LITMIR.BIZ

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scan,’ she repeated. Did he not understand? ‘If I’d gone to an antenatal clinic my name would have been recorded. I knew Marcus was trying to find me and I couldn’t take that risk.’

      ‘But didn’t the hospital in Wellington get your details when you got a new job there?’

      ‘I didn’t get a job in a hospital. I went into the private sector. I had a job as a carer for a tetraplegic guy. I kept it up until very recently when the lifting got too much and then I finally managed to contact Sarah and she said she was going to the States and it seemed like the perfect solution so I sorted my passport and—’

      ‘Whoa!’ Max held up a hand. ‘Rewind. Are you saying you’ve had no antenatal care? Not even a scan?’

      ‘I’m twenty-eight,’ Ellie said defensively. ‘Young and healthy. I’ve had no problems. I’ve taken my own blood pressure at regular intervals and I even had the opportunity to test my own urine for protein and so on because the man I was caring for had dipsticks provided. I’ve taken all the recommended vitamin supplements and been careful with my diet. I had all the information I needed in my textbooks and I’m a nurse, for heaven’s sake. I can take care of myself. I would have got help if there’d been any indication it was needed. I’m not stupid.’

      The way his eyebrows lifted suggested that Max was reserving judgement on that score. ‘How many weeks are you?’

      ‘Thirty-six weeks and two days.’

      ‘What position is the baby in?’

      ‘I…’ That was something Ellie had done her best to ascertain but would have to admit she hadn’t succeeded in finding out. A small bottom and a head were hard to distinguish by palpation.

      ‘You don’t know, do you?’

      Ellie had to look away. She pressed her lips together and encouraged the small flare of resentment she could feel forming.

      ‘Where were you planning to give birth given your aversion to registering as a patient in a hospital?’

      ‘I can go to a hospital. Somewhere else. Under a different name.’

      ‘And if you happen to succeed in lying about your due date and actually get onto an international flight, how’s that going to work if you go into labour at thirty thousand feet? Hours away from the nearest airport?’

      He was angry. With her.

      And it was unbearable.

      He’d made her feel safe and then he’d given her hope and now he was taking those precious moments back. Ellie had never felt this miserable in her entire life.

      So utterly alone.

      Max was appalled.

      He’d protected Ellie and now that he knew what he’d been protecting her from, he could only be grateful that fate had put him in the right place at the right time.

      And now she was going to endanger both herself and her unborn baby with this insane plan to throw herself into a lifetime of hiding and deceit.

      He couldn’t see her face at the moment because she had dipped her head under the weight of his harsh tone. He could see the copper gleam of that thick mane of hair, however. And the tip of a small, upturned nose. What had he said about the baby? That it might be a girl—petite and pretty like its mother? He’d meant it, but he could have said more.

      He could have suggested it might have that gorgeous colouring of her hair and eyes that would demand the attention of anybody. He might not be able to see her arms hidden beneath the wide sleeves of that sweater but he could guarantee the bone structure was as fine as her face and hands.

      What he could see was the way they were wrapped around her lower body right now. Fiercely protective. And he could see the slump of her shoulders as though she thought the entire world was against her.

      Hadn’t she been through enough without him getting on her case as well?

      ‘Sorry,’ he said sincerely. ‘I don’t want to make this any worse for you. I’d like to help, if I can.’

      She looked up and caught his gaze and Max couldn’t look away. He’d remembered the attractive colour of her eyes but he must have forgotten their impact. He could feel that gaze. Like a physical touch. A handhold, maybe. One that asked for comfort. Or strength. He could give her that much, couldn’t he?

      ‘You wouldn’t have a forwarding address for Sarah, would you?’

      ‘No.’ Max frowned. ‘You do know why she decided to take off for the States in such a hurry, don’t you?’

      ‘Not really. She didn’t say much in her email. I got the impression she was making a new start. Wanting a new life?’

      ‘No. That wasn’t the reason.’

      Ellie looked horrified. ‘She was trying to get further away from me?’

      ‘No. Did she not tell you about Josh? About him being diagnosed with leukaemia six months ago?’

      ‘Oh, my God!’ Ellie breathed. ‘No. I knew she was worried about him when I left. She thought he was being affected by the stressful situation. It was one of the reasons I left Auckland.’

      ‘He didn’t get diagnosed until they came down here. He got a lot sicker fast and she decided she had to try and find his father so that the possibility of a bone-marrow transplant would be there. She finally managed to track down the man on his birth certificate and found out he’s a doctor working in California. She decided the best way to deal with it was to take Josh to meet him. Too easy to just say no with an email or phone call. She’s planning to stay long enough to have the transplant done in the States if it’s possible.’

      ‘She might need help looking after him. I could do that. Poor Sarah. She needs a friend if nothing else.’

      Her determination might be admirable but the wobble in Ellie’s voice showed that she knew as well as he did that she was heading down a dead-end street with that plan.

      ‘You can’t go to the States right now, Ellie,’ he said gently. ‘Give it up.’

      ‘Australia, then. That’s only a few hours away.’

      ‘Do you have any friends or relatives over there?’

      ‘I know someone in Darwin.’

      ‘That’s nearly as far as the States. What about this side of Australia? Sydney or Melbourne or Brisbane?’

      Ellie sighed. ‘No.’

      ‘How will you manage on your own?’

      ‘I can get a job. I’m good at what I do.’

      ‘I’m sure you are.’ Max repressed a sigh. ‘But do you think you’d get a position as a theatre nurse without having to produce a documented record of your qualifications? Without them wanting to know where you were last employed? Without talking to people there?’

      Ellie looked away again. ‘Yeah…I know.’ Defeat darkened her words. ‘I keep thinking and thinking about it and it’s going round and round in my head and I just keep hoping I’ll think of something that might work. Some way out.’

      She gave him a quick glance and he could see that her eyes shimmered with tears. ‘And I can’t. I just have to take one day at a time and think about what I need to do today. For the next few hours, even.’

      ‘What you need to do today is to make sure that everything’s OK with you and your baby.’

      Her nod was resigned. ‘I’ll go and see a doctor tomorrow, I promise. I’ll find a midwife.’

      ‘And you’ll have the baby in a hospital?’

      She shook her head. ‘I can’t. What if Marcus found out? What if he got the chance to do a DNA test or something and got evidence

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