The Midwife And The Single Dad by Gill Sanderson Read Free Book Online Page A

felt needed to be done. When she got through it was obvious that Ben didn’t think there was a problem either. But he said he’d ask his receptionist to get in touch with the trust and ask their opinion. And fifteen minutes later he phoned back. ‘You’re covered. Have a good afternoon. What do you think of your new home?’
    ‘Ben, it’s wonderful! I couldn’t have designed anything better myself.’
    ‘I’m glad you’re pleased. I spent a lot of time working on the plans. Now, you’re coming back with me to stay tonight?’
    She hesitated…but it was the obvious thing to do. ‘If you’ll have me,’ she said, ‘I’d love to.’
    She found that she was looking forward to going home with him. Then she frowned. Why was she looking forward to it?
       
    Fiona was still very tired but much better. When Alice and Ben got back to Taighean dhe Gaoithe she had been bathed and fed by Mrs McCann but allowed to stay up until she had seen Ben. He put her to bed while Alice sat in the living room and stared out to sea.
    She wondered quite what she was doing there. Why was she feeling so comfortable, so much at home? She had come here to be mistress of her own fate, to have her own place to live, her own place to work. To be beholden to no one. And she’d promptly found herself living in the house of an ex-boyfriend. It wasn’t a good idea.
    A week until her flat was finished? Well, she supposed she could manage that. And then, when she’d moved in, perhaps she’d have a better perspective on things. Life at the moment seemed…odd.
    However, a couple of hours later she was feeling slightly different. After a wonderful meal cooked by Mrs McCann (fish landed not three hours before) she was sitting with Ben again and staring happily out at the setting sun. ‘It’s been sunny every day I’ve spent so far in Soalay,’ she said. ‘All two of them.’
    Ben laughed. ‘Don’t get carried away by that idea. You must remember the weather here. It can turn from sun to rain in the time it takes you to open your umbrella.’
    ‘I remember. I’ve packed my waterproofs.’
    They sat there for a while longer in companionable silence. In the background were grumblings from Fiona’s baby alarm.
    ‘We both agree that she will probably sleep through tonight,’ Ben said, ‘so you can sleep in your own bed and I’ll have the alarm in my room as before. There should be no—’
    ‘She still might wake up,’ Alice said, ‘so I’d quite like to sleep in her bedroom again. Just in case. And if she does wake up a lot, I could do as you suggested and sleep in tomorrow morning.’
    Ben looked at her and laughed. ‘You stay in bed tomorrow morning? Do you expect me to believe that?’
    Alice sighed. ‘Perhaps not. But, Ben, I do want to sleep in her room tonight.’
    She could tell he was thinking, she had forgotten just how shrewd he could be. ‘There are reasons you want to sleep in Fiona’s room?’ he asked quietly. ‘Special reasons?’
    She didn’t answer for a moment. Then, ‘Yes, there are reasons. But I don’t want to go into them now. If it’s all right with you.’
    ‘It’s all right. And if you’re sure you don’t mind… I’m very happy for you to sleep there with her. I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have as her nurse.’
    Alice felt warm at this. So he appreciated her. As a nurse.
    They both gazed out at the setting sun again. After a while he said, ‘I only found out about a week ago that it was you who would be coming here. It gave me quite a shock. Our usual midwife-cum-children’s nurse has taken a year’s maternity leave and decided to stay with her husband’s family on the mainland. She said she knew that if she stayed here she’d still work—so it was better to leave. I have to agree with her. Anyway, the trust contracted with an agency to find a replacement, they found a Miss Prendergast. She was very well qualified but she’d spent most of her life working in a town-centre