Reunited: A Miracle Marriage

Reunited: A

Miracle

Marriage

Judy Campbell

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Cover

Title Page

About the Author

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Copyright

Dear Reader

Friends Reunited, school reunions…all places where we are deliberately seeking to contact people we used to know, and to discover how their life has panned out over the years. Thinking about this made me wonder what would happen if you were a single girl and had a completely chance meeting with an old love from many years before. I envisaged my heroine experiencing just that, and it triggering a life-change that she could never have dreamed of! What will her reaction be when her old flame turns up out of the blue? How will they have changed? What will their feelings be about each other?

Let’s face it—wouldn’t we all be curious to know how we’d regard someone we used to be head over heels in love with and then unexpectedly met—and intrigued to know how his life had fared without us? In Sally’s case, it shows her what true love really feels like!

I do so hope you enjoy reading about Sally and Jack as much as I had fun writing their story.

Best wishes

Judy

About the Author

JUDY CAMPBELL is from Cheshire. As a teenager she spent a great year at high school in Oregon, USA, as an exchange student. She has worked in a variety of jobs, including teaching young children, being a secretary and running a small family business. Her husband comes from a medical family, and one of their three grown-up children is a GP. Any spare time—when she’s not writing romantic fiction—is spent playing golf, especially in the Highlands of Scotland.

Dedication

To the happy memory of my mother

CHAPTER ONE

IT WAS stuffy in the lecture theatre, and the professor of cardiac medicine had a monotonous, droning voice. Sally Lawson smothered a yawn and looked around the room, amused to see that a few people had given up the unequal fight and were quietly nodding off to sleep. She knew exactly how they felt.

Her gaze wandered over the audience, wondering if she recognised any of the people there besides Jean Cornwell, her colleague, who was sitting next to her.

Suddenly she blinked, jerked out of her lethargy as she noticed a man several rows below her, or rather the back of a man’s head. Of course it wasn’t…it couldn’t possibly be him, could it? She shifted in her seat to try and see the man from a different angle as from where she was sitting he looked amazingly like Jack McLennan. A funny little tremor of apprehension fluttered through her even thinking of his name. Odd how just seeing the back of a stranger who had the same thick russet hair and broad shoulders of a man she used to love long ago could kick-start all kinds of memories…

Sally leaned forward to get a closer look at this guy’s profile. Of course Jack McLennan was hundreds of miles away in Australia and had been for years—he was probably director of the Australian health service by now, or something equally imposing, she thought wryly. She gazed into space, the professor’s lecture a mere background drone to her thoughts. It had been six years since she’d last seen Jack, the love of her life—six years since he’d told her out of the blue that he wanted to finish their affair and concentrate on his career. And she’d thought she’d known the man so well after their year’s passionate affair—they had even discussed marriage. She would never have guessed that he had been using her, had just wanted a fling before he finished his training and disappeared….at least, that was how it had seemed to her.

The lecture was drawing to a close, and the professor’s voice rose slightly, bringing Sally back to the present.

‘And so, ladies and gentlemen, I hope I’ve given you some insight into the challenges of treating hypertension and the benefits of tackling a major cause of cardiovascular disease as early and aggressively as possible.’

He beamed around the hall and there was enthusiastic applause from the audience, glad of the chance to stretch their legs at last. People began to get up from their seats and hurry away from the hall, amongst them the man who’d caught Sally’s eye. It was extraordinary—even the way he held his head slightly to one side as he listened to the person talking to him was so like one of Jack’s mannerisms. He was laughing, his deep-toned voice carrying over the crowd, and it could have been Jack’s voice—that easy laugh reminding her that, despite everything that had happened, they’d had a lot of fun together.

Sally picked up her handbag and started to follow Jean out of the lecture hall. Of course, it was neither here nor there that a strange man at the other side of the room should remind her of Jack and their long-ago affair. After all, she was engaged now and going to be married very soon.

‘What time do you want to be off tomorrow, Sally?’ Jean asked. Sally was contemplating the figure now moving towards the exit of the hall.

