Oliver’s eyes widened as if she’d slapped him, but he didn’t move away. If anything, he dipped his head slightly. His mouth was so close… close enough to kiss, heaven help her.
‘Your m-mother’s here,’ she stammered. ‘And half the consultants from St Pat’s. It’s not… not appropriate, remember?’
‘I don’t think I care,’ Oliver murmured. ‘I still want to kiss you.’
Good grief… this wasn’t a part of any fantasy Bella had been able to conjure up about them both being dressed up and at a wedding. It could have been, except that it was far too much to have hoped for, even when she was trying to make herself irresistibly attractive.
She couldn’t let it happen. How embarrassed would Oliver be if he made his interest in her public – in front of so many of his colleagues? Things were hard enough now. Too hard, in fact. Bella couldn’t live with the lie any longer.
‘I’minappropriate,’ she said, with increasing desperation. ‘Irresponsible.’
‘Not from where I’m standing,’ Oliver said. ‘In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone being quite so responsible about their job as I’ve seen you being in the last few weeks. My mother thinks you’re an angel. She adores you.’
‘She doesn’t know how irresponsible I am.’ Bella could actually feel the blood draining from a part of her brain. Leaving it very empty and clear. She knew what she had to do. ‘I lied to you, Oliver.’
‘Sorry?’ He did step back now and the look he was giving her was bewildered. ‘What on earth are you talking about, Bella?’
‘I lied to you about being on the Pill.’
She could see the way Oliver became very still.
‘Well, I didn’tlieexactly… but I didn’t correct you when you made the wrong assumption and I should have.’
Bella knew she was babbling but the way he seemed to draw into himself until he was standing there like a stone statue was so horrible. The warmth had gone from his eyes completely. No admiration or desire there now. The look Bella was getting was cold. Fierce, almost.
‘What are you trying to tell me, Bella?’
It was now or never. Her voice came out as a strangled kind of whisper.
‘I’m pregnant, Oliver.’
He still looked fierce but she could see that the news hadn’t sunk in. He didn’t understand the implication.
‘Oliver, it’syourbaby I’m pregnant with.’
‘Oh,my…’ The soft cry came from just behind Oliver and it made them both turn in the same instant. How on earth had Lady Dorothy managed to get out of that chair all by herself?
It must have been difficult. Time consuming. But somehow she had managed it. And she had timed it so that she couldn’t help but hear the fateful words despite how softly Bella had spoken.
Oh, dear Lord, what had she done? Just gone ahead without thinking of the repercussions, and this was going to ruin Kate’s special day. Bella felt a wave of nausea so powerful she had to press her hand against her mouth.
‘Oh…’ Lady Dorothy’s gasp was deeply concerned. ‘You’re so pale, dear. I think you’d better sit down.’
‘I’m sorry,’ Bella managed. ‘I didn’t mean you to hear that. I didn’t want?—’
‘This is neither the time nor the place,’ Oliver cut in. He looked as pale as Bella clearly was. ‘Go and sit down, Bella. Would you like me to get you a glass of water?’
‘N-no, thank you.’
A wave of misery washed over Bella at Oliver’s tone. The kind of tone she had heard many times before. When she had been an unimportant junior cog in the wheel of his operating theatre. She knew he had to be in shock but this was exactly like speaking to that intimidating neurosurgeon, not the man she’d come to know.
And love.
This was Oliver in professional mode. Taking control of a situation that was both unexpected and potentially calamitous. The man who had looked, such a short time ago, as though he wanted nothing more than to kiss her senseless seemed like a figment of her imagination.
‘I’m going to take my mother home,’ Oliver continued in that calm, expressionless voice. ‘When you’re finished here, I suggest you come and join us. Obviously, we need to talk.’
He had his hand under his mother’s elbow, turning her, but Lady Dorothy was looking torn. She bit her lip, turning her worried gaze from Bella to Oliver. And then she looked around her, at the milling guests and the bride and groom who were now walking back towards the gathering.
