurricane?’
‘Just a sudden squall, I think.’
The front door opened and Cynthia peered out. ‘What’s hap— Oh!’ She made no attempt to come outside.
‘A freak wind blew Ben off the roof. We need to get him to hospital. You’ll have to drive to the highway and find a phone.’
‘Me? I can’t.’
‘What do you mean, you can’t? I’ve seen you drive.’
‘Yes, but not when I’ve had a drink or two. You weren’t the only one who was chilled through today, you know. I’ve just had a couple of stiff gins to warm me up.’
‘What does that matter?’ Megan yelled, unable to believe that even Cynthia could be so selfish.
‘They’re murder on drink driving here in Australia. I’ve already lost my license twice for it. If you offend a third time, they put you in prison. So you’ll have to drive for help while I stay here with Ben.’ She made no effort to come out of the house, though.
Megan looked down at her husband, who had closed his eyes and was obviously in considerable pain. ‘Stupid useless bitch!’ she muttered. ‘I’d like to throw her off the roof!’
Ben’s hand came up to grasp hers. ‘Join the club. I’ve been feeling like that all day. Nick shouldn’t be so patient with her tantrums. She’s far worse than she used to be.’
‘I thought you were fond of her.’
‘Hell, no! I was physically attracted to her once, but that didn’t last long. I was sorry when Nick fell for her, but he was determined to marry her and he’s old enough to know his own mind. I’ve just been trying to stop him worrying. He knows she drinks too much if she gets bored.’
He hesitated, then added, ‘And he knows she’s been unfaithful to him, as well. Though not with me. I’d never do that to a friend, even if I still fancied her, which I don’t.’
‘Oh.’ Megan sagged in relief. So all her jealousy had been unfounded. If he hadn’t been in such pain, she’d have hugged Ben on the spot.
The wind had died right down but the rain was still falling steadily and she was chilled through. Blinking the water out of her eyes, she looked round, determination building up in her. ‘If I drive for help, I’ll have to leave you to Cynthia’s tender mercies. I’m not doing that.’
‘You’ve got no choice. I’m too big for you to carry.’
‘There are two of us to carry you.’
‘One and a half. Bet she’s even weaker than she looks.’ His grin changed quickly into a grimace. ‘Ah, Megan, it hurts like hell!’
He was still clasping her hand and she bent her head to kiss his fingers quickly. ‘Listen. I’m going to get you into the back of the station wagon and drive you to hospital. Moving you will hurt, but it’ll be safer than leaving you here to die from exposure.’ She raised her voice and bellowed, ‘Cynthia!’
A figure appeared in the doorway.
‘I need your help to lift Ben into the car.’
‘Me?’
‘Would you rather we left him lying here in the rain, you silly bitch? Come out here and help me at once.’
‘How dare you speak to me like that!’
‘Get out here at once or I’ll drag you out by your hair, Cynthia Berevic!’
A shadow of a grin passed over Ben’s face.
With Cynthia’s reluctant help, Megan managed to get the station wagon backed up as close to her husband as possible. ‘Go and fetch all the pillows and blankets off our bed, Cynthia. Oh, and while you’re there, check whether the roof is still leaking. And hurry, will you!’
‘This is the last time I ever come and stay with you two! It’s positively primitive here – roofs that leak, bathrooms like common wash houses, and not even a phone to call for help!’
Cynthia tottered to and fro, grumbling non-stop, while Megan piled the blankets and pillows in the car. Ben lay with his eyes closed, his face tense, but he was shivering now.
Megan bent over him. ‘Ben, we need to get you into the car.’
His eyes gleamed briefly at her. ‘Go ahead! I’ll try not to… faint on you.’
‘I know, love.’ The endearment had slipped out without her noticing it, but he didn’t seem to mind. For a moment, she thought she had heard him murmur, ‘Dearest Megan,’ but she couldn’t be sure and now was not the time to ask him to repeat his words.
Two minutes later they were ready to lift him into the car. ‘If you let go of him before I tell you to,’ Megan hissed at Cynthia, ‘I’ll strangle you!’
‘We’re not all strapping country bumpkins like you!’
‘Shut up and save what little strength you do have for the task at hand!’
In spite of the pain, Ben’s lips twitched again, but as the two women lifted him up into the rear of the wagon, he moaned. And when Megan tried to arrange his foot so that driving wouldn’t jar it too much, he fainted. She quickly took the opportunity to brace the foot with a second pillow.
