The Midwife's Christmas Miracle (Lakeside Mountain Rescue 5)

‘This Christmas?’

‘That’s right. She and Alessandro were going through a bad patch. I wanted to remind her that what they had was special. Worth fighting for. I gave her up because I could see that they were perfect together. They still are.’

‘You really believe in perfection? Isn’t that rather romantic and idealistic? If you expect perfection then any relationship is doomed to fall apart.’

‘I didn’t say I believed in perfection, I said that they were perfect together. Not the same thing. In fact, I would say that it’s their imperfections that make them so perfect.’

Miranda laughed. ‘Now you’ve lost me.’

‘Well, they both have fiery tempers and they tend to communicate by flinging plates at each other and a great deal of hand-wa

ving and raised voices. Hardly perfect. But they understand each other. They love each other. It works for them.’

She stared at him. ‘Ever considered being a marriage guidance counsellor?’

‘No. Far too depressing. A large number of people who marry do so for all the wrong reasons. Those marriages cannot possibly be saved and then they’re faced with all sorts of nasty, uncomfortable decisions, like whether they should stay together for the sake of the children, that sort of thing.’

‘Why did Christy and Alessandro separate?’

Jake was silent for a moment. ‘They didn’t really. It was a classic case of miscommunication. I suppose they lost their way for a while. It happens all too easily. It’s why it’s so important to share things with your partner.’ He glanced towards her. ‘What do you think makes a relationship work?’

‘I don’t know many relationships that have worked so I’m not a good person to ask.’ She looked out of the window and recognised the road. ‘Oh—we’re very near to my old flat. Can we just stop for a second so that I can drop my spare set of keys with the landlord?’

‘Can’t we just post them?’

‘It will only take a minute—I’ll just pop them through his letter-box.’

Jake took the necessary detour and pulled up outside the unwelcoming block of flats. ‘Give me the keys—I’ll do it. I don’t want you anywhere near that place.’

‘We’ll go together. Look what happened last time you went on your own.’ Miranda undid her seat belt. ‘Someone needs to keep an eye on you. If he happens to be there, I don’t want him hitting you again.’

His eyes gleamed with humour. ‘What are you, my bodyguard?’

‘Absolutely. Pregnant bodyguards are all the rage, haven’t you heard?’

As it turned out, the landlord’s flat was in darkness and they posted the keys through the door without mishap. They were just returning to the car when Miranda stopped dead.

‘What was that?’

‘What was what?’ Jake gave a shiver and pulled his coat around him. ‘It’s freezing, Miranda. Get in the car, quickly.’

Miranda frowned and glanced around her. ‘I heard something—a weird sound. I’m not sure what it was.’

‘Probably the sound of my teeth chattering.’ Jake grabbed her arm and tried to guide her towards the car but she shrugged him off.

‘Wait. Listen…’ She strained her ears and thought she heard a faint mewing sound. ‘There. I heard it again.’

‘Me, too—a cat, definitely a cat.’

Unconvinced, she turned in the direction of the sound. ‘I don’t know. It didn’t sound much like a cat.’

‘Miranda, for goodness’ sake, it must be below freezing tonight and you’re—’

‘Wait there just for a minute.’ Without giving him time to argue, she hurried back towards the building and into the stairwell. Lying on the ground was a pile of abandoned plastic shopping bags. There was no sign of a cat.

Miranda glanced around her, searching for the animal that had made the noise, but there was nothing. No sound and no movement. Presuming that whatever creature had made the noise had now found refuge somewhere warm, she turned to walk back to Jake when she heard the sound again.

This time there was no mistaking the sound and she ran back towards the plastic bags with a cry of horror. ‘Oh, no! Jake—come quickly.’