Janet’s eyes were troubled.
‘Don’t think I can’t see what’s eating you, girl,’ she said gently. ‘Every day you’ve been coming here the shadows under your eyes have been growing. With that nice Dr Pryor helping out at the hospital and Ryan Henry putting his oar in as well, you’re more rested than you’ve been for years. But still the shadows… ’
‘I’ve been worried about you,’ Abbey told her, a touch of defiance in her voice, and Janet snorted.
‘Pull the other leg, Abbey. The new hip your Ryan’s given me is working almost as well as the old one already. In a couple of weeks I’ll be as good as new. Better.’ And then Janet frowned. ‘You’re not worried about me in other ways, I hope? You’re not worried about me being on my own if you marry your Ryan?’
Abbey winced. ‘Janet, that’s crazy. He’s not… he’s not my Ryan.’
‘No? That fiancée of his has left him to go back to America. He doesn’t seem to be pining one bit, and the way he looks at you… Abbey, has he asked you to marry him?’
And, at the look on Abbey’s face, Janet’s frown deepened.
‘He has,’ she announced softly in a voice of discovery. ‘And you’ve told him no. I can see it in your face. Abbey, for heaven’s sake, why did you say no? It’s almost two years since John died. If I, as John’s mother, think it’s time you got a new life for yourself then surely you should too.’ Her eyes perused Abbey’s face with care. ‘Abbey, you love Ryan Henry,’ she said slowly. ‘You love him. So why refuse to marry him?’
Abbey shook her head, but Janet’s eyes didn’t leave her face. She stood, waiting for an answer, and Abbey had to find one.
‘Janet, I must refuse him,’ Abbey said at last. ‘What choice do I have?’ She dug her hands deep into the pockets of her white coat, as though her doctor’s uniform were some sort of security. ‘Janet, Ryan wants me to be a New York consultant’s wife. How on earth can I be that?’ She bit her lip. ‘I’m a doctor in my own right. I fought hard to be what I am.’
‘You’ll be what you are if you’re here or if you’re on the other side of the world,’ Janet said brusquely. ‘You’ll be just the same Abbey. Only you’ll be with Ryan.’
‘No.’ Abbey shook her head. ‘I won’t be. Janet, Ryan doesn’t even know whether I can get registration. He doesn’t know if I can work. And he doesn’t see… he doesn’t see that it’s important.’
‘Is it important?’
‘You know it is.’ Abbey crossed to the window and stared out over the headland to the sea beyond. ‘Janet, this hospital… I fought so hard for it. We need it. Sapphire Cove needs it. I can’t just walk away.’
‘Not even with Ryan?’
Abbey shook her head.
‘I love Ryan, but that’s not all there is in the world,’ she said. ‘Just like my medicine’s important but it’s not everything. Jack… My little Jack would have to wear shoes. He’d lose his people.’ She flung herself around so she was facing Janet again. ‘Ryan says you could come with us. Would you want to come?’
‘What-me in New York?’ Janet’s face sagged in astonishment. ’You have to be joking. I was born in Sapphire Cove and I’ll die in Sapphire Cove, thank you very much. The thought of big cities fills me with the heebie-jeebies.’
‘Same here,’ Abbey told her, and tried to smile. ‘So, you see? It’s impossible. Crazy.’
‘And yet you’re breaking your heart to go with him.’
‘It broke my heart when John died,’ Abbey said bleakly. ‘And yet here I am two years later, discussing marrying someone else. Life goes on. I’ll live.’ She stirred herself and crossed to hold the door open for Janet. ‘Enough talk. Let’s get you out to the race and get you walking. When all else fails, Janet Wittner, there’s always work.’
There was more than that, Abbey thought as she and Eileen took Janet carefully through her exercises. More than just work in her life. There was this place, a wonderful nursing staff, her little son, Janet…
So why did life still seem so bleak?
‘You’re in love with Abbey Wittner!’
Sam Henry had one sock on and one sock off. Now he paused in his attempts to dress himself and fixed his son with a glare.
‘I’m right, aren’t I, boy? You’re in love with our Abbey.’
‘Dad, if you want me to take you out to see where these turtle eggs are incubating then let’s keep the talk impersonal. Otherwise I might cut and run.’
‘Like you and your mother did twenty years ago?’
‘Dad…’
‘Your mother didn’t like getting involved,’ Sam said darkly. ‘That’s why she hated it here. Hated Sapphire Cove. She should never have agreed to marry me in the first place.’ Sam hauled his shoes on and gave his hand to his son to help him up. Although Sam was recovering well, he was still weak at the knees and breathless. In a few days he’d go home, but this was a first. An outing with Ryan, and then back to hospital at the end of it.
‘You thinking of marrying her?’ he demanded bluntly.
‘Dad…’
‘There’s no use telling me to mind my own business,’ Sam told him. ‘You’re my son-remember? So tell me. Your fiancée’s sloped off back to New York and you’re carrying a ring around with no one to give it to-right? So you’re thinking of marrying our Abbey.’ He steadied on his feet but he didn’t relinquish his grip on his son. ‘You could do worse, Ryan. Abbey’s a damned fine girl.’
‘I know she is,’ Ryan said heavily. And then he shrugged. Talking to his father about his personal life was new to him, but he liked the sensation. It was just, well, hard to get used to.
And it was uncomfortable, talking about Abbey.
‘Dad, I have asked her to marry me,’ he confessed.
Sam stared. ‘Yeah?’ His whole face lightened. ‘You and Abbey… Well, well.’
‘She’s refused.’
Sam frowned.
‘Why on earth? Ryan, Janet tells me she’s nuts about You.’
‘Janet says… Dad, have you and Janet been talking about us?’
‘You have to do something in this dratted hospital if you’re not to go stir-crazy,’ Sam retorted. ‘Between bedpans and library trolleys and people making you do a damned stupid set of exercises, talking to Janet’s been a lifeline. And she’s worried about that girl of hers. Says she’s breaking her heart over you.’
‘Not so you’d notice,’ Ryan said morosely. ‘She won’t marry me.’
‘Hell, why not?’ Sam’s face was still eager. ‘Maybe it’s just she needs time to get used to the idea. Ryan, it’d be great.’ He took a deep breath. ‘Tell you what. If it’ll help, I’ll buy a little place down closer to the beach and let you kids have the homestead. It’s too big for me and it’d be a great place to bring up kids. That is…’ he was watching Ryan’s bleak face ‘… if you want more kids.’
But Ryan shook his head. ‘Dad, that’s more than generous, but you must see… Even if Abbey marries me we couldn’t live here.’
Silence.
‘Why not?’ Sam asked at last, but the light had faded from his face as if it had never been.
‘Because my life is in New York,’ Ryan said explosively. ‘Hell, Dad, I have a career.’
‘And Abbey doesn’t?’
‘Well, yes, but what sort of career? It pays peanuts and you know it.’
‘Maybe Abbey’s content with peanuts,’ Sam said sadly.
‘How can she be?’ Ryan demanded, and it was as if he was talking to himself. ‘She works herself into the ground for nothing. But the lifestyle I’m offering her… I could look after her. Take her away from all this.’
‘But Abbey loves “all this”.’ Sam’s face softened. ‘And, Ryan, so should you. You were born here. This is your heritage too.’
Ryan stared at him in astonishment. ‘Dad, are you seriously suggesting that I should stay here?’