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“Christ Almighty, are you sure?” Nigel asked, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean, you did definitely…?”Helen glared at him. “Do you think me so simple as to not know when I’m having sex? Really Nigel, that was almost Nikola like!” She rolled her eyes, her cheeks reddening just a touch too much, betraying her true feelings.Nigel held up his hands in surrender. “I never said that Helen!” He grimaced. “Inferred it maybe…” Looking at her across the table, he was suddenly struck by how young she looked, and how frightened. “Bloody hell,” he muttered. “What are you going to do?”Helen shook her head and Nigel saw the tears glistening. “I really haven’t the faintest idea,” she told him, her face contorting to stop the crying before she began. “I just… I needed to tell someone.”Almost without thought, Nigel stepped up next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “You’ll think of something,” he murmured softly, rubbing her upper arm. “And if you don’t, I’m sure Watson and Tesla would be happy to–”The shaking of her head stopped his words. “I can’t have a baby now. John… John said…”He stopped himself from growling, knowing instinctively she didn’t need more anger now, but squeezed her arm gently. “Then you need to talk to James. He will be able to think of something.”She smiled at him, a watery smile brimming with unshed tears. “However did I become so fortunate to count you as a friend?”He smiled back affectionately. “Oh, you’re just lucky, love.”
