[Harlequin] - Elisabeth Scott - The Disturbing Dr. Sheldon (txt), Ksiazki, txt, ebook, pdf

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THE DISTURBING DR SHELDONbyELISABETH SCOTTCHAPTER ONEThrough the long months of waiting, Alison had thought and dreamed ofthe moment when she would see David again.Somehow, though, in her thoughts and in her dreams, their meetingalways took place in Edinburgh. Under the shadow of Castle Rock, inbusy and bustling Princes Street, or at the big hospital where they hadboth trained.Instead, he was waiting for her at Windhoek airport, and even in thatfirst moment she could see how much he had changed. His fair hair wassun-bleached against the unaccustomed brown of his face. But thechange went deeper than that. There was a new strength, a newconfidence about him.The clear brightness of the Namibian light, the strangeness of thevoices around her-she could hear German, and Afrikaans, she thought,because it sounded a little like Dutch, and a variety of otherlanguages from the black people around-all this contributed to theunreal feeling of being with David again, here, and not in the placesthat were familiar to both of them."It's good to see you, Alison," he said, and he hugged her, his lipsbrushing her cheek.In a brotherly way, Alison thought with sudden bleakness.And yet, she reminded herself as she followed him through the rows ofparked cars, that was exactly what he would have been if Cathy hadn'tdied. Her brother-well, brother-in-law.In the car, he looked down at her.DID YOU PURCHASE THIS BOOK WITHOUT A COVER?If you did, you should be aware it is stoleq property as it wasreported unsold and destroyed by a retailer. Neither the Author northe publisher has received any payment for this book.All the characters in this book have no existence outside theimagination of the aa thor and have no relation whatsoever to anyonebearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspiredby any individual known or an known to the author, and all theincidents are i pure invention. All rights reserved including theright of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition ispublished by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B. V. The lextof this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, inclading photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrievalsystem, or otherwise, without the written permission of the pablisher.!This book is sold sabject to the condition that it shall not, by way oftrade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulatedwithout the prior consent of the publisher in any form of binding orcover other than that in which it is published and without a similarcondition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent 'purchaser. 'MILLS & BOON, the Rose Device and LOVE ON CALL are trademarks of thepublisher. ! Harlequin Mills & Boon Limited, Eton House,18-24Paradise Road, Richmond, Surrey 7W9 ISR ! This edition pqiblished byarrangement with Harleqain Enterprises B. V. (C) Elisabeth Scott 1996ISBN 0263794989 ISet in Times 10 on 10q/ pt. by Rowland Phototypesetting Limited BurySt. Edmunds, Suffolk 03-9603-49246 Made and, printed in Great BritainCover illustration by Andy Lloyd lones iCHAPTER ONETHRouGH the long months of waiting, Alison had thought and dreamed ofthe moment when she would see David again.Somehow, though, in her thoughts and in her dreams, their meetingalways took place in Edinburgh. Under the shadow of Castle Rock, inbusy and bustling Princes Street, or at the big hospital where they hadboth trained.Instead, he was waiting for her at Windhoek airport, and even in thatfirst moment she could see how much he had changed. His fair hair wassun-bleached against the unaccustomed brown of his face. But thechange went deeper than that. There was a new strength, a newconfidence about him.The clear brightness of the Namibian light, the strangeness of thevoices around her-she could hear German, and Afrikaans, she thought,because it sounded a little like Dutch, and a variety of otherlanguages from the black people around-all this contributed to theunreal feeling of being with David again, here, and not in the placesthat were familiar to both of them."It's good to see you, Alison," he said, and he hugged her, his lipsbrushing her cheek.In a brotherly way, Alison thought with sudden bleakness.And yet, she reminded herself as she followed him through the rows ofparked cars, that was exactly what he would have been if Cathy hadn'tdied. Her brother-well, brother-in-law.In the car, he looked down at her."Look," David said. "The three castles.""I hope you're going to like it here," he said doubtqlly'It's a verydifferent life, you know. Whatever She had read about them, thesethree Germanmade you decide to apply for the post here?" lookingcastles, and