The Unexpected Father

‘It amazes me how the people of Chuanga seem to remain so cheerful, even under the worst of conditions,’ Josh remarked idly.

‘Yes, I know,’ Samantha agreed. ‘I used to wander down to the school sometimes and talk to some of the children who had lost their parents. When I heard about some of the hardships they have had to endure before getting here, it made me think my own childhood was paradise. People in the West forget how well off they are sometimes... We tend to take things for granted.’

‘I presume you are talking about little things—like food, running water and medical aid?’ Josh enquired, raking a hand through the thickness of his hair and grinning. ‘Let me assure you that I will never take a juicy steak, a hot shower or a beautiful nurse for granted again.’

Samantha felt her cheeks growing pink at the seductive, drawling words. ‘Being out here certainly changes your perspective on things,’ she agreed, injecting a prim, disapproving note in her voice.

‘It does indeed.’ He watched as she came to a halt beside a large thatched rondavel—the name given to the mud huts which served as living quarters.

There was a look of uncertainty on her face as she paused by the door, then she looked up at him. ‘Well, it was nice talking to you, Mr Hamilton,’ she said briskly.

‘Josh,’ he corrected her quietly, his eyes never leaving the pallor of her skin, the darkness of her eyes. ‘I feel we know each other well enough to leave formalities behind... don’t you?’

‘Well...’ She struggled for some polite answer, but could find none. The truth was that she didn’t want to drop formalities where this man was concerned. For some reason she wanted to keep every single barrier she possessed well and truly in position.

‘Can you drive, Samantha?’ he asked suddenly.

She frowned, flicking her hair out of her eyes to look up at him with curiosity. ‘Well...yes... Why do you ask?’

‘Open that door, invite me in and I’ll tell you,’ he said firmly.

She hesitated. Part of her wanted to invite him inside, but she didn’t want to give this man the wrong idea...she didn’t want him to think she might be interested in him, because she certainly wasn’t.

‘I’m not going to take advantage of you,’ he drawled impatiently. ‘For one thing you’re not my type...for another I might look like a chauvinistic, insensitive brute but I’m not really. It’s a disguise I’ve had to adopt over the years.’

‘You’ve certainly perfected the technique,’ she said archly, wondering whether to be angered by his words or amused by them. Then curiosity overtook caution. ‘Well, you had better come in, then.’ She opened the door and led the way into the room.

It was stark inside—just a bed covered with a mosquito net, a rough-hewn table and a small cupboard. The only decoration was two photographs on the table. Josh glanced around at the spartan furnishings, his eyes lingering for a moment on the photographs. One was of her parents; it was faded, and in black and white, but it was the only reminder she had of the parents she had barely known. Next to it was her wedding photograph, with Ben smiling down at her in a tender way.

Samantha pulled out the one and only chair by the table. ‘Make yourself comfortable,’ she invited a trifle self-consciously. She noticed with gratitude that some kind person had left some soft drinks for her in a cool-box by the bed.

She picked up a bottle and held it out towards him. ‘Would you like a drink?’

‘I don’t suppose you have a cold beer in there?’

‘I’m a nurse, not a magician,’ she said stiffly.

He grinned at her look of disapproval. ‘An orange juice, or whatever it is, would be great—thanks.’

She took the tops off the bottles and handed him one. ‘I’m afraid I haven’t got any glasses.’

‘Beggars can’t be choosers.’ He held up the bottle in a salute before taking a long, thirsty drink.

For a second she found herself watching him curiously. He looked incongruous in the small chair. He was very tall, very powerfully built, with wide shoulders tapering to lithe hips. His long legs were stretched out in front of him in a manner that suggested he was very relaxed, yet Samantha sensed that for all his laid-back manner he was taking in his surroundings with a trained, observant eye. Perhaps a keen journalist never relaxed and always noticed everything.

He was looking again at her wedding photograph, and Samantha’s nerves stretched painfully as she followed his gaze. She sat down on the side of the bed.

‘How long were you and Ben married?’

‘Nearly two years.’ Her voice was stilted.

‘Strange.’ Josh shook his head. ‘I saw his parents when I was in London last October. They never mentioned anything about you.’

For the briefest moment Samantha hesitated. She and Ben had met through their work in Chuanga and had married there. She had only met Edward and Sarah Walker once, when she and Ben had been granted leave after their wedding to go back to England for two weeks.

