His Christmas Bride-To-Be (Medical Romance) Page 9

  He seemed a decent sort, Emma thought as Alex Mowbray went back to his allotted task of preparing the vegetables that would be served with the turkey. Tall, with silver hair and kind blue eyes, he was easy to talk to, which was more than she could say for the man she was falling in love with. When she looked up, Glenn was there, having just arrived with a carload of provisions for the meal and an overwhelming urge to be near her.

  So he wasn’t going to be shut away in his castle for the day, like she’d expected, Emma thought joyfully. For at least part of the time he would be where she could see him.

  Having unloaded the produce he’d brought, Glenn was beside Emma in a flash, smiling at the chef’s hat she was wearing and asking if she was all set for the evening.

  ‘Yes, if you still want me there,’ she said. ‘You didn’t seem enthralled when I told you that I might be coming to live in the house next to yours.’

  ‘That was merely the surprise,’ he protested, ‘and also because I don’t take well to my secluded life being invaded.’ It didn’t seem like the moment to tell Emma that he wanted her living with him in his house, not in the small dwelling next to it.

  Glenn looked around him. ‘Dad is beckoning. He’s going to tell me not to interfere with the workers. I’d better be off as I’m in charge of making sure that anyone unable to walk has transport to get here, which is going to involve half the practice staff making their cars available.’

  ‘And I thought that you wouldn’t be getting drawn into today’s event,’ she teased.

  ‘What! With a father like mine?’ He laughed and was gone again, leaving Emma to observe his father and Alex, who had appeared in their midst, chatting amicably as they performed their chosen tasks. Meanwhile Glenn and whoever was available from the practice staff were organising the transport that was going to be needed.

  * * *

  It was almost time for lunch and the kitchen staff were taking a short break before the diners arrived when Glenn’s father informed Emma that he had invited their new acquaintance to dine with them that evening.

  ‘Alex Mowbray lives alone,’ he said, ‘and that shouldn’t happen to anyone at this time of year, so I’ve invited him to join us tonight.’

  ‘Have you told your wife?’ Emma teased, and he smiled.

  ‘Yes, but she knows what I’m like. Olivia would be surprised if I hadn’t invited someone else as well as you.’

  ‘Is Glenn going to be happy, having me there?’ she asked haltingly. ‘I’m tuned in to how much he cherishes his privacy.’

  ‘It has been difficult for him since he lost Serena,’ his father said, ‘especially in such a dreadful way. May I be allowed to say that since he brought you back to Glenminster out of nowhere, his mother and I have begun to hope.’

  ‘I don’t think you should if you don’t mind me saying so,’ Emma told him. ‘We get on well most of the time, but the barriers that Glenn lives behind are not going to come down with me, I’m afraid.’

  Glenn appeared at that moment with an elderly couple that he’d driven to the community hall and cast a quick glance at his father and Emma in a deep discussion that tailed off while he was finding seats for his passengers.

  When Glenn had done that, he turned to go for his next lot of guests and found Emma beside him, smiling her pleasure at being near him again.

  ‘So how many more journeys do you have to make?’ she asked, and there was no smile in return.

  ‘Just a couple,’ Glenn replied, and then said, ‘I hope that there’s a table set for all the kind folk who have been doing the chauffeuring at my request.’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ she assured him, ‘and tonight your parents will have another stranger at their table. Your father has also invited Alex Mowbray, who has recently returned from abroad after many years away.’

  ‘Fine,’ he said, and was off to pick up the last of the guests without giving her time to reply.

  * * *

  After the Christmas dinner was over, the guests had departed and the volunteers had tidied the place up, Emma began the short walk home. She hadn’t wanted to take up a parking space, which would be in big demand, at the community hall so she’d walked there earlier. She could have waited for a lift from Glenn but along with the other car drivers he was busy taking guests home, while his father had gone to take the hall keys back.

  Emma had only been on the way a matter of minutes when Alex’s car pulled up beside her. Winding the window down, he asked, ‘Can I give you a lift?’