‘Go and get our handbags! And shut the door properly this time.’ she ordered Cynthia. ‘We’ll have to drive him to the hospital. Do you know where the nearest one is?’
‘No, of course I don’t!’
‘Then we’ll drive towards Bunbury. It’s closer than Mandurah.’
It seemed to take an eternity of bumping along the dirt track until they reached the highway. Megan ordered a protesting Cynthia to get out and open the gate, then close it. She drove carefully through it onto the hard shoulder at the side of the road, highly tempted to drive away and leave the other woman where she was, because Cynthia had not once stopped grumbling. Nor had she even tried to keep an eye on Ben in the back.
When they eventually found the hospital, she stopped at the emergency entrance, jumped out of the car and yelled for help. By the time two white-clad figures came out with a trolley she had the back door open, so that they could get to Ben.
Cynthia remained in the front seat, sobbing about how cold and wet she was.
Inside the medical team took Ben away and Megan allowed herself to be wrapped in blankets and fed a cup of stewed, but wonderfully hot tea by one of the nurses.
Someone must have coaxed Cynthia out of the car, because Megan could see her, similarly wrapped in blankets, at the other side of the room. She was still weeping over her cup of tea.
Megan didn’t attempt to go over to her, because all her attention was on the door through which the stretcher had disappeared. It wasn’t just his ankle; it was how chilled Ben had been that worried her.
When a doctor appeared, it was to confirm that her husband had indeed broken his ankle and would need to have it set under anaesthetic. ‘He’ll not recover consciousness for a while after that. Has he eaten recently? He hasn’t? Oh, good, then we needn’t wait to operate. Look, Mrs Saunders, you’d be better going home and telephoning in later for news.’
‘We live on a country block and we aren’t on the phone yet, so I’d rather wait here until I know he’s all right.’
‘As you wish.’
A nurse came up to her as the doctor left. ‘You’ll need to sign some forms, Mrs Saunders, then we have to get you and your friend warm. You’re both shivering still.’
‘She’s no friend of mine!’
‘I heard that!’ Cynthia’s tears ended abruptly and she glared at another nurse, who was standing beside her. ‘I want a taxi calling, one that’ll take me back to Perth. I’ll pay for this stupid blanket or send it back or whatever. I’m not staying with that heartless harridan for one minute longer!’
She scowled across at Megan, ‘And as for you and your husband, I hope you both catch double pneumonia. You’ve turned him into a stupid clod like yourself and I think the pair of you richly deserve one other. If I’d realised how besotted he was with his little Cinderella, I’d not have wasted my time with him. He used to be fun to know once!’
She stormed across to the nurses’ desk. ‘Have you got me that taxi yet?’
Megan sat there bemused, then a smile crept across her face. Besotted? Could Ben really be besotted with her? Cynthia seemed to think so.
Megan frowned, not quite daring to believe this. How could Cynthia know? Had he told her?
Suddenly she had to know. She ran across to the door and caught Cynthia’s arm just as the other woman was stepping into a taxi. ‘What do you mean by saying Ben’s ‘besotted’ with me? Why did you say that?’
Cynthia tried to shake her off, but Megan wouldn’t let go.
‘Tell me!’
‘Are you really too stupid to see how he looks at you? It’s rather amusing, you know. The almighty Ben Saunders hooked at last – and by a nobody like you.’
She pushed her face closer to Megan’s, almost snarling, ‘It won’t last, though. It definitely will not last. You’re a novelty at the moment, but he’ll soon get bored with your naiveté and your lost causes.’
Megan let go and stepped back, feeling joy run through her. ‘I’ll make very sure he doesn’t, believe me. Go back and look after that nice husband of yours, for once.’
She didn’t wait to see the taxi leave, but turned back into the hospital. Was Cynthia right? Did Ben indeed love her? What if she told him she loved him? Dare she do that? She drew in a deep breath, then nodded. Yes, she did dare. She must.
She couldn’t go on like this, tiptoeing around her husband. Better a clean break than a lingering pain. Only – Cynthia had said ‘besotted’. Oh, please, let that be true!
A nurse took the cup from her hands and said something. Megan blinked at her. ‘Sorry! I was miles away.’
‘I was just asking how you’re feeling.’
‘Better now. You’ve been very kind. Sorry Cynthia was so rude to you.’
‘Oh, we’re used to people like madam. You get all types here. Look, I’ve got my jogging gear in my locker. You and I are about the same size. I could lend you the track suit, then we could get you out of those wet clothes and dry them in the patients’ laundry.’
