Christmas in Bluebell Cove by Abigail Gordon Page A

keen on having to put his bacon and eggs on hold until he’d been to have blood taken first thing on an empty stomach, and the thought of having no sugar in his tea if it came back positive was taking on the mantle of a major catastrophe. I had to remind him that there are far worse things that some folk have to cope with than that.’
    They were in the kitchen, tidying away after the evening meal as they’d been discussing the problems of their patients, and when they’d finished Ethan said, ‘I’m meeting Jenna and Lucas in the pub for a chat later. Do you want to come along? Though I must warn you the main topic of conversation these days is childbirth and babies.’
    â€˜In that case, I think I’ll give it a miss,’ she said lightly. ‘I might have a stroll along the tops or go down to the beach. It’s too nice a night to be inside.’
    â€˜Fine,’ he said levelly, taking on board the obvious fact that Francine was happy to tolerate his presence when Kirstie and Ben were around, or at the surgery where it was strictly impersonal, but when she had a choice she preferred him not to be around.
    Where was it all going to end? he wondered. Not very happily from the looks of it, and how long was it going to be before some guy was attracted to a stunning French doctor who would soon be free from the shackles of her marriage, as that had to be the way she saw it?
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    How could she have endured talking about babies when she still hadn’t told Ethan that she was carrying their child? Francine thought as she walked slowly down tothe beach where holidaymakers and local people were enjoying the last hour of sunlight before it turned to dusk.
    As she looked around her she considered that most of those frolicking on the sand and challenging the incoming tide with surfboards at the ready would think her insane in wanting to leave Bluebell Cove.
    But the house in France was all she had left of loving parents and a happy childhood, and though Ethan understood that, his loyalty to his commitments here in the village came first and he did not want to leave them for a life across the Channel.
    As she looked down at the beginning of a thickening waistline the evidence was there that another commitment, a joint one, was on its way, and she was going to have to tell him about it before someone else picked up on it first.
    She began to retrace her steps with sudden urgency, hoping he hadn’t already left to spend the evening with Jenna and Lucas. To her surprise, as she began to walk the short distance back to the village she saw him coming towards her, and she took a deep breath. Why not let this be the moment of truth? she thought.
    Ethan would understand why she hadn’t wanted to listen to Jenna’s joyful mother-to-be talk when he knew.
    â€˜Why aren’t you with Jenna and Lucas?’ she asked uncomfortably.
    â€˜I was on my way and saw you in the distance.’
    â€˜Oh. I see.’ Feeling as if her legs would give way beneath her, she sank down onto one of the wooden benches that were dotted along the cliff path and pointed to the space beside her but he didn’t take the hint.
    â€˜We need to talk,’ she told him as he stood looking down at her. ‘Have you got a moment to spare?’’
    He almost groaned out loud at the question. Was it a reminder that she still felt herself to be low on his list of priorities?
    â€˜Yes, of course I have,’ he said abruptly. ‘What is it you have to say?’
    â€˜I’m pregnant, Ethan.’
    â€˜Wow!’ he breathed collapsing into the vacant place beside her.
    â€˜Yes, and I’m sure you will have no difficulty in recalling how and when it came about.’
    â€˜None whatsoever,’ he said huskily. His stunned acceptance of what she’d just told him had made his throat go dry. On a tide of rising joy he said what she’d been expecting him to say. ‘And