  ‘Er...yes, if it won’t be out of your way, Mr Mowbray,’ she said, deciding she’d like to get to know this amiable stranger better. ‘I live just a short distance down the road.’

  As she settled herself in the passenger seat next to him he said, ‘So you’ll know Waverly House, then?’

  ‘Yes, I do,’ she told him. ‘It is a beautiful old property.’

  ‘Yes, indeed,’ Alex agreed. ‘It was where my wife and I lived before we moved abroad and I have gained much comfort in finding it for sale and bringing it back to its former glory. Although sadly there will be no one for me to leave it to as we were never able to have children because of her health problems.’

  What a charming man, Emma thought as she thanked him for the lift and went to prepare for the day’s next big event. This time it would be Glenn who would be driving her to her destination and as she showered and dressed for the occasion the promise of the evening ahead was like a precious Christmas gift, probably the only one she was likely to receive.

  But that didn’t matter as long as Glenn liked what she had bought for him. She would never forget as long as she lived how he had painstakingly found her and persuaded her to come home. She could scarcely believe he was now the centre of her universe.

  Glenn had said he would call for her at seven o’clock and as the clock climbed slowly towards that time every moment felt magical. Until it went past seven, then eight, and was teetering on nine. He must have had better things to do and had changed his mind about picking her up she thought dejectedly.

  The phone rang at last and her heart skipped a beat when she heard Glenn’s voice. ‘I am so sorry, Emma,’ he said contritely. ‘I was involved in a pile-up as I was leaving the town centre.’

  Her heart missed a beat. ‘Are you hurt?’ she gasped.

  ‘No. I just had to help treat the casualties, who are now safely in A and E. I should be with you in minutes so don’t run away.’

  ‘Does your mother know?’ Emma asked.

  ‘Yes. She’s been holding the meal back but is now ready to serve when we put in an appearance. I couldn’t get in touch with you earlier as the accident occurred on the bottom road and I couldn’t get a signal. We had to drive the casualties ourselves until we were higher up and then ambulances came speeding out to them. All the time I kept thinking that you would be judging me as yet another person letting you down. Tell me truthfully, did you?’

  ‘Er...yes,’ Emma said with painful honesty, ‘because I know that in spite of our friendship you prefer to be alone, and I do understand that, Glenn.’

  There was silence for a moment and then he said, ‘I’ll be with you in a matter of minutes—and be prepared. Dad is going to be wearing his Father Christmas outfit.’

  As she watched for his car Emma felt ashamed for being so quick to judge him. She knew Glenn was decent and honourable and she loved him, she thought glumly. But the chances of her love being returned were not evenly balanced.

  Glenn was as good as his word and his car pulled up outside within a matter of minutes. Emma saw immediately that what must have been a smart suit was ripped and bloodstained, but he was unharmed. In her relief at seeing that he wasn’t hurt she leaned across the passenger seat and kissed his grimy cheek. ‘Please, forgive me for doubting you,’ she said softly.

  ‘Of course,’ Glenn said
, reflecting that if he wasn’t so scruffy and if his parents weren’t patiently waiting for them to arrive, he might stop the car and show Emma how much she affected him. Within minutes they were pulling up outside his parents’ house.

  ‘Helping in an emergency such as tonight’s is the penalty of being a doctor,’ Glenn said, as his mother held him close for a moment.

  Alex nodded his agreement.

  Glenn’s father was helping Emma to take off her coat and when it was done he kissed her cheek lightly beneath the mistletoe and she felt tears prick her eyes.

  They were a lovely family, she thought wistfully. What a shame that their daughter-in-law hadn’t lived to give them grandchildren.

  Glenn had disappeared in the direction of the bathroom and minutes later he appeared scrubbed and clean in casual clothes. They sat down to eat with a small gift from their hostess beside each plate, leaving Emma to wonder when she would get the chance to give Glenn what she had bought for him.

  It came when the meal was over and the two of them were clearing away while the older folks relaxed after their exertions of the day in front of the sitting-room fire.

