Mills and Boon Christmas Joy Collection. Liz Fielding

hesitated. What next? She walked back along the corridor and paused at Annabelle’s door. Her heart was still thudding after that horrible few seconds of thinking something might be wrong.

      She couldn’t put Annabelle back into her bed and risk it happening again. She’d need to talk to Brigette and Alex in the morning to see if this was normal for Annabelle. No one had mentioned it, and she knew in some kids it was common, but she couldn’t risk Annabelle walking near the stairs again.

      She walked back into her own room. There was plenty of space in her bed for both of them. At least then she’d know that Annabelle was safe.

      Her eyes were still open. Ruby had no idea if it was just an automatic response in sleepwalking, or if on some level Annabelle was actually awake.

      The little arms wound around her neck. Thank goodness for automatic reactions. Ruby just started to rock her.

      Familiarity. That was what she needed for this little girl.

      She kept her in her arms and walked next door, picking up Annabelle’s favourite movie and taking it with her.

      Background noise. That was all it needed to be. Something familiar so that if Annabelle woke up she’d be comfortable.

      Ruby reached her hand out, juggling the weight of Annabelle on the other arm as she opened the case and slid the DVD inside the player.

      They settled back on the bed. Annabelle adjusted her position. She seemed comfortable in Ruby’s lap and made no attempt to move. Ruby piled the pillows around them. If they were here for the long haul they might as well be comfortable.

      The screen lit up bright blue as the titles for Finding Nemo appeared. Her own ‘go to’ film as well as Annabelle’s favourite. She loved it just as much as any child, and had yet to meet a kid who wasn’t enthralled by it.

      Annabelle seemed to settle back against her and that was when Ruby really started to listen. She’d already heard Annabelle whimper. She had no doubt that on a physical basis the little girl could form sounds. The diagnosis of selective mutism seemed the most appropriate. She wondered if Annabelle spoke in any situation.

      She seemed a little more awake now, but she hadn’t made any sign to Ruby. Her head was definitely turned towards the TV screen, and she didn’t seem to have any objection to being in Ruby’s bed.

      A new thought crossed her mind, completely unrelated to the sleepwalking. Company. This little girl wanted company.

      And then it started. Little noises. Little sounds. Gasps when Nemo’s mother disappeared. Small, slow body movements along with the music, and then—eventually—a little hum. Ruby did nothing. She didn’t react at all. Just listened as Annabelle hummed along. A smile danced across the little girl’s face. She was enthralled—lost in the story. Perfect. Just perfect.

      She was only three. Her speech wasn’t really too delayed. Maybe Annabelle needed a little encouragement and coaching instead of assessing and prodding. She would have to choose her words carefully when she explained all this to Alex. There was no magic wand that she could wave here. Annabelle had to be allowed to develop at her own pace.

      Ruby settled back against the pillows. Annabelle’s eyes were getting heavy. She would fall asleep soon—and then Ruby could think about this a little more...

      * * *

      ‘Ruby!’

      Her eyes shot open. The first thing that struck her was the crick in her neck. The second thing that struck her was the three people standing in the doorway—all of them staring at her.

      She tried to push herself up, but Annabelle was still curled in her lap, sleeping. Ruby couldn’t even begin to imagine what she looked like—rumpled clothes, hair sticking up in every direction but the right one, and more than likely pillow creases on her face.

      Brigette, Rufus and Alexander were standing in the doorway, three sets of eyes fixed on her. She tried to edge herself out from under Annabelle without disturbing her. The curtains were still drawn and the TV was flickering on the wall.

      Alex rushed across the room. ‘What on earth is going on? Why is Annabelle in here?’ He seemed furious. ‘Have you any idea what I thought when I saw her bed was empty?’

      He was shouting now, unable to contain his anger.

      Of course. The same horrible thought she’d had for a few seconds last night, when she’d saw Annabelle’s empty bed. The horror. The worry.

      She couldn’t get the words out quickly enough. ‘I’m sorry. I found her sleepwalking last night. She was close to the top of the stairs. I just grabbed her. Then I didn’t know whether to try and wake her or not, so I brought her in here. I was worried she might do it again.’

      Alex reached over and lifted his still sleeping little girl out of the bed. ‘Sleepwalking? Why didn’t you call me? Why didn’t you call Brigette?’

      He was angry with her.

      ‘I’m her father. You should have come and got me if there was something wrong with Annabelle.’

      Ruby shook her head. She understood his anger. She understood those seconds of panic.

      ‘There was no one around, Alex. I had no idea if sleepwalking was normal for Annabelle or not. And she seemed to settle with me really quickly. She just wanted some comfort. I did plan to talk to you about it today.’

      Alex shot her a look that left her in no doubt about his feelings. He didn’t even say another word. Just turned and walked out of the room with Annabelle in his arms, still asleep.

      She turned to Brigette. The last thing she wanted to do was get Annabelle’s nanny in trouble. ‘I’m sorry, Brigette. I knew you had a migraine. I didn’t want to wake you when I felt as if I could deal with Annabelle on my own.’

      Brigette brushed past her too, leaving Rufus the last person to lock his beady eyes on hers.

      She sighed. ‘I’m going to take a shower and get dressed.’

      Rufus tutted at her and then spun on his heels and left.

       Great. Just great.

      Now she was awake a little more she wanted to shout at them all to come back and tell them to calm down.

      Annabelle was fine. They should talk about her sleepwalking and put steps in place to keep her safe.

      But common sense told her this wasn’t the time.

      * * *

      He hadn’t spoken to Ruby in four days.

      It was ridiculous. He’d snapped at her when there had been no reason to. But when Rufus had bustled along the corridor to tell him Annabelle was missing he’d panicked. He could have broken speed records with his bolt along the corridor.

      The thought of something happening to his daughter... He couldn’t even allow his brain to contemplate it.

      But seeing Ruby asleep on the bed with Annabelle in her arms had knocked the wind from his heels.

      After the instant relief he’d felt a wave of anger.

      Their heads resting next to each other, the mish-mash of blonde curls and long brown hair, the way Ruby had been sheltering Annabelle in her arms had consumed him with an unexpected rage he hadn’t felt in a long time.

      She couldn’t know that, against advice, on lots of occasions Sophia had taken Annabelle in to sleep next to her. She could never imagine that the impact of seeing his little girl in someone else’s arms would flood him with unspeakable guilt.

      He hadn’t loved Sophia the way people thought he had. He had loved her like a best friend. A best friend who’d been cheated out of sleeping next to their little girl and seeing her grow up.

      If Sophia was here now he was almost sure Annabelle wouldn’t have any problems with her speech.