livia! Olivia, are you still there?'

'I—Yes,' she answered dully. 'I—Did you say your father has been injured?' She spoke so calmly, in such a controlled voice, almost as if this were all a bad dream and Sally hadn't just told her Marcus had been seriously hurt.

'He crashed into a truck.' Sally was crying quietly now. 'He was called out to an emergency at the hospital, and he—he crashed on his way back.'

'I see.' Olivia's emotions were numb.

'Will you come to the hospital?'

The suggestion shocked her out of her emotionless voice. Go and see Marcus? She couldn't do that! 'No—'

'I need you, Olivia,' Sally sobbed.

'Your grandmother—' she began.

'Has completely gone to pieces. It isn't long since Grandfather died, and this accident on top of that… She's been sedated. I need to be with someone who loves him as much as I do—'

'I don't love your father, Sally,' Olivia interrupted sharply.

'But you did once, you admitted as much earlier today. Oh, Olivia, please!'

'I can't, Sally. You know I can't,' she said in a distressed voice, her hand tight around the receiver.

'I thought you cared,' Sally choked accusingly. 'I really thought you cared!' The receiver was put down with a loud clatter.

Olivia sank into the chair next to the telephone, staring sightlessly at the wall opposite. She couldn't go to the hospital. What would be the point? Marcus would no more want her there than she wanted to see him. But Sally said he might not even live! Marcus dead? No, she couldn't even begin to accept that.

Sally's desolation came back to haunt her too. She was such a child still, and her father was all she had. Olivia couldn't let her go through this alone.

'Olivia!' Natalie exclaimed in a shocked voice as she came out of the lounge and saw her pale face, coming down on her haunches in front of her. 'What is it? What's wrong?'

She moistened her numbed lips. 'Sally's father has—he's been in an accident,' she explained dully. 'She wants me to go to the hospital and sit with her.' Natalie frowned. 'I see—I think.' Delicate colour darkened Olivia's pale cheeks. 'I knew Mr Hamilton years ago,' she explained.

'I sensed something this afternoon—'

'We worked at the same hospital, that's all,' Olivia insisted sharply.

Natalie squeezed her hand as if she understood. 'I'll tell the family that you've had to go and see a friend who's in hospital,' she said gently.

'Thank you,' she accepted gratefully, going up the stairs to get her car keys.

'I hope he's all right,' Natalie encouraged softly as Olivia came back down the stairs. 'I've met him a couple of times, he's a nice man.'

Olivia didn't answer her, not at all sure that she had ever thought Marcus a 'nice' man herself. She had been deeply attracted to him, but that hadn't stopped her knowing of the coldness about him. But even though she hadn't seen him for six years the thought of him dying still filled her with horror. She had been young, had loved him with an innocence that couldn't help but be hurt by such a coolly contained man. She wasn't familiar with the hospital he had been taken to, and it took her several extra minutes to locate it, several more minutes to ascertain that Mr Hamilton was still in the examination room and that his daughter was in the waiting-room.

Sally was a forlorn figure sitting alone in the corner of the room, but she looked up hopefully as the door opened, bursting into loud relieved sobs as she ran across the room into Olivia's arms.

'It's all right,' she soothed the girl softly. 'It's all right, Sally.'

'I knew you'd come!' Sally clung to her. 'I just knew you wouldn't let me down!'

Then she had known a lot more than Olivia did! Even as she parked the car outside in the hospital car park she had been having second thoughts as to the sensibility of this visit. There was always the possibility that Marcus might not remember her—after all, she had meant little in his life, but then again if he did remember her, seeing her again could upset him. And if he was as ill as Sally said he was then that wasn't going to help him at all. She also had to admit, to herself at least, that not all her concern was for Marcus's sake; she had no idea how she was going to feel about seeing him again after all this time.

'Has there been any more news?' she prompted gently.

Sally shook her head, blowing her nose noisily before wiping her tear-stained cheeks. 'None. I've been sitting here for hours—well, almost two,' she amended. 'It just seems longer. And I haven't seen the doctor since I signed the form for Daddy to go into surgery.'

'You mean Mar—he's being operated on right now?'

Olivia gasped.

'Yes,' the girl confirmed huskily. 'He has a fractured skull.'

'Dear God..!' Olivia groaned, pulling herself together as she suddenly realised she couldn't be helping Sally at all by reacting like this. 'He'll be all right,' she assured her softly. 'I'll go and see if I can find out anything new. You sit here and I'll bring you back a cup of coffee.'

'You won't be long?' Sally clutched on to her hand, evidence of her fears of the last two hours.

