Chapter 17

Hal helped Nick load several ewes and their lambs before miserably resuming his position on the gate. There were no emergencies to disturb his thoughts. 'What had possessed her to go into the field? She had promised she wouldn't. What Theresa had said was reassuring but she might be wrong. The baby might be damaged so might his precious Diana.' There might well be no sheep emergencies but his thoughts whirled round in his head and he found it impossible to think rationally.

Around four o'clock Helen rang him and told him that he could see Diana. He raced back to the farm and flung on some more respectable clothes.

"I'm taking you," said Helen firmly. "You're not in a fit state to drive."

"You don't have to do that, Mum."

"Yes I jolly well do so pipe down and do as you're told."

Hal managed a half smile. "Yes, Mum."

On the way Helen filled him in on what Theresa had said to her. "The pain she was in was mostly what one might expect from a fall particularly as she didn't use her hands to save herself but the baby. Nevertheless she did suffer what they call a blunt abdominal trauma but only a mild one..."

"What on earth's that?"

"A thump in the tum."

"Ah!"

"They did an ultrasound and the placenta is undamaged. They are monitoring the foetus and have observed no abnormalities. As is normal for most women who have had a blunt abdominal trauma she had contractions..."

"Oh no!"

"It's all right. She's in bed and on a drip and that should sort them out. The rate she was having them has already slowed down."

"Whew!"

"Yes. Anyway before you rush to see Diana she wants a word with you."

"OK."

"I won't come in with you, Hal dear. You two need to be on your own for a while. I'll go and wait in the front car park ready to move if I see an attendant on the prowl."

Hal could not restrain a chuckle and Helen was delighted.

On arrival, with a "See you, Mum", Hal was off like a shot. He was directed to Theresa's office and she saw him straight away.

She smiled warmly at him as she offered him a seat. "Don't worry, Hal," she said. "They're both going to be fine. Presumably your mother's told you all I told her."

Hal nodded. "Yes."

"Good. Well I won't go through all that again. What I do want to tell you though is that she is in a stew because she disobeyed you and put herself and the baby at risk. Hal please be gentle with her: forgive her. It'll help the healing process."

Hal nodded. "Yes. I was pretty upset with her. I couldn't understand why she'd broken what was almost a promise. It was so unlike her."

"Earlier on in her pregnancy she told me that she'd developed a hankering for milk chocolate."

Hal grinned. "Did she ever!"

Theresa chuckled but then sobered up again. "I think this was much the same. I gather she's pretty keen on those bullocks and was missing moving among them."

"Yes. She became very attached to the last lot and was miserable when they went for slaughter. Dad gave her this herd as a wedding present a year ahead of schedule. Oh Lord! They'll be due to go to slaughter four or five months after Frank is born. I'll try and persuade my father to keep them longer than usual."

"Well, that's up to you. All I ask is that you are totally forgiving and loving until she's back to normal."

"I promise."

"Now, I'll take you to her but tomorrow you'll have to revert to the visiting hours, two to four and six to eight."

"Thank you, Theresa. That was all very comforting and I promise to follow your advice."

"Good! Come on then."

She led him to a private room in the maternity wing and touched him on the shoulder. "Don't hesitate to get in touch. In you go."

Diana was lying on her back with both arms on top of the bed clothes. A drip was attached to her right one. She was pale as a sheet and her eyes showed no welcome or love just apprehension bordering on fear.

Hal moved to her side and bent to kiss her. She turned her face away.

"Diana, my precious, aren't I allowed to kiss my wife, the woman I love most in the world?" he asked softly.

"Really?" she whispered but still not turning to him.

"Yes, my Diana."

"You're not cross with me?"

"No, my darling. Are you going to let me have that kiss?"

She turned to him and he bent down to kiss her. It was a gentle, lingering one and her left arm came round his head to hold his lips to hers. At length he drew away and straightened up.

"Oof!" he exclaimed. "My back was complaining."

He sat on the side of the bed and took her hand in his. Her eyes were glistening but there was life in them again and love.

"Oh, Hal," she whispered. "Thank you, my special man, my forgiving loving man and, oh Hal, how I love you."

Hal said nothing, just leant in for another kiss.

"Are you still in pain?" he asked.

"A bit. Nothing like it was though."

"Good!" Kiss.

"Contractions?"

"Not for a while."

"Good again." Another kiss.

"Do you promise you're not angry with me?"

"I was for a moment as the ambulance drove away but then I just couldn't understand why you'd done it when we had agreed that you wouldn't. I still can't but none of that matters now. Frank is unharmed and you're on the mend so all's well that ends well." He grinned. "Was it an attack of milk chocolate syndrome?"

Diana bit her lip and nodded almost shyly. Hal kissed her again before shaking his head.

"Dad'll probably make me put you on a lead. Can't have you interfering with lambing again."

At last Diana smiled and he returned it.