hit her, and told her a pack of lies from day one. Love truly was blind.
When Kerry had left, Laura lay alone in her bed feeling shell-shocked and very vulnerable. No, Kerry had to be wrong. But this new information of Kerry’s – that he’d been having breakfast with a well-known criminal – was certainly worrying. Undoubtedly he was doing it as part of his job for MI5. Jeff was probably working on some kind of sting. No doubt his recent violent outbursts had just been a reaction to all the dangerous work he was doing. He hadn’t really meant to hurt her, and all would be well just as soon as this difficult assignment was over. She’d just have to be patient until then.
Feeling exhausted by it all, Laura lay back and patted her belly. At least the baby was okay, so she could look forward to the family that she and Jeff were creating together. Her number-one priority was this little person growing inside her. She owed it to this child to make the best of her marriage, and to create a happy home environment for it to grow up in. If she was to start questioning everything her husband did, she’d have no marriage left. Jeff had to be allowed to do his job without her interference – hadn’t he told her that she wasn’t ever to question him about what he was doing? Presumably that was for her own protection. Jeff wouldn’t want any of the unsavoury characters he dealt with intruding into his family life. She felt a warm glow of contentment. He was only trying to keep her safe. Feeling relieved, she picked up a magazine and began flicking through the pages.
C HAPTER 20
L aura was relieved to be going home at last, despite Jeff off-handedly informing her that he wouldn’t be available to collect her the following day, and that she’d have to take a taxi home on her own.
After he’d left her hospital room, Laura hadn’t been able to stop the tears. She had felt wretched, and hurt that her husband couldn’t be there for her. She assumed that the demands of his job were keeping him away, and she suddenly wished Jeff had an ordinary, nine to five job. Other people had offered to bring her home: Darren was first to offer, then Maria, followed by Kerry. But she’d turned them all down – pretending that Jeff was collecting her – because she couldn’t bear to see the pity in their eyes.
Once back in the apartment, Laura looked around at all the magnificent fittings, state-of-the-art kitchen and sumptuous furnishings, and felt her heart almost break. On the surface, she and Jeff had everything. But where it mattered, they seemed to have very little. Laura wondered if she was lacking somehow. Maybe Jeff needed a much more dynamic woman than she was. Clearly, she wasn’t enough to make her husband happy. Was Jeff as disappointed with their marriage as she was? Nevertheless, she was expecting a baby with him, so she’d make the best of it in order to create a good home environment for their child. And she’d try to be the best mother she possibly could. Hopefully things would get better.
The following day, Laura returned to work. Her colleagues were surprised to see her back so soon and urged her to take it easy. They all volunteered to ease her workload, or bring her coffee or food from the canteen. Their kindness overwhelmed her, and she felt a sense of peace in her work surroundings that she never seemed to feel at home. Why couldn’t Jeff express those same caring feelings? He was supposed to love her, whereas her colleagues, who were simply acquaintances, had shown more humanity and kindness to her than he ever had.
Darren fussed and flapped like a mother hen, urging her to put her feet up at every opportunity, and insisting that for the rest of the week she only give her afternoon lecture, and that he’d give the morning one. It felt good to be pampered, but Laura was keen to pull her weight and get back to her full-time schedule as soon as possible.
‘I’ll be staying on at the university this
When Kerry had left, Laura lay alone in her bed feeling shell-shocked and very vulnerable. No, Kerry had to be wrong. But this new information of Kerry’s – that he’d been having breakfast with a well-known criminal – was certainly worrying. Undoubtedly he was doing it as part of his job for MI5. Jeff was probably working on some kind of sting. No doubt his recent violent outbursts had just been a reaction to all the dangerous work he was doing. He hadn’t really meant to hurt her, and all would be well just as soon as this difficult assignment was over. She’d just have to be patient until then.
Feeling exhausted by it all, Laura lay back and patted her belly. At least the baby was okay, so she could look forward to the family that she and Jeff were creating together. Her number-one priority was this little person growing inside her. She owed it to this child to make the best of her marriage, and to create a happy home environment for it to grow up in. If she was to start questioning everything her husband did, she’d have no marriage left. Jeff had to be allowed to do his job without her interference – hadn’t he told her that she wasn’t ever to question him about what he was doing? Presumably that was for her own protection. Jeff wouldn’t want any of the unsavoury characters he dealt with intruding into his family life. She felt a warm glow of contentment. He was only trying to keep her safe. Feeling relieved, she picked up a magazine and began flicking through the pages.
C HAPTER 20
L aura was relieved to be going home at last, despite Jeff off-handedly informing her that he wouldn’t be available to collect her the following day, and that she’d have to take a taxi home on her own.
After he’d left her hospital room, Laura hadn’t been able to stop the tears. She had felt wretched, and hurt that her husband couldn’t be there for her. She assumed that the demands of his job were keeping him away, and she suddenly wished Jeff had an ordinary, nine to five job. Other people had offered to bring her home: Darren was first to offer, then Maria, followed by Kerry. But she’d turned them all down – pretending that Jeff was collecting her – because she couldn’t bear to see the pity in their eyes.
Once back in the apartment, Laura looked around at all the magnificent fittings, state-of-the-art kitchen and sumptuous furnishings, and felt her heart almost break. On the surface, she and Jeff had everything. But where it mattered, they seemed to have very little. Laura wondered if she was lacking somehow. Maybe Jeff needed a much more dynamic woman than she was. Clearly, she wasn’t enough to make her husband happy. Was Jeff as disappointed with their marriage as she was? Nevertheless, she was expecting a baby with him, so she’d make the best of it in order to create a good home environment for their child. And she’d try to be the best mother she possibly could. Hopefully things would get better.
The following day, Laura returned to work. Her colleagues were surprised to see her back so soon and urged her to take it easy. They all volunteered to ease her workload, or bring her coffee or food from the canteen. Their kindness overwhelmed her, and she felt a sense of peace in her work surroundings that she never seemed to feel at home. Why couldn’t Jeff express those same caring feelings? He was supposed to love her, whereas her colleagues, who were simply acquaintances, had shown more humanity and kindness to her than he ever had.
Darren fussed and flapped like a mother hen, urging her to put her feet up at every opportunity, and insisting that for the rest of the week she only give her afternoon lecture, and that he’d give the morning one. It felt good to be pampered, but Laura was keen to pull her weight and get back to her full-time schedule as soon as possible.
‘I’ll be staying on at the university this
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