The Spanish Doctor's Convenient Bride by Meredith Webber

Author:Meredith Webber
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2013-05-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

‘THAT was fun,’ she conceded, as she walked out, Carlos carrying the bags.

‘For me as well,’ he said, looking down at her with an unreadable expression in his eyes. ‘To see the transformation of Marty Cox.’

They walked in silence, but when they’d crossed the bridge and were on the last part of the river walk before they turned towards their separate homes, he edged her towards a wooden seat, set in the stone wall beside the path.

‘You will tell me why you can’t have children?’

The question was so unexpected Marty turned to stare at him, seeing the way one of the lamps shed light against his face so his profile was clear but his eyes shadowed.

No way to read a reason for the question, but she was beginning to learn he was a kind and caring man behind the mask of detachment he wore so well. He was also a doctor and, really, was it such a big deal? She just didn’t normally talk about it, that’s all.

Why not?

‘I had always suffered bad cramps and abdominal pain, and my mother had suffered badly from endometriosis to the extent that her first child—that was me—was delivered by Caesar and she had a hysterectomy right then and there in the same theatre.’

‘Giving your father no chance of having a son with her so he moved on?”

Marty stared at him.

‘Did I tell you that?’ she demanded, trying to remember when and why she’d have mentioned something she usually kept private.

‘You were explaining your name—Martina!’ he reminded her, taking her hand and holding it in his. ‘Did your father leave immediately?’

‘More or less,’ Marty admitted. ‘I never knew him—well, not as a father. He had no interest in me at all so Mum and I, it was always just the two of us.’

‘Ah!’

‘What’s “ah” supposed to mean?’ Marty demanded.

‘Just ah,’ the infuriating man said calmly. ‘But you must admit it does tie into your belief you shouldn’t marry. I imagine your mother didn’t remarry for the same foolish reason you say you can’t.’

‘My mother didn’t remarry because she was too busy working to support the two of us.’ Marty knew she sounded defensive, but couldn’t help it. ‘My father paid a minimum amount of child support but my mother always thought that was my money and she banked every cent of it, using it eventually for my university expenses, for an old car when I needed transport, that kind of thing. And beside that, my reason isn’t foolish!’

The only reply she got was a squeeze of her fingers and a velvety voice bringing her back to the original subject.

‘So, you too suffered endometriosis?’

‘Mum suspected it but, of course, it’s not genetic, although I believe there could be a genetic predisposition to it. As I grew older, I had various investigations of it and treatment for it, but when I was twenty-three the pain was so severe I had to do something. I had lesions in one ovary and in tissue surrounding the uterus and made the decision to have a hysterectomy.

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