  ‘I have something for you, Glenn,’ she said awkwardly. He looked at her questioningly, and she said, ‘Christmas seems an appropriate occasion to show my gratitude for all that you have done for me.’ Taking a small gift-wrapped box out of her handbag, she offered it to him.

  Glenn didn’t accept it at first, leaving her standing with it in her hand. After a moment’s silence he took it from her and said in a low voice, ‘Whatever it is that you want to give me there is no need, Emma. What I did for you I would have done for anyone.’

  ‘Yes. I know,’ she said, feeling hurt that he had put her in her place. ‘If you don’t want to accept it, fine. The gift doesn’t carry with it any commitments, just my grateful thanks.’ She left him with the small package unopened in his hand and went to join the others, the question uppermost in her mind being how soon she could go home without causing offence.

  When she’d gone back into the lounge Glenn groaned at his tactlessness. Why couldn’t he have explained to Emma that he couldn’t bear the thought of hurting her at some time or other by letting his dedication to Serena’s memory come between them?

  He had something for her that he was going to present in privacy tomorrow. He had already asked Emma out to lunch and he wanted to put his present where it belonged on her finger. But he knew that their relationship was not the usual kind and had no idea how she would react when she saw his gift.

  When Glenn removed the wrappings and Emma’s gift was revealed he swallowed hard. It was a gold pocket watch. He had admired a similar one belonging to a patient and Emma had remembered.

  He opened the sitting-room door and when she looked up he beckoned to her. Unobserved by the others, who were engrossed in a carol service on television, she went to join him in the hall.

  Taking her hand in his, he said softly, ‘Your gift is lovely, Emma. I am a tactless clod.’ Pointing to the mistletoe sprig above their heads, he bent and kissed her long and lingeringly. He would have continued to do so if he hadn’t heard movement coming from the sitting room because the programme they had been watching had come to an end.

  Opening the door, Glenn smiled at them and said, ‘Anyone for coffee?’

  ‘Not for me, thanks,’ Alex said. ‘I came on foot and don’t want to be too late getting back.’

  ‘I’ll be taking Emma home shortly,’ Glenn said, ‘and could drop you off after I’ve seen her safely home.’

  Alex smiled. ‘In that case, a coffee would be most acceptable.’ And Emma thought, So much for the kiss. Apart from the time spent in the kitchen clearing up after the meal and the magical moments in the hall when Glenn had kissed her, they hadn’t been alone for a moment all day. And now he was making sure they weren’t by taking her home first.

  There was the dry taste of anguish in her mouth, but pride stiffened her resolve and when Alex asked if that would be all right with her Emma flashed him a smile and said, ‘Yes, of course.’ And the matter was settled.

  The fact that Glenn had spent no thought with regard to a Christmas gift for her was immaterial. Emma hadn’t given him the watch expecting something in return. But it couldn’t help bringing back that feeling of being of no importance, which had never gone away since the night Jeremy had told her she wasn’t his and he wanted her gone.

  * * *

  They were outside her house and as she opened the car door and stepped onto the drive Glenn went round to her side and said in a low voice, ‘It’s late. I want to see you safely inside before I go. Emma, the reason I’m dropping you off first is because I want to know more about this stranger who has appeared out of nowhere. You have lived here a lot longer than I have, yet he isn’t familiar to you, is he?’

  ‘No, but Glenminster is a town, not a village where folks are much more likely to know each other,’ she said. ‘And from what Alex says, he has been long gone from here.’ She glanced across to where he was waiting patiently for Glenn to get behind the steering-wheel again. ‘All I know is that he seems a really nice man, and that he’s rebought the house he used to live in and has refurbished it. It’s a dream of a place.’

  Emma instantly mellowed and, smiling at Glenn, said, ‘I will be ready at twelve, as requested.’ As the door closed behind her he got back into the car and drove off with his mind full of questions that had no answers.

