Lucy Gordon - Instant Father

Nobody moved or spoke until he’d vanished. Then, with one movement, Gavin and Norah turned toward each other and cried, “ Yes .” The next moment they were in each other’s arms while Peter did a dance of delight around them.

Gavin held her as firmly as he dared, mindful of her ribs, but he longed to pull her hard against him and never let her go. She was his recovered treasure, and from now on he’d keep her safe where nobody could harm her. He wanted to say all this, but it would have to wait for later when they were alone. For now it was enough that she’d come spontaneously into his arms.

Mrs. Stone appeared on the steps and for once her bleak features were relaxed in a smile. “Welcome home, miss,” she said. “I’ve got supper ready. It’s your favorite.”

“Thank you,” Norah said eagerly. “I’ve hardly been able to eat a thing and I’m famished.” She took hold of Peter’s hand on one side and Gavin on the other and let them lead her into the house. Gavin exchanged a look of delight with his son, and his heart soared. They’d done it. They’d done it. Together. Soon everything would be all right.

It was a joyful meal. Peter didn’t speak, but he smiled and nodded vigorously as his father described how they’d cared for the sanctuary together. Norah demanded to know where Bruce Havering had come from, and Gavin told the story briefly. Later, when he had her to himself, he would tell it to her again in more detail. He might even tell her how Bruce had joked that he was in love with her, and the look on her face would tell him what to say next. Or perhaps he wouldn’t need to say it. She knew his financial situation and would surely guess that he’d put himself at risk to raise the bail money and free her. She’d understand the truth from that.

But he couldn’t say the things he wanted to with Peter here and Mrs. Stone hovering in the background, and he began to long for time to pass.

At last Peter began to yawn, and Norah said, “It’s been a long day for all of us. I’ll just take a look around outside, then I’m going to bed.”

Peter went out with her. Gavin resisted the temptation to go too. Let them be alone together. His time was coming. He went upstairs and at last he heard them come into the house and to Peter’s room. When he went in to say good-night to his son, Norah had already left. Peter was in bed, reading. He looked up when his father came in and smiled at him.

Gavin had wondered what he might say, but suddenly no words were needed. He held out his hand to Peter. “Put it there,” he said. And in perfect understanding Peter did so.

He hesitated before knocking on Norah’s bedroom door, listening to her moving around inside. Finally, while he was waiting with his hand raised, the door was opened and she was standing there in her robe. “Snap,” she said. “I was just coming to find you.”

“Yes, we have a lot to say, don’t we?” he asked, going past her into the room.

“There’s certainly one very important thing that must be done before I go to bed,” she told him, yawning. “Oh, I’m looking forward to a decent night’s sleep. You’ve no idea how hard that cell bed was.”

“What was it you wanted to say?” he asked, his heart beating.

“It’s not only ‘thank you’. For one thing, I’ve already said that-and for another, no words are adequate for what you’ve done for me.”

“I didn’t do anything that I didn’t want to do with all my heart,” he told her.

“I know. You’ve been wonderful.”

“What was it you wanted to do?” he asked, sure she was going to kiss him, and tensing in readiness.

“Oh, that. Yes. I wanted to give you this.” She reached over to her bedside table and took up a piece of paper, which she handed it to him.

Gavin looked at it, smiling. Then his smile faded. It was a check for ten thousand pounds.

“It was marvelous of you to rush out and get my bail money,” Norah said, “especially since you’re broke. I dread to think what you must have had to do to raise it so quickly. Gavin, whatever’s the matter? Isn’t it the right amount?”

“Yes, yes,” he said, collecting his fragmented wits. “It’s just that-it’s a funny thing-until this moment I hadn’t given a thought to the money.”

“That’s because you’re generous. But I had to think of it. After all, I can afford it more easily than you can.”

“Yes, you can, can’t you?” he said with an effort. He felt sick, stunned. He’d galloped like a knight errant to her rescue, and her response was to offer him money. Did she think he cared about the money? Didn’t she know he’d have gladly impoverished himself for her sake? To have his gesture ruined was almost more than he could bear. Everything he’d hoped to win tonight now seemed like a fool’s delusion.

He pulled himself together. “Thank you,” he said. “There was no need to rush to repay me tonight.”

“But I wanted to. I didn’t like to think of you going to bed worrying. Not when I owe you so much.”

The truth, of course, he realized bitterly, was that she didn’t want to be in his debt a moment longer than she had to be. Well, there was a way he could relieve her of that burden. “How conscientious of you,” he said, with a blank smile. “And it’s nonsense to suggest that you owe me anything. I did it all for Peter. I know that will please you.”

He was too preoccupied with his own suffering to notice the light fade from her eyes. “Of course, it pleases me,” she said. “It means you’re gaining some understanding of him, and that’s the most important thing of all.”

“It is, isn’t it? You’d never believe how close he and I managed to become last night.”

“I’d love to hear about it, but not just now. Suddenly I’ve got a splitting headache.”

“You must be very tired,” he said quickly. “I’ll go now and let you get some rest. Good night, Norah.”

“Good night,” she said quietly.

He left her room quickly and stood breathing a sigh of relief. For a moment he’d almost revealed his innermost feelings, but he’d avoided disaster just in time.

As for the pain in his heart-well, that was another matter.

Gavin was on the phone when Norah’s shadow darkened the doorway. He finished the conversation quickly and glanced up, no longer trying to hide from himself the pleasure he gained from the sight of her. But she didn’t look pleased. She was frowning. “It wasn’t very courteous of you not to tell me you’d invited your father to stay,” she said.

“My father? Of course I haven’t. Whatever put that idea into your head?”

“He did. He’s just arrived.”

“ What ?” Gavin’s astonishment propelled him out of the chair and halfway across the room. “He can’t have done.”

“An ambulance drew up outside and he was lifted out in a wheelchair. He’s got a male nurse who’s also arrived to stay.”

“Norah, I swear to you I knew nothing about this. You’ve got to believe me.”

“All right,” she said, her face relaxing. “I just thought for a moment that you’d summoned reinforcements.”

“Reinforcements against what? I thought we had a truce-maybe even a friendship?” He said the last words with uncharacteristic hesitancy. He never knew where he was with her.

To his astonishment, she replied, “Perhaps we do. The thing is, I never know where I am with you. Now, why are you looking all struck of a heap?”

“I-nothing. I’d better go and see my father.”

“Try and look pleased to see him,” she said shrewdly.

“Of course I’m pleased to see him-heaven help me!”

Norah chuckled and he forced a smile onto his face before going out into the hall. “Father, what a delightful surprise!”