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Tim smiled wanly 'It's too small'

'For these led them comically 'You wait and see'

'Thank you,' said Clare softly when they were tack in her lounge

'For nota fool of myself? Anyone can see that he's not well,' said David abruptly 'Have you called a doctor?'

Clare shook her head 'I've given him some of his asthma medication, but this is really only a —his resistance isn't very good to that type of thing—and then he began to panic when he felt sick I told you about Lee… I wasn't at the hospital when he died, and Tim knows that and so he likes to know I' it on, but it's so that he has no control over, and in this case it doesn't pay to be cruel to be kind I've tried it, and that's when he gets his severest attacks'

'It's all right, Clare, you don't have to convinceacross her anxiety Clare looked very like her son with her pale, earnest face and tense deterive in to her fears Her mind holly with Tim, he realised ruefully David was just a distraction that she didn't really want or need She had coped before on her own, and that was the way she preferred it The feeling of thwarted protectiveness, of helplessness, rehter made him feel He ell aware that she viewed his interest in the Malcolood tinored hi for her father to make the first move…

'I'll leave you to look after Ti Clare towards him with a firm hand on her shoulders as she frowned towards the bedroom 'But let me say first that you look very beautiful, and I'un' He had her attention now, and he savoured her gentle blush at the sensuous promise in his eyes 'Another time, perhaps?'

'Perhaps…' Clareat the swift succession of eer, tenderness and desire, all in the space of ten minutes Somehow he bypassed her reserve and pierced to the passionate heart of her His eyes flared with need at her dreamy response, and it was only as he drew her into his chest that reality i to her evening skirt, and reations

'Not even a consolation prize?'why she pushed hined to the total annihilation to his hopes for the evening

'I… Tie it yet,' said Clare, grabbing the velvet folds against her in embarrassment

'And you think that irl, I'm far less squeamish than you seem to think I've dealt with my fair share of dirty nappies and upset stomachs Nina made sure I kept in touch with the flip side of parenthood' He reached for her again, but she backed away, theClare of all the woeous as Talided into his e of 'eau de sickroom' She wanted to be their equal, not pitied and equated with memories of unpleasant bodily functions!

David sighed 'All right, Clare, have it your wa

y I'll call later and see how Ti, you knohere to find me'

CHAPTER SEVEN

Tim had two more bouts of sickness before he finally fell into a fitful sleep around eleven o'clock By that time Clare, who had substituted practical jeans for her ruined skirt, was feeling a few story The restaurant that David had booked into was one with a reputation for the very rich, heavy, classical French cuisine that Grace disdained, so Clare had prepared herself by eating only a snack lunch Perhaps so of disappoint ill and saving her from her own unruly desires