‘I…I have no idea.’
‘Well, it’s time you did.’ Niall’s smile slipped. He sat back and his eyes held hers. ‘Jess, you are my own true love,’ he said softly. ‘My lady in a million. My chance of happiness. If you don’t think you can trust me then I don’t think I can bear it. Yesterday…’
‘Don’t…’
‘It. has to be said,’ he told her. ‘There were some rotten accusations floating round yesterday. One is that I used my daughter to gain this vineyard. Not true. I never wanted this vineyard. I found out about Paige and I brought her home at the same time my family were discovering the terms of my uncle’s will. They put it to me that the vineyard belonged to Paige and I had no right to keep her from her inheritance.
‘I was trying to find some place where Paige and I could get to know each other and this seemed the right place. That’s all, Jess…’
She believed him. She knew now. Her heart was to be trusted and she trusted this man with all her heart…
‘Niall…’
‘I never wanted to come here,’ Niall continued. ‘But now I’m here…And last night…’ He shook his head. ‘This is your place, Jess. I can’t see you caring for your native animals in central London-unless you take pity on a few pigeons or stray cats. And Paige, too…I’m seeing how much this place can give her. She’s grown in health and, since she’s met you, she’s grown in happiness…So…If you could bear to marry a medical writer instead of a medical practitioner then maybe I’ll force myself to change direction…’
Marry…
Jess lay back on her pillows and her eyes filled with tears.
‘I’ll go to London with you, Niall,’ she whispered. ‘I’ll go anywhere…’
‘We’ll talk about this later,’ he said gently, ‘but there are things in my life more important than medicine.’
‘Niall…’
‘Hush.’
She shook her head. There was something really important she had to say. ‘Niall, Quinn and Fern-the island’s regular doctors-have asked if you’ll consider practising here,’ she whispered. ‘In partnership. Fern’s pregnant and there’s a huge tourist complex starting. You…you wouldn’t be very busy…’
He stared. ‘When did they make that offer?’
‘A week or so ago.’
He eyed her suspiciously.
‘So why are you telling me now?’
Jess flushed. It must be the drugs Niall had given her, she thought. She was away on cloud nine.
‘Because…because…’
‘Say it, my Jess…’
‘Because I’m sure I want you to stay,’ she whispered. ‘If you will…Or if you go-take me.’
She was gathered again into the safe haven of his arms.
‘If I will,’ he whispered softly into her mass of charred curls. ‘How can you ask anything so absurd…?’
Jess slept away most of that day-and the next. It was as if her body was recuperating from more than just the shock and the bums, though they were enough to dictate rest.
The following afternoon she finally asked Niall for a mirror-and was appalled.
The explosion of petrol had taken the skin from her forehead and singed all the front of her hair. Her nightgown must have caught fire but luckily she’d fallen forward and the force of her body against the verandah had smothered it.
Her face was puffed and swollen. She looked like she’d been crying for a month.
‘How can you love me when I look like this?’ she whispered.
‘It’s not what you look like but what you feel like that’s stopping me from loving you,’ Niall grinned. ‘If I thought a quick squeeze would result in anything more than a yelp of agony I’d be back in my bed like a shot…’
‘Is this…is this your bed, then?’
‘Our bed,’ he smiled lovingly. ‘As soon as I can get a ring on your finger.’
‘Oh, Niall…’
‘You’ve been incredibly lucky.’ Niall was carefully applying cream to the few areas of blistered skin.
‘Do they know…? Have the police found Barry?’
‘We assume so.’
Jess stared. ‘What…what do you mean?’
‘Barry must have underestimated the power of petrol,’ Niall said grimly. ‘We think he broke into the hospital at the French doors and went through the place splashing petrol. Maybe he thought Ethel was there and we were hiding her. Who knows? Maybe he just thought up a plan and then couldn’t think of a better one when she wasn’t there.
‘We assume he smashed open the laundry door to make an exit and then threw a match on the floor. The petrol did the rest. We found what we think is his body trapped in the ruins of the laundry.’
‘You think…?’
‘It’s burned beyond recognition. I went down this morning to make a dental report,’ Niall grimaced. ‘The dentist flies in from the mainland twice a month so the report has to be sent to Sydney for matching against records. But there’s little doubt.’
‘I…I see.’
‘Are you up to facing visitors?’ he asked her.
‘Niall…Looking like this?’
‘You look beautiful,’ he told her.
‘Says you.’
‘And who are you to argue with your affianced?’ He kissed her carefully on her unburnt chin. ‘Back to the case at hand. Visitors or no visitors?’
‘Who…?’
‘The whole world is clamouring to see you,’ Niall smiled. ‘I think every islander and their dog, cow, pig, hen or whatever has sent their best wishes, by phone or in person. Your cousin and his wife-Quinn and Fern, is it?-have rung on the hour every hour demanding I care for you as if you were more precious than diamonds. And I’m to tell you Fern is flying over in person tomorrow to make sure her orders are carried out.
‘I’m also to inform you that there’s no problem with insurance and the hospital rebuilding started yesterday. Every islander worth his salt is beavering at the site as we speak. Also, Lucy has brought first-hand reports of Wilfred and Wobble’s glowing good health. And…’
He hesitated.
‘And?’
‘And my small daughter is aching to see you. I didn’t let her in until now-because I thought she might want to touch you.’
‘Because…’ Jess sat up in bed, winced at the sudden movement and positively glared at her love. ‘There is nothing I want more than to have Paige touch me.’
‘You’re sure?’
‘I’m sure.’
He smiled and walked across to open the door.
‘Paige…’
Paige had been waiting. She stood on the threshold, her eyes enormous.
‘Wow…’ she whispered. ‘Jess, you look awful.’
‘The swelling will go down soon,’ her father promised her. ‘It’s really our Jess in there.’
‘You…you like my new hairstyle?’ Jess whispered.
The little girl swung herself across on her crutches to touch the frizz that had once been Jessie’s fringe. Her fingers were feather light.
‘Oh, Jess, does it hurt?’
‘Only when I laugh,’ Jess smiled.
‘Then you mustn’t laugh.’ Paige’s face was dead serious. ‘Hugo and me have made you some soup for tea. Do
