Their Baby Surprise (7 page)

‘I’m going to have the same as I had last night.’

Rachel closed her menu and placed it on the table. Matt’s head whirled as he struggled to separate the mirage from what was actually happening. ‘Good idea. I think I will too.’

He placed his menu on top of hers, forcing out the images that crowded his head. Rachel deserved to be loved and cherished, nothing less, and he wasn’t sure yet if he could do that. ‘So have you had any more thoughts about this new advisory service?’ he asked to distract himself from that strangely unsettling thought.

‘Just one. I was wondering if we should offer contraceptive advice as well.’ Rachel paused as though she hadn’t made up her mind about the benefits of such a service and Matt nodded encouragingly. He wanted to fill his head with as many new ideas as possible in the hope they would shut out everything else.

‘It would make a lot of sense. Dalverston has never had a proper family planning clinic and, in my opinion, it’s a huge oversight. Admittedly, the number of unplanned pregnancies in the town is relatively low compared to some other places, but they still happen. Kids need to understand that they have to behave responsibly, and not just to avoid getting pregnant either.’

‘STDs, you mean?’ Rachel queried.

‘Yes. I had a young man in tonight who’s a prime example of the value of such a service. It looks very much as though he’s caught some sort of sexually transmitted disease—probably chlamydia—and it was the first time he had slept with a girl too. Youngsters like him need to understand that they can’t afford to take any chances whether it’s their first time or their hundredth.’

‘I agree, although I suppose that must sound rather hypocritical.’

‘Hypocritical?’ He frowned. ‘What do you mean?’

‘That I’m hardly a shining example of how to behave sensibly seeing as I was a teenage mum myself,’ she explained wryly.

‘That’s just plain silly, Rachel. All right, so you didn’t plan on having Ross, but everyone is allowed to make one mistake in their lives.’

‘Thank you. And I have to confess that I wouldn’t change things even if I could. Having Ross was the best thing that ever happened to me. I know I worked twice as hard as I would have done if I hadn’t had to support him.’

‘There you go, then. You’ve nothing to feel bad about. In fact, I can’t think of a better role model for the kids than you.’

Matt heard the husky note in his voice and picked up his glass of water, hoping that Rachel wouldn’t thank him for the compliment. If she did he might be tempted to hand out a few more and that would be the wrong thing to do. He had to remember that he wasn’t in a position to court her.

The incongruity of the old-fashioned term should have made him laugh, yet it was the best way to describe how he felt. He wanted to
court
her, to woo her and charm her into liking him. He tried to remember if he had felt the same way when he had met Claire but it was too long ago to recall his feelings. His love for Claire had been both rich and fulfilling, but it had changed over the years they’d been married. Their passion had mellowed, the urgency they had felt in the beginning turning into a closeness that had sustained them both. But all of a sudden he knew that if he fell in love with Rachel it wouldn’t be the same. It couldn’t be. He couldn’t imagine the passion he felt for her growing weaker with time.

Matt’s breath caught as he was forced to acknowledge the truth. Loving Rachel would be a very different experience from loving Claire. Admitting it seemed like the ultimate betrayal.

CHAPTER SEVEN

R
ACHEL
sensed a certain undercurrent bubbling away while they ate. It wasn’t anything Matt said, but a feeling she had that something was troubling him. To all intents and purposes he behaved exactly the same as normal but she was too sensitive when it came to him to miss even the smallest signs. The thought unsettled her so that when he suggested having coffee after their meal, she refused. It seemed wiser to bring the evening to an end rather than prolong it.

They left the restaurant a short time later and walked over to where they had parked the car. There was a thick layer of frost on the windscreen and once Matt had settled her in the passenger seat, he got out a can of de-icer and set to work. Rachel huddled deeper into her coat, although it wasn’t the chill of the night that was making her feel so cold but the worry of it all. Had Matt sensed something amiss from her own behaviour, perhaps?

‘Let’s get this heater going.’ Matt got into the car, bringing with him a blast of icy air. He frowned when he saw her shiver. ‘You’re frozen solid! I should have turned on the engine instead of leaving you sitting here.’

