The Girl he Never Noticed (14 page)

They stood side by side as the second boat identifiable by its running lights negotiated the Solway Passage and disappeared from sight. All the guests were to spend two nights at the resort on Hamilton.

‘So,’ Cam put an arm around her, ‘it went well. Even Roger managed to enjoy himself.’

Liz gurgled with laughter. ‘Poor Roger! Yes, it went well.’ She leant against him. ‘Do you feel married?’

He looked down at her somewhat alarmed. ‘Don’t you?’

‘I do.’ She turned her face up to him. ‘I really do.’

He cupped her cheeks, kissed her lightly, then swept her into his arms.

Twelve months later Yewarra was looking its best after good rain that had given all the gardens a boost for their final late summer flowerings.

Liz was wandering through the beds of massed roses, inhaling their delicate perfume when Cam came looking for her and he found her leaning against a tree trunk, day-dreaming.

He’d been away for a few days, and he’d just driven in. He’d discarded his suit jacket and loosened his tie and the sight of him, so tall and beautifully made, still, twelve months on, had the power to send her pulses racing.

‘You’re back,’ she said and lifted her face for his kiss. She wore a floral summer dress that skimmed her figure, and sandals.

‘You look good enough to eat,’ he murmured. ‘I’m not only back, I’m back where I belong.’ He kissed her thoroughly then he linked his arm through hers and they started to stroll through the gardens. ‘Missed me?’

She nodded but her lips curved into a smile as she thought about the changes in him. How he’d cut his work load down and what he couldn’t he did mostly from home so that he was rarely gone from her, and then only for short stretches.

How he was so much more relaxed and able to enjoy their lifestyle. Not, she knew, that he wouldn’t need different challenges from time to time but the frenetic pace of his previous life was a thing of the past.

As for herself, she couldn’t be happier…

‘How come you’re so alone?’ he queried as they strolled along. ‘Not a kid in sight.’

‘They were invited to a birthday party down the road. Daisy took them and stayed on to give a hand.’

He stopped and swung her round to face him, and frowned. ‘Why do you look—I don’t know—secretive?’

‘Ah,’ Liz said, ‘so you noticed?’

His lips twisted. ‘I notice everything about you, Liz Hillier. I always did. Hang on, let me guess.’ He scanned her from head to toe but his gaze came back to rest on her face, her eyes particularly. ‘It’s a baby, isn’t it?’

‘It’s a baby,’ she agreed gravely.

He paused. ‘How do you feel about that?’ he asked slowly then.

‘I’m over the moon.’ She slipped her arms around his neck. ‘Can I tell you why?’

‘Of course…’

‘I used to worry,’ she said barely audibly, ‘that I could never prove to you how much I loved you, I could only say it. But this is my proof. I want your baby with all my being.’

‘Oh, Liz,’ was all he said but she could see his heart in his eyes, and she knew that he really believed her.

He caught his breath as he saw the joy in her. ‘Come,’ he said, and she knew exactly what he had in mind.

They turned and walked away through the gardens to towards the house, hand in hand again.

All the characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author, and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all the incidents are pure invention.

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First published in Great Britain 2011
by Mills & Boon, an imprint of Harlequin (UK) Limited,
Eton House, 18-24 Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 1SR

© Lindsay Armstrong 2011

ISBN: 978-1-408-92578-2