Olivia smiled, squeezing the hand she held. 'No, I won't be long. And don't worry, I'm sure your father is going to be just fine.'

Her confidence lasted for as long as it took her to get out of the waiting-room. She knew the complications that could arise from a fractured skull as well as any other trained medical person. Thank God Sally didn't seem to be as well informed, otherwise she might be in a worse state than she was already.

She easily located the Sister on Emergency in her office, quickly explained who and what she was, and asked for further information on Marcus.

The pretty young Sister gave her a sympathetic look. 'We're all very concerned too. He's the Chief Surgeon here, you know.'

No, she hadn't known that! 'Then who is operating…?'

'Mr Hamilton's condition was critical when he was brought in,' the other girl sighed heavily. 'Mr Hamilton's own assistant, Simon Brooks, is operating.' She shook her head. 'I feel partly responsible for the accident.'

Olivia frowned. 'You do?' What did this girl mean to Marcus? She was certainly young and pretty enough for him to find attractive.

'If I hadn't called him out for an emergency operation he wouldn't have been in this part of London at all,' the Sister explained.

Olivia heaved a mental sigh of relief—although why she should she had no idea. Marcus Hamilton was just an excellent surgeon to her now, nothing more. She didn't care if he had a dozen women in his life. Now she was starting to sound jealous!

'I'll just go along to the theatre and check for you,' the young Sister told her. 'I won't be long.'

'I'll be in the waiting-room with Sally—Mr Hamilton's daughter,' Olivia explained in case the other woman didn't know her.

She took the promised coffee back to Sally, heavily sugared, although she saw Sally grimace as she tasted the sweetness but bravely drink it down anyway, knowing that it would be good for her.

The Sister came in about ten minutes later. 'Mr Hamilton is just coming out of Theatre now,' she informed them gently.

'And?' Olivia prompted, white with anxiety.

'He's no longer on the danger list—'

'Oh, thank God!' Sally collapsed into -Olivia's waiting arms.

But Olivia knew the Sister hadn't finished, could see by the compassion in the deep blue eyes that there was more to come. She tensed herself for that.

'Mr Brooks removed several fragments of bone that had fractured,' the other woman continued softly. 'We have no idea yet what damage may have been done internally.'

'You mean—you mean brain damage?' Sally gasped.

'It's a possibility—'

It was what Olivia had been expecting, and she felt Sally sag against her as she fainted.

'I'm so sorry,' the Sister helped her to get Sally into a chair, 'but Mr Brooks is in with another emergency right now, and I don't believe Miss Hamilton should be under any delusions as to how serious her father's injuries are.'

'She had to be told,' Olivia assured her.

'Mr Hamilton is being moved to a private room now, there will be a nurse in with him, but I'm sure Mr Brooks will have no objection to both you and Miss Hamilton sitting with him if you want to.'

Looking at Sally, Olivia knew the young girl would want to, and she couldn't let her do it alone.

'Mr Brooks will be in to talk to you both as soon as he's available,' the Sister told her. 'In the meantime—' she hesitated, 'Mr Hamilton also had severe lacerations to the face. You understand?'

A shiver ran down Olivia's spine. Marcus's beautiful handsome face cut and torn, possibly scarred for life? If he had a life…! God, he must be all right, he must! 'I'll prepare her,' she told the other girl softly as Sally began to regain consciousness, groaning groggily as she did so.

But no one had prepared her! Marcus lay grey against the stark white bedclothes, a heavy bandage about his temple, several deep cuts on his face that had needed stitches, blood congealed along the jagged edges, the skin already looking bruised. There were several stitched cuts on his hands as they lay limply on the counterpane too, as if he had put up his hands to shield his face. Heaven knows what he would have looked like if he hadn't put up his hands!

Sally wordlessly pulled up a chair to sit at his side, gently touching one of his injured hands so as not to hurt him, her gaze never leaving his still face.

A nurse sat silently at the back of the room, so Olivia sat in the chair opposite Sally's across the bed, not touching Marcus herself, afraid even of that much contact with him. He hadn't changed at all in six years, perhaps a little harsher in the face, but other than that he looked the same, the lines grooved beside his nose and mouth smoothed out in his unconscious state. His breathing was shallow and even, hardly breathing at all really.

'I won't let him die.' Sally suddenly broke the silence, speaking with a calm that had Olivia looking at her with sharp concern.

'Sally—'

'I won't let him be a mental cabbage either,' the young girl told her fiercely.