Jean waited a few seconds for a response then, grinning, dug her friend gently in the ribs. ‘Hey! You’re in another universe, aren’t you?’

‘What? Oh…yes, sorry. I thought I saw someone I used to work with, but it can’t be him—I believe he works abroad now. What did you say?’

‘Tomorrow—when do you want to leave? There’s a lecture in the morning but do you mind if we go after breakfast? If you want to stay, I can always get a lift back to Crachan from someone else.’

‘Suits me to leave early,’ said Sally absently, her eyes drifting back to that tall figure. ‘I think I know all I want to know about cardiac health at the moment, thank you!’

Suddenly the man turned round and Sally gave a quick shocked intake of breath, her whole body stiffening in amazement. Good God! She wasn’t imagining a likeness, no doubt about it—it really was Jack! She looked in stupefaction at the good-looking, strong face and the lock of hair falling over his forehead as it always used to…and the years fell away as she saw the man who’d given her the most gloriously romantic time of her life—and had then broken her heart so cruelly and inexplicably six years ago.

For a second his eyes locked with hers before he turned away, and then suddenly he did a double-take, a frown of uncertainty flickering across his face as he stared at her in puzzlement. Then his eyes widened in recognition and, mumbling something to the person beside him, he began to make his way through the crowd towards her.

Sally stood rooted to the spot, gazing at him in disbelief until he was standing before her and those familiar periwinkle-blue eyes set in a tanned open face held hers in total amazement. The babble in the hall seemed to recede and for a few moments it was as if there were just the two of them alone together.

‘Oh, my God—it’s Sally, Sally Lawson,’ he said softly.

He had a lovely voice, deep and warm, and it brought all sorts of memories tumbling back through Sally’s mind—quite unsuitable memories considering she was engaged to another man now. The first time Jack had kissed her, the feel of his body against hers when they’d danced, the first time they’d… She swallowed hard. She was damned if she was going to go overboard welcoming Dr Jack McLennan. Since he’d left her after a year together, there’d never been a letter or a phone call to ask how she was—not even a Christmas card. He’d treated her abominably and she couldn’t forget that.

She pulled herself together and stood tall, gazing at him steadily. ‘Why, hello,’ she said coolly. ‘I…I didn’t expect to see you here. I thought you lived in Australia now.’

His eyes hadn’t left her face, raking her features as if to convince himself that it was her. ‘Sally Lawson!’ he repeated, ignoring her remark about Australia. ‘What a surprise!’ His lips curved in that slightly lopsided smile of his that used to melt her heart. ‘At least, that’s what you were called six years ago. I guess your name could be something else now.’

Sally swallowed hard, a lot of confused emotions flooding through her. Jack still had that rangy, athletic figure that looked as if he ran ten miles a day, and the power to send any girl’s pulse racing—his physical presence was as potent as it ever had been. But damn him—the man had broken her heart once and led her up the garden path. He was a deceiving rat! She forced a stiff smile.

‘Yes,’ she admitted. ‘I’m still Sally Lawson—for the moment. How are you, Jack?’

‘Just fine. It’s good to see you again. I wasn’t quite sure it was you for a moment because your hair’s different.’ He paused for a second, his glance sweeping over her. ‘It suits you short like that.’

Could Sally see any change in him? Not really. He’d kept time at bay very well—a hint of grey around the temples, a few more lines creasing the corners of his eyes perhaps. She saw his glance flicker over her hands, obviously noting her engagement ring with its enormous glinting diamond. Tim liked flamboyant gestures and wouldn’t have entertained buying his fiancée something restrained. She put her other hand over it almost protectively. Funny how heavy it felt and how huge it looked on her slim finger—almost as if it were shouting, Look at me! I’m getting married to someone who’s loaded! She had to admit that sometimes she felt it was a tad ostentatious.

‘I see you’re engaged,’ he remarked lightly.

She nodded. ‘Yes…I’m getting married in a few weeks.’ She was about to ask him if he was married and then thought better of it. She wasn’t interested in his domestic life, was she? It was better to stick to work-related matters.

