repaired by morning.” The first officer, and the older of the two, didn’t dispute her claim, and turned back to Whit. “Mr. Lancaster asked you to come home as quickly as you could.”
“But—what’s happened?” Shari asked with a growing sense of panic. She clutched at Whit’s arm, needing the steadiness of his strength to support her. “Who—”
“I don’t wish to be the one to bring bad news.” Despite the phrases indicating apology, there was a certain bluntness to his speech. “Your mother has suffered a stroke and has been rushed to the hospital. Her condition is serious.”
Her knees buckled in shock as she reeled from the announcement that hit her like a physical blow. Whit quickly gathered her shaky body into his arms, holding her close. Her head moved from side to side in numbed disbelief.
“No,” she murmured. “It can’t be.”
“Would you get word to my grandfather that we’ll be leaving directly?” Whit asked the patrolmen over the top of her bent head.
“Of course.”
She was too stunned by the news to hear the men leave and the door close. Her blood was running cold. Not even the heat generated by Whit’s body could warm her, although his strong arms held her so close she was practically enveloped in them. There were tears in her eyes when Shari lifted her head to look at him.
“It can’t be true.” She didn’t want to believe it, but his grim expression convinced her. “Not Mother.”
“Yes. At her last checkup, the doctor discovered she had high blood pressure. She’s been on medication to control it for several months now,” Whit explained.
“Why wasn’t I told? I didn’t know.” The words came out in a sob.
“She probably didn’t want to worry you. It’s immaterial now,” he stated logically.
“It’s my fault.” She leaned against him, guilt pressing at her. “I should have gone home on my vacation instead of coming here. When I talked to her tonight, I should have told her I was coming instead of stalling and making her wonder why I wasn’t.” She blamed herself for being thoughtless.
“Elizabeth was worried about Rory, too,” Whit reminded her.
At the moment, she was only concerned about herown guilt. “I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to her.” Her face was hidden in the curve of his neck.
His arms tightened around her in silent comfort while his hand stroked the back of her hair. “She’ll be all right, Shari.” His mouth formed the words against her temple. “You’ll see.”
Despite his assurance, she shuddered against him. “I’m so scared,” Shari whispered and her lips brushed against the warm feel of his skin.
He seemed to withdraw his comfort, first mentally, then physically as he took hold of her shoulders and forced her to stand away from him. That wasn’t what she wanted, but in her weakened state, she couldn’t resist him.
“There isn’t time for that, Shari.” His voice was hard and inflexible. Its lack of sympathy hurt her.
The sound of heavy footsteps briefly distracted her and she turned her head in their direction. Rory was coming down the steps, yawning widely, his black hair all tousled from sleep.
“What’s going on?” he asked sleepily. “Who was at the door?”
“It’s Mother,” Shari answered him without thinking about the shock the news would be to him.
Whit stepped in before she cruelly blurted out the words. “There’s some bad news from home, Rory.” He gave Rory a minute to brace himself. “Two State Patrol officers came to inform us that your mother has had a stroke and we’re wanted at home immediately.”
“Oh, no.” He leaned against the stair railing, choking up. “How bad … is she?”
“We don’t know,” Whit admitted. “I suggest we don’t waste any more time talking about it. You two need to get your things packed so we can leave as soon as you’re ready.”
“Yes.” Rory was already turning to climb the stairs, his head downcast under his own
“But—what’s happened?” Shari asked with a growing sense of panic. She clutched at Whit’s arm, needing the steadiness of his strength to support her. “Who—”
“I don’t wish to be the one to bring bad news.” Despite the phrases indicating apology, there was a certain bluntness to his speech. “Your mother has suffered a stroke and has been rushed to the hospital. Her condition is serious.”
Her knees buckled in shock as she reeled from the announcement that hit her like a physical blow. Whit quickly gathered her shaky body into his arms, holding her close. Her head moved from side to side in numbed disbelief.
“No,” she murmured. “It can’t be.”
“Would you get word to my grandfather that we’ll be leaving directly?” Whit asked the patrolmen over the top of her bent head.
“Of course.”
She was too stunned by the news to hear the men leave and the door close. Her blood was running cold. Not even the heat generated by Whit’s body could warm her, although his strong arms held her so close she was practically enveloped in them. There were tears in her eyes when Shari lifted her head to look at him.
“It can’t be true.” She didn’t want to believe it, but his grim expression convinced her. “Not Mother.”
“Yes. At her last checkup, the doctor discovered she had high blood pressure. She’s been on medication to control it for several months now,” Whit explained.
“Why wasn’t I told? I didn’t know.” The words came out in a sob.
“She probably didn’t want to worry you. It’s immaterial now,” he stated logically.
“It’s my fault.” She leaned against him, guilt pressing at her. “I should have gone home on my vacation instead of coming here. When I talked to her tonight, I should have told her I was coming instead of stalling and making her wonder why I wasn’t.” She blamed herself for being thoughtless.
“Elizabeth was worried about Rory, too,” Whit reminded her.
At the moment, she was only concerned about herown guilt. “I’ll never forgive myself if anything happens to her.” Her face was hidden in the curve of his neck.
His arms tightened around her in silent comfort while his hand stroked the back of her hair. “She’ll be all right, Shari.” His mouth formed the words against her temple. “You’ll see.”
Despite his assurance, she shuddered against him. “I’m so scared,” Shari whispered and her lips brushed against the warm feel of his skin.
He seemed to withdraw his comfort, first mentally, then physically as he took hold of her shoulders and forced her to stand away from him. That wasn’t what she wanted, but in her weakened state, she couldn’t resist him.
“There isn’t time for that, Shari.” His voice was hard and inflexible. Its lack of sympathy hurt her.
The sound of heavy footsteps briefly distracted her and she turned her head in their direction. Rory was coming down the steps, yawning widely, his black hair all tousled from sleep.
“What’s going on?” he asked sleepily. “Who was at the door?”
“It’s Mother,” Shari answered him without thinking about the shock the news would be to him.
Whit stepped in before she cruelly blurted out the words. “There’s some bad news from home, Rory.” He gave Rory a minute to brace himself. “Two State Patrol officers came to inform us that your mother has had a stroke and we’re wanted at home immediately.”
“Oh, no.” He leaned against the stair railing, choking up. “How bad … is she?”
“We don’t know,” Whit admitted. “I suggest we don’t waste any more time talking about it. You two need to get your things packed so we can leave as soon as you’re ready.”
“Yes.” Rory was already turning to climb the stairs, his head downcast under his own
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