He sounded genuinely upset and she couldn’t bear to hear him berate himself when she was the one at fault. She had to get over this ridiculous crush and set everything back on a normal footing.

‘I’ll live,’ she said lightly, making a determined effort to sound upbeat. ‘I’ll have you know that I’m a lot tougher than I look!’

‘Oh, I don’t doubt it.’ He grinned at her. ‘I bet you tear up telephone directories with your bare hands for fun, don’t you?’

‘You’d better believe it!’ Rachel flexed her fingers and laughed, feeling easier now that their usual harmony had been restored. Maybe she had been reading too much into the situation, she thought, glancing at Matt as he drove them out of the car park. He’d probably been concentrating on the pros and cons of this new venture, making sure that it would be worth all the extra work involved. She had rather sprung it on him and maybe she should have given him more time to weigh it all up.

‘Look, Matt, if you have any reservations about this proposal of mine, please, say so. I know how stretched we are and offering a new service like this is bound to stretch us even more.’ She shrugged. ‘I don’t want to cause problems for everyone, believe me.’

‘You aren’t. As we agreed earlier it could end up saving us a lot of time. Add in the very real benefits to both the mums and their babies and it has to be a good idea. No, I can honestly say that I don’t have any reservations at all. It’s an excellent idea.’

‘Oh, right. Good. I’m glad you feel like that.’

There was no doubt in her mind that he meant what he said and Rachel let the subject drop. They passed through the town centre and headed towards the outskirts of the town. Matt drew up at the side of the road when they reached the lane where she lived and turned to her.

‘I know you’ll think I’m fussing, Rachel, but are you sure you can manage tonight with that knee? I’d hate to think of you taking a tumble down those stairs of yours.’

‘I won’t,’ Rachel replied, swivelling sideways so she could look at him. Her breath caught when she saw the concern in his eyes but she refused to allow herself to get carried away. Matt was just being his usual kind and thoughtful self. She held up her hand as though swearing an oath. ‘I promise on my honour that I shall be extra careful what I do. Does that set your mind at rest?’

‘A bit, but I’d feel better if you would stay at my house tonight.’ He hurried on, obviously keen to forestall any objections she might make. ‘And before you say anything, you won’t be putting me out. Just the opposite, in fact. You’ll be doing me a favour.’

‘A favour?’ she repeated numbly, struggling to get her head round the idea.

‘Mmm. I won’t get a wink of sleep if I’m worrying about you falling down those wretched stairs.’ He smiled at her, a smile of such tenderness that her heart immediately melted. Could he have looked at her that way if he didn’t genuinely care? she wondered giddily. The thought was so mind-blowing that it was hard to concentrate when he continued.

‘You can have the bedroom in the annexe. It’s en suite so there’s no stairs to negotiate if you need to use the loo during the night. There’s even a little fold-down seat in the shower which should make life easier for you, shouldn’t it?’

‘I…er…I suppose so,’ Rachel murmured, hoping to gain herself a little time. She groaned because even if she’d had a couple of hours to decide, it wouldn’t have made the decision any easier. It wasn’t the safety factor she was worried about, or at least not where it concerned her knee. It was the thought of spending the night under Matt’s roof that was giving her hot and cold chills. That was far more dangerous.

‘It’s the ideal place for you to stay while your knee heals. You’ll be able to potter about and not do yourself any more damage.’ He leant over and squeezed her hand. ‘Say you’ll stay, Rachel, even if it’s only for tonight. Please. Just for me.’

‘There’s clean sheets on the bed and fresh towels in the bathroom. Heather often invited one of her friends to stay over so the place is always ready for guests.’

Matt stepped aside so that Rachel could see into the small but functional bathroom. Everywhere gleamed brightly, the black and white tiles sparkling in the light, and she nodded, battening down the urge to laugh. Matt was acting like a hotelier, pointing out the room’s good points, and she was acting like a guest. How ridiculous was that?

