Still Falling Read Online Free Page A

they arrive you are my responsibility and you will stay put.”
    “I’m fine,” she whimpered, “Just tired.   Let me go home.”   She was still
shaking off the last threads of fog in her mind.
    “I can’t understand how any man can be so self-centred to leave a woman
in your condition to fend for herself .”   The words were almost spat out.   “And as for you.........you could have died
out there tonight!   How could you be so
stubborn and so incredibly stupid?”  

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    Chapter
eight

 
 
    Stunned by his outburst and still flustered at waking in a strange place,
Serena broke down and sobbed uncontrollably.   It was inevitable.   Since the
doctors had sat her down and told her she had cancer, she had been calm and
‘matter of fact’ about the whole thing.   She had wondered when the full impact would overwhelm her.   Did she have to lose control now though?   Her sobs were so racking she couldn’t even
talk.
    Marco was with her in two long strides.   The bed shifted slightly as he sat down and pulled her into his
arms.  
    “Quite Pocco Zucco.   Your mother will be here soon.   You are safe now.   You just need to let me look after you.”   He whispered into her long auburn tresses.   Before she could object, Serena slipped back
into unconsciousness.
    Marco had been slightly amused at her fiery temper when she slammed the
door in his face.   He did deserve it
though.   None the less, he knew she would
go for her walk with or without him and he had suspected the later was the most
probable.   As usual, he had been
right.   He had spotted her moving quietly
along the edge of the gardens while discussing the Estates storm preparations
with the groundkeeper.  
    Whilst he had expected her to be stubborn, he didn’t think she would be
stupid enough to stay there long with storm surge already pushing the tide
along the shore higher than usual.   The skies
were still clear and the wind had not picked up yet but that could and would change
very quickly as the pending storm blew in.
    Satisfied that the groundkeeper had everything under control, Marco had wandered
over to the rocky platform to make sure that Serena had left and the beach was
clear.    He had been horrified to find
her lying on the sand with the rising tide pulling at her canvas boating shoes.   By the time he had made his way down to the
sand the sweeping waves were pushing up past her waist, totally saturating her
jeans and most of her baggy fisherman knit jersey.
      His heart had fluttered in his
chest like a wild bird in a trapped cage.   A quick check had confirmed that she was still breathing and her pulse
felt strong, so gathering her skeletal frame into his arms he had made his way
up to the house.   His relief when she had
woken up had been immense, but not enough to pacify his anger at the bastard
who had left her in this condition.   Whilst she hadn’t actually admitted being pregnant, her tears had been
confirmation enough.  
    Now sitting on the bed cradling her, he pondered their future.   Every fibre in his body wanted to protect
her, wipe away her pain.   He was even
prepared to raise the child as his own, if only she would stop running every
time he tried to talk to her.   He longed
for her to smile at him in the cheeky way she used to.   He kissed the top of her head, taking in the
smell of shampoo and sea lingered there.   Her sobs had eased and her breathing returned to normal so he lay her
head back down on the pillow.  
    For years he had imagined how she would look in this very spot.   He had hoped that when he finally made her
his, it would be here in his bed.   He
smiled bashfully, remembering how he had ended up making love to her on the recliner
in the sun room, surrounded by orchids instead.   The bedroom had just been too far away.
    “Why did you run?” he whispered.   “Damn.   Where is everyone?”    He looked at the bedside clock for