Free A Child in Need by Marion Lennox Page B

spun. The sight made Nick’s stomach churn, especially after all those chips…
    â€˜That’s another fine idea,’ Shanni said roundly, fixing Nick with a look that defied him to refuse the child. ‘Hop right up.’
    But suddenly Harry wasn’t so sure.
    â€˜It’s high.’
    â€˜Nick will help you on—won’t you, Nick?’
    Oh, of course! He was getting almost past argument. So he hopped up onto the platform and lifted Harry onto a horse—and then, before he knew what she was about, the platform started to spin. Shanni, devilment in her eyes, had started to push.
    â€˜Hey…’ He clutched the handle-cum-bridle, his hands over Harry’s small ones, and held on for dear life. ‘Stop!’
    â€˜It’s okay, Nick! I can spin you both.’ She was using both hands, running, shoving the platform around into free whirl. Her hair was flying, there was mischief sparking in her eyes and she was laughing up at both of them. ‘Hold on, Harry!’
    Hold on, Harry? What about him ? ‘Shanni, let me off.’
    â€˜You won’t fall if you hold on,’ Harry said kindly. And then, as the platform sped up, he threw back his head and smiled shyly up at Nick. ‘This is fun!’
    Fun!
    But Harry’s smile was infectious—and so was the way Shanni was laughing at them as she spun them around and around and around. He was way out of control and this woman had him so mesmerised there wasn’t a thing he could do about it. ‘I’ve been set up,’ he managed weakly. ‘You machiavellian…’
    â€˜Drat, you’ve found my true nature.’ She chortled and ran on. ‘There’s nothing for it but to spin you faster. And faster and faster and faster…’
    She did just that. Nick held on, standing above Harry and, whether he realised it or not, he was playing the protector. Because Harry was holding on as if his life depended on it, he was spinning and spinning, but his Nick was right above him and he knew his Nick wouldn’t let him fall.
    And suddenly it was…magic? The sun shone warmly down on their heads. The waves washed in and out on the beach below them. They spun and they spun, and Shanni pushed and ran and pushed and smiled…and watched both these males.
    And she wondered…
    â€˜Shanni!’
    It couldn’t last. Fifteen minutes pushing was surely enough for any child—and Nick was all set to lose his chips!—but somehow he’d quelled his protests and it wasn’t Harry who stopped them. The yell came from theroad, and Nick looked over to find Shanni’s John heading straight for them.
    Good old dependable John, Nick thought wryly, watching him hurrying across the sand-hills as they spun. The look on his face said he was here to save his Shanni from any danger. But from which of them? From the psychotic three-year-old or the slick city lawyer?
    John must have decided it was fate worse than death for Shanni to be stuck with such a combination, Nick thought humourlessly. Little did John know his beloved had engineered the whole thing—including stranding him on this devilish platform. It was Nick who needed saving!
    But John only had eyes for Shanni. No matter. John was welcome to save Shanni all he liked, Nick decided, but then he felt bitterness behind the thought—and the sensation jolted him.
    What on earth did he have to be bitter about? he demanded incredulously of himself. This girl was nothing to do with him, and neither was the man she intended to marry.
    â€˜Shanni…love…’
    The roundabout slowed as Shanni’s attention was distracted. Thank heaven… Nick abandoned his horse, staggered off, lurched as his feet hit solid earth and then tried to stop his world from falling right over.
    Good grief… And Harry was looking at him as if he was wondering why Nick had climbed off!
    â€˜John.’ Shanni had smiled a welcome as