Olivia gasped, not having acknowledged such a thing even to herself. That could never happen to Marcus, not with his gift for healing others, a skill that would need every ounce of his old sure intelligence if he were to continue with it.

'I won't!' Sally repeated vehemently.

Olivia wisely remained silent, not wanting to say or do anything that would push the emotional tension Sally was under over the edge, knowing the younger girl was likely to collapse altogether when that happened.

They sat there for what seemed like hours, although Olivia knew that in fact only two hours had passed since they were shown into Marcus's room. She took advantage of one of the occasions she went out to the machine to get coffee to call the Hayes house and assure them that so far Marcus was holding his own. For once Clara hadn't seemed so vague, telling her that of course she must stay at the hospital with Sally for as long as she needed her.

When she got back to the room it was to find Sally slumped back in her chair, fast asleep. She didn't even bother to move the girl into a more comfortable position, not wanting to disturb her, knowing that sleep was the best thing for her right now. She would need all of her strength when Marcus finally woke up. Dear God, seeing him like this, near enough to touch, took her back once more to that night he had asked her to share his bed.

'Your mother-in-law,' she had reminded him protestingly.

'Sybil isn't staying at the house. She'll probably have left by now,' he told her.

'But—'

'I want to make love to you, Olivia,' Marcus had stated calmly. 'And I think you want it too.'

'Yes…' She made no effort to deny the yearning ache he had evoked.

'Then you'll come home with me?' he persisted intensely.

'No,' she refused shakily. 'I—I can't.'

He sat back with a groan, his head back on the headrest, his eyes closed. 'I'm too old to play games, Olivia,' he told her harshly. 'I warned you that once I started kissing you I wouldn't want to stop. I can't go back to our sterile relationship, not now, not when I've seen you, touched you.'

She swallowed hard. 'Are you saying that if I don't go home with you now you won't see me again?'

'I don't know what I'm saying!' He ran an agitated hand through his already tousled hair. 'I can't think straight right now.' He took her hand in his, guiding it down his body. 'Feel how badly I want you,' he rasped.

'Oh, Marcus…!' she began to tremble.

'Yes,' he thrust her hand away. 'And I feel like this most of the time. Up until now, until you asked me to show you how I felt about you, I've been in control of the situation. I know how very young you are, how inexperienced, and I've kept my distance because of that. But after tonight I can't do that. Do you understand what I'm saying now?'

'Yes.'

'Go in now, Olivia,' he instructed harshly. 'We'll talk again tomorrow.

'Marcus—'

'Yes?'

His abrupt tone chilled her, her agreement to do what he wanted, go where he wanted suddenly not seeming like a good idea after all. 'Nothing,' she bit her lip. 'I'll see you tomorrow.'

'Yes.' He didn't even turn as she got out of the car.

Olivia looked down now at the man who lay so still and white in the hospital bed beside her, amazed that he could have caused such havoc in her life. Of course, she had been too young to cope with all that he wanted from her, but that hadn't stopped her wanting to be all he needed. In the end it had nearly destroyed her.

He began to move restlessly in the bed, to groan in his unconscious state, his lips moving soundlessly as he fought against the covers that confined him.

'You're all right, Marcus,' she told him softly, knowing he was nowhere near regaining consciousness yet, but wanting to reassure him anyway. 'We're here, Sally and Olivia.'

'Olivia,' he muttered, startling her with the ferocity of his tone. 'God, Ruth! She means nothing to me. Olivia. No, don't go, it's you I love.' He muttered unintelligibly for several seconds. 'No, don't leave me,' he groaned. 'Ruth. She means nothing to me. Olivia, nothing. God, I love you, I love you. Please don't go, not again. Ruth…' he trailed off into oblivion once more.

The tears were streaming down Olivia's face by the time he had finished, and she moved away as the nurse came forward to check on him. Even in his unconscious state Marcus still hadn't forgotten his love for his wife. It had been because of that love that he and Olivia had finally parted.

Instead of the two of them talking the next day as Marcus had said they would, he cancelled their date for that evening. Olivia didn't even bother to ask him why, she could guess the reason, and knew he was finishing with her as gently as he knew how.

As she was coming off duty the next day she saw Marcus's car parked outside the main entrance of the hospital, and seated in the passenger seat was a beautiful blonde woman of about thirty, her resemblance to Sally unmistakable. She knew immediately that it was Ruth Hamilton, and as Sybil Carr had predicted, Marcus had taken his wife back into his life.

At that moment he had come out of the hospital, not noticing her as he got in the car beside his wife, giving a smiling response to something his wife said to him as they drove away.

