The sound of the cock crowing made her blink wearily and almost instantly she felt a change in the room. She could no longer hear Barnaby’s laboured breathing and with a frightened start she sat up and stared down at him only to find him watching her intently.

‘Oh . . . you’re awake.’ She was so happy that tears sprang to her eyes.

He gave her a weak smile. ‘It’ll take more than a fall down a cliff to keep me down,’ he said weakly.

She was thrilled and confused all at the same time. After all, theirs was a marriage in name only and she didn’t even like him . . . did she?

She thought back over the last months, of all his attempts to make amends for what he’d done. He’d taken in Charlotte, found her work, then, against all odds, found a way that she could care for her own baby. And despite his love for his daughter, he’d not once reprimanded her for taking her away from him. It had been within his power to have her arrested and ensure she never saw Charlotte again, but instead, when she’d returned, he’d apologised to her. Even as his life was falling apart around him, he continued to care for both of them, doing everything he could to ensure their safety. And when Bertie had attacked her, he’d put his own life at risk to save her.

And then it hit her like a ton of bricks – she did still care for him, very much in fact, although she had no idea when her feelings towards him had started to change. Perhaps it had been when she had seen him being such a loving father to Charlotte? Or was it when she had seen his broken body being carried up the side of the cliff? Or perhaps it had been a slow softening – one she’d refused to acknowledge – as day by day he showed her how sorry he was. Whenever it was though, she would have been heartbroken to lose him and she didn’t quite know how to deal with the tender feelings that were flowing through her.

Suddenly flustered she pulled her hand from his and stood up, aware that she must look terrible. ‘I-I’ll go and get you some tea,’ she said and she flew from the room as if old Nick himself was snapping at her heels.

Chapter Forty-Three

Chapter Forty-Three

Over the following week, Barnaby continued to make good progress, although he was still in a lot of pain with his leg and the many cuts and bruises he had sustained from his fall down the cliff. Amber continued to nurse him devotedly and every day it became harder to hide the tender feelings she had developed for him.