‘They didn’t approve of the match.’ She was proud of the way she kept her voice so cool, and her expression didn’t falter. The hurt and the disappointment she had experienced where Ben’s family were concerned was buried deep.

‘Why ever not?’ He frowned.

‘Something to do with the fact that I wasn’t Helen.’

‘Ah...’ His voice trailed off knowingly.

‘You knew her?’ Samantha’s interest was immediately piqued. She had heard so much about the beautiful, clever Helen Roland from Ben’s mother that it had been embarrassing—especially as Ben had never before mentioned the woman’s name to her. Afterwards, when Samantha had questioned him about Helen, he had been infuriatingly vague, saying she was just an old girlfriend.

‘Yes, I knew her,’ Josh replied.

‘You are quite close to the Walker family, then?’ For some reason she had thought that Josh was merely an acquaintance.

‘I saw a lot of them as I was growing up. Ben’s father and mine were partners in a law firm.’

‘So you know how much Sarah thought of Helen?’

‘Oh, yes.’ Josh nodded, his manner relaxed. ‘Helen was a medical student, very clever. Ben went out with her for three years and Sarah took it very much for granted that they would get married. But then I suppose you know all the details?’

‘Not really.’ Samantha shrugged and met Josh’s steady gaze. She wondered what he would say if she told him that Ben had married her on the rebound... that he had still been in love with Helen Roland.

Not that it mattered any more. She sighed. ‘Poor Sarah. She will be absolutely devastated. It will be especially hard for her as Ben was an only child.’

For a moment a picture of Ben rose in her mind. Medium build, sandy blond hair. She took a deep breath. He had been so badly injured in the bomb blast that he had been virtually unidentifiable.

‘He was a good doctor.’ She looked up at Josh, unaware of the deep sadness in her eyes. It was awful, but it was the one complimentary thing she could think of to say about him. ‘Very dedicated to his work.’

‘That’s something I would have thought you both had in common,’ Josh answered gently as he put his drink down on the table. ‘Will you come back to work in Chuanga, Sam, after your enforced rest?’

‘I...I don’t know.’ She shrugged vaguely. She couldn’t tell him that it would be impossible for her to return. She couldn’t bring herself even to mention that she was pregnant.

‘I suppose it might be considered a waste of a good nurse if you don’t?’ he ventured casually.

‘Probably, but there are other worthwhile posts.’ Samantha’s voice was brittle. That theory of Josh’s was certainly one her husband had favoured. He had been horrified when she had suggested giving up her career for her baby.

Her eyes clashed directly with Josh’s watchful gaze. ‘So why did you ask if I could drive?’ She went straight to the point before he could start asking any more questions about her life and about Ben. She felt Josh Hamilton wasn’t the reticent type when it came to asking questions, but then she supposed that went with the type of job he did. He obviously wasn’t afraid to talk to her about Ben—unlike Samantha’s colleagues, who had all skirted around the subject in a nervous way for fear of upsetting her.

‘Because it suddenly struck me that I have a Jeep outside but can’t drive it and that you can drive but have no form of transport.’ He spread his hands. ‘The sensible thing would be for us to pool our resources, don’t you think?’

‘You mean that I should drive you back through the bush to Salanga?’ She sounded as surprised as she felt.

‘Why not?’ He shrugged. ‘Don’t you think you could do it?’

‘Of course I could do it.’ Her reply was instant, and then she hesitated. ‘But isn’t it very dangerous to drive through the bush without some form of protective escort?’

‘It’s very dangerous to stay here,’ he pointed out laconically. ‘Either way you’re taking a calculated risk.’

That much was true. At one time, Samantha wouldn’t have hesitated. She had never lacked courage and had never been frightened to take a chance, but that had been before she had found out she was pregnant. Now she had to consider the risks, weigh up the danger she would face with regard to her child. ‘I’ll have to think about it,’ she said cautiously.

He looked surprised. ‘I would have thought it the ideal solution. You know that even catching a plane out of here has a risk attached to it.’

‘Yes, I realise that,’ she muttered impatiently. ‘But I can’t leave immediately anyway. There’s a memorial service the day after tomorrow for Ben.’

