The Midwife's Christmas Baby. Kate Hardy

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СКАЧАТЬ planned. It’s grand news, Ella. What about the baby’s da? When do we get to meet him?’

      Ella hadn’t even considered that. ‘I’m not sure,’ she said carefully. ‘It’s complicated.’

      ‘Do I need to come and talk to the lad and remind him of his responsibilities?’ Joe asked, folding his arms.

      ‘No, Da, and that’s not why I called. I just wanted you both to know about the baby. It’s early days and a lot of things could still go wrong—but I love you so much and I couldn’t keep the news to myself any longer. Please don’t say anything to anyone else in the family, not yet—not till I’m twelve weeks, OK?’

      ‘All right. And we love you, too, Ella,’ Roisin said. ‘If you want us to move over to England to help you with the baby, you just say the word. Or if you want to come home, you’ve always got a home with us and so has the baby.’

      ‘Oh, Mam.’ Ella swallowed back the tears.

      ‘So what does the young man in question have to say for himself?’ Joe asked.

      ‘He was at the scan with me today. He’s very responsible,’ Ella said, guessing what her father was worrying about. She smiled. ‘He’s trying to wrap me up in cotton wool as much as you do.’

      ‘With about as much success, I’ll bet,’ Roisin said. ‘You get your independent streak from your Granny O’Connor.’

      ‘And your Granny O’Brien,’ Joe added, not to be outdone.

      Ella laughed. ‘Oh, I miss you both so much.’

      ‘You’ll be home in a couple of weeks for Christmas,’ Roisin said, ‘and we can give you a proper hug then. Are you keeping well in yourself?’

      ‘Just a bit of morning sickness.’

      ‘You need crackers by your bedside,’ Roisin began, then laughed. ‘Hark at me trying to give a midwife advice on pregnancy.’

      ‘You’re my Mam,’ Ella said. ‘Of course you’ll tell me, and when I get home you know I want to know everything about when you were pregnant with me.’

      ‘She’ll talk the hind leg off a donkey,’ Joe said.

      ‘As if you won’t, too, Joe O’Brien,’ Roisin teased back.

      ‘You sort things out with your young man,’ Joe said, ‘and you bring him home with you for Christmas so we can give him a proper welcome to the family.’

      ‘I’ll try,’ Ella said. And she knew her parents meant it. They’d definitely welcome Oliver. Her ‘young man’. She couldn’t help smiling. If only. ‘I love you, Da. And you, Mam.’

      ‘We love you, too,’ Roisin said. ‘Can we have a copy of that photo—our first picture of our grandbaby?’

      ‘I’ll scan it in and send it tonight,’ Ella promised. ‘As soon as we’ve finished our video call.’

      ‘Good night, darling,’ Roisin said. ‘And you call us any time, you hear?’

      ‘I hear. Love you,’ Ella said, and ended the call.

      It had made her homesick, and she was tearful again by the time she scanned in the photograph and emailed it over to her parents. Part of her wanted to call Oliver and ask him to come with her to Ireland for Christmas; but he probably already had plans. Plans that wouldn’t include her. She’d just have to take this whole thing day by day, and hope that things would get easier between them.

      Oliver brooded about the situation with Ella and the baby for the rest of Tuesday. It didn’t help when he had a text from his mother, asking him if he could please confirm whether he was going to come to the drinks party at Darrington Hall on Thursday night.

      He hadn’t been to his parents’ annual pre-Christmas drinks party for years. But maybe it was time he tried to thaw out his relationship with his family. Particularly as he was about to become a father.

      How would his family react to the news? He had no idea. Would they expect him to settle down? Would they try to use the baby as an excuse to make him leave the hospital and spend his time working with his brother, instead of doing the job he’d trained for years and years to do? Would it be the thing that brought them back together again? Or would their awkward relationship be like a marriage under strain and crack even further under the extra pressure of a baby?

      It was all such a mess.

      It would help if he knew what Ella wanted. Did she regret what had happened between them? Or would she be prepared to try and make a life together?

      He didn’t have a clue.

      And he didn’t even know how to begin to ask.

       CHAPTER FIVE

      BY WEDNESDAY MORNING, the frustration was too much for Oliver. Usually he was self-contained, but right now he really needed to talk this over, preferably with someone he could trust to keep this to themselves.

      The best person he could think of was Sebastian. Prince Sebastian Falco of Montanari had been one of his best friends since they’d met during Seb’s first week at university, when Oliver had been nearing the end of his medical degree; they’d hit it off immediately, despite the four-year difference in their ages. Given his position as the heir to the kingdom of Montanari, Sebastian knew about the importance of privacy. And it didn’t matter that Sebastian and Oliver hadn’t actually seen each other for a few months; they always picked up their friendship exactly where they’d left off.

      Oliver looked at the scan photograph again, then picked up his mobile phone and called Sebastian’s private number.

      To his relief the prince answered immediately. ‘Hello, Olly. How are you?’

      All over the place. Not that Oliver was going to admit it. ‘Fine, fine,’ he fibbed. ‘Seb, have I caught you in the middle of something, or do you have a few minutes?’

      ‘I’ve probably got about ten minutes,’ Sebastian said ruefully, ‘and then I really do have to be in a meeting. It’s good to hear from you, Olly. How are things?’

      ‘Complicated,’ Oliver said wryly.

      ‘Would this be as in female complications?’ Sebastian asked. ‘Or is it the new job?’

      ‘Both—and thank you for the case of champagne, by the way.’

      ‘It’s the least I could do,’ Sebastian said. ‘So what are these complications? I take it that’s why you’re ringing me—to get an impartial point of view?’

      ‘And a bit of perspective.’ Oliver blew out a breath. He really didn’t know where to start. Or maybe he should just do the whole mixed-up lot at once. ‘It’s crazy at work, what with the winter vomiting virus wiping out half the staff, and Sienna’s СКАЧАТЬ