Both Martin and Louisa turned to see the red hair of Edith Montgomery. "Edith," he replied evenly. His eyes cut to Louisa and it didn't take much to imagine the steam rising from her ears. She simply nodded at Edith.

"What are you doing here?" Edith wanted to know.

"Martin and I were about to take James on a picnic," Louisa said proudly.

While Martin was relieved that Louisa was happy to have that answer for Edith, he also knew that they were treading in dangerous waters, although he couldn't understand why Edith put Louisa on edge so much.

"A picnic? How…familial," Edith remarked with dripping sarcasm. "I'd heard you decided to stay in Cornwall, Ellingham. Robert said you had too many family obligations."

"Errr…." Was all Martin could manage, fear filling his veins. He was beginning to see why Louisa didn't like Edith.

"How's your Auntie Jill?"

"What?" Martin grunted.

"Joan passed away," Louisa supplied, "the day James was born actually."

Edith looked from her back to Martin. "Oh, I am so sorry." Her voice dripped with affectation. Then she leaned up a pecked his cheek, befuddling Martin beyond speech. All he could do was stare at her.

"Yes, it was very sad," Louisa tried to fill in. But her calm tone didn't fool Martin one bit. The steam was about to blow the lid off the kettle.

"Yes," he added. "I planned to move to London after things were settled and Robert filled the spot temporarily until I could get there."

"But he said you'd backed out of the offer," Edith said with a tone that suggested she already knew about his decision. "So you decided to ride to the rescue after all then?"

"Rescue? No, I ummm… I was packed to go to London when James was born and then he came and everything changed. I decided I wanted to stay here, in Cornwall, with my family. Louisa offered to go to London with me and we planned on it but… this is where we belong." He really didn't want to explain any of it to Edith. "Ermmm…what are you doing here? I thought your research was finished?"

"Yes, just following up a bit. The article you helped me with got quite a lot of attention and I've been asked to do another. Don't suppose you'd want to help me with it, would you?" She stepped closer, making him extremely uncomfortable and he heard a small hiss from Louisa.

"No, not really. I haven't the time." Martin could feel his worse instincts coming out, the ones he'd been battling to put aside.

"Yes, I suppose having a child does cut into your time," she said disdainfully.

Martin's brow furrowed. "Yes, James takes some of my time, as does Louisa. It is the way it should be, the way I want it." He took a deep breath. "And Louisa and I are undertaking a new project which will take even more of my time. So you see, I really haven't the time to help you, Edith."

Just then the server appeared with their food. Louisa took the box from her as Martin shuffled James around to reach his wallet. After paying for the lunch, he turned to Edith. "I don't suppose we'll see you again." He spoke with a finality that he hoped Edith would understand.

"Oh, you never know Ellingham. Odd things do happen, you know."

"Mmmmmmm," he grunted as he turned and took the food from Louisa. "We're off then," she said as he led the way to the door.

Louisa was quiet through the picnic and it was Martin who played with James in the park. He watched her carefully trying to decipher her mood. But he was at a loss. She was quiet when they got back to the hotel too. It worried Martin. Inwardly he cursed Edith Montgomery for appearing, ruining their afternoon.

Martin took James into the bedroom where James fell asleep immediately. He was overdue for his nap and was tired. Louisa was curled up on the sofa in the sitting area, staring at the wall when Martin walked back into the room. "Louisa?"

She turned and looked at him. "Why did she have to show up and spoil our day?"

He crossed to her and sat on the sofa next to her. "Her appearance was … unexpected." He watched her warily, wondering what she was thinking.

"Martin, Joan told me that you wanted to marry her once." She stared at him, waiting.

"Oh," was all his brain could manage to muster as he tried to think of how to respond.

"Oh? Is that all you can say?"

Martin was baffled by her reaction. "Why does it matter now?" Inwardly he cringed as he watched the tension build in Louisa.

"It matters because…. Oh, I'm not sure. It's just that when I came back from London she was there, in your kitchen and things looked … cozy."

