The Village Nurse's Happy-Ever-After by Abigail Gordon Page B

yet.’
    The practice building was in sight. It was time to pick Marcus up from Jenna’s house, hopefully still sleeping, but she didn’t want to leave Harry in this sombre frame of mind. Her spirits lifted when he said, ‘Let me carry him across this time, Phoebe.’
    Was there hope that Harry might change his mind one day because of the protective affection he was beginning to feel for Marcus?

CHAPTER SIX
    M ARCUS was still asleep as Harry picked him up and cradled him in his arms. Phoebe wrapped him in a blanket while Lucy looked on approvingly and said, ‘I haven’t heard a sound out of your little one, but Lily has made up for him! She’s been the one exercising her lungs tonight.
    â€˜Jenna has just phoned to say that they’re on their way and then Lucas will take me home. So, how was the ball? Was it up to the usual standard of a combined Enderby and events committee occasion?’
    â€˜It was wonderful,’ Phoebe told her with her glance on Harry, who didn’t respond, and she thought it was incredible that they had disrupted the foundations of each other’s lives with their totally different viewpoints.
    When Marcus had been tucked up in his own cot once again, Phoebe plucked up her courage to reach out to the clearly still-hurting Harry in the only way she could think of. Taking a deep breath, she said, ‘You shouldn’t be on your own tonight, Harry, not after that painful reminder of the past. Stay here with me.’
    He’d been about to depart, but stopped and asked, ‘In what capacity?’
    She met his gaze steadily, for once not trying to hide the feelings for him that shone in her eyes. ‘Whatever you want it to be.’
    Harry dragged in a swift breath then exhaled slowly. ‘No, thanks just the same, Phoebe.’ He gave her a self-deprecating smile that took the sting out of his gentle rejection. ‘I’ll be fine if you’ll just forgive me for ruining your evening.’
    â€˜You didn’t. So don’t concern yourself about that,’ she replied. But she couldn’t let him walk out of her door without trying to express her affection and support for him. As he turned to go a second time she caught his arm and pulled him round to face her, cupping his face between her hands. As his arms went around her, she was reminded of the gentle way he held her son, and his heart-breaking childhood loss of his baby brother. She said softly, ‘You like holding Marcus, don’t you?’
    He was smiling. ‘Oh, so you’ve noticed? How could I not? He is delightful, and do you know what, Phoebe? I like holding you too.’ Bending, he planted a butterfly kiss on her lips and then with the smile still there said, ‘I’m going before I give in to temptation and accept your offer to stay the night.’ Closing the door quietly behind him so as not to disturb the sleeping child, he went.
    In the silence that followed Phoebe decided that after their bleak conversation in the car on the way home she understood him better, and would expect nothing from him until he was ready to let the past go.
    If that never happened, at least she would have known him, admired and respected him, and above all else loved him for being the man he was.
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    After the highs and lows of Friday night, the weekend felt like a non-event. Harry didn’t appear, though she imagined he was there behind the old oak door. So keeping to her usual routine Phoebe did some chores, put the washer on, and in the early afternoon of Sunday took Marcus out in his baby buggy for some fresh air.
    The days were lengthening. The next event in the village would be Easter and she’d heard rumours of an Easter Bonnet Parade, which sounded interesting. But spring had yet to wrap itself around Bluebell Cove, when it did the whole village would come alive. There would be families down on the beach, the cafés and restaurants would raise their