‘A very good one, too,’ Noah added from directly behind her.
She hadn’t heard him move, or sensed his proximity, which showed how this woman was unnerving her.
Well, I might not be rich or have the dress sense of the famous, but I am genuine and love my family and life.
‘Thank you.’ She smiled at Noah.
Noah straightened his already straight back. ‘And this is our daughter, Holly.’
‘Right.’ Robert stepped nearer. ‘Take a seat. Jackson, would you please bring Noah and Anastasia something to drink.’ He totally ignored Holly.
Stacey glanced at Alice, saw incredulity on her face. Why? Noah was capable of fathering a child. Even with her. No wonder he wasn’t overly happy with these people. They were cold, and aloof. What had that done to a grieving ten-year-old boy needing someone to love him? She sank onto the nearest chair, cuddling Holly closer. Holly seemed to sense the atmosphere because she was unusually quiet, too.
‘A glass of wine, Anastasia?’ Jackson asked with a friendly smile.
Was Jackson his first or last name? She hoped it was his first name. Calling someone by their surname didn’t sit comfortably. ‘Yes, please, Jackson. A pinot noir, if that’s possible?’ A very large one, please.
‘Of course. What would Holly like? An orange juice, perhaps?’
‘She’d love that.’
‘No problem.’ He was still smiling when he turned to Noah. ‘A chardonnay for you?’
‘A very small one, thanks.’ Noah sat in the chair next to her. ‘Where are the others?’ he asked Robert.
‘Unfortunately your cousins have had to cancel,’ Robert answered. ‘Perhaps you and I could go to my study before Jackson brings the wine. There are a couple of issues I need to discuss with you.’
‘Good idea.’
Stacey saw Noah’s slight shrug as he stood up again. Who was this Noah? No one she’d met before. There wasn’t any love going round as there would be at her home. Not that her family made an issue of it. It was just there in the way they spoke to each other.
‘I won’t be long, Anastasia. If Holly gets restless, sit her at that low table where she can colour her pictures.’
‘Will do.’ And she’d try to ignore that glare from Alice.
‘Mummy, down.’
Great. ‘Shall we do some colouring in?’
‘What happened to her arm?’ Alice asked.
‘She was knocked over by a kid on a skateboard.’
‘Should she be on the road at her age?’
‘Someone left the gate open.’ Placing pencils and the colouring book in front of Holly, Stacey sat back on her ankles and looked around the room. ‘You’ve got some wonderful paintings in here.’
‘Yes, I’m a bit of a collector. Do you like art yourself?’
‘I know very little about it. Just like what I like without understanding the nuances.’
‘At least you’re honest.’ For a moment Alice seemed to relax with her. She stared at a painting in front of her. ‘I used to dabble in art myself, but unfortunately I wasn’t very good.’
‘That’s a shame.’
‘Oh, well, can’t be helped. Ah, here are our drinks.’
Stacey almost felt sorry for this woman, stuck in this massive house and not doing the things she got enjoyment from. Though she seemed to enjoy being the hostess, even to Stacey, someone they clearly wouldn’t have expected Noah to bring home.
Then Noah was back, and she could relax more. Concentrating on keeping Holly happy, she let most of the conversation go over her head, until Noah stood up. ‘Right, we’d better be heading back to the city before Holly gets too tired. She’s recovering from an accident and needs special attention at the moment.’
Then Stacey got a shock as she lifted Holly into her arms.
Alice came across and lightly ran a finger down Holly’s cheek. ‘Thank you for visiting us, Holly.’ It was the first real acknowledgement there’d been that Holly even existed.
Stacey looked at Noah, and saw him swallowing hard, shock registering on his face. She hugged her daughter. She’d done what no one else seemed to have. She’d got through to Alice.
* * *
Noah gulped. Alice had gone to Holly and touched her cheek. Like she cared for his daughter. Hell, she’d never once been so kind to him. Not even when his heart had been broken and he’d been missing his parents desperately.
He stared at this stranger. Alice? Seriously? He didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The young boy who’d wanted only to be loved had not known this woman to have a gentle side.
And now she was talking to Holly.
And Holly was smiling back, as she always did, believing everyone was as kind and loving as her mother’s family.
Noah shook his head. Unbelievable. But it didn’t alter a thing when it came to sorting out the future. That belonged entirely to Anastasia and himself.
* * *
On Monday Stacey was getting up to speed with patients that had been admitted over the weekend when Noah showed up on
the ward.
‘How was the rest of your weekend?’ he asked, without checking if anyone was within hearing.
‘Quiet. Holly still gets tired quickly.’
‘Can the three of us spend some time together at my house next weekend?’ He looked tired too.
Guess this was part of settling everything into place. ‘Sure. I’d like that,’ she added, because it was true. She’d spent most of yesterday thinking about Noah and his relatives and just what he might want to do about their future.
‘You’re being generous with your time and daughter.’ He smiled.
Which stirred her from head to toe. ‘Only way to go,’ she said truthfully. No point in worrying if she was doing the wrong thing. Holly deserved her father in her life, and this way her mother would be there too, assessing everything for the time a decision had to be made.
Damn it, she couldn’t be blushing. But something was turning her skin red hot. Thank goodness no other staff were at their desks. ‘We do seem to connect, don’t we?’
‘Very well.’ Another smile to tighten her stomach. ‘I’d better get a wriggle on with seeing my patients. The surgical list is long today.’
Stacey picked up the pile of files she’d already prepared and followed him in to see Jonathon, who was getting fed up with being stuck in hospital and showing it.
‘The infection in your bowel has lessened off enough that you should be able to go home on Wednesday,’ Noah told him. Turning to Stacey, he added, ‘I’ll fill out a lab form for more blood tests before I head downstairs.’
On the way to the next patient, he said quietly, ‘See you for breakfast one morning? I’m on call all week so won’t get away at other times easily.’
‘I’ll be in the cafeteria every morning,’ she said with a grin.
‘I’m discharging Ben Ibbotson today. He needs to have weekly physio appointments and a follow-up with me in two weeks,’ Noah told her.
‘All sorted,’ Stacey replied.
‘Good. Now, Linda Garrick.’ He turned into the opposite room. ‘Morning, Linda. How’re you today?’