She said flippantly, ‘And what brings you to Glasgow? I’d have thought you were running the Australian health service by now. Did you reach the top of the ladder?’

‘What?’ He suddenly looked discomfited, as if reminded of the career he’d told her he’d wanted to follow rather than carry on with their relationship. Then he said briefly, ‘It worked out fine—but my mother died suddenly, and I came back for her funeral. I’ve a younger brother just starting at university so I decided to stay to keep my eye on him.’

Sally flicked a look at his bleak expression. ‘Oh, that’s sad…about your mother I mean. It must have been hard for you.’

She felt a flash of sympathy for him. Obviously his mother had died before he’d been able to see her again. In the year she’d gone out with Jack she had never met his parents—they had lived in a village in the wilds of the Highlands. There was a short silence and the sound of the voices in the room reasserted themselves. Sally suddenly realised that Jean was waiting patiently by her side.

‘Oh, sorry, Jean. This is Jack McLennan, an old… er…colleague of mine from my days at St. Mary’s hospital six years ago. We did our A and E rotation together. Jack, this is Jean Cornwell, the senior partner in the G.P. practice I work for.’

Jack took his gaze off Sally and turned to shake Jean’s hand. ‘So are you local?’ he asked.

‘We’re on the west coast in a town called Crachan. Sally and I thought we’d take up the offer of two nights in Glasgow being pampered at a good hotel with this refresher course in cardiac care,’ explained Jean.

Jack grinned. ‘That echoes my thoughts too. I’m doing a locum job in a practice round here but it comes to an end soon, so I’ll be looking for somewhere else for a few months before I start a permanent job in the autumn.’

Jean turned to Sally with a broad smile. ‘Aha! Hear that Sal? Someone who wants a temporary job! That could be helpful!’

Sally felt her stomach give a nervous little jump of anticipation at what she was sure Jean was going to say next. ‘Oh, I don’t think Jack would be interested in our practice,’ she intercepted quickly.

‘Why on earth not?’ asked Jean, arching an eyebrow. ‘Surely it’s not as bad as all that!’

‘Well, it’s a bit of a backwater…’

Sally bit her lip. It shouldn’t matter to her whether Jack McLennan worked at the practice or not—as long as he was good at his job, that was the important thing wasn’t it? After all, he meant nothing whatsoever to her now. Perhaps a lingering sadness that she’d misread his character and not realised that he was an opportunistic creep underneath that charismatic veneer, regret over the wasted years of sadness after their break-up—but maybe the real reason was that she didn’t feel like revisiting the past if they became colleagues again.

Jack looked from one woman to the other. ‘What’s this about, then? Are you looking for someone to work with you?’

Jean nodded. ‘I want to go and help out my sister in New Zealand—she’s in her third pregnancy and her husband is in hospital himself after a bad car crash. I’d like to go over for three months, so Sally’s going to need help in the practice. She just mentioned that she used to work with you at St. Mary’s so at least you’d know each other.’

He flicked a glance at Sally as if aware of her misgivings, his blue eyes slighted hooded. ‘Perhaps you’d better discuss it with each other…’

‘A good idea,’ cut in Sally hastily. ‘There are one or two local people who might do locum work with us.’

‘That’s true.’ Jean nodded. ‘Although it’s mostly a week here or there, nothing very sustained. It would be good to get someone who could do the whole three months and get to know the patients. Anyway, if you’d like to come and discuss it with us, this is our number.’ Jean gave him a card and smiled at Sally. ‘Come on—let’s get some lunch and maybe go for a shop this afternoon to wake us up after that fascinating lecture.’

‘A good idea,’ agreed Sally. She looked coolly at Jack. ‘Goodbye,’ she said in an offhand voice.