there they were on the skyline,Oh, David; she thought, not sure whether she felt incongruous, with theheat of the African sky burning closer to laughter or to tears. David,can you really down on them. be that blind? The Alte Fest," he saidthen. "It's the oldest building y in Windhoek-but that's only in amanner of speaking.She couldn t, of course say, I came because of ou. I came because Ithought that perhaps now, after two It was built around 1890. Used tobe the military fort years , you might be read to turn to me. And,since now it's a museum, and a restaurant. We'll have a It didn't lookas if ou wy ere going to come back to meal there some time." me, I'vecome to you. And in spite of her sensible reminder to herself toNo, she couldn't say any of that. accept the brotherly way he hadgreeted her her heart"I suppose it's the old Scottish sense of adventure gave a small leapof hope. she sald lightly. "New countries, new horizons, new"But you don't want a guided tour right now," he challenges. Thanksfor your help with the work permit said. "You must be tired. I'lltake you to the flat, and by the way I hadn't realised it might be aproblem." I'll show you where the clinic is, and I'll leave you toHe shrugged. get settled in.""Red tape," he told her. "When I came here they The flat he had foundfor her was just off the main gave me a temporary permit-three months,like the street-the street that used to be called the Kaiserone youhave. They renewed it twice, and now I have strasse, he told her, butwas now Independence a year's permit. It's always possible, withspecial skills, Avenue. and when you phoned me I told the board thatwe "It's just round the corner from the clinic-you couldn't afford tomiss the chance of a sister with surgi- come out here, turn left, andthat's it," he said. "You cal ward training, coming from my oldhospital. did say you'd like a furnished flat, for a start, andFortunately, they agreed." when I heard about this it seemed ideal.The girlShe had barely been taking in the countryside around who owns it hasbeen transferred to Cape Town for her, but now, because she had tothink of something a year." other than the matter-of-fact briskness ofDavid's The flat was small, but pleasant and cool after the voice, shelooked out, and in spite of what she had heat of the day. And all atonce she was tired, she read, in spite of the photos David's mother hadshown realised, after the long flight. her, the bleakness of the landshook her."Will you be all right?" David asked a little doubtfully " "Miles and miles of nothin David said. You et as he set her suitcasedown. "I have to get back to the , g, g used to it, Alison.hospital-you're not due to start work until tomorrow,And then, suddenly, they were driving between rows but, if you do feelyou want to have a look, come of houses, and she could see vividbougainvillea, round. Ask for me, and I'll take you to meet Matron."purple, pink, and red, and a bright orange creeper Once again his llpsbrushed her cheek, and then he covering walls and doorways. was gone.Alison looked down from the balcony-no,the stoep, David had called it-and watched his tall figure stridingtowards his car.For a moment she felt totally abandoned and totally alone. And, forthe first time, she wondered if she had made a mistake coming here. Hermother certainly thought so."You're going because of David," she had said flatly, and there hadn'tbeen much point in denying that. Then, unsteadily, she had asked, "Oh,Alison, love, are you sure you should go?"There had only been one answer."I have to Mum," Alison had said simply.She opened her suitcase and began to put her clothes in the built-inwardrobe in the small bedroom. Her uniforms were ready to wear, andsomehow the sight of her badge from St. Margaret's gave her a spurt ofconfidence.She caught sight of herself in the mirror, and after a moment shelifted her chin defiantly. The girl in the mirror immediately lookedmore sure of herself. Her clear grey eyes were steady, her mouth firmin the oval face, framed by the thick, shoulder-length brown hair.From her sultcase Alison lifted her photographs, and set them on thedressing-table. Her mother and father, with the old spaniel, Mac, attheir feet. Her grandmother , smiling at her.And then, her hands not quite steady, she lifted out the photograph ofCathy and herself together.Cathy, her beloved older sister. Cathy, who had died in a car crashtwo years ago.In the photo Cathy's hair, a little darker than Alison's, was blowingacross her face, and she had one hand lifted, brushing it away. Theywere both laughing, the two sisters.We often laughed together, Alison thought, remembering , and once againthe pain of losing Cathy swept over ... [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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