Beth went home after lunch, Rosalie having promised her aunt she would phone her as soon as she heard anything, and it seemed as though no sooner had the other woman left than the telephone rang.
‘Rosie?’
It was Kingsley. She felt her heart give an almighty jump and then start thumping away like a sledgehammer. ‘Kingsley.’ She knew her voice sounded choked but she couldn’t help it. ‘Kingsley, I love you,’ she said desperately, terrified they would lose the connection again. ‘I was wrong about everything and I want us to be together. Can you hear me?’
‘I can hear you, sweetheart.’
Sweetheart. He’d called her sweetheart. The tears were dripping down her face again but she didn’t care. She’d cry every day all day if it meant he called her sweetheart.
‘Listen, I’ve found a guy with a satellite mobile, there’s still a virtual shut-down here, but he needs to make some urgent business calls so I need to talk fast.’
‘Are you all right? You’re not injured?’
‘Filthy dirty, hungry, thirsty, but no, not injured. There’s massive structural damage, especially in the shanty towns, and a number of us are helping out.’
‘Oh, be careful. Don’t take any chances.’ She immediately had visions of buildings falling down the moment he went near them.
‘I’m glad you phoned last night.’ His voice was soft now, deep, and she shivered.
‘So am I.’
‘I love you.’
‘I love you too.’ She suddenly remembered she hadn’t asked about his friend. ‘How’s Alex?’ she said quickly.
‘Not good.’ Suddenly she could hear the exhaustion in his voice. ‘I really needed that phone call from you. Fortunately the cyclone missed the hospital he’s in so that’s something.’
‘Kingsley, you do forgive me?’
‘Always, sweetheart.’
She gulped, giving an involuntary sniff. ‘When do you think you’ll be able to leave the island?’
‘We’re waiting to hear. Look, I have to go. See you soon.’
No, no, not yet. She wanted to protest, feeling something would go wrong, something would happen before she saw him again and really made everything all right. Instead she said, ‘Take care.’
‘I will. Goodbye, Rosie.’
‘Goodbye.’
There was so much she’d wanted to say. As soon as she put the receiver down she went over their conversation in her mind. She needed to make him understand what had held her back from making a commitment, why she loved him so much, how special he was, just everything.
She sat for a few minutes collecting her thoughts and reliving the moment he’d called her sweetheart, and then telephoned Beth, who was ecstatic for her. Dear, dear Beth.
She walked into the bedroom and, fully dressed as she was, climbed into bed after kicking off her shoes and slept for several hours.
She awoke to the telephone ringing again and virtually fell out of bed, hearing Beth’s voice with a disappointment that made her bite her lip.
‘Sorry, Lee, did you think it was him?’ Beth said cheerfully. ‘It’s just that I wondered if you’ve got the TV on? They’re doing a bit on the news about the cyclone in a minute or two and I thought you might be interested.’
Not unless they could arrange a one-to-one with Kingsley for her. ‘Thanks.’ She put as much enthusiasm in her voice as she could. ‘I’ll switch it on now.’
Ten minutes later she sat as though turned to stone, the bottom having dropped out of her world.
CHAPTER TEN
‘LEE, I’m sure there’s some sort of reasonable explanation. Don’t make up your mind about anything until you’ve heard what he has to say.’