They walked out of the lecture hall and Jack McLennan stared after them. He might have gone anywhere this weekend—to stay in London with friends, go walking in the hills—but he had to choose at the last minute to come to this particular conference. He felt as if someone had hit him hard in the solar plexus, He hadn’t realised how devastating it would be to see Sally Lawson again. She was still a knock-out, with those smoky grey eyes and honey-blonde hair cut now in a thick bob that framed her face—and still with the power to knock him sideways. He clenched his fists in his trouser pockets, trying to get to grips with the fact that he’d just come face to face with the girl he could have married six years ago—the girl he should have married if circumstances had been different.

He started to walk slowly out of the hall, heedless of the crowds milling around him, and allowed himself to step back in time as the emotions he’d felt then came back with vivid intensity. He had realised that he had to finish their romance and by a twist of circumstance it had happened at the end of the hospital annual ball. Sally had looked absolutely stunning in a sheath silk dress of ice blue, showing off her curvaceous figure beautifully, and there had been a particular bitter-sweet intensity about their happiness for him, knowing that by the end of the evening he would leave her for ever. Like the rewinding of a film, he could still visualise so clearly her bewildered face as he’d told her that he needed to get away to fulfil his medical ambitions.

At first she’d laughed. ‘You, Jack McLennan? Concentrate on your career? You’ve got to be joking!’ She’d looked up at him impishly. ‘You’re too fond of your sport and…other things,’ she’d said coquettishly, putting her arms around him. ‘You’re not getting rid of me that easily!’

He hadn’t reacted, just looked back at her rather grimly, trying to keep his emotions under control, and her eyes had widened in disbelief as eventually she’d realised that he’d meant what he’d said. Tears had slowly rolled down her cheeks, and it had been unbearable for him to witness her distress. He’d been deliberately brutal because Sally had needed to be under no illusion that things could ever be rekindled between them—he hadn’t been able to tell her what had lain behind his decision.

Oh, yes, his career had flourished in Australia. He’d worked hard, plunged himself into his job heart and soul, trying to put Sally and the nightmare scenario of what had happened in his family out of his mind, and the terror that he might end up like his father—a drunken brute who’d terrorised those around him.

He flicked a glance at his watch and sighed as he went to pick up his key at Reception. He’d have to go to the dinner tonight—there were several old friends at the conference he’d promised to catch up with, but he’d check out of the hotel first thing the next day, and out of Sally Lawson’s life once more. He had no rights over her—she was some other lucky beggar’s girlfriend, and looking at her expression when they’d been standing face to face a few minutes before had told him very plainly that the only emotion she felt towards him was dislike.

‘So, Sally, tell me about this Jack McLennan you used to work with.’ In the steamy atmosphere of the little café, Jean looked at Sally enquiringly. ‘I got the impression you were less than enthusiastic when I suggested he apply for the job. Didn’t you get on, or was he no good?’

Sally shrugged. ‘Oh, he was a good doctor, no doubt about that—very committed.’ She chose her words carefully, unwilling to reveal by any inflection in her voice that he’d meant anything to her at all. ‘He was very ambitious, actually—I’m sure he had a terrific job.’

‘But what about working with him again?’ persisted Jean. ‘Any objections?’

Sally stirred her coffee slowly and stared at the swirling liquid. ‘We…well, I suppose you could say we had a difference of opinion just before he left.’

‘A pity,’ observed Jean, ‘But perhaps you could learn to overlook your differences now. After all, it’s a few years ago since you worked together. I must say he looked rather pleasant.’ She laughed. ‘Actually, he looks absolutely gorgeous! I’m surprised you didn’t fall for him, Sal.’

‘Oh, everyone fell for Jack McLennan,’ said Sally offhandedly. She put her cup down on the table rather abruptly and stood up and stretched. ‘Now we’ve had lunch, I think I’ll go and have a run in the park before we meet this evening, Jean, if you don’t mind—need to get rid of a few cobwebs. See you later.’

Jean looked thoughtfully after Sally as she left the restaurant, then shrugged her shoulders as her mobile started ringing. Sally didn’t notice Jean answer her mobile phone, or see her expression as she answered it.

