The Nurse by J. Corrigan (list of ebook readers txt) 📕

about the swap, although she admitted to seeing Ed outside Bluefields later that evening with a baby. The baby from the Mount Clinic.’

‘This is why Daniel Deane’s been giving Marion money all these years? To ensure her silence?’

‘Yep. But the money began to dry up after Rose went to prison. Daniel probably felt he could get away with it. Hence why Sam was unable to buy the villa – it was Marion who’d have been footing the bill, not Sam.’

Natasha shakes her head. ‘Do you know how Marion feels now?’

‘She called me after the police released her. She asked me to beg Rose’s forgiveness on her behalf.’

‘Why did Rose become suspicious of her mother all these years later?’

‘Bella Bliss’s visit. But Bella stopped short of telling her the entire truth – that Ed was giving money to Marion on Daniel Deane’s instruction, to keep quiet about Rose’s baby. Ed assumed because of the money that Marion knew about the swap. But Marion didn’t know Abe was her grandson. So she says.’

Natasha checks on Mia, whose attention is still focused on Rose and the piano. She turns back to Theo. ‘Why did Daniel do this to Rose?’

‘He wanted to please his dad. Zakaria was desperate for grandchildren, and more desperate when Daniel’s older sister – his real sister – died during childbirth in 1978. Abigail was unable to have children. They’d been through lots of IVF and Daniel had no wish to adopt someone else’s baby, as easy as that would’ve been for him, knowing what we know about the Mount Clinic and his involvement. He wanted his DNA in his child, and didn’t want the mother to be some faceless, desperate girl. He never for a moment contemplated that Rose wouldn’t fall for him. Daniel was a serial philanderer; Abigail knew that and accepted it. All she wanted was a baby. Daniel made sure that any contraception he and Rose used would be as ineffective as possible, going so far as to ensure that the morning-after pill she took was a placebo.’

Again Natasha shakes her head, small silver earrings glinting in the subdued lighting of the bar. ‘But Rose would have had a scan. Surely she’d have seen—’

‘The baby she saw on her ultrasound scan was a static image. One saved by Mark Stephens of another female baby. There was no radiographer present. Only Mark Stephens, the midwife and Daniel.’

‘This truly is a Greek tragedy.’

‘It really is,’ he says. ‘Daniel didn’t want his father to know what he and Abigail had done. Zakaria was utterly in the dark about Abe’s true parentage, until Abigail let something slip on one of her visits to Morocco with Abe. I believe the argument Abe heard at his grandfather’s house in Morocco, between Abigail and Zakaria, was connected to his true identity. He buried what he heard. Buried it deep.’

Natasha’s eyes have moistened. Maybe explaining tonight isn’t his best move. ‘Do you want me to carry on?’ He flicks a look towards Rose and Mia, but both are totally oblivious to what is going on around them.

‘I want to know.’ She wipes her eyes and sits up taller. ‘So it is Rose who carries the EDS gene.’

‘Yes, but she never found out.’

‘Because she couldn’t have more children.’

He nods.

‘It’s the meticulous planning that creeps me out.’ Her voice is a whisper and he leans closer.

‘Daniel and Abigail lied to Zakaria about Abe’s date of birth too, making his birthday later, September instead of January. Daniel even went so far as to compose fake letters to Rose, supposedly written by Zakaria.’

Suddenly Natasha turns to look towards the piano. Rose and Mia are not there. She half stands, and her eyes sweep the crowded room, seeking out her daughter. Rose is ordering a drink at the bar, Mia held securely in her arms.

‘Mia’s safe with Rose, don’t worry,’ Theo says.

‘I know. I can’t help it, though.’

‘Parenthood. Never off duty.’

‘So true,’ she says.

He shuffles in his seat. ‘I was going to call you before you met Rose today. Something I wanted to tell you…’

Rose and Mia have made their way back from the bar and he doesn’t finish his sentence.

‘Hi, Theo,’ Rose says quietly. ‘It’s so good to see you. Thought I’d let you two chat while I got to know Mia better.’

Theo jumps up, and in this environment so different from the prison visits hall, a feeling of awkwardness overtakes him.

Rose takes in his body language. ‘This is strange, isn’t it?’

‘It is a bit. So good to see you… outside.’ He grins.

Natasha pulls herself up from the sofa. ‘I’m taking Mia to the loo. It’s nappy change time.’ She scoops her daughter into her arms. ‘And then I think I’ll turn in, if it’s okay with you two?’

‘That’s fine,’ Theo says. ‘Sleep well, Natasha.’

Rose leans towards Mia. ‘You sleep well too, little one.’

Mother and daughter leave.

Theo turns back to Rose. ‘You look good.’ And she does. Maybe Cathy is wrong about her illness. Maybe her story is fiction. All of it.

Rose sits in Natasha’s vacant space. ‘Something’s bothering you, Theo.’

Suddenly the air seems overly air-conditioned. ‘There’s a roof terrace. Fancy going up there for a pretend cigarette?’ he says.

Her face lights up and only a trace of the underlying sadness shadowing her features remains. ‘Of course.’

He pulls her up from the sofa. ‘C’mon.’

They walk to the lift, and inside the enclosed space a hint of her scent hits him. He turns his head and studies her profile, his heart drumming against his ribcage and every muscle in his body tensing. She turns towards him and takes hold of his hand, kisses his cheek, and as she does, he moves his head and their lips meet.

It’s Rose who pulls away. She presses the button for the sixth floor, and the lift stops.

‘We’ll go to the roof later. My room’s this way.’

He follows her and does not say a word as he watches her unlock the door. She steps in, but he waits on the threshold.

‘Please, come in.’ She