The Single Dad's Proposal. Karin Baine

she is quite a character.’

      ‘No, I didn’t dress her, this is all her own creation.’

      An elderly woman being wheeled through towards the rehab ward hailed the porter to stop as though he was her personal chauffeur. This had to be the infamous Philomena Kerridge-Bates he’d heard was here to recuperate after a broken hip. No one other than a millionairess and a Society Grand Dame would have accessorised her hospital gown with matching priceless diamond earrings and necklace. ‘This child should be in bed,’ she decreed with a dismissive wave of her elegant hand.

      ‘I agree, she should.’ He didn’t bother to argue or explain and hold them all up.

      Everyone always wanted to offer him parenting advice so he’d become accustomed to it. The sight of a single dad drew pity from all corners, as though he was out of his depth without the child’s mother in tow. Strangers weren’t aware he’d been her only source of stability and love since birth and they’d been doing fine on their own since Christina had left. They’d probably been better off without her. Just as he was, without parents disappointed in who he’d become because he hadn’t fitted in with their idea of how a son should behave and had wanted to earn a living in his own right. Away from family influences and the glare of the spotlight they were happy to live in.

      Generally, people on Maple Island had good intentions so he didn’t let it get to him and responded to comments with a forced smile. His private life, including his daughter’s welfare and his wife’s whereabouts, was his business and as such he refused to give anyone the satisfaction of dispelling rumour with fact.

      He simply wished Philomena well on her way and reckoned their other feisty resident Theodore Harrington, or Old Salty as he was better known, might have met his match. The cantankerous fisherman was still recovering after his leg had been crushed when the ferry carrying twins on their way to the clinic had broken down in last month’s storms and he’d gone to rescue them.

      He’d already been discharged once, but he hadn’t looked after himself properly and had ended up badly aggravating the injury. In serious pain again, he’d reluctantly allowed himself to be persuaded to return to the clinic for a longer stretch of rehab, so they could keep an eye on him until he was fully healed.

      He wasn’t an easy patient to deal with, obviously used to living on his own, but he was now the local hero so they were forced to put up with him and his pearls of wisdom as he told everyone how to do their jobs.

      The main problem with the attention Gracie was drawing tonight was that she hated it. She barely tolerated people she knew but strangers were a complete no-go area for her. Anything new and unfamiliar was a source of stress and could easily increase her anxiety level but she knew the clinic and he hadn’t imagined there’d be as many people about at this time of night.