Healing in the Hills Page 5

  Satisfied that all was in order, Ismay was about to go downstairs to get hot drinks for both girls when the door opened and Lewis Kynoch appeared. He seemed pleased to find everything quiet and orderly and to see Anne already settled for the night. ‘I’m glad you decided to have an early night,’ he remarked, giving Anne’s chin a gentle nip. Then holding out a small capsule on the palm of his hand to Ismay he continued, ‘Give her this with her nightcap, will you? You should be all right until the morning then, Anne. How are you feeling? No pain in the knee?’

  ‘Just a twinge or two,’ Anne admitted, ‘but it’s nothing really.’

  ‘Dr. Young will be in to see you in the morning,’ Lewis informed her, and he leaned on the side of the bed and looked down with evident satisfaction. ‘I’ll say goodnight to you now, sugar plum,’ and bending down he kissed Anne on the cheek.

  As he straightened up and walked towards the door again he beckoned Ismay with one finger, and she slipped out into the corridor after him. ‘I take it that it was your idea to get the girls to settle early. That pill I’ve given you should relax Anne and she ought to have a good night. Now is there anything you want to ask me?’

  ‘I don’t think so,’ Ismay replied, ‘except that I would like to know the correct postal address here so I can ring and let my mother know where I am. I forgot to ask you last night on the phone.’

  Lewis Kynoch grinned, his face suddenly looking very boyish. ‘Do you mean to say you took off into the blue and didn’t really know where you were going?’

  ‘Something like that,’ Ismay admitted, and half smiled in return.

  ‘The address is simply Little Grange, Hepthorpethwaite, by Keswick,’ Lewis said, and a smile still hovered on his lips. ‘If you want your family to know you haven’t been kidnapped I suggest you ring them. There’s a telephone in the hall.’

  Ismay blushed faintly. ‘Thank you. That’s very kind of you. I think I would like to let Mother know the address here before I turn in. I shall be going to bed myself soon.’ Indeed, half an hour later, after she had exchanged a few words on the phone with her mother, Ismay was glad to be able to shut the door of her own bedroom, unpack at leisure and hang her clothes in the big fitted wardrobe. As soon as her cases were emptied she had a bath and climbed into bed. She noticed that not only was there a prettily shaded reading lamp on the table beside her bed, but also a radio and clock combined. The clock was going, but being unfamiliar with the make and anxious not to damage anything belonging to the household Ismay got out her own small travelling alarm clock and set it for two a.m.

  Although Anne was convalescent Ismay knew from experience that the effect of sleeping pills rarely lasted for more than four hours, and she had every intention of going along to see how her patient was getting through the night. She had brought several paperbacks in her cases and she opened one with the firm intention of reading a chapter or two before she settled down, but Ismay found it impossible to concentrate on the printed page and eventually she put the book down and turned out the light.

  She lay staring into the darkness, going over her first impressions of the family with whom she would be staying for the next few weeks. It had not escaped her notice that although both Lewis Kynoch and later the girls’ grandmother had been to say goodnight to Anne and Clare before they settled down, there had been no reappearance of Felicity Kynoch. There was every evidence of a comfortable family life here in this big old house, and yet the girls seemed self-sufficient and independent for their age.

  As Ismay gazed at the dim outline of the window it suddenly occurred to her that this was the first time for three or four weeks that she had found something to interest her other than her own troubles, and as she snuggled down on to the comfortable mattress, she smiled to herself. At least this was a step in the right direction as far as her own problems were concerned.

  CHAPTER THREE

  When she crept into the girls’ bedroom in the small hours of the morning she found Anne lying with her eyes open. ‘Can’t you sleep?’ Ismay asked quietly, and in the light of her torch saw Anne shake her head. ‘Maybe a cup of cocoa would do the trick. I’ll go down and make you one.’

  ‘Oh, would you, Ismay? I was just thinking how thirsty I was and longing for some hot milk or cocoa. Do you think you’ll be able to find where everything is kept in the kitchen?’

  Anne spoke in a whisper, although it was not really necessary to lower her voice in order not to wake her sister. Force of habit, Ismay suspected, from living in a boarding school for most of the year. She tucked Anne in more comfortably and then went quietly along the corridor and found the light switch so that she could see to get down to the kitchen.

  She was returning with a steaming beaker and some biscuits when a door near the head of the stairs opened and Lewis Kynoch appeared, his hair rumpled and a dressing gown over his pyjamas. ‘I thought I heard someone moving about,’ he said briefly in a low voice. ‘Anything wrong?’

  ‘Nothing to worry about,’ Ismay replied. ‘Anne can’t sleep, so I’ve been down to get her a hot drink.’

  ‘Good idea.’ Lewis tied the cord at his waist. ‘I’ll come along and have a look at her with you.’

  They went quietly along the corridor together and entered the bedroom. Lewis went over to the bed and turned on the bedside lamp. ‘Feeling a bit uncomfortable?’ he asked.

  Anne was silent for a moment and then she said, ‘It’s no worse than usual and I have been to sleep for a little while, honestly. I think it’s the change from a hospital bed to my own that’s making me restless.’

  ‘Perhaps,’ Lewis replied. ‘Have this hot drink Ismay has made and I’ll give you another pill. It won’t harm you for once,’ and he strode out of the room to return in a few minutes with another small capsule which Anne obediently swallowed.

  By the time Ismay had shaken up the pillows and helped Anne to lie down again her eyelids were already beginning to droop, and with a brief, ‘I think she’ll do,’ Lewis held open the door for Ismay to step out into the corridor.

  ‘It was good of you to go along and see her at this hour,’ he said briefly as they stopped at her door.

  Ismay ventured no reply to this remark, she merely nodded, said, ‘Goodnight,’ and going into her room closed the door firmly behind her.

  It had suddenly occurred to her that Lewis Kynoch had not emerged from his wife’s bedroom. This then was another of those marriages of convenience of which Ismay disapproved, or else Lewis and his wife lived under the same roof solely to keep up appearances probably for their daughters’ sake.

  Next morning Anne appeared to be none the worse for her interrupted night, though when Lewis came to see her after breakfast he advised her to stay in bed until after the doctor had called.

  ‘I wonder whether it will be young Dr. Young, or old Dr. Young,’ Anne said as Ismay was brushing her hair. Ismay looked a question. ‘Oh, there are two of them—father and son. Old Dr. Young’s a pet, but of course Clare and I prefer it if young Dr. Young comes.’

  Ismay laughed. ‘Like that, is it? Have you both got a crush on him?’

  Anne blushed faintly and looked up to smile into Ismay’s eyes. ‘Well, he is rather a luscious bit, you know. Wait till you see him.’

  ‘I may not get the opportunity,’ Ismay smiled at the description of the young doctor as she tied a ribