‘And…and Niall…?’
Hugo shrugged. ‘He’ll be off back to England, I guess,’ he told her. ‘He’s a damned fine doctor, miss. Got a great reputation as a surgeon already and he lectures at the university and writes books as well. In time, when the child’s settled and Niall has to go, maybe we’ll find a nanny.’ He smiled slyly across at her.
‘But the way our Niall’s been looking at you-Well, if he had a wife on the island to look after Paige then we wouldn’t need a nanny-and he might even come back and forth from time to time. He’d have to if you were here. And you and me could cope with Paige and the vineyard…’
‘You and me…’ Jess whispered. ‘While Niall goes back to London!’
Hugo paused. He’d almost been talking to himself, Jess realised. Now he turned and saw her face-and his own face dropped.
‘Look, miss…’ he said uneasily. ‘That’s just what I’ve been thinking. I mean…Paige thinks you’re wonderful and you’re well settled here-part of the island…’
‘And I’d make a good mother for Paige…’
‘She loves you already,’ Hugo said simply.
‘I don’t believe this.’
‘I shouldn’t have said anything.’ Hugo shuffled anxiously. ‘Heck, miss…It’s none of my business. I mean, I don’t know what’s between you and the doc. I was just thinking-when he didn’t come home last night-’
‘That he might have been finding a nanny for Paige.’
Hugo had taken a tentative step forward again but Jess didn’t move. She stood with sunlight glinting on her face and her world crashing around her feet in a million razor-sharp pieces. Her nails were clenched so hard into her palms that she found later they’d drawn blood. ‘Hugo…Hugo, I’m not coming further. I…I’ve changed my mind about waiting for Dr Mountmarche. Tell Paige…Tell Paige I’m sorry…’
And she turned and ran up through the rows of budding vines.
Hugo stood watching her with horror.
‘Miss, please…’ His elderly voice cracked with despair as he yelled after her. ‘Miss…Jess…’
It was no use. Jess was beyond hearing.
Jess absented herself for the rest of the day.
She’d arranged for her animals to be fed until six so she took the radio in case of emergencies and drove herself down to the beach.
She sat on the sand and watched the surf run in and out while she tried to force her wounded mind to think.
It was like she’d been beaten.
Two men…
She’d given her heart to two men and one had turned out to be a murderer and the other…
He’d used a little girl to get a vineyard.
What lies had he told her?
Had he known of Paige’s existence before? Who knew? It was likely that he had, Jess thought bitterly, but had only acknowledged it when his precious winery was at stake. The Mountmarche wine.
So he’d brought his puppet owner back to Barega along with Hugo to do the work-and then he planned to head back to England. The family would be wealthier and he could get back to his precious career.
And Jess?
Jess tried hard to make herself think logically.
Why would he want her? Why not a nanny?
She licked dry lips, the answer being so darned obvious that it hurt.
Paige was a wealthy little girl. If Karen reclaimed her…
Karen had deserted her child when Paige needed her most. Any judge would look favourably on Niall’s custody claim-especially if he’d provided her with a stable stepmother.
If Jess took over that role then it would leave Niall free to do what he liked.
Men!
Jess stood up and walked down to the water. She stood in the shallow breakers, kicking sand and foam up in a vicious spray before her.
‘I should have known,’ she whispered. ‘I’m no better than Ethel. The victim syndrome…No man I want is any good. No man…’
So where did that leave her?
Right back where she’d started. Alone.
Only this was worse than being alone. What she’d felt for John Talbot-the fledgling feelings of admiration and love-were nothing to what she’d felt for Niall Mountmarche.
It was as if part of her was shrivelling inside-and she knew that it could never grow again.
The end…
‘So, it’s back to your animals,’ she told the sea bleakly. ‘They need you…’
And what about Paige?
Her heart went out to the lonely little girl living with the two men-men who saw her as a tool to get what they wanted.
Paige had to stay on the island. Her family’s plans dictated that.
‘I can be close to Paige when Niall’s not on the island,’ Jess whispered to herself.
And for the next few months? The time Niall had promised to be medical superintendent for the island? They had to keep some sort of professional relationship.
Heaven knew how.
Jessie’s heart was like stone. She glanced at her watch and was stunned to see how late it was.
She had to organise Kiro before six…
‘OK, Jess,’ she said bleakly as if someone was listening. ‘Get on with the rest of your life. A life without Niall Mountmarche…’
Why did it seem like no life at all?
Kiro at least was delighted to see her.
The dog wriggled his pleasure. Jess fed him and took him for a swift run at the nearby beach before tying him up for the night.
In the morning she’d take him to the hospital and kennel him in the unused chook run. If she took him to a strange place tonight he might howl the hospital down while he became accustomed to new surroundings.
She radioed Sergeant Russell briefly to assure herself that Barry would be locked up until then.
‘He’ll be in for at least another couple of days,’ the policeman said with satisfaction. ‘Ethel lodged a formal charge before she left for Sydney and there’s not a lot of folk round here ready to provide Barry with bail.’
‘Ethel’s gone…?’
‘Doc Mountmarche arranged an air ambulance transfer this afternoon. I helped take her down to the airstrip.’ He hesitated. ‘You know who else did?’
‘Who?’
‘Ray Benn and a couple of the Benn kids. They came to see her to tell her how happy they were with the horse. Dunno who howled the most. Ethel or Ray.’
Jess heard the smile in the big policeman’s voice and a tiny light lit up inside her. There were still glimmers of happiness left to her.
Embers instead of flames.
‘What am I going to do, Kiro?’ she whispered but the big dog had no answers.
He reckoned he had problems of his own.
‘Yours will be over soon,’ Jess told him, giving the dog a fierce hug. ‘Someone still loves you. We’ll send you to Sydney to be with your mistress as soon as we possibly can.’
If only someone could magic Jessie away as well…
There was no one. Of course there was no one. No one for ever…
She left Kiro looking mournfully after her and drove back to the hospital.
The hospital held little appeal as a destination. At a guess, the place would be empty. If Ethel had gone and no more patients had been admitted then the hospital side would simply close down until needed. The staff could take
