sment unit, the cramping had eased, but a dul

amination bed while another attac

tly. "We'll have a proper look and

ers remained tightly intertwi

of her baby's heartbe

ro

ea

al

realize she'd been

nation, the consultant obstet

that your baby i

eased a s

goodn

a reassuring smile be

ll uterine irritability. It's

ed at her

stress, your body releases stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Those hormone

o ensure Ave

tely your cervix remains closed, so the

ly rested her han

e'll be a

es

one was calm a

body's way of telling you

d the not

onal distress. Continued stress can contribute to raised blood press

ession s

need to avoid situations that cause you sig

le tugged at

t were th

gh the paperwork once mo

band come wit

owered

N

arking t

e concern in the

laugh that sounded far

N

ards the rain-

sy with som

tor fel

s long enough to recognize

mply reached across the desk and

regular contractions, or reduced movements l

y no

wil

se me one

look

d to yo

aught Avery

ged a fa

ll

*

ecember air ha

London sky, swallowing what rem

d on the ho

old her not to b

most l

e supposed

was crumbli

had looked at another woman with a tende

ep breathing co

hter around herself,

*

ome in Kensington, dusk h

d behind the windows of

oked every bit the

felt nothin

hter drifted from

ployed years earlier were enjoying tea together, t

n rose when

ed up over the r

our appoin

d more curiosit

ed off her

was

towards the

you a q

housekeepe

t least answ

dn't sto

ismissive voice float

nes

heir doesn't make her

an gave a hum

ell to reme

he stairs witho

like those, she'd learned that

*

behind her, she leaned ag

om was

qu

e bed and sat car

ver truly b

ge because Lord Blackwood had suffered a serious

of a wedding-and eventually a great-gran

rkab

h

wood had treated Avery

mained politely

le at

that day had confirmed

rrying a l

ad almost certai

brated on the

r James

wered imm

fess

m not catching yo

at

ad some unex

little s

l fellowship at Stanfor

eat, she cou

Thornton

rst on the r

retched be

ing married," he said gently, "but if you're sti

hs a

d have h

towards the future she

w.

hing left to

l ac

ds came

the slightes

Thornton soun

s

ief pause,

office tomorrow morning. W

nk y

Ave

carried ge

atulat

nded, Avery sat

snow had begun drifting gent

herself that everything might ch

drian wou

er would finally make h

foolish

er be created

y a c

never existed in

ne rang

Black

nswered

re all having dinner at Blackwood Manor thi

be r

d gi

all e

efore changing i

ble afterwards, she studied the

a

re

ed by sleep

looked straight throu

a little conce

herself beau

cognize he

nk cashme

matern

knitte

ished, color had re

happ

dig

buzzed o

ri

out

as as detac

down in a

*

Range Rover waite

tched drive away from the

e rear door and

bin wa

ught a delicate floral per

he

rested against the

ay a pink s

ed in Adrian's

idn't

onger ne

ugh London pas

in-darkened roads while Christmas de

oke without taking h

today's

gir

a sing

er pl

isapp

indif

utes passed befo

she's

sed br

n divorce p

ed with surpri

se they w

d them in her heart long b

ightened arou

y watched the city pas

answere

rig

filled

ning, Adrian turned his hea

appeared betw

expecte

rgum

or anoth

tea

simply

ttled him far more tha