‘Well, we could leave the day after that’ He shrugged. ‘I can drive some of the way,’ he continued blithely. ‘It’s only certain sections of road that I would need you to take the wheel.’

‘How long would it take?’ she ventured cautiously.

‘Anything up to forty-eight hours.’ He shrugged again. ‘Depends on conditions.’

‘You mean it depends if there is a land-mine on the road...or an ambush.’

‘You could get shot just crossing over towards the hospital,’ Josh pointed out grimly. ‘Your husband didn’t even leave the hospital.’

He watched the shadows flickering across her expressive face. ‘I didn’t mean to upset you,’ he said more gently. ‘I just wanted to point out that danger surrounds us here every day.’

‘Obviously I realise that,’ she told him stiffly.

‘I know the road between here and Salanga and I think our chances for making it through are pretty high.’ He went on as if she hadn’t spoken. ‘Otherwise I wouldn’t have suggested it.’

‘Well, I’ll still have to think about it.’

‘Because you’re frightened of being alone with me, or frightened of being out in the bush?’

‘I’m not afraid of you.’ Her cheeks flushed with annoyance at the suggestion. ‘But I want to weigh up the dangers and think sensibly about it, that’s all.’

‘Fair enough.’ For a moment his eyes moved over the long length of her dark hair and then the delicate curve of her face in a way that made her heart suddenly miss a beat.

Suddenly she found herself wondering if she was after all just a little bit afraid of being out in the wilds alone with such a man.

‘I will look after you, Sam. You’re Ben’s widow and I have enough respect for an old friend not to take advantage of the situation.’

‘That’s apart from my not being your type, I suppose?’ she said drily.

He laughed at that. ‘There’s no need to sound quite so disappointed.’

‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ For a moment she was outraged. What was it with this man? Did he think that every women he met was attracted to him?’

He got to his feet, his manner insouciant. ‘You are allowed to laugh, you know... even when you are m mourning. Sometimes it even helps.’

‘Say something funny and I’ll oblige.’ She glared at him, her eyes bright with dislike. The man was damned infuriating. ‘And I wouldn’t bother trying to convince me that your arrogant manner is just a front either,’ she couldn’t help tossing in for good measure. ‘Because I don’t believe a word of it.’

To her annoyance he seemed to find her words amusing. ‘Well, you can take comfort from the fact that it will be better to be out in the wilds of the bush with an arrogant chauvinist than a timid wimp,’ he said with a grin as he turned for the door. ‘You know where I am when you make up your mind.’

She was left alone then, her eyes glaring into the back of the door as it closed behind him. She didn’t like Josh Hamilton, she told herself for the hundredth time. The thought of spending forty-eight hours driving alone through the bush with him was not a pleasant prospect.

She got up and put her drink down on the table. Then her eyes moved to the photographs beside her and she took a long, shuddering breath.

She had to get out of here—away from the memories of the lie she had been living with Ben. Back to safety and a new life, for her sake...for her baby’s sake. In that moment she knew she would accept Josh’s offer. The alternative, of staying here in this room, was too bleak to contemplate.

CHAPTER THREE

THE iridescent pearly light of dawn was streaking the African sky as Josh and Samantha loaded the truck for their journey.

The morning air was fresh and still cool. Samantha shivered slightly as she watched Josh putting a first-aid kit and large water and petrol cans safely in the Jeep. She pulled her cardigan closer around her slender figure, glad that she had decided to wear lightweight jeans for this journey—a journey that was making her feel more nervous by the minute.

She felt she had made a momentous decision in deciding to travel with Josh. She just hoped it wasn’t a decision she would have cause to regret.

Josh leaned into the car and opened the glove compartment. A cool flicker of light reflected on the cold steel of a hand-gun for just a moment before he closed the door on it again.

‘We don’t need that...surely?’ she asked breathlessly.

‘Probably not.’ He shrugged, then, turning, met her wide, horrified stare with calm eyes. ‘I don’t intend to use it.’

‘Then why have it?’

‘Because it might mean the difference between life and death,’ he said in a cursory tone. ‘Sometimes it pays to have a deterrent, something that will buy you time.’

Samantha wasn’t convinced; that much showed on her expressive face. Josh bent to pick up the suitcase that was sitting on the ground next to her and changed the subject.

‘Is this all you’re taking?’ he asked as he tossed the small case into the back of the Jeep.

