Killing Me Softly Read Free Page A

into the chair, she grumbled, ‘How do you manage to make me feel like a ten-year-old?’
    ‘That’s a trade secret.’ His brows lowered as he studied her face then sat back in his chair. ‘And in answer to your question, no, Catriona hasn’t had any further setbacks. In fact, there have been moments, like you’ve reported, where she seems more aware. It’s one of the reasons I’m allowing you to try this.’ He sat forward, clenching his hands together on his desk top. ‘What I wanted to get at was . . . You do know the huge responsibility looking after Catriona will entail? Even though she doesn’t seem to be quite as cut off from the world as she once was, things will still be very difficult. Your life will never truly be your own.’
    ‘My life hasn’t been my own for a very long time.’
    His brow wrinkled further. ‘No, perhaps not. Still . . . ’ he paused, lifting his glasses to rub the bridge of his nose. ‘You don’t have to take on such a burden. You have your own life to live.’
    ‘There is no-one else, Doctor Carlton. She can’t stay here forever. I can’t do that to her.’
    ‘She doesn’t know where she is.’
    ‘You don’t know that for certain. Especially since she’s shown signs of engaging with things around her.’ Lexi shook her head. ‘You can’t change my mind. I have to do this.’
    Sighing, he reached for the folder with the release forms. ‘But you don’t want to do this.’
    ‘I didn’t say that.’ She bristled and took in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. She always forgot how perceptive he was. She supposed the trait was necessary to his job. ‘Doctor Carlton, I know you mean well but—’
    ‘You’re not my patient. And you’re telling me as nicely as you can to keep my rather large nose out of your business. Am I right?’
    Her lips twitched. ‘I wouldn’t have said your nose was large.’
    He chuckled. ‘Very well.’ He reached for the file in front of him. ‘I hear Billy has left his job to become Catriona’s physical therapist.’
    Lexi nodded. ‘I’m so lucky to have him. I know I can’t do this by myself.’ She angled him a look. ‘He knows Cat.’ She shrugged as if that said it all. ‘And added to that, my housekeeper used to be a nurse and has said she’d help, so I don’t have to hire a nurse.’
    ‘Yes, you’ve told me about her. I’m sure Cat will have the best of care. And what you’ve done with the place is remarkable. I thought you quite mad when you showed me the original photos. It seemed like one of those projects from that Grand Designs show my Maureen loves.’ He tapped the file.
    Lexi craned her head and saw the photographs of the original building alongside the more recent ones after the renovations. She was filled with a sudden flush of pride.
    ‘It looks magnificent. This tower on the side fascinates me. And the crenels around the roof. Was it a castle at some stage?’
    She nodded, reaching across and pointing to the left-hand side of the photograph. ‘Yes. That’s the original keep. I like to think the rest grew around it.’
    He nodded. ‘I would imagine it’s fairly isolated, though.’
    She smiled. ‘I love it.’
    ‘I bet you do, lass. I bet you do.’ He pushed his glasses back into his hair, folded his hands over the photos and met her gaze. ‘You’ve done a wonderful job. Catriona will feel safe. I’m sure with Billy at the helm she’ll receive even better physical therapy than she does here.’ He cleared his throat. ‘But I worry. I do hope the both of you don’t have any false hopes. Catriona’s condition is serious and the longer she stays like this, the less chance there is of her ever recovering fully. This is a huge burden you’re taking on.’
    Lexi looked down at her hands, steadying their nervous picking before looking up into his sympathetic eyes. She couldn’t let him see how nervous she felt. She wanted her sister to come and live with her. She did. Naturally she had