Once it took off the crowd dispersed and Jenny thanked the family that had taken the three children.

‘Will Mummy die?’ Zoe looked at her with huge eyes, her lower lip trembling ominously.

‘No, darling.’ Jenny stooped to hug her, feeling her own tears start. It had been a horrifying, frightening experience for all of them, especially the children. ‘Uncle Alex has already made her better. They’re just taking her to hospital to give her some more medicine.’

And to be ready if she relapsed. Oh, God…

Zoe nodded solemnly. ‘Uncle Alex is very clever. Mummy and Daddy told me that. He’d never let Mummy die.’

Jenny brushed the tears away from her cheeks. She didn’t even want to think about Libby dying, but she knew just how close it had been.

Aware of her responsibility to Libby’s children, she made a huge effort and managed what she hoped was a relatively normal smile. ‘He is clever. Very clever. Now, then, how do you fancy going home and playing an amazing game in the bath?’

CHAPTER NINE

IT WAS two next morning when Alex finally arrived home.

The children were fast asleep together in the nursery and Jenny was lying on her bed, reading.

The moment she heard his footsteps on the stairs she put the book down and held her breath. She’d been longing for news but she hadn’t wanted to call the hospital and disturb Alex so she’d forced herself to be patient.

He paused in the entrance to her bedroom, his broad shoulders filling the doorway.

‘I thought you’d be asleep.’

‘I was too worried about Libby,’ she confessed shakily, ‘and I wanted to listen out for the children. Particularly Zoe. She’s old enough to understand that her mummy is really ill. We talked about it and I think she was all right, but I’ve been worried she might wake up and go looking for Libby.’

His eyes glittered strangely in the semi-darkness. ‘You’re a good, kind person, Red Riding Hood.’

Jenny shook her head. ‘I felt totally useless out there on the beach.’

‘You weren’t useless,’ he said gruffly. ‘You did a good job.’

Jenny’s eyes filled. ‘It was so awful.’

He held out his arms and she went into them, feeling the reassuring warmth and hardness of his chest against her cheek.

‘How is she?’

‘Off the critical list, I hope.’

She lifted her head and even in the limited light she could see the evidence of stress in his handsome features. Given that he’d been ill with flu only days earlier, it was amazing that he was still standing. ‘We’re keeping her in hospital for twenty-four hours at least because people can have prolonged reactions and I’m not taking any chances. Andreas is flying back now. He should be here in the morning.’

Libby bit her lip. ‘You saved her life.’

Alex gave a laugh that was totally lacking in humour. ‘Unfortunately it isn’t the first time. It happened once before, at one of my parents’ wretched garden parties. None of us knew she was even allergic to bee stings before then. She collapsed and, of course, we had nothing. No adrenaline. Nothing. It was touch and go.’