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Back The Cottage Save as PDF
Chapters (82)
  1. Cover
  2. Dedication
  3. ONE
  4. TWO
  5. THREE
  6. FOUR
  7. FIVE
  8. SIX
  9. SEVEN
  10. EIGHT
  11. NINE
  12. TEN
  13. ELEVEN
  14. TWELVE
  15. THIRTEEN
  16. FOURTEEN
  17. FIFTEEN
  18. SIXTEEN
  19. SEVENTEEN
  20. EIGHTEEN
  21. NINETEEN
  22. TWENTY
  23. TWENTY-ONE
  24. TWENTY-TWO
  25. TWENTY-THREE
  26. TWENTY-FOUR
  27. TWENTY-FIVE
  28. TWENTY-SIX
  29. TWENTY-SEVEN
  30. TWENTY-EIGHT
  31. TWENTY-NINE
  32. THIRTY
  33. THIRTY-ONE
  34. THIRTY-TWO
  35. THIRTY-THREE
  36. THIRTY-FOUR
  37. THIRTY-FIVE
  38. THIRTY-SIX
  39. THIRTY-SEVEN
  40. THIRTY-EIGHT
  41. THIRTY-NINE
  42. FORTY
  43. FORTY-ONE
  44. FORTY-TWO
  45. FORTY-THREE
  46. FORTY-FOUR
  47. FORTY-FIVE
  48. FORTY-SIX
  49. FORTY-SEVEN
  50. FORTY-EIGHT
  51. FORTY-NINE
  52. FIFTY
  53. FIFTY-ONE
  54. FIFTY-TWO
  55. FIFTY-THREE
  56. FIFTY-FOUR
  57. FIFTY-FIVE
  58. FIFTY-SIX
  59. FIFTY-SEVEN
  60. FIFTY-EIGHT
  61. FIFTY-NINE
  62. SIXTY
  63. SIXTY-ONE
  64. SIXTY-TWO
  65. SIXTY-THREE
  66. SIXTY-FOUR
  67. SIXTY-FIVE
  68. SIXTY-SIX
  69. SIXTY-SEVEN
  70. SIXTY-EIGHT
  71. SIXTY-NINE
  72. SEVENTY
  73. SEVENTY-ONE
  74. SEVENTY-TWO
  75. SEVENTY-THREE
  76. SEVENTY-FOUR
  77. Suggested topics for reading-group discussion
  78. Keep Reading …
  79. Lisa Stone also writes under the name of Cathy Glass.Don’t miss her latest book …
  80. About the Author
  81. Books by Lisa Stone
  82. About the Publisher

He made a sharp right turn into his road and his heart stopped. An ambulance was parked outside his house. So was Anne’s car. Jan was being taken to hospital! His worst fear had come true. Anne would never have called for an ambulance unless it was serious – life-threatening. Jan’s life was in danger. He could lose her.

Coming to an abrupt halt in front of the ambulance, Chris jumped out. As he passed the ambulance, he saw the rear doors were open but there was no one inside. The front door to his house was wide open and he ran in. ‘Jan!’ he shouted at the top of his voice.

‘Up here!’ Anne returned.

He took the stairs two at a time and went into their bedroom. The room seemed full. Jan was being helped into a wheelchair by one of the paramedics while the other held a bundle in his arms.

‘Jan, my love,’ he cried, going to her. ‘I’m so sorry.’ He didn’t dare look at the baby.

‘She’s all right,’ Anne said.

He took Jan’s hand and she gave a weak smile. ‘I’m exhausted,’ she said.

‘We’re going to the hospital now,’ Anne said. ‘I was going to ride with them in the ambulance but now you’re here you can, and I’ll follow in my car.’

She seemed very calm, Chris thought, and looked from her to the paramedics, not really understanding what was going on. There was no sign of horror on their faces and Jan looked worn out but not distraught.

‘We need to get going now,’ the paramedic holding the baby said.

‘Go on, Chris,’ Anne told him. ‘Go with Jan.’

He went to speak, but Anne said, ‘It’ll be fine. Your son was early, but the problem with his feet is no worse than expected. I’ll explain at the hospital.’ She held his gaze.

Chris nodded dumbly and followed the paramedics out of the room. They paused on the landing.

‘If you could hold your baby,’ the paramedic said, turning to Chris. ‘I can help carry the chair with your partner in downstairs.’

He placed the bundle into Chris’s arms, but it was a moment before Chris dared look. The little face was slightly wrinkled from the birth and his eyes were tightly closed, premature, but there was no excessive hair or unusual features.

‘It’s going to be OK,’ Anne said, quietly joining him. ‘Just keep going.’

SEVENTY-THREE

The journey in the ambulance to hospital seemed to take forever, Chris thought, although they were on a blue light. He sat on one of the seats opposite Jan, who was lying on the couch. He had Owen cradled in his arms, but he was concentrating on Jan. She was dozing, exhausted from the birth and from the pethidine Anne had given her.