The Ultimate Surrender

Just in time she managed to stop herself, sniffing back her tears as she struggled with her emotion.

‘I’m sorry. I ought to be congratulating you. No wonder you’ve been chivvying the workmen on at the house. It must be nearly ready now, and of course I can understand why you want to sell the hotel,’ she told him with careful politeness. ‘In the circumstances Suzi won’t be wanting to take over its management. I know I found it difficult when Briony was a baby, though of course my circumstances were different. I was…I had to work,’ she said quietly.

‘Suzi won’t be having it entirely easy,’ Marcus pointed out sharply. ‘Her pregnancy wasn’t exactly planned.’

‘No, but you obviously aren’t totally surprised,’ Polly said gently.

‘No,’ Marcus agreed shortly. ‘In the circumstances perhaps it was inevitable, although I’m still sorry that you had to…Whether you believe me or not, Polly, the last thing I wanted was for you to be hurt, and if there was any way I could—’

‘If I were you I’d worry more about whether or not I could be pregnant as well rather than how much I might be hurt,’ Polly chided him swiftly, but as she saw the shocked look in his eyes she wished she had not spoken so impetuously. It was obvious that it hadn’t occurred to him that their unprotected sex could have resulted in a pregnancy. Perhaps he had assumed that she was protected, but there had never been any need.

‘What are you saying?’ he demanded hoarsely, confirming her suspicion that she had shocked him. ‘Is there any possibility that you could be pregnant, Polly?’

‘No,’ she denied. ‘No…’

‘Polly…’

She winced as he gave her a little warning shake, forgetting about the injury to her ankle in his anxiety to know the truth and then immediately checking as he felt her fall heavily against him.

‘Polly?’

The urgency in his voice might have made her smile, albeit a little ruefully, at any other time. Right now, though, it made her want to cry. How ironic it was that he should feel anxious and concerned for her—but he wasn’t concerned for her, was he? He was concerned for Suzi and himself and for their child, anxious that their future happiness together shouldn’t be blighted by…

‘I don’t know,’ she admitted heavily. ‘It’s too soon to know but I…It isn’t as easy to conceive when one’s older,’ she pointed out quietly. ‘So I don’t think…’

‘What will you do if…?’

What will you do, not What will we do, Polly noticed bleakly, but then why should she expect anything else? She had known all along that he loved Suzi…

‘I’ll deal with that problem when and if I have to,’ Polly told him. ‘I’d better get back to the hotel. They’ll be wondering where on earth I’ve got to. I’m sorry that Briony disturbed you, Marcus. You must have more than enough to do without nursemaiding me. No doubt Suzi and her mother will want to come over to the hotel to discuss the reception. Will you be coming with them or—?’

‘I don’t know,’ Marcus told her harshly. ‘Perhaps, in the circumstances…Look, this isn’t easy for me, Polly.’

‘Do you think it’s easy for me?’ Polly couldn’t resist asking bitterly as she tried to pull away from him, wincing when the pain lanced through her ankle.

‘Keep still,’ Marcus instructed her. ‘What the hell are you trying to do—make the injury even worse? Lean on me.’

It was pointless trying to refuse. Polly knew perfectly well that without his support it was going to be virtually impossible for her to get back to the hotel. Her ankle had swollen whilst they had been talking and it was beginning to ache very painfully indeed.

It took them fifteen minutes to walk slowly back to the hotel, but once they were there, instead of heading inside, Marcus started to guide her towards his car.

‘Marcus, what are you doing?’ she demanded tiredly.

‘I’m taking you down to the surgery,’ Marcus informed her coolly. ‘That ankle needs professional attention.’

‘Maybe it does, but there’s no need for you to get involved. I can—’

‘You can what—drive yourself?’ Marcus gave her a derisory look. ‘I don’t think so.’

There wasn’t any point in arguing with him, and besides, her ankle was beginning to scream the need for some kind of pain relief—so much so…Polly gave a soft gasp of pain as Marcus helped her into his car.

‘You aren’t going to pass out on me, are you, Polly?’ Marcus asked her sharply as she closed her eyes and the pain started to wash over her in nauseating waves.