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A Question of TrustbyMaggie KingsleyCHAPTER ONE.BRIDIE gazed at her senior partner in clear dismay."But Simon looks forward to helping me out at the practice when you goon holiday, A.ndrew," she protested' He loves it-you know he does. Hesays it's the only opportunity he ever gets to talk to patients normallythey're fast asleep on his operating table!"Andrew Weston thrust his hand through his shock of white hair ruefully."I know that, my dear, but Jack's the son of one of my oldest friends,and when I heard he was at a bit of a loose end at the moment Ithought-""You thought I could wet-nurse him for a while," she sighed. " Oh,Andrew, I need an experienced doctor to help me while you're away-adoctor who knows the area-not some spotty-faced kid fresh out of medschool who'll spend half his time phoning the surgery to say he's gotlost.""Jack's not-""What did Simon say when you told him we wouldn't be using him thisyear?" she demanded."He was fine-said he quite understood.""Well, lucky old Simon."Andrew chuckled. " Look, it's only for three weeks, Bridie, and Jack'san excellent doctor. In fact, he's" Spare me the eulogy," sheinterrupted as she followed him down the stairs. " I'd rather find outwhat kind of doctor he is for myself. So when's this boy wonder due toarrive?""Some time this afternoon. I thought he could have the green bedroomShe caught his arm quickly. " You've asked him to stay here?"Andrew stared at his shoes uncomfortably. " It seemed a bit stupid toput him up in a hotel when there's so much room in this big old house ofmine. ' Bridie groaned. " So not only am I going to have to put upwith this qack.. Jack...?""Jack Culrain.""Jack Culrain all day, I'm going to be stuck with him in the eveningsas well? No wonder you waited until the last possible moment to tellme!"His lips twitched. " Let's just say I guessed you wouldn't exactly beover the moon at the idea."She shook her head. " You're a coward, do you know that, Andrew Weston?A nine-carat lity-livered coward! ' He hung his head, and despite herannoyance she began to laugh. " It's no good you standing therepretending to be all apologetic when I know damn well you're not,Andrew. I hope your maggots, or whatever those disgusting things arethat you use for bait, fail to attract even so much as a tadpole thisyear; I hope you break your favourite rod-you deserve some punishmentfor landing me in it like this.""It will be all right, Bridie, I just know it will," her senior partnerdeclared as he began piling his suitcases into the boot of his car. "Jack's very likeable, and you won't have to entertain him oranything-he's used to shifting for himself.""He'd better be."He paused uncertainly, recognising the tone in her voice. " You bepleasant to him-do you hear me, Bridie? The last thing I want is himthrowing in the towel after a couple of days."She opened her eyes wide. " Why, Dr. Weston, any one would thinkyou're suggesting I'm some kind of ogre. ' He grinned. " You're softas butter with your patients, my girl, but I've seen you in a temper ifyou think someone's not pulling their weight and it made even my poorold heart quail, I can tell you.""Is Dr. Culrain a sensitive soul, then?" she murmured, her eyesgleaming. " Oh, the poor diddums.""Bridie!"She chuckled. " OK, OK, I promise I'll do my very best not to upset hisdelicate young ego. Just remember this, Andrew," she added as sheclosed the car door after him, "you owe me for this-and you owe me big!"Andrew's deep, throaty laugh drifted back to her as he drove away.It was all very well for him, she thought vexedly as she went backinside the house and up the stairs. He was going to be safely out ofthe way, sitting by some peaceful loch, while she was left to carry thecan with a newly qualified doctor who was a stranger into the bargain. Alo cum like that was going to be no help at all in a rural Scottishpractice where nobody bothered with such mundane things as signposts orhouse plaques.A malicious smile crossed her face. The first time this Jack Culraingot lost she'd leave him to stew in his own juice for a couple of hours,and that would teach him to arrive uninvited and unwanted.Her smile disappeared, however, as she collected some fresh sheets fromthe laundry cupboard and took them through to the green bedroom. Itmade sense to have this Jack Culrain stay here; it made sense, but itdidn't mean she had to like it.In the five years since she'd joined Andrew in his Perth-shire practiceshe had come to regard his home as her own, and now her comfortable,quiet existence was was going to be disrupted by the arrival of someovereager young doctor brim-full of the latest ideas.She frowned deeply, and then shook