Several hours later, the nurse woke Megan from her doze on a bench in the waiting area. ‘Your husband’s awake now, Mrs Saunders. He’s a bit groggy, but he’s asking for you.’
Megan threw off the blanket and followed her eagerly, sitting by the bed and holding Ben’s hand. He seemed to have fallen asleep again, but she wanted very much to stay by his side.
‘He’ll be in and out of consciousness for a while.’ The tired-looking nurse stopped for a moment at the foot of the bed. ‘But I think he’ll be happier to find you with him. I shouldn’t let you up here at this hour, actually, but who’s going to know?’
When Ben’s eyes flickered open a little later, Megan leaned forward and said softly, ‘I’m here, darling.’
He blinked and struggled to focus on her face. ‘Megan? Is that you?’
‘Yes. You’ve had an operation on your ankle. Everything’s going to be all right.’
‘So stupid, falling off the roof like that.’ He sighed. ‘Nothing you can do about sudden squalls, though. Megan—’
‘Yes?’
‘You were marvellous.’
‘Well, I couldn’t leave you lying out there on the ground in the middle of a storm, could I?’ Had he not noticed her calling him darling? She’d been longing to do that for a while.
His eyes seemed to be in better focus now and he said quietly, as he gazed at her, ‘You’re beautiful.’
‘I must look a real mess! The nurse lent me this and…’
His fingertips fluttered over her lips, stopping her speaking. ‘Shh. I need to tell you something. Before I lose my nerve.’
She leaned closer, her heart suddenly speeding up to pound in her chest and her breath catching in her throat. ‘What?’
‘I love you, Megan.’
‘Oh, Ben!’ She slipped off the chair to kneel beside the bed and bury her head in his shoulder. ‘I love you, too, but I thought you didn’t believe in love and romance.’
His hand came up to caress her neck and face. ‘Well, I’ve changed my mind. Are you quite sure you love me?’
‘I’m very sure, darling.’
‘Bad temper and all?’
‘Every grouchy bit of you.’
He gave a long, happy sigh. ‘That’s so good to know.’ His eyes closed again and his breathing slowed down.
A couple of hours later, just as dawn was brightening the room, he woke properly, seeming almost his normal self.
Megan, still sitting in the chair by his side, looked at him rather shyly.
He stretched out his hand to take hers. ‘I did tell you I loved you, didn’t I?’
‘Yes, you did.’ She felt suddenly breathless.
‘Good. And did you tell me you loved me, too, or did I just dream that bit?’
She blushed. ‘No. I do love you, Ben. Very much.’
His eyes held hers. ‘I started falling in love with you that day in Edinburgh, I think – only I wouldn’t admit it, even to myself. Hell, how could I ever have thought I had no need for romance? I need you quite desperately, dearest Megan. And I need our love, too.’
‘I think it started with me that day, too.’
He pulled her towards him. ‘You’d better give me a proper kiss, then, or I won’t believe this is real.’
He pulled her towards him and as he began to kiss her, the magic flared again.
‘Ben, darling,’ she murmured, able at last to speak the words of love that had been dammed up inside her for the past few weeks.
‘Dearest Megan, say you love me. I need to hear it again and again.’
‘Of course I love you.’
‘Don’t ever change. I love you, too. In fact, I’m going to fill your life with so much love you’ll not even notice there are other men in the world.’
‘Are there really any others?’
He gave her one of his sexy looks. ‘How soon can I go home? Go and tell that damned doctor I need to go home at once. We’ll find some way to make love.’
‘In a minute. Just lie there and rest for a while.’
Megan didn’t attempt to get off the bed, but snuggled her head against his shoulder, sighing happily.
The miracle she’d longed for had occurred. She’d found love. And it had been well worth waiting for.
A few minutes later, she raised her head as a thought struck her. ‘You know, your aunt’s a very wise woman. She said we’d suit.’
‘She’s even wiser than I thought, then.’
‘How could she tell we’d suit one another, though?’
‘Feminine instinct. Who cares?’ He felt a trickle of moisture on his hand and raised himself on one elbow. ‘Now what’s the matter with you, woman?’
She tried to sniff away the tears, but could not. ‘I always cry when I’m happy, so you’ll just have to get used to it. Unless you intend to make me unhappy.’
‘No. So I shall have to get used to you weeping.’ He stroked her hair, and as the tears wet his fingers, he chuckled in her ear. ‘Stop that bawling at once and kiss me again, dearest – darling – Megan.’
A nurse glanced into the room, grinned, and left them alone again. No need to ask Mr Saunders if he was feeling better.