‘That’s it.’ She shrugged a trifle self-consciously. ‘You don’t tend to collect a lot of belongings living out here.’

He smiled at that. ‘My ex-wife never travelled anywhere without three large suitcases—two for her clothes, the other for her fashion accessories.’

Samantha digested this piece of information silently. Josh was divorced...or rather he had been divorced... maybe he had remarried by now. It struck her at that moment that she knew very little about this man—a man she would be entrusting her life to for two days out in the middle of nowhere. She swallowed down the apprehensive thoughts.

Josh had been a friend of Ben’s; he must be all right. Besides, if it hadn’t been for Josh she would probably not be alive today, she told herself rationally. ‘Was your ex-wife a fashion model?’ she asked drily after a moment.

‘As a matter of fact, she was.’ He grinned at her.

Samantha wasn’t sure whether he was teasing her or not. ‘Well, she certainly wasn’t a nurse at Chuanga Hospital,’ she said with a shrug. ‘The only accessories you can lay your hands on here are bandages, and we’re fast running out of them.’

He laughed at that and slammed the back of the car shut. ‘On that happy note, perhaps we should hit the road and get out of here now?’

She nodded, her heart starting to beat a rapid, nervous tattoo again. It wasn’t just the thought of the danger that lay ahead of them on the road that made her nervous, it was the thought that she was leaving her job, the place that had been her home for over two years, and she was leaving to face an unknown destiny.

A door opened behind them and Sister Roberts came out with Nurse Kelly and several of Samantha’s work colleagues.

‘We thought we would give you a royal send-off.’ Joanne Kelly grinned at Samantha. ‘We’re going to miss you.’

‘Not too much, I hope,’ Samantha said honestly, her gaze moving to the sister anxiously. ‘I must admit that I feel incredibly guilty about this—as if I’m running out on you, that I’m letting you down by leaving.’

Sister Roberts shook her head. ‘You’re a fine nurse, Samantha and you have worked well for us over the years. We are grateful for that.’

The two women embraced. ‘Take care,’ the sister whispered as they pulled apart.

When Samantha turned to get into the Jeep she saw Joanne reaching to kiss Josh full on the lips. ‘Good luck,’ she was saying softly. ‘And if you ever come back this way, look me up.’

Samantha swung herself up behind the wheel. ‘When you are ready, Mr Hamilton,’ she said as she started the engine.

He grinned at that, but didn’t exactly hurry himself. ‘Thanks for looking after me so well, Joanne,’ he said, touching the nurse’s face with a gentle hand.

Samantha revved the engine and he turned and got in beside her. ‘What’s the matter, Sam?’ he asked derisively. ‘Anybody would think you were jealous.’

Irritation flitted briefly through Samantha as she put her foot down on the accelerator. ‘Of what?’ she grated sardonically. ‘You do like to flatter yourself, don’t you?’

He laughed at that, his laugh warm and attractive in the early-morning air.

Then she turned to wave to her colleagues and her irritation with Josh Hamilton was forgotten. She drove slowly out of the hospital compound, past the church where just a couple of days ago she had said a final goodbye to her husband, then down the narrow village street. A few schoolchildren standing along the roadside waved to them happily and shouted goodbye, their faces bright and smiling, their clothes shabby but well washed. Their laughing, playful voices drifted in the early-morning stillness.

As they left the village of Chuanga the sun was lifting higher in the sky, turning it from gold to crimson. Ahead the road was straight and undulating through the scrubland. Even though it was still early, heat shimmered against the horizon, like a molten wave of water.

The road was uneven and they bounced against the suspension as Samantha crunched through the gears.

Josh grimaced. ‘You may as well keep the Jeep in top,’ he advised drily. ‘You don’t have to worry about traffic lights or junctions, just a few wild animals who might decide to cross your path.’

She pushed her long hair back from her face and flicked him an impatient look. ‘I’m not completely stupid,’ she told him brusquely.

‘I hope not,’ he said laconically. ‘Otherwise I would never have asked you to drive.’ He picked up a pair of binoculars and trained them on the road ahead for a moment.

He’s so arrogant, she thought angrily. Joanne must be completely off her rocker to find such a man attractive.

Then the surface of the road changed to what amounted to a mere dirt track. ‘Keep your foot down,’ he directed her curtly as they hit the rough patch and she instinctively started to ease up on the gas.

