Authors: Patricia Scanlan
City Lives
Patricia Scanlan was born in Dublin, where she still lives. Her books have sold worldwide and have been translated into many languages. Patricia is the series editor and a
contributing author to the
Open Door
series. She also teaches creative writing to second-level students and is involved in Adult Literacy.
Find out more by visiting Patricia Scanlan on Facebook.
Also by Patricia Scanlan
Apartment 3B
Finishing Touches
Foreign Affairs
Promises, Promises
Mirror Mirror
Francesca’s Party
Two for Joy
Double Wedding
Divided Loyalties
Coming Home
Trilogies
City Girl
City Lives
City Woman
Forgive and Forget
Happy Ever After
Love and Marriage
With All My Love
A Time for Friends
First published in Ireland by Poolbeg Press, 1999
This paperback edition published by Simon & Schuster UK Ltd, 2015
A CBS COMPANY
Copyright © Patricia Scanlan 1999
This book is copyright under the Berne Convention.
No reproduction without permission.
® and © 1997 Simon & Schuster Inc. All rights reserved.
The right of Patricia Scanlan to be identified as author of this work has been asserted in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act,
1988.
Simon & Schuster UK Ltd
1st Floor
222 Gray’s Inn Road
London WC1X 8HB
Simon & Schuster Australia, Sydney
Simon & Schuster India, New Delhi
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
PB ISBN: 978-1-47114-115-7
EBOOK ISBN: 978-1-47114-116-4
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to
actual people living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Printed and bound by CPI Group (UK) Ltd, Croydon, CR0 4YY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
May your love be upon us O Lord,
as we place all our hope in you.
(Psalm 33).
Thank you, Lord for the love that surrounds me.
There were many joyful and loving moments during the writing of this book, especially when the final chapter was completed. I am so blessed with the love and friendship of such
wonderful family and friends, I could write a
book
of acknowledgements!
Special thanks:
To my mother and father who give such love and support.
To Mary and Henry and Yvonne and Donald who kept me going right through and who fed and watered me in Wicklow and wouldn’t let me do any washing-up either, so as not to
keep me from the computer!
To Dermot who’s always getting me out of fixes, and to Catherine who never minds.
To Paul and Lucy and Hugh and Rose, always supportive and encouraging.
To Fiona, Caitriona, Patrick, Laura, Rebecca, and Tara and to Miss Rachel Bellew who has all of us wrapped around her little finger. I’m so lucky to have such beautiful
nieces and a very special nephew.
To Maureen, a very dear godmother.
To the friends who are always there.
To Breda Purdue . . . what giggles we’ve had. And loads more to come. Everyone should have a Breda in their life. Dear Breda, thanks for everything.
To Sarah Lutyens, Felicity Rubinstein, and Susannah Godman, my three adopted sisters. The good times came, and we’re having fun. For all the love and encouragement you
send winging my way a million thanks. I’m really looking forward to our next ‘posh’ lunch. To Francesca Liversidge, a
wonderful
editor. It’s been a joy to work with
you and an even greater joy to know that you’re a real friend. I’m so lucky. I bet it’s not every author who has editing sessions in Fortnum & Mason!! Here’s to the next
one.
To Annette Tallon . . . a very honest, courageous and special lady.
To Deirdre Purcell . . . a super talented woman who gives so much to everyone and not enough to herself.
To Anne Schulman, thanks for all the encouragement and especially for the lovely letter that came at just the right time.
To Geraldine Crowley and Helen and Brenda for coming to my rescue. It was the best photocopied manuscript, ever.
To Margaret Daly. We still have to have our ‘elbows on the table’ lunch!
To Jo O’Donoghue my first editor who was with me for
City Girl
and
City Woman.
For all that you taught me, Jo, and for being a great editor. Thanks.
To Debbie Sheehy. I want an acknowledgement in
your
book. Keep writing!!!
To Anne Jensen who helped more than she will ever know. Dear Anne may your life be full of joy.
To Catherine MacLiam. A great art teacher and a very talented artist. Thanks for all the happy hours and for all the scrumptious lunches. To Sheila O’Flanagan. Hang in
there, Sheila, good times are coming and what a celebration we will have!!
To Chris Green. Thanks for the hug, just when I needed it most.
To Gareth O’Callaghan, Cathy Kelly, Marian Keyes, Lia Mills, Louise Cooper, Anne Wiley and Aoibhinn Hogan, for all the Keep-in-Touch phonecalls.
To the Shy Man who won’t let me write his name. You’re a joy and a blessing in my life.
To Alil O Shaughnessy . . . it was a
terrific
prescription! You’re a pal.
To Tony Kavanagh who gets told everything whether he likes it or not. Thanks for being a great mate.
To Kieran Connolly . . . Now I have seen . . . What can I say? I’m speechless!! It was awesome!!!!!
To Dr Frankie Fine. We have great laughs. You’re the best!
To Peter Orford. For a great kindness during a difficult time.
To the
very
busy Michael McLoughlin for deigning to ring now and again.
To all in Transworld, I’d love to thank everyone by name. But you all know how much I appreciate and value your kindness. It’s a pleasure and fun to be part of the
‘family’.
To all my friends in the book trade. You know who you are. Thanks for all the support.
To Nikki, Jean, Pauline, Louise, and Laura, in Nikki’s Hair Studio. Thanks for all the kindness.
To all in Mac’s Gym who
try
and keep me on my toes.
To Eileen and Carmel in Kilbride Post Office for being so helpful.
To Catherine, John, Jennifer, Anthony, Alison, Gillian, Emma, Lorna, and Ryan . . . the Wicklow gang.
To my friends in Massey butchers in Ballygall who want to call my next novel ‘Strip Loin’. ‘Himself’ loved the steak!
To everyone who buys and enjoys my novels. Thank you.
To my Anam
C
ara, who gave me the most Perfect Day of my life. I would never have written this book without him.
Never stop trying to succeed. It’s always the last key that opens the lock.
Nancy Woods
One
DEVLIN
Devlin Delaney’s hands shook as she took the slim wand from its packet. In a few minutes she’d know if her dearest wish was to be granted. To be pregnant with
Luke’s baby would make her happy beyond belief.
Her blue eyes darkened in sadness. How different this was from when she’d first thought she was pregnant all those years ago. How frightened she’d been. So young and naïve and
single. Deluding herself that her boss and seducer, the eminent and respected gynaecologist Colin Cantrell-King, loved her and would stand by her. That had been a forlorn wish. Colin had packed her
off to an abortion clinic in England.
Devlin shivered as she remembered her desperation and fear in that place, all the doubts and anxieties that had beset her. She’d felt as though she was swimming in the darkest, thickest
fog . . . alone. And then the morning she was due to have the termination she’d simply packed her bags and walked out of the clinic and never looked back.
Her baby, Lynn, the greatest joy of her life, had changed her from a spoilt, rather selfish young woman to one who took responsibility for her actions and in the process became caring, strong
and motivated.
Devlin swallowed and tears blurred her eyes. Her baby’s death in a car crash had quenched her spirit so completely that she’d thought she’d never climb out of the darkness.
But then Luke had come into her life, sent to her like a guardian angel. They’d gone into business, created the luxurious City Girl health and leisure complex, and, in the process, fallen
in love and married. Luke was her rock. The greatest blessing in her life. And he was waiting anxiously in the bedroom to know if he was going to be a father.