  * * *

  When Glenn came for her the next day Emma was wearing the white fake-fur jacket and turquoise dress that she’d appeared in on that first night when everyone from the practice had welcomed her back to Glenminster. His heartbeat quickened at the thought of what he was going to say to her over lunch.

  ‘So what did you find out about Alex Mowbray?’ she asked, when they were seated at the table that had been reserved for them in the Barrington Bar.

  ‘Not a lot,’ Glenn said. ‘Except that he is a really nice guy who kept the faith with a sick wife but always wanted to come back here if the opportunity arose.’

  ‘Do you know what was wrong with her?’ asked Emma.

  ‘Yes, advanced Parkinson’s disease, which, as we both know, is an illness that doesn’t carry with it an early death. The years must have crept by before he was able to come back to the place he loved best. But I didn’t bring you here to talk about Alex,’ he said with a change of subject. Now it was Glenn’s turn to produce a small gift-wrapped box, which he put on the table in front of her.

  ‘I know you must have thought me mean for not having a gift for you yesterday,’ he explained, ‘but I couldn’t give you this then as what I have to ask you is private and very personal.’ She sat watching him, transfixed by the moment, and he said, ‘Maybe you would like to unwrap it to understand me better.’

  ‘Yes, of course,’ croaked Emma. She went weak at the knees when she saw that resting in a small velvet box was a solitaire diamond ring. It has happened at last, she thought joyfully. He wants me, he loves me. I can’t believe it!

  His next comment brought her back down to earth. ‘I may never be able to be to you what you want me to be,’ Glenn said gravely. ‘To be totally committed I would have to give myself to you wholeheartedly, and I can’t guarantee that I can do that by shutting Serena out of my life. So would you accept second best? I care for you a lot, Emma, I really do. And maybe one day I can be the way you want me to be.’

  ‘No,’ she breathed, and watched him flinch. ‘I’ve had enough of being second best. I want to be with a man who will cherish me and who I can love in return, without making do with what is on offer. I only want your ring on my finger because you can’t live without me and if that isn’t so I will do without.’

  Emma was getting to her feet and picking up her belongings, desperate to escape from the awful moment of humiliation. When she’d collected h
er coat from the cloakroom she went into the foyer and flagged down a passing taxi to take her home, leaving Glenn to stare stonily at the ring she had cast aside.

  * * *

  Lying on top of the bed covers, gazing blankly up at the ceiling, Emma heard Glenn’s car pull up in the drive below and turned her face into the pillows to deaden the sound of the doorbell when it rang. It continued for some minutes and then stopped, and she heard him drive off into the afternoon. When she went onto the landing and looked down into the hallway the box with the ring inside was lying on the doormat. It was then that the tears came as she went down slowly, picked it up, and without opening it again placed it in a nearby drawer.

  * * *

  When Glenn’s father was driving past Glenn’s house in the late afternoon he saw his son’s car parked outside so stopped to have a chat. ‘Where’s Emma?’ he asked in surprise. ‘We thought that you weren’t coming to us today because you had plans to spend it with her.’

  ‘Yes, I did,’ said Glenn, ‘but it would seem that I presumed too much and she doesn’t want my company.’

  ‘I see,’ Jonas replied, and asked disappointedly, ‘What makes you think that?’

  ‘I was a tactless fool, expecting too much of her,’ Glenn replied bleakly, ‘wanting what was best for me instead of her, and she refused.’

  ‘Serena loved you,’ his father said. ‘Do you honestly think she would want you to cut yourself off from finding love again because she was taken?’

  ‘Probably not,’ Glenn agreed, ‘but I still feel guilty because she wanted us to holiday somewhere else for a change, and I preferred to go to our usual place. She only went along with it to please me.’

  ‘Yes, but you weren’t to know that a tsunami was on its way that day,’ Jonas protested.

  ‘There is no answer to any of it,’ Glenn replied. ‘We’ve been through this discussion too often. I’ll be fine here, getting some paperwork done, and will pop round for a bit later on if that’s all right.’