She tried to speak to assure him she hadn’t got cold feet, explain why the postponement had happened. But he smiled and stopped her with a finger up to his lips. “Don’t worry—your throat still hurts from the tube. I’ll get the whole story from Mr. Azziz. Just tell me if you’re all right.”

Lucy slowly found her voice again, and she wanted to speak to him. “I wish I could say.” She took her time, trying to throw off the effects of the heavy painkillers that made her so deeply drowsy. “I’m trying to give you an intelligent answer. Discern what’s in my brain.” She was like a cat, stretching after sleeping too long near a fire. “Oh, and my heart. I forgot that…Today’s my birthday, the first day of a new life.”

“Well, perhaps that was the early hours of yesterday, when the operation was over. Many happy returns. And mine was yesterday too, so you see, we share one.”

Lucy smiled with slight confusion. “A nurse told me your birthday was Sunday—that you were in the country for lunch.”

“The true day was yesterday, though, September the twenty-second.” Alex couldn’t begin to tackle “Sunday in the country.” “Are you still tired from the sedation?”

“I’ve slept long, haven’t I? Have you been here for some time?” Her words were soft but quite distinct. She moved her neck a shade, though it had a tube in it; and she noticed he had a book and had been in the single chair. That was unusual, as he was always rushed off his feet. Another masked face came in and recorded something on her chart, which Alex then took over from her. She was aware, as the door opened, of the wonderful fragrance of jonquils—narcissi. Where were they, and where had they come from in September? Had Grace arranged them?

“I wanted to be here when you woke up.” Alex had been occupying himself with her notes for a moment, waiting for the sister to depart. “Mr. Azziz asked for me to check things before your surgery, and I couldn’t get here. I felt I’d let you down—although I can see you’ve managed annoyingly well without me.” He joked easily with her, and it had the desired effect of raising a warm smile. “I did put my head in late last night, but you weren’t waiting up for me.”

“Even doctors are entitled to a birthday lunch. And I’ve lost Monday. Anyway, you’ve been in the States?”

“I’d have come straight from lunch for you, Lucy. Something…just…came up. My family needed me.”