Page 100 of Under the Dark Moon

Meg perched on a chair and pulled off her gloves. ‘Geoffrey, my dear, I want you to know I’m happy in our marriage. You are the best of all husbands, and I’m incredibly grateful to be married to you. But last week, after reading that journal, I realised how terribly I was missing working in an operating theatre. And as much as I love Jennifer, I miss the exchange of ideas and adult conversation, and the solving of medical problems.’

His gaze shuttered before he picked up a file sitting neatly in the middle of his blotter and opened it. ‘In that case, it’s time for you to return to work. If you can get Jennifer into the childcare centre, you can start immediately. Matron was right; I do need another experienced theatre nurse.’

Meg reeled as if a physical barrier had been thrown up between them. Something wasn’t right, and she had no idea what had changed. ‘Are you sure you don’t mind?’

‘I said I don’t.’ He barely glanced at her. Had he truly accepted her explanation?

‘Then there is one other thing that we should probably consider.’

‘Only one?’ He closed the file around one finger and met her gaze at last. His contained a wealth of pain.

What did I say? Is it because I want to work instead of stay at home?

But since this was a day for discussions, she ploughed on. ‘Yes, one I believe is relevant to this discussion. I thought by now I might be pregnant. It’s early days, of course, and I could fall pregnant tomorrow, but I understand why employers are less keen to employ married women.’

He held up one hand and she fell silent. ‘This is—hard to tell you, but now is as good a time as any. I wondered why our relations haven’t been fruitful, since we’ve been intimate often enough. We know you’re fertile; Jennifer is proof of that. But I considered the problem might lie with me so . . . I had a test. It seems I have low sperm motility, which means you may never fall pregnant. I’m sorry, Margaret.’

‘Oh, Geoffrey, you have nothing to be sorry for. That must have been a blow to hear, but – surely it doesn’t mean that it’s impossible for us to have a child? Low doesn’t mean no chance.’

‘You’re correct. There is still a chance. I’ll pick up some condoms if that will reassure you. Why don’t we set a time frame for you to work before we try for a baby? Say, two years?’

He was so practical about everything, even about this possibility that they might not make a child together. Perhaps he’d only just got the test results and that was why he was behaving oddly?

Feeling doubly grateful for his gentle fathering of her daughter, she reached out a hand and touched his arm. ‘Thank you, Geoffrey. That’s generous of you. I— Thank you.’

‘Let me know when you’ve heard from the kindergarten and I’ll let Matron know you’ll be joining us. There is one condition.’

Even with Geoffrey’s odd mood, Meg’s heart felt light at the prospect of nursing again. ‘Anything.’

‘You will join my staff as Sister Ransom, and everyone will know that you are my wife.’

Meg nodded. ‘I’ll be very happy with that.’

‘You’re my wife, and the best surgical nurse I’ve worked with. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have patients to attend.’

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