Martin thought back to that evening and tried to see it from Louisa's perspective. But he couldn't, not really; he was never any good at doing that. "Cozy? She was there to apologize for …something. We hadn't seen each other in years when quite by accident one of my patients came under her care. She stopped in to apologize and we were talking. I've told you all this…"

"So you didn't invite her to your cottage?"

"No."

"Well, what about after that. It seemed like she was around all the time for weeks after that night."

"She um…was curious, I think; about me, about my … blood thing. And then she was writing an article for the Journal of Obstetrics and asked for my help."

"Obstetrics isn't exactly your area though."

"No, it isn't. But I helped her with some of the process and proof read the work. We did that for each other in medical school."

"You seemed to enjoy it, quite a lot…"

Martin felt her eyes on him, studying his physical responses. "I did. It had been some time since I'd…ermmm…had the opportunity for scholarly endeavors."

"So, there was nothing romantic about it? Because it seemed to me that she thought there was."

It suddenly dawned on him, Louisa's interest in Edith Montgomery; she was jealous! But why? He couldn't make sense of it. "Oh. Yes. Well, I only realized that later. She was presenting her paper at a conference in Exeter and asked me along for moral support."

"The conference…yes, I remember. It was when you were leaving for London."

"Right. I ummm… I came home early. Finished packing the kitchen that night." Martin could feel a blush creeping up his neck and looked away, hoping Louisa didn't notice.

"But why?"

"Why did I finish packing?"

"No," she said patiently, too patiently. "Why did you come home early?"

"Oh um, I left the conference early… before Edith made her presentation. Well, while she made it actually."

"But why did you leave, Martin? Did you argue with her? Or did someone else make you angry?"

"What? Errr… no. I didn't expect…." He looked at her and knew he had to tell her everything. "When I got there she had booked us into the same room. It made me uncomfortable. And then she undressed in front of me and…"

"She what?" Martin saw all the warning signs and knew Louisa was about to boil over.

"She needed to change for her presentation. But I had to advise the waiter on his medical condition and the man in the kitchen sliced off his fingertip and I had blood all over me so I went back to the room to change. Housekeeping was there tidying the bed and I changed but as I stood there looking at the bed, I realized I didn't want to stay the night in the room with Edith. So I left."

Louisa blinked and shook her head slightly as she took it all in. "So she took off her clothes in front of you and all you could think about was the waiter?" For once she was grateful for Martin's seemingly single mindedness about all things medical.

"Not exactly," he replied, looking at her wide eyed.

So what did you think about?"

"Um, I'd rather not say…"

"Why not? We weren't together then. It would have been understandable if you wanted to sleep with her." Her voice was sharp.

"But I didn't!" He glanced away and then turned back to her nervously. "Alright then…I was thinking that she… that I would much rather it be you standing there in your underclothes. You're much nicer to look at."

Louisa's eyes widened and began to sparkle. "You thought I would be nicer to look at? Martin, you do remember that I was nine months pregnant at the time, about to burst?"

"Yes well…. At the time I was remembering you before, when we'd been engaged and ... well…" He was blushing furiously; he could feel the heat blazing through his face. "And later when I was looking at the bed and I fully realized what Edith was intending… I couldn't stay."

"Because of me?"

"Yes, because of you. I didn't want to be with Edith; I wanted to be with you. But I thought you didn't want me, I thought that I wouldn't make you happy, and so I finished packing the kitchen to go to London."

Louisa flung herself at him wrapping her arms around his neck. "Oh Martin, that is one of the sweetest things you've ever said to me."

Still somewhat clueless as to what made his Louisa tick, he held her sides as she backed away, her eyes glistening with the hint of tears. "So, you aren't angry?" He had to ask because he couldn't read her at all.

She smiled tentatively as she swiped at a tear. "No. I still wish Edith Montgomery would go away but no, I'm not angry with you." Louisa surprised him by leaning into him and cuddling against him. It was a nice surprise.

"So, today isn't ruined?" he wanted to confirm.

"No, not at all. In fact, I think tonight will be even better after what you've told me."

Martin liked the sound of that, very much so. "Good," he said, almost smiling.