Gina’s face broke into the happiest smile he’d ever seen.

‘Thank you. That’s the nicest thing anyone’s said to me since-since I went deaf.’

He frowned. ‘But you seem to be hearing me quite normally. Are you saying you’ve been lip-reading all this time?’

‘Oh, no. I have a cochlear implant that helps me. I can hear most things, but if there’s background noise I sometimes miss a few words.’

Before her eyes he changed. A heaviness seemed to settle over him. ‘I see,’ he said. ‘I never suspected-’

‘Why should you? Apart from the odd moment, I’m just like everyone else.’

‘Yes, of course. Forgive me. I was just thinking-’

Gina watched him in dismay. She knew exactly what he was thinking. She was used to people who flinched at the word deaf, who couldn’t cope with even the thought.

But not this man, surely? She’d been so sure that he was special that she’d admitted her problem without worrying. Now her heart sank at the thought that he might be no better than the others.

The discovery hurt, but she couldn’t escape it. There was no mistaking the chill, withdrawn look that had come over his face. He no longer knew what to say to her.

To her relief she saw Dan hurrying towards her, dodging between the tables. ‘Darling, I’m so sorry I’m late. Something came up…’

Carson rose quickly. ‘I gather this is your date. I won’t keep you.’ He nodded politely at Dan and walked away.

‘Who was that?’ Dan asked, kissing her on the cheek.

‘Carson Page. I bashed his car.’

‘Good grief! The Carson Page? Darling, you shouldn’t have let him go so easily. He’s a big man.’

‘No, he isn’t,’ Gina said with a little sigh. ‘He’s just like all the rest.’

The next afternoon, the receptionist called to say that there had been a delivery for Gina. Dulcie was deep in correspondence, so Gina went out herself. And that was how she saw Carson Page arriving, accompanied by a little boy of about eight. The child had a pale, intelligent face, and he looked nervous.