She went back into the bedroom, taking stock of the quilted throw on the king-sized bed, the comfy chair positioned next to the dressing table. It was an attractive room and she knew she would be comfortable sleeping there, but was she mad to have agreed? Surely she was making a difficult situation worse by sleeping in Matt’s home even if she wasn’t actually sleeping with
him.

Heat rushed up her cheeks and she busied herself with removing her coat to hide her embarrassment. Matt must have seen her struggling because he immediately stepped forward to help. He slid the coat off her shoulders and it was all she could do to hide her shiver when she felt his hand brush against the side of her neck. Even though it was only the briefest of contacts she felt it register in every cell of her body like a surge of electricity. She heard Matt draw in a ragged breath and glanced round in surprise, wondering if he had felt it too, but he was already moving away.

‘How about a cup of tea?’ he suggested, hanging her coat in the wardrobe.

‘That would be lovely. Thank you.’

Rachel waited until he had left then sank down on the bed. She must stop wondering if Matt felt the same way as she did or this night would turn into a disaster. Unbuttoning her jacket, she laid it on the quilt then smoothed down the front of her blouse. It was warm in the house and what with that plus her own inner thermostat going haywire, it felt as though she was burning up. Somehow, she had to remain calm no matter what happened.

Once again her temperature spiked as a whole raft of possibilities flooded her mind. They ranged from the innocuous—Matt giving her a goodnight peck on the cheek—to the preposterous—a night of unbridled passion—and she moaned. What a time for her imagination to run riot!

‘Tea’s ready,’ Matt shouted, and she struggled to her feet. Tea and some undemanding conversation were just what she needed to calm her nerves.

She made her way along the hall and found Matt coming out of the kitchen, carrying a tray. He smiled as he nodded towards the sitting room.

‘We may as well drink it in here. It’s more comfortable.’

He led the way, placing the tray on a table before going over to the window to draw the curtains. He’d already lit the fire and the logs were starting to spit as they caught light. Rachel sat down in one of the squashy armchairs, sighing with pleasure as she looked around the room.

‘This is such a lovely room, Matt. It always feels so welcoming.’

‘I’ve always loved it,’ he agreed, passing her one of the cups before sitting down on the sofa. ‘I suppose that’s the main reason why I haven’t redecorated it for years. I like it just the way it is, although I’m going to have to buy a new sofa at some point. There’s more sag than bounce in these cushions, I’m afraid.’

Rachel laughed at his wry expression. ‘It looks fine to me, but there again my own sofa isn’t exactly in its first flush of youth.’

‘Obviously a woman after my own heart. You like to get full value out of your furniture too.’

He returned her smile, mercifully missing the start she gave. Of course she wasn’t after his heart, she told herself sternly. That was ridiculous. She took a sip of her tea then looked up when the phone suddenly rang. Matt frowned as he got up to answer it.

‘I wonder who that can be at this time of the night.’

Rachel watched as he crossed the room and picked up the receiver. He had his back to her and she found herself studying the strong, straight line of his spine. Everything about him was solid and dependable, she thought, both inside and out. He possessed the rare gift of making people feel that no matter what mishap befell them, he would help them sort it out. It was one of his major strengths as a GP and it was also one of the things that appealed to her most. Matt was someone she could turn to in a crisis and he would never let her down. She had never thought that about any man before.

‘No, please don’t apologise. I quite understand why you’re worried, Mrs Morris. Leave it with me. I should be there in about ten minutes’ time.’

Rachel frowned when she heard what he had said. ‘What’s happened?’

‘That was Mrs Morris from Prescott Lane on the phone. One of her boys is running a temperature and he also has a strange rash on his legs.’

‘Has she phoned the on-call service?’ Rachel asked.

‘Yes, over an hour ago, apparently, but nobody’s turned up yet and that’s why she phoned me.’ Matt’s tone was grim. ‘There’s been two cases of meningitis in the area recently so I appreciate why she’s so worried. We can’t afford to take any chances that this might be another one.’