In that moment Olivia had wanted to die, to run away and hide. And then sanity had returned. Maybe the situation wasn't quite as it looked, maybe Marcus deserved the benefit of one telephone call just to be sure. And she knew that she would have to talk to him over the telephone if at all, knew she couldn't bear for him to see her if he said it was all over between them.

She left making the call until she knew Marcus should be at home, feeling dismay when Sybil Carr answered the telephone.

'Marcus is upstairs, with Ruth,' the other woman answered her request to speak to him. 'They're getting ready to go out for the evening.'

'I see,' Olivia quivered. 'Could I—talk to him?'

'Well, I'm not sure that would be a good idea in the circumstances, my dear,' the other woman mocked lightly. 'Of course, he has told Ruth about you, and I don't think she would appreciate your calling him now. I gather Marcus hasn't spoken to you himself?'

Olivia swallowed hard, feeling utterly humiliated. 'No.'

'Naughty man,' Sybil laughed. 'Well, I'm happy to say that Ruth and Marcus have decided to forgive each other and start afresh. My daughter came back last night.'

Last night, when Marcus had cancelled their own meeting so abruptly. It had to be true, Marcus had been reconciled with his wife, had cruelly dismissed her from his life as if he had never kissed her with such passion, never asked her to share his bed.

'I'm sure Marcus means to tell you himself,' Sybil Carr continued. 'In fact, here he comes now. Shall I—'

'No!' Olivia refused sharply. 'Please don't trouble him. I—It wasn't important anyway.'

'Very well, my dear. If you're sure…?'

'Yes,' she confirmed abruptly.

'I'll tell him you called,' the other woman said kindly.

Whether she did or not, Olivia didn't hear from Marcus, and then two days later Marcus had asked for a leave of absence for 'family reasons'. Olivia knew exactly what those family reasons were too, she had seen just how beautiful Ruth Hamilton was, knew that Marcus would want to spend time alone with his wife for the new start to his marriage. Her own request for a transfer to another hospital had been dealt with so efficiently that by the time Marcus returned to work she had already gone.

For months she had lived in the hope of his reconciliation with Ruth not working out, selfishly wishing he would come looking for her to take her out again. She hadn't set eyes on him again until this moment.

And what a way for them to meet again, with Marcus seriously ill! He looked so weak just lying there, so helpless, and she had never seen Marcus helpless before. If—when he regained consciousness; she mentally reprimanded herself for even thinking in the negative, of course he would regain consciousness. And when he did he was going to resent his weakness and anyone who had seen him like this.

Looking down at him now she knew that her love for him all those years ago had been all the more intense because he had been her first real love. Perhaps if she hadn't been so young she could have coped with it all so much more easily, but as it was she had continued to think of him for the last six years, had compared every man she met to him—and always found them wanting. But Marcus was only a mere man after all, not the demi-god she had blown him up to be in her mind.

'Sally?' One of his hands suddenly moved gropingly across the bedclothes.

'She's here,' Olivia assured him, nodding to the nurse to go and get the doctor.

He turned in the half-light as he heard the door close behind the nurse, his eyes the same smoky grey Olivia remembered as he looked at her. 'Who are you?' he asked sharply, his voice exactly as she remembered it too, deep and throaty.

She moistened her suddenly dry lips, her thoughts of a few minutes ago now seeming superfluous when faced with the vibrantly alive man, her senses leaping just at the sound of his voice. 'My name is Olivia,' she told him softly.

'Olivia…' His attention seemed to wander for a few seconds, then he blinked still sleepy eyes. 'Why are you sitting here in the dark?'

'I—' she frowned, looking into his eyes once again, fear clutching at her heart. 'Does it seem very dark to you, Marcus?' She tried to keep her voice calm, although she wasn't sure she had succeeded. And where was the doctor, he should have been here by now!

Marcus moistened stiff lips, seeming to have trouble speaking. 'Very dark,' he nodded. 'Why don't you put the light on so that I can see you?'

Olivia began to shake, unable to stop the trembling of her hand as it moved to clasp his, unable to comprehend what he seemed to be telling her, finding speech impossible as she sought to comfort him. Where was that doctor!

'My God!' The panic screaming inside her suddenly seemed to transmit itself to him as he attempted to sit up, somehow finding the strength to struggle against her restraining hands.

'Please, Marcus,' she begged, trying to calm him. 'You must lie down, you could make things worse.

'Worse?' he choked. 'How can they be worse? I can't see,' he groaned. 'My God, I'm blind. I'm blind…!'

The last came out in an agonised cry as he slumped back against the pillows in unconsciousness once again.