'At this hour? She must be very obliging,' Garth said with a slight edge on his voice.
'I know what you're getting at, but who's fault is it? I was happy when Faye worked for me, but you wrecked that. Jane's good at her job and she's always there when I need her.'
'You mean, unlike Faye?'
'It was Faye's own choice to drift away. She returned to you.'
A strange confusion of feelings warred within Garth. He should be glad that this man was getting out of his way, but his dominant feeling was one of anger. How dare this jerk dump Faye!
'I'd hardly say that she returned to me,' he said cautiously.
'But you're determined to get her back, aren't you? If you want to impress her, it was a shrewd move, coming here. Maybe that's why you came yourself instead of asking her to approach me.'
Garth stared, shocked into speechlessness. It simply hadn't occurred to him to send Faye.
The phone rang and Kendall answered. 'James,' he said heartily. 'Long time, no see. I'm here begging a favour-well, to call one in actually, since you still owe me for keeping quiet about that little matter- All right, you old dog, I was only joking. Actually, this is serious. You spoke to a friend of mine earlier- That's right, Garth Clayton-'
Garth had never doubted his own courage before, but suddenly he couldn't bear to listen. Everything in the world hung on this conversation. He left the room and stood in the hallway, nerves stretched to breaking point, until Kendall looked out.
'He's agreed,' he said, and Garth had to clutch the wall against the dizzying surge of relief. 'You'd better tell him about the plane yourself.'
The conversation was short and curt. Wakeham had been convinced, but was thoroughly displeased with everyone involved, himself included.
'I'll meet you this end,' Garth concluded.
When he'd hung up he allowed himself a few seconds' indulgence picturing Cindy's face when he told her. But it would take him fifteen minutes to get back to the surgery, and fifteen minutes could be a long time. He dialled at once and gave the news to Miss McGeorge, then to Faye.
'Tell the kids their old man pulled the rabbit out of the hat,' he said.
Her voice was husky. 'I knew you would. I just knew it.'
'Tell them quickly. Don't delay for a single moment. I'm on my way to the airport to fetch him.' 'Garth-' 'Yes?'
'Nothing. Just-take care.' 'I will. Tell Barker to hang in there.' Kendall Haines was watching him with a calculating expression on his face. Garth tried to thank him, but Kendall shrugged him away.
'Before I go, there's one question I'd like to ask,' Garth said. 'Did you know that I owned Melkham Construction when you took my son on that demonstration?'
Kendall grinned. 'Of course I knew.' 'You were playing a damned devious game.' 'Don't give me moral outrage. You've played a few devious games in your time.' 'Not by making use of children.' 'All's fair in love and war,' Kendall said with a shrug. 'And you're in love with my wife?' There was a small pause before Kendall said, 'I'm still engaged to her-as of now.' 'That's not an answer.' 'It's the only one you'll get.' 'Is she in love with you?' 'Ask her.' 'I have.'
'Then you already know the answer.'
In Kendall's position Garth knew he would demand to know what Faye had said. The other man's refusal to ask implied great self-restraint, or maybe something cooler. Garth recalled Jane and her worshipful expression. He saw Kendall looking at him wryly, bid him goodnight, and left quickly.
James Wakeham looked exactly as his voice had sounded, prissy and self-righteous. He gave Garth a nod to indicate that he forgave nothing, and got into the back seat of the car.
But his curtness fell away from him when he saw Barker and a cloak of authority descended like a mantle as he went through the readings on the machines.
'Stabilized? Good. Let's get to work then.'
The children were beyond words but their shining eyes, as they hugged their father, said everything. Cindy whispered, 'I knew you could do it.' She seemed convinced that Barker was certain to survive now and Garth lacked the heart to tell her any different.
Nancy, who'd gone home earlier, now reappeared with sandwiches and a flask of tea. Darkness had fallen, and the hospital was empty but for themselves and the two vets with Barker's life in their hands.
'The children ought to be home in bed,' Faye said ruefully. 'But I don't think they'll budge. Anyway, if Mr Wakeham can't save him, they'll want to be near Barker at the end.'
'Yes,' Garth said heavily. After his brief triumph it was salutary to be reminded that he might have achieved nothing at all.
'How did you get him to come over, after he refused?' Faye asked.
'Oh-I manoeuvred a bit.' He couldn't bring himself to tell her everything, in case it might seem like asking for praise.
'You mean you offered him more money?'
'Money!' he growled.
'Garth, I'm not criticizing, honestly. You were right to do anything that worked.'
Anything that worked. His own philosophy of life, but he'd meant money and power. It occurred to him that he'd always been thinking about these things. But this time it had been about something genuine and true. How strange, then, that he couldn't bring himself to speak of it!
Cindy and Adrian came and hugged him.
'Thanks, Dad,' Adrian said gruffly.
'Thank you, Daddy,' Cindy whispered.
'We're not out of the woods yet,' he warned them.
'But you did it,' Cindy insisted. 'You can do anything.'
He kissed her, but didn't say any more. Only he and his enemy knew the real sacrifice he'd made.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
The operation lasted two hours.
'I did my best, but I can't work miracles,' James Wakeham said, emerging from the theatre and speaking brusquely. 'He's still alive, but it's too soon to be hopeful. You'll know by the morning.'
He resisted Garth's offer of hospitality. 'I'd like to go straight to the airport,' he said in his precise voice. 'No, don't drive me. I prefer a taxi. I expect your pilot to be waiting for me.'
'He will be,' Garth assured him.
'Not a charming character,' Miss McGeorge said when Wakeham had gone. 'But he's a genius at his job. You gave Barker the best possible chance.'
'But it's not a good chance, is it?' Garth asked.
'I'm afraid not. His age is still against him.'
Before being taken home the children begged to be allowed to say goodnight to Barker. Faye was reluctant, but Garth took their side.
'I'm afraid they'll be upset if they see him attached to a lot of machinery,' she protested.
'Not as upset as they'll be if he dies without them seeing him,' Garth said. And she realized he was right.
Like shadows they crept into the dimly lit room where he lay. As Faye had feared he was attached to drips and monitors, but both children simply ignored the machinery. They came close to Barker lying on the table, completely motionless except for the rise and fall of his breathing, and took it in turns to lift one of his floppy ears and whisper.
'I told him I loved him, so he's got to get well,' Cindy confided to her parents. 'But you must tell him too, so that he'll know we all need him.'
Faye murmured something loving into Barker's ear. But the really astonishing sight was Garth leaning down to say, 'Hang in there, boy. I've got a bone waiting for you at home like you wouldn't believe!'
'He heard you,' Cindy breathed. 'His nose twitched when you said "bone".'
'Darling, he's deeply unconscious,' Faye said.
'His nose twitched,' Garth said firmly. 'We saw it, didn't we?' He appealed to Adrian, who nodded.
They all crept out, pausing in the doorway for one more look at their friend who lay so silent and still.
By now it was long after midnight and the children could hardly keep their eyes open. Faye and Garth settled them gently in the back of the car and drove home. Nancy had gone ahead and was waiting to help put Cindy and Adrian to bed.