her head and chuckled out loud. God,she was beginning to sound like some middle-aged, disapproving matron,and she was only twenty-nine-correction, she'd be thirty in a couple ofmonths, but she was getting to the age when those few months mattered."Come on, Bridie," she told herself firmly as she made up the bed andbegan tidying the room. " It's no big deal. In three weeks he'll begone and things can return to normal."Within half an hour she was finished and stood back to survey the roomwith a critical eye. It looked neat and tidy, and that was about all alo cum could expect."Not exactly welcoming, though, is it?" she murmured.Her irritation struggled with her better nature and her better naturewon. Quickly she went down to the garden and picked a few flowers. Shedoubted whether Dr. Culrain would even notice the touch but at least itsalved her conscience to have made some effort for him.She had scarcely put the flowers by the bed when she heard the sound ofa car coming to a halt outside the house-the sound of a very rough carindeed. Curiously she pulled back the curtains, and saw what had to bethe oldest, rustiest Ford ever to have passed its MOT sitting in thedriveway.Her lips curved into a smile. She'd had a car exactly like that whenshe'd first qualified. It had spent more time in the local garage thanit ever had on the road, but how proud she had been of her first set ofwheels.All at once her antagonism deserted her. She could just picture whatthis lo cum would be like-so young, so nervous, so anxious to please-andswiftly she ran down the stairs and threw open the door, a welcomingsmile on her face."Bridie McEwen? I'm Jack Culrain-the lo cum Her first thought as hereyes took in the hip-hugging denims, the checked shirt that wasstretched over a muscular torso, and the face that wasn't young orspotty or nervous was that she was going to kill Andrew. This was noboy just out of med school, but a man of at least thirty-five-and Andrewshould have warned her, prepared her.Her second thought was that no amount of warning could have prepared herfor meeting Jack Culrain. He was without doubt the handsomest man shehad ever seen. He had thick black hair, a deep tan, and a pair ofliquid brown eyes that were regarding her with some amusement."Do you think I might come in?" he said. " Or is the threshold as faras a lowly lo cum ever gets?"She muttered something incoherent in reply and stepped aside, a faintflush of colour on her cheeks. She was definitely going to kill Andrewwhen he came back from his holiday. Why hadn't he told her? Why hadn'the corrected her false impression? At least she might have stood somechance of appearing her normally cool, professional self instead ofstanding gaping at Dr. Culrain like some adolescent schoolgirl."Big house," Jack commented as he followed her along the hallwaytowards the stairs.She pulled herself together quickly. " Andrew bought it shortly afterhe got married. He and his wife were hoping to have a family, but whenthey discovered they couldn't he converted the ground floor into asurgery, dispensary and office. The livingroom, kitchen, study andbedrooms are on the floor above. '"And just the two of you live here?"Was that criticism or just curiosity she heard in his voice? Shecouldn't be sure."Just the two of us live here, yes," she replied. " Would you like tosee the surgery and dispensary, Dr. Culrain, or would you prefer tounpack first?""Unpack, I think-and please, call me Jack."She nodded and led the way up the stairs."I understand Andrew's been a widower for almost ten years.""His wife died of a heart attack nine years ago.""And you've been here five?"There it was again-that tone she couldn't quite identify. " You ask alot of questions," she declared.He smiled. " Just nosy, I guess.""Then the first thing you'd better learn is that in this house werespect one another's privacy," she replied curtly.It was one of the things that had so warmed her to Andrew Weston whenshe'd first joined him. He'd asked no questions and she'd appreciatedhis reticence. It had been a comfortable, healing five years-becomingpart of the community, becoming accepted-and the last thing she wantedwas someone asking questions, prodding at old wounds.Aware that Jack was gazing at her curiously, she quickened her pace. "The sitting room's in here," she continued, opening the door. " Thekitchen's next door and your bedroom's just across" Bridie-that's not aScottish name, is it?""My mother was Irish.""It's pretty-like its owner.""I'm glad you approve," she said evenly."Oh, I do; I most certainly do."She turned round quickly, but the sharp reto... [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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