But Tessa Flanagan was no victim. As charge nurse at Yaldara Bay Hospital, Tessa’s reactions to emergencies were tuned to be lighting-swift-and now was no exception.
She attacked right back.
During one very boring winter in Yaldara Bay, Tess had enrolled in a self-defence course for women. Then, after an incident with a drunk in Casualty, she’d taught the same class to the junior nurses on her staff. Over and over.
Sometimes she’d wondered whether it really would work. If she was attacked, would she be so frightened that she’d freeze?
Obviously not. Her training worked a treat.
As her attacker hauled her around to face him—before she even saw who was attacking—she thumped her fist fair across his left eye. In the same instant, Tessa’s spare hand dropped and came upward fast, crunching as hard as she possibly could. Right into his private parts.
And Charlie Cameron grunted in agony, fell back and clutched himself where it hurt most.
Tess stared... and stared some more.
‘Charlie...’
‘So who were you expecting?’ Charlie managed, groaning and bent double. ‘Jack the Ripper? Hell, Tess, you’ve damaged me for life!’
‘But...’
‘You’ll have to marry me now. I’m damaged goods. You can’t return me.’
Charlie Charlie, the Earl of Dalston. Charlie, the lunatic.
It was too much. It was all too much. Tess stared down, appalled, and the world spun around her. And finally, after all this time, the tears came.
‘Oh, Charlie, I’m so sorry...’
Charlie straightened and stared. ‘Tess... what’s going on here? You hit me where it hurts most and you cry!’
‘I don’t cry. I never cry.’ It was as much as Tessa could do to make her voice work through her tears.
‘Yeah? And I’m Peter Pan.’ He groaned again. ‘Come to think of it, I might be. Isn’t Peter Pan the boy who can’t grow up? Any minute now I’ ll be back to singing soprano.‘ He winced again. He shook his head. ’I don’t believe this. You’ve interrupted the succession of the Dalston line with one fell fist, you’ve given me a black eye and you cry...’
Tessa didn’t stop. She couldn’t. And Charlie, the Earl of Dalston, pulled himself together. He groaned again, but in resignation. Somehow he made it up the steps to haul her in against his broad shoulders, and Tess wept and wept against Charlie-the-lunatic’s shirt for all of two minutes.
She soaked him. Tessa’s tears made a sodden circle against his shoulder, and she didn’t stop howling until the shirt fabric was almost transparent and she could feel the warmth of his skin underneath her cheek.
Somehow she took a ragged breath and pulled away. Charlie allowed her room to back twelve inches, but his hands held her shoulders, his face creased in concern.
‘I... I’m so sorry,’ she managed finally. ‘Really...I I don’t cry.’
‘I can see that,’ he said approvingly and gave her a wry smile. ‘It’s another reason I’ve decided you should marry me. Apart from needing you for self-defence. Some of us earls employ bodyguards. I’ll just keep you around. Here. Have a handkerchief.’
There was nothing to say to that. She really did need that handkerchief.
‘Blow,’ Charlie told her. ‘And before you ask, I don’t want it back.’ His smile deepened. ‘One thing I’ve decided about being an earl, I can afford to be generous with my handkerchiefs.’
Tess sniffed, gave a watery chuckle—and blew. And blew again, while Charlie smiled down at her in gentle concern.
‘Better?’
‘Better.’ Tess emerged from his linen and gave him a wavering smile. ‘I’m sorry. What you must think...’ Her smile faded. ‘Oh, Charlie, your eye...’ She stared up at him with guilt. ‘It’s changing colour already.’
Charlie fingered his bruised face and winced. ‘No matter,’ he said nobly. And winced again. ‘They say you only feel one pain centre at a time and they’re right. Your other area of attack is of more concern. Hell, Tess, what did you think you were doing?’
‘Defending myself,’ she told him, indignation flooding back as she saw the twinkle in his eyes. Drat the man, was he never serious? She looked down the street to where the sleek black car—a Jaguar—was waiting by the kerb. ‘It was you in the car,’ she said accusingly. ‘Waiting m the street like a gangster. You scared me to death!’
‘Yeah, well, you’re not showing any long-term damage.’ Charlie managed another heartfelt groan. ‘Whereas I just may start singing falsetto. Besides, I thought it was your fnend in the hotel who scared you,’ he said mildly. ‘Your friend with the sexy pyjamas.’
‘You saw.’ Tessa was so confused that for a minute she forgot this man was a nutcase. She thought of the pyjamas in question and gave another tearful chuckle. ‘Oh, isn’t he awful? I can’t stay here.’
‘No. You can’t stay here.’ Charlie’s hands came back to grip her shoulders. ‘That’s what I was trying to tell you on the plane. You wouldn’t listen. This address is seedy and this hotel has to be the seediest in the district.’
‘But...’ Tess took a ragged breath and steadied. And pulled away from his hands. ‘Charlie, I’ve paid for it. I can’t...’
‘You can’t have paid very much.’
‘We didn’t. But Donald says...’
‘Donald?’
‘My fiancé.’
Silence.
My fiancé. The word echoed in the silence of the street and Tess bit her lip. She’d had to say it, though. It wouldn’t do this man any harm to know there was a man in her life. A man who cared for her. But Charlie’s eyes were snapping down in a frown. He hauled up her ring finger and held it in the sunlight for inspection.
‘No ring,’ he said accusingly.
‘I don’t have to wear a ring,’ she told him, her voice just a trace unsteady.
‘It’d help. When a man’s looking out for a bride under desperate circumstances...’
‘You mean a man like you.’
‘Yes. A man who needs to be married.’
‘He wants a sign, I suppose.’ Tess glared. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Cameron, but I don’t see why I should wear “claimed” labels just for you.’
‘Doesn’t Donald believe in diamonds?’
‘We’re saving for a house,’ Tess said with asperity. She was back under control now, and growing more indignant by the minute. ‘Now, if you’ve finished the inquisition...’
‘If you were my fiancée, I’d make sure you were wearing a diamond so large every other man could see it for miles,’ Charlie told her ‘I’d be so proud. You’re gorgeous, you’re kind, and you’re a warrior maiden to boot I’d buy you an engagement ring before any bricks and mortar.’
‘Even a castle?’ Tess said before she could help herself, and Charlie had the temerity to grin.
‘Well, who knows? What price a castle?’ And then he leaned over and lifted her baggage. ‘Hell. This weighs a ton. We saw you walk into the street. Walk! What the hell were you doing walking instead of taking a cab?’ And then he sighed and held up a hand. ‘No. Don’t tell me. I know. Donald and