‘No, not particularly. I just wondered if he had any idea how the story came to be in the newspapers.’
‘I think he’s just gone to find out,’ Kelly smiled at the understatement of that remark.
‘I see.’ The doctor obviously got the inflection behind it too. ‘Oh well, no great harm done. Although it was obviously an irresponsible thing for anyone to do. The shock of that disclosure could have had serious consequences.’
Her father had taken it very well, in fact he was quite jovial during the snack lunch they had together. They ate lunch out in the garden, the sun and fresh air giving her father a colour that had otherwise been lacking. Jordan hadn’t yet returned, and Kelly tried hard not to think of reasons why he hadn’t.
‘Nap, now,’ Kelly said firmly, standing up. ‘Come on, Daddy—inside!’
He lay on the lounger next to her. ‘Couldn’t I just stay here and doze off for an hour?’
‘An afternoon’s sleep, the doctor said,’ Kelly insisted, ‘and that’s what you’re going to have.’
‘Do I have to?’ he groaned.
‘You have to.’ She held out her hands and pulled him to his feet. ‘And you can take two of the tablets the doctor gave me for you.’
‘You know I don’t like taking tablets,’ he grumbled as they entered the lounge. ‘Not for anything.’
Kelly poured him some water from the jug on the table, handing him the glass and the two tablets. ‘Take them,’ she ordered.
‘All five years has done for you is make you bossy,’ he scowled, swallowing the tablets down.
She laughed. ‘It’s done more than that, Daddy!’
‘I hope I’m not in for too many shocks,’ he muttered as they walked up the stairs together.
Kelly sobered. ‘Not too many,’ she said guardedly.
‘I hope not. It’s not good for a man of my age.’
Her smile returned. ‘I never realised how vain you are,’ she chuckled.
He looked affronted. ‘I always thought fifty was a milestone I didn’t want to reach.’
‘I can assure you you met it with great dignity.’ She pulled the coverlet over him as he lay down. ‘We even had a party,’ she remembered fondly.
‘Here?’ he asked sleepily.
‘No, of course—No,’ she blushed as she realised she had been about to make another slip-up. She really wasn’t very good at this pretence. ‘We were in France.’
‘Oh, you and Jordan joined me there,’ he nodded understanding.
She had no idea where Jordan had been on her father’s fiftieth birthday. They had received a congratulations telegram from him, but Kelly couldn’t remember where from now.
‘Can I get you anything before I go?’ She made no further reference to the party, moving to pull the curtains against the bright sunshine.
‘No, I’ll be fine.’ His voice was distinctly slurred now, his eyes closing sleepily.
She bent to gently kiss his forehead. ‘Sleep well. I’ll see you soon.’
There was still no sign of Jordan when she got downstairs, so she fumed silently to herself out in the garden. He could have at least telephoned to say he had been delayed! Or maybe he couldn’t give the reason for his delay, maybe there had been a beautiful blonde at the newspaper office who had attracted his attention. Him and his damned blondes! If he—
‘Telephone, Mrs Lord!’ Mrs McLeod called from the house.
At last! He must have got her anger by telepathy. ‘Yes?’ she snapped into the receiver.
‘Hey,’ drawled a familiar female voice, ‘I know I had to leave a bit abruptly the other day,’ Maggie said lightly. ‘But I didn’t expect that sort of reaction when next we spoke.’