New Doctor at Northmoor Read Free Page A

her then that it would be rather uncomfortable if she suddenly felt this now familiar sensation, when she was riding the bike, especially in traffic.
    She got a grip on herself and heard him saying ‘ ... and I suppose as you might well be connected with some of my future neighbours, there is no harm in telling you that I have every right to be here, as in point of fact, I am intending to complete the purchase of Fairmead and I shall soon be moving in. ‘
    ‘ Moving in? ’ Gwenny whispered. She heard herself whisper that, then the roaring came in her ears and somehow the bike took off and plunged into some nearby bushes, and the ground came up and hit her smartly in the face.

 
    CHAPTER II
    When she opened her eyes again, she found she was on the purple velvet couch in the second-best sitting — room. The curtains—purple with gilt tassels—looked much more dusty than when she had last seen them, and one of the pictures was slightly askew.
    ‘ Hadn ’ t you better straighten the Judge? ’ she asked weakly. ‘ He ’ s Mrs. Walker ’ s great-uncle—or are you going to buy him too ?’
    ‘ You ’ d better just lie quietly, ’ the dark young man suggested.
    ‘ You didn ’ t tell me your name, ’ she reminded him. ‘ I can ’ t say “ Oy ” or “ You ” , and it so happens I ’ ve several things I want to say to you. ’
    ‘ Drink this, and be quiet, ’ he told her.
    ‘ What is it? I ’ m not supposed to drink any old thing that someone else gives me. My father will skin me as it is, when he finds out Mrs. Yeedon made me drink a tisane she ’ d made. ’
    ‘ Who is Mrs. Yeedon, and why should your father feel so strongly about what you do? ’
    ‘Mrs. Yeedon lives in one of the cottages, and she makes herb teas and she used to cure people, and my father doesn ’ t like that, naturally. ’
    ‘ Well, never mind your father ’ s likes and dislikes. Drink this up and tell me a few things about yourself — unless you ’ d rather I drove you to your own doctor. It must be one or the other, I ’ m afraid. ’
    ‘ Why must it? ’ Gwenn asked in surprise. ‘ Don ’ t be silly, I ’ m all right now. And I ’ m telling you, aren ’ t I? My father is looking after me. ’
    ‘ Yes, I ’ m sure he is, but who is your doctor? ’ he asked her.
    ‘ My father is, ’ Gwenny told him, with over-emphasized patience. And then she remembered to tell him who her father was. ‘ He is Dr . Kinglake and he practises in Bittleby and we live in Queen ’ s Heath—that ’ s the nearest village. My, you are a stranger to these parts !’
    ‘ So it would seem, ’ he said rather grimly, but he was surprised, too, she noticed, and rather bothered.
    After a lengthy pause, he said, ‘ Do you often have these attacks? ’
    ‘ It wasn ’ t an attack. I just felt a little woozy, and if I told my father that, he ’ d skin me and say I was pulling his leg. You leave me alone! I shall be all right. I cycled here and I can cycle back. Oh, what a shame — I ’ ve just remembered. If you ’ re going to buy this place, I shan ’ t be able to come here any more, unless you let me come and say hallo to all the old ladies. ‘
    ‘ Old ladies? ’ That really startled him. ‘ What old ladies ?’
    ‘ The ones who will come and live in the home, of course. Everyone says this is only fit for an old people ’ s home. That ’ s why my — I say, you are going to turn it into a home, aren ’ t you ?’ she finished rather anxiously.
    ‘ Indeed I am not, ’ he said quite definitely. ‘ I intend to have it redecorated and come and live here. ’
    She swayed a little, at that. He took her by the arms and he said, ‘ Look here, you ’ re not well. Do you understand? You simply must tell your father or go to the hospital. Northmoor isn ’ t all that far away, and it ’ s good enough. ’
    ‘ Why don ’ t you tell my father how you feel about it, then? ’ She felt rather hysterical at the thought. She could