‘Who is driving this car?’ Her tone was sarcastic.

‘You are.’ He grinned at her, his eyes moving over the soft curves of her body. ‘And may I say you are doing so beautifully?’

‘Don’t patronise me,’ she told him crossly. Then she found the car wheels spinning ineffectually as they became momentarily stuck in deep ruts in the road.

‘I hate to say, I told you so,’ Josh drawled. ‘But if you don’t keep your foot down that’s going to happen again and again.’

‘Did anyone ever tell you that you’re a know-it-all?’

‘I’ve been called worse.’

Gritting her teeth, she did as he said and the vehicle jerked along obligingly. As they drove, it felt as if the car was walking over the terrain, first one side then the other, negotiating small hillocks and deep gouges in the earth.

As the hours passed and the sun climbed higher in the sky the heat became more and more intense. Dust flying in through the open top of the Jeep caught on Samantha’s throat until it felt like sandpaper.

‘It’s like an oven out here,’ she commented rawly, unfastening the top buttons on her T-shirt in a vain attempt to let some cool air flood over her body.

Josh glanced at his watch. ‘Nearly midday,’ he murmured almost to himself. ‘We haven’t done bad.’

‘Thanks.’ She cast a sardonic glance in his direction at the grudging compliment. She was the one who ‘hadn’t done bad’.

Josh grinned, leaned over into the back of the Jeep and brought out a can of cola. ‘Can I tempt you to something refreshing?’

Samantha’s eyebrows shot up in surprise. ‘Where did you get that?’

‘Corner shop,’ he answered drolly.

She frowned. ‘You know what I mean. Cans of that particular drink are like gold-dust these days in Chuanga.’

‘Strange how the most ordinary, mundane things assume enormous desirability when you can’t get them, isn’t it?’ He smiled. ‘This was a parting gift from Joanne. She really is quite a girl.’ He held the can out to her.

Was there an innuendo in those words somewhere? she wondered grimly. Did he mean that his laid-back, devilmay-care indifference was what made Joanne so keen...or was the heat making her read things into an innocent remark? Despite the fact that her throat felt parched and on fire, she had a moment of hesitation before accepting the drink. Something about Joanne Kelly’s blantant desire for this man irritated her immensely.

‘Are you referring, in your own modest way, to the fact that Joanne found you attractive?’ she murmured caustically as she tipped the can to her lips. The liquid wasn’t as cold as she would have liked it, but it was nectar to her parched throat.

A gleam of amusement lit his eyes. ‘Well, actually, I would never describe myself as ordinary or mundane, but...’ He shrugged. ‘As they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.’

‘Yes, there’s no accounting for taste.’ She handed the can back to him. ‘Do women usually throw themselves at you like that?’

‘Only on days with a Y in them,’ he said with a mischievous glint in his green eyes.

‘Very funny.’ She turned her attention firmly back to the road in front of them. ‘What does your wife think about it?’ she asked nonchalantly.

‘She’s my ex-wife. I thought I’d already mentioned that fact.’

‘I’m surprised you haven’t married again, what with all these women chasing you.’ Samantha’s mouth slanted in a wry smile.

‘The idea doesn’t appeal,’ he said, lifting his binoculars and scanning the horizon again. ‘Some men just aren’t cut out for marriage.’

Was he like Ben? she wondered suddenly.

‘Want me to take over while you get something to eat?’ Josh’s voice brought her attention winging back with a jolt.

‘Are you up to driving?’ she asked hesitantly.

‘I’ll manage. The road is pretty good here.’

If Josh described this road as good, she wasn’t looking forward to the bad bits. Driving here had been like driving across a motorbike assault course.

She pulled the Jeep to a halt and got out to change places with him. It felt good to stretch her legs; she hadn’t realised just how stiff she had got behind that wheel.

The air was hot and still, and a few grazing impala nearby turned to watch them warily, ready for flight at the first sign of danger.

‘It’s so beautiful out here,’ Samantha sighed as she settled herself in the passenger seat. ‘Hard to believe that there is so much fighting.’

‘Hard to believe man’s stupidity, you mean?’ Josh eased the Jeep forward again, his voice grim.

His tone of voice startled Samantha. ‘You sound angrey. ’