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Or perhaps he didn’t know about her miscarriage. After his brother’s death, she’d barely spoken to Will at the funeral and then he’d moved as far away from Willowbank as was humanly possible. Since then, if they’d run into each other, it had been by accident, or because their friends had invited them to the same Christmas party.
Will had been always polite, but he’d kept his distance and Lucy had always been busily proving to him that she was managing damn fine splendid on her own.
So why this?
Why now?
Lucy knew her sudden breathless fear would not be helped by a continued discussion of marriage and babies with Will Carruthers.
‘Is there a point to this conversation, Will?’ She thrust her feet back into her shoes and grimaced as they pinched. ‘Because I don’t enjoy being reminded of how old I’m getting.’
She jumped to her feet, only to discover she was shaking violently. Her knees had no strength whatsoever and she had no choice but to sink down again.
She was too embarrassed to look at Will.
In a heartbeat, he was bending over her solicitously. ‘I’m sorry. I thought I was stating the obvious. Marriages, births, christenings all around us. Are you all right? Can I get you a drink?’
‘I’m fine,’ she lied, dragging in oxygen. ‘But I – I should go back inside. Mattie might need me.’
‘Are you sure you’re OK?’
She gulped another deep breath. ‘I’m certain.’
Will’s hand was at her elbow, supporting her as she got to her feet again and she hoped he couldn’t feel the way her body trembled.
With her first step she swayed against him. He put his arm around her and it felt amazingly fabulous to have his solid shoulder to lean on. ‘I swear I haven’t had too much to drink,’ she said.
‘I know that. You’re just tired.’
She supposed he was right. What else could it be?
‘As soon as this reception is over, I’ll drive you home,’ Will said.
‘There’s no need.’
‘No arguments, Lucy. You don’t have your car here, do you?’
‘No,’ she admitted. ‘I left it at Mattie’s place.’
‘My vehicle’s here. If you’re tired, you need a lift.’
By now they’d reached the doorway to the marquee and Lucy could see Gina handing around a platter of wedding cake in pink and silver parcels.
‘Oh, heavens,’ she cried, slipping from Will’s hold. ‘I should be helping with the cake.’
‘Are you sure you’re up to it?’
‘Of course.’
And as she hurried to help, she knew that it was true. She was perfectly fine when she was safely away from Will.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THAT went well, Will thought wryly as he watched Lucy hand around platters of wedding cake.
Already she was smiling and chatting and looking a hundred times happier than she had a few minutes ago when he’d crassly reminded her that life was passing them by.
Watching her with a thoughtful frown, he recalled the countless conversations they’d enjoyed when they were friends. They’d shared a mutual interest in science, and so they’d been totally in tune about many things. It was only later, when they’d talked about life after university that their friendship had run into trouble.