‘Certainly not,’ Rachel agreed. ‘Are you going over there now?’

‘Yes. I know the on-call service should cover it but that isn’t the point. The boy needs to be seen sooner rather than later.’ He headed to the door then paused and glanced back. ‘I don’t know how long I’ll be so don’t wait up for me, Rachel. I’ll see you in the morning.’

‘Of course. Be careful, though, Matt. The roads are very icy tonight. You don’t want to have an accident.’

‘Don’t worry, I shall be extremely careful. We can’t afford to have two of us hobbling around the surgery, can we?’

He smiled at her and just for a second his face was unguarded. Rachel’s breath caught but before she could react, he swung round and a moment later she heard the front door slam. She struggled to her feet and made it to the window in time to watch him drive away. Resting her forehead against the glass, she tried to recall the expression on his face. Had she imagined it, seen what she had wanted to see? She wasn’t sure, but for a moment there’d seemed to be such hunger in his eyes as he had looked at her, such need, that just thinking about it made her shiver.

She sighed as she stared out at the darkness. Even if Matt did feel something for her there was no reason to believe that he would do anything about it.

‘The good news is that I’m ninety-nine percent certain that Robbie doesn’t have meningitis.’

Matt sympathised when he heard the boy’s parents gasp in relief. As a parent himself, he understood how worried they must have been. He smiled at them, trying not to think about all the other worrying issues he had to contend with at the moment.

‘Whilst Robbie undoubtedly has a fever and a rash, there’s nothing else that points towards it being meningitis. There’s no neck stiffness, no sign of photophobia—that’s an aversion to light—no headache or sickness.’

He pressed a glass tumbler against the blotches on the boy’s legs, blanking out all thoughts of what had happened before he’d left the house. The desire he’d felt for Rachel had almost overwhelmed him. If he hadn’t made such a rapid exit he would have had the devil of a job to contain it. The thought was enough to make his heart race.

‘As you can see, the rash disappears when you press the glass against it. That doesn’t happen with the meningitis rash.’

‘So you think it’s some sort of a virus?’ Robbie’s father queried.

‘It could be.’ Matt turned to the boy, his gut instinct telling him to probe a bit more deeply. ‘Is there anything else that you haven’t mentioned, Robbie? Something that’s happened which you haven’t told your mum and dad about?’

Robbie bit his lip, looking so sheepish that Matt knew he was right. He sat down on the edge of the bed and said firmly, ‘Nobody is going to tell you off if you’ve done something silly, son. We just want to find out what’s making you feel so ill.’

‘It was the rat,’ Robbie muttered, glancing warily at his parents.

‘A pet rat?’ Matt said, shaking his head. Mrs Morris opened her mouth to speak. He didn’t want any interruptions now that Robbie had got this far.

‘No, just a rat down by the river. Me and my friends were playing there the other day and we found this rats’ nest, you see. We weren’t going to hurt them,’ Robbie said quickly. ‘We just wanted to have a look at them. We got a stick and poked around a bit, but then one of them bit me on the ankle. Just here. See.’

‘That looks nasty,’ Matt said as the boy rolled down his sock and showed him his ankle. The area surrounding the bite was badly inflamed, pointing towards it being infected. ‘It would definitely explain why the lymph nodes in your groin are swollen. The infection has spread throughout your body. No wonder you’ve been feeling so poorly.’

‘But rats carry the plague, don’t they, Doctor?’ Mrs Morris put in fearfully. ‘I saw a programme on the television a few months ago and they said that the plague started because the country was overrun with rats!’

‘Usually it’s the fleas off the rats that bite people and pass on the plague,’ Matt explained patiently. ‘Thankfully, we don’t have that problem in this country any more, although there are other diseases that rats can carry. That’s why anyone who’s bitten by a rat should always seek medical attention as soon as possible.’ He glanced at the boy. ‘Robbie is probably suffering from rat-bite fever and the good news is that we can clear it up with antibiotics. However, no more poking about in rats’ nests, young man. Steer well clear in future.’