The Doctor's Engagement

Holly shifted uncomfortably. ‘There’s nothing to apologise for.’

‘Yes, there is.’ Caroline touched her arm gently. ‘When I think about how I behaved, I’m so ashamed. My only excuse is that I was still in such a state after what happened to me that I wasn’t thinking straight. I just had this stupid thing for Mark, but it wasn’t real—it didn’t mean anything. I know that now.’

‘It really doesn’t matter,’ Holly said hastily, but Caroline was determined to have her say.

‘I suppose you must be used to women thinking they’re in love with him.’

‘Yes, I am,’ Holly said, her smile wry and slightly sad. ‘It happens to us all at some time or another, I’m afraid.’

‘But you’re the lucky one,’ Caroline said. ‘You’re the one he loves.’

If only. Holly forced a smile and changed the subject neatly. ‘So what’s happening with you and Greg now?’

‘He’s going to move in with me until his house is fixed,’ Caroline told her, checking through the list to see how many more children were still due to be immunised. ‘He’s going to tell Mark today.’

Which meant that she could have her room back until it was time to leave, Holly thought dully. So why didn’t that thought fill her with delight? After last night she should be relieved to be able to have her own space. But the truth was that she was horrified by what had happened between them—by how fast their relationship seemed to have deteriorated. Twenty-four years of close friendship seemed to have vanished in one night of passion.

It was her fault, of course. She’d seduced him. Tempted him to do something he hadn’t actually wanted to do. So it was up to her to mend it.

She closed her eyes briefly and resolved to do so that evening.

The lifestyle clinic was busier than ever, and several of the patients had heard about Jack Finn and wanted reassurance. In the end Ian sat everyone down and they had a question and answer session, with everyone voicing their anxieties and the whole health care team trying to deal with the problems that arose.

Holly and Samantha sorted through the recipes some of the women had brought and Tina agreed to type them up and make them into a little book to distribute in the surgery.

After the clinic Holly made her way home and was surprised to find that Mark still wasn’t home. She made a light supper and laid the table on the deck, but it was almost ten o’clock when she heard his key in the door.

Bracing herself for a painful conversation, she walked into the sitting room to meet him, noticing how his shoulders stiffened warily when he saw her. What was he afraid of? That she was going to throw herself at him again? Had she really done that to their friendship? Was this really the same man who used to be so comfortable with her?

‘I wanted to talk to you,’ Holly said softly, holding out a glass of wine that she’d poured earlier.

He hesitated for a long moment and then took the wine from her, his expression guarded. ‘What about?’

Holly took a deep breath. ‘I’m

so sorry about what happened—’

‘Yes.’ His lips were set in a grim line. ‘You made that plain enough this morning.’

She bit her lip, determined to continue. ‘I didn’t mean everything I said this morning.’

He went completely still. ‘Which bit of what you said this morning?’ His eyes were fixed on her face. ‘Which bit didn’t you mean?’

‘The bit about not wanting to hear about the woman you love,’ she said, forcing a smile and trying to look as if she was dying to hear the details. ‘You said that you wanted to be honest.’

For a moment he stared at her and then he shook his head slowly as if he was trying to understand. ‘You want to hear about the woman I’m in love with?’

‘Yes,’ she said firmly, taking a huge slug of wine to give her confidence.

He walked past her onto the deck and stared at the boats moving smoothly along the estuary.

‘Why?’

His question threw her. ‘Well, because I’m your best friend. I—I’m interested. And you want to talk about it.’

There was a long silence. ‘No, I don’t. Not any more.’

‘You did this morning.’