A Very Special Child. Jennifer Taylor

and just about everyone else he regards as a friend!’

      ‘He’s a very outgoing child from what I’ve seen, which is a real bonus.’ Mark smiled back. ‘It’s thanks to you that he has such confidence, Laura. You’re doing a great job with him.’

      ‘Thank you,’ she replied, deeply touched. She shrugged, not wanting him to guess how much it had meant to hear him say that. ‘But I can’t take all the credit. Robbie is naturally gregarious, it’s part of his nature.’

      ‘So many Down’s children are like that, you find. They have this wonderfully accepting attitude towards other people and seem to blossom with the right kind of attention.’ He frowned thoughtfully. ‘I take it from what you just said that Robbie goes to the local infants school?’

      ‘Yes. They’ve been marvellous with him. Ian and I were worried about what would happen with his schooling. We went to see the headmaster and explained the situation to him, and he immediately offered Robbie a place.’ She smiled with real pleasure. ‘Mr Brook, the headmaster, says that the other children are learning a lot by having Robbie in the school.’

      ‘That’s great! You don’t often get that kind of enlightened thinking, even today. Far too often schools focus on the problems of teaching a handicapped child alongside his peers.’ Mark reached over and squeezed her hand, his delight obvious in the warm smile he gave her.

      ‘With this kind of support, Robbie is going to have the best start possible in life, isn’t he, Laura?’

      ‘Except that he no longer has a father.’ The words came out before she could stop them and she saw Mark’s eyes darken with pain.

      ‘I’m sorry,’ he said contritely. ‘That was incredibly crass of me. I didn’t mean to hurt you, Laura.’

      His hand briefly tightened around hers before he abruptly stood up. Walking to the window, he pushed back the velvet curtains and stared out into the night. It was obvious from the slump of his shoulders that he was berating himself for the remark, and Laura knew that she had to say something.

      ‘I know you didn’t, Mark. Please, don’t go blaming yourself when there’s no need,’ she said quietly.

      He turned to look at her. ‘Are you sure about that?’ He shrugged when he saw her puzzlement. ‘It’s obvious that you aren’t over your husband’s death yet.’

      It was said very flatly and without inflection, yet she felt there was more to the statement than first appeared. However, before she could decide if it was wise to question him further the phone rang.

      Mark grimaced as he strode towards the hall. ‘I hope that isn’t what I think it is!’

      He came back a few minutes later, shrugging on his coat. ‘It was the hospital. There’s been an accident on the outskirts of town. A minibus ferrying a dozen kids home from a trip to the theatre has skidded and overturned.’

      ‘How dreadful! Are any of them badly hurt?’ she asked in concern, immediately getting up.

      ‘Nobody seems to know for sure as the ambulances haven’t got to the scene yet.’ Mark’s tone was grim. ‘God knows what they’re going to find in conditions like these.’

      Laura shivered. ‘It’s such a dreadful night. I take it you’re needed?’

      ‘Yes.’ Mark grimaced. ‘Second night on the run, too. I got dragged out of bed in the early hours of this morning as well. With Simon being away, we’re a bit pushed at present. Still, I managed to snatch an hour’s sleep in the doctors’ lounge, before going out for a run to get rid of the cobwebs, so I can’t complain.’

      An hour’s sleep didn’t seem very much, bearing in mind that he’d been on the go all day long as well, Laura thought. She followed him out to the hall, waiting while he collected his keys and mobile phone from the table. He paused before opening the door, his grey eyes concerned all of a sudden.

      ‘You will be all right here by yourself? I hate to leave you like this in a strange place.…’

      ‘But you don’t have any choice.’ She smiled, appreciating his consideration when he must have more pressing things on his mind than her and Robbie. ‘We’ll be fine, Mark. Why shouldn’t we be? We have everything we need after all.’

      ‘Have you?’ There was a strange note in his voice all of a sudden, an intensity to the look he gave her which made a tremor run down her spine. Laura stared back at him, her greeny-blue eyes the colour of a stormy sea.

      He gave her a gentle smile before he suddenly bent and brushed her cheek with a kiss. ‘Don’t wait up,’ he said softly, and then he was gone.

      ‘Take care…’ The words floated after him but she wasn’t sure if he’d heard them as he disappeared at a run down the stairs. Laura closed the door then made her way to the sitting-room window in time to watch him driving away. The snow was still falling, a thick curtain of white that veiled the countryside and made it look strangely unfamiliar. Maybe that was why she felt disorientated all of a sudden, as though she’d stepped out her own safe little world into another.

      She let the curtain fall into place, shivering as she went back to the fire. The flames were blazing up the chimney and sending out a comforting heat, but she couldn’t seem to get warm. She didn’t want her world to change in any way! She had Robbie and her memories and now a job that she knew she was going to love. She should be content…No, she was content!

      Laura turned away from the fire in sudden impatience and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror over the mantelpiece. For a moment she didn’t recognise herself. Was that wild-eyed stranger really her?

      She closed her eyes then immediately knew that had been a mistake as an image began to form in her mind’s eye. Giving a murmur of dismay, she struggled to erase it, but it refused to go. Suddenly, she could see in perfect detail the expression on Mark’s face as he’d bent to kiss her just now.…

      She opened her eyes abruptly, refusing to let her mind go any further. Switching off the lights, she made her way to the bedroom. Robbie was fast asleep, his small form no more than a bump in the huge bed. Laura stared down at him, letting all the love she felt for this very special child fill each and every corner of her heart. So long as she had that to fill the emptiness then she had more than enough. Mark had been wrong. There was nothing she needed—or wanted—to make her life complete!