Hannah spooned a little more sugar into her cup as she listened to the affectionate banter between Simon and his wife. It was obvious how fond they were of each other and she couldn’t prevent the sudden pang of envy that rose up inside her. She had hoped that she and Andrew would have that kind of a relationship, but it hadn’t happened. There had always been a certain distance between them even though they had appeared to have had so much in common. It was funny how you could think you knew someone and be proved so wrong.
‘More coffee, my dear?’
Simon reached across the table for her cup but she shook her head. ‘No, thank you.’ She turned and smiled at Ros. ‘It was delicious but I’ll be buzzing if I have any more.’
‘I know what you mean.’ Ros smiled back. A pretty woman in her fifties with light brown hair that curled around her face, she exuded an air of calm that was very soothing. ‘I have to limit myself to no more than three cups a day otherwise I’m high as a kite on all the caffeine!’
Hannah laughed when Ros pulled a rueful face. She glanced round when a movement caught her eye and felt herself tense when she realised that Tom Bradbury was watching her again. It had happened several times now; she had glanced up and found him staring at her and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. Was it just the fact that she was new or was there something more behind his interest?
She hurriedly dismissed the thought, refusing to go down that route. She wasn’t looking for romance. She just wanted to be left alone to create a new life for herself and her son. Charlie was all that mattered, his happiness was her main concern. Everything else was inconsequential.
‘Simon told me that you have a little boy, Hannah. What’s his name and how old is he?’
Hannah roused herself when Ros spoke. ‘His name’s Charlie and he’s nine months old.’
‘And into everything, I bet!’ Ros laughed as she turned to her husband. ‘Remember when our two were that age? You needed eyes in the back of your head. They’re twins and that made it worse, of course, but I wouldn’t have believed the havoc they could cause if I hadn’t seen it for myself.’
Hannah smiled, trying not to let Ros see that the remark had hit a nerve. Sadly, Charlie couldn’t get up to very much mischief. He had been born with talipes—club feet—and at the moment his legs were encased in casts, which severely restricted his movement. Although he was a happy, intelligent little boy, he wasn’t able to do a lot of the things a child his age normally did. Still, she consoled herself, once the casts came off the situation should improve, and if they hadn’t worked there was a good chance that a second operation would solve the problem.
‘Do your children still live in Bride’s Bay?’ she asked, changing the subject because the thought of her son needing further surgery made her feel a little panicky.
‘I wish!’ Ros sighed. ‘Daniel is a research botanist. He’s in Borneo at the moment, tracking down a plant which the locals claim has healing powers. And Becky moved to New Zealand with her husband a couple of years ago. She’s just had a baby, a little girl called Millie, and as you can imagine we’re dying to see her.’
‘We’ll get over there as soon as we can,’ Simon assured her, patting her hand.
‘I know, darling, but I don’t want to wait, that’s the problem. Babies grow so quickly and I just feel that we’re missing out on so much…’ Ros stopped and gasped. ‘Why didn’t I think of it before! I mean, this would be the ideal time, wouldn’t it? Tom knows the ins and outs of running the practice almost as well as you do, and now that Hannah is here, we’re fully staffed.’
She turned beseechingly to Hannah. ‘If you and Tom would hold the fort, it means that Simon and I can go and visit our first grandchild!’
CHAPTER TWO
‘PLEASE take a seat, Mrs Granger.’
Hannah waited while the woman made herself comfortable. It was almost lunchtime and Barbara Granger was her last patient. The morning had been surprisingly busy. She’d not had a minute to herself, in fact, and suddenly found herself wondering if she should have accepted Tom Bradbury’s offer to split her list. It would have made far more sense to ease herself in gently, yet she’d felt strangely reluctant to accept his help. Something had warned her that once she did, it might be difficult to stop.
The thought was so ridiculous that she was hard pressed not to show her disgust. Tom Bradbury meant nothing to her. He was just someone she would be working with for a short while, although, if Ros had her way, it might be longer than either of them had anticipated. The idea was disquieting and she had to make a conscious effort not to dwell on it as she smiled at the woman seated across the desk.
‘I’m Hannah Morris, the new doctor.’
‘Nice to meet you, dear.’ Barbara Granger smiled back. ‘I’m sure you’ll be very happy here. Bride’s Bay is such a lovely little town—everyone is very friendly, as you’ll soon discover. Margery worked here for over ten years and we were all very sorry when she decided to leave.’
‘I’m sure she will be missed,’ Hannah agreed. Every patient she had seen had commented on how sad they’d been when Simon’s previous partner had left. It had made her realise what an integral part of the town the practice was. After working in London, where patients rarely formed a close attachment to their doctor, it was good to know that she was now a valued part of the community.
‘Yes, she will. But folk have to do what’s best for them, don’t they.’ Barbara settled her handbag on her knees. ‘I know how much Margery missed her family. Her two sisters live in Edinburgh and it will be lovely for her to be able to spend more time with them.’
‘It will indeed. Now, what was it you wanted to see me about, Mrs Granger?’ Hannah gently steered the conversation back to the reason for the visit. ‘Is something worrying you?’
‘Yes, although it’s not about me. It’s my Peter, you see. He’s going into hospital soon and he’s in a right state about it.’
‘Is Peter your husband?’ Hannah asked gently, wondering about the ethics of discussing the matter. Patient confidentiality was a key issue and she wouldn’t want to cross any boundaries.
‘No, my son.’ Barbara sighed. ‘Peter has Down’s syndrome. I should have explained that to you before I began.’
‘It’s quite all right,’ Hannah assured her. ‘I take it that you are his main carer?’
‘I was until last year when he got a place in an assisted living facility in the centre of town.’ Barbara pulled a face. ‘Such a horrible name. Calling it a facility makes it sound like some sort of institution but it’s nothing like that. The local council converted one of the houses near the post office so it could be used by people with disabilities like my Peter’s, and it’s very homely. He loves it there.’
‘That sounds like a wonderful idea,’ Hannah said enthusiastically. ‘Your son has his independence, yet there are people around who can offer support if he needs it.’
‘Exactly. Oh, I wasn’t sure if he should go when Simon first suggested it. His dad left soon after Peter was born. He couldn’t handle the thought of having a handicapped child, you see, so I’ve looked after Peter by myself. It’s always been just the two of us and I was worried in case it was too much for him, but he’s come on in leaps and bounds, as it turns out.’
‘You must be so relieved,’ Hannah agreed quietly. As the single mother of a child who needed extra care, she understood how difficult it must have been for Barbara. Maybe it was different when both parents were involved; at least they could discuss any issues and reach a decision