The Door Between Read Free Page B

found herself the next moment deposited on the stone lip of the pool beside the little bridge, obeying instructions. She thought she must be dreaming.
    “Now,” said Dr. Scott briskly, squatting beside her. “Let’s see. Ah! Lovely legs. Lovely feet. Lovely arches – I see they haven’t fallen yet. They will … Put ’em in the pool please.”
    For all her secret misery and confusion Eva began to enjoy the situation; it was mad and romantic, like something out of a fluffy book. He was a rather unusual doctor, she admitted grudgingly to herself; the reports hadn’t at all exaggerated.
    “Lovely,” repeated Dr. Scott thoughtfully.
    Eva was astounded to feel a jealous pang. He had done this sort of nonsensical thing before, that was it; that was most definitely it. It was part of his professional technique. A society doctor! Eva sniffed, losing some of the enjoyment. She knew all about them from Dr. MacClure. Clever young men who got by on personality, the bedside manner. Parasites, Dr. MacClure called them. Handsome, of course, preying on the weaknesses of silly females. They were a menace to society; Eva felt that quite beyond argument.
    She would show him . Thought he’d caught another fish, did he? Dr. MacClure’s daughter! No doubt it would be good advertising, hanging in his office like a – like a pelt … Eva was just about to snatch up her stockings when she was shocked to feel him grasp her ankles firmly and splash them into the pool.
    “Lovely,” said Dr. Scott again, absently.
    The coolness of the water enveloped her bare feet, spreading up her legs over her heated skin.
    “Cool?” asked Dr. Scott, still absently.
    Eva was outraged at herself. All that came out of her mouth was a meek: “Well – yes.”
    Dr. Scott roused himself, shaking off what seemed to be a thought. “That’s fine! Now, young woman, you answer some personal questions.”
    Eva stiffened instantly; but the water felt so pleasant she relaxed the next moment, furious with herself.
    He nodded, quite as if he had expected it. “Hot feet, short tempers. And vice-versa. Infallible remedy in warm weather.”
    “Is this the usual preparation for an examination, Dr. Scott?” asked Eva tartly.
    “What?”
    “I mean – do you have a pool in your office, too? What do you do for a moon?”
    “Oh,” said Dr. Scott, a little blankly.
    “I suppose,” sighed Eva, wriggling her toes with pleasure, “this is what comes of eating suki-yaki , or whatever it is.”
    Dr. Scott gazed at her oddly. Then he roused himself again and said: “You see, we must suspect many causes when a young female gets suicidal impulses.” He sat down beside her on the cement. “How old are you?”
    “No chart?” asked Eva.
    “What?”
    “Twenty,” said Eva docilely.
    “Digestion?”
    “Quite.”
    “Appetite?”
    “Until recently,” said Eva darkly, “I ate like a sow.”
    Dr. Scott surveyed her straight back, smooth arms, and cleanly moulded figure, a little lambent with moonlight. “Hmm,” he said. “That’s refreshing. Most refreshing.”
    Eva smiled in the silver darkness. Most of her friends warred constantly on the common enemy of appetite, keeping two worried eyes on their scales.
    “How much do you weigh?” continued Dr. Scott, still surveying.
    “One-eighteen,” said Eva, adding wickedly, “stripped.”
    “Well, Well Get plenty of exercise?”
    “Only the horse gets more.”
    “Any faintness on rising in the morning – ache in your bones?”
    “Goodness, no.”
    “Notice any lapses of memory – difficulty in concentrating?”
    “Not a bit,” said Eva demurely, and the next instant she was angry with herself again. Being demure! What was the matter with her? She compressed her lips.
    “Nothing wrong with your metabolism, apparently. Sleep well?”
    Eva yelped, snatching her feet from the pool. A goldfish had nibbled, not unnaturally, at the bait of a wriggling toe. Eva steeled herself and slipped her feet back in the