Sally unlocked the door of her room and went straight to the bathroom, peeling off her tracksuit as she went. After an hour’s run on a sunny afternoon, she was hot and dripping, but she felt invigorated and more positive—all that exercise after the unsettling meeting with Jack had helped to calm her down. It had been a shock—no, she corrected herself quickly, more a surprise, meeting him again, but her life had moved on and now she was embroiled in the excitement of getting everything ready for her wedding. It was going to be fun, albeit her instinct had been to go for a low-key ceremony, but Tim was very keen to invite everyone he knew, including business acquaintances, ‘because it will help enormously in getting my name known in the right circles, Sally,’ he’d explained.

She turned on the shower and stood under the hot water gratefully, turning her body so that the little sharp needles of spray reached all over her, and then she stepped out, her skin tingling. She grabbed a towel, wound it round her wet hair and put on the towelling robe hanging up in the bathroom. She would make herself a cup of tea and watch the news on television before getting ready for the evening’s dinner, then probably ring Tim and tell him she’d be home by lunchtime the next day.

Just as she was picking up her mobile to make the call, a peremptory knock on the door made her jump—it was probably room service, she decided, although she hadn’t ordered anything.

‘Yes?’ she called out. ‘Who is it?’

A short silence and then a deep voice replied, ‘It’s Jack—Jack McLennan. I’ve got a message for you.’

Jack McLennan? What on earth was he doing here? Six years with no contact, and suddenly he thinks it’s OK to buttonhole her in her hotel bedroom! Sally drew the bathrobe round her body tightly and walked to the door, glancing at her flustered image in the mirror as she passed. A feeling of unease flickered through her. She didn’t want to see Jack again—she simply had no interest in the man, and she resented the fact that for some reason his appearance had disturbed her.

She certainly didn’t want to see him when she was dressed in a skimpy bathrobe with a towel over her hair…once upon a time it might have been only too wonderful to be dressed in next to nothing with Jack McLennan in a hotel bedroom, but not now, not now… Coming to see her just had to be curiosity on his part, an excuse to see her again so that they could have a cosy chat about past times…and that was the last thing she was going to do with a man who’d treated her so badly.

She didn’t open the door, but called out crisply, ‘Who’s the message from?’

‘Your colleague, Jean Cornwell.’

‘Jean? Why should she give you a message—why not give it me herself?’

‘She’s had bad news and hadn’t time to get it to you. If you open the door, I can give you her note.’

Anxiety fluttered through Sally and she opened the door. ‘OK. Pass it to me.’

A pair of deep blue eyes held hers for a moment then swept quickly over her attire.

‘Sorry—rather an inconvenient time I guess,’ he apologised.

Sally pulled the robe even more tightly round herself, acutely aware of how close they were to each other. The last time they’d been this close, she thought fleetingly, had been when Jack had been finishing with her and he’d looked so stern…so implacable. Was he reminded of that time, or had it meant so little to him that he’d forgotten that episode completely? He’d probably had many affairs since then and their liaison had been long forgotten. She took the note from him, pushing those silly thoughts to the back of her mind.

‘Do you know what this is all about?’ she asked curtly, tearing open the envelope.

‘Yes—Jean bumped into me in the foyer in a very distressed state. Apparently she’d just had a phone call to say that her sister in New Zealand has been admitted to hospital with pre-eclampsia, and with her husband still in hospital himself the situation is very difficult. She tried to ring you on her mobile, but couldn’t get a signal.’

Sally looked at him in distress. ‘Oh, no! Poor Jean! She must be worried sick. What’s she going to do?’

‘She’s gone to Glasgow to get a flight, I think, but the thing is, Sally, she was extremely concerned that you would be on your own and begged me to take on the locum job at your practice. Anyway, I guess it’s all in the note.’

Sally frowned. ‘As we said before, there are other people who can help out—I can ring them when I get back to Crachan. There’s no need for you to…trouble yourself.’

‘Apparently she did ring your contacts but none of them can start immediately. However, it’s up to you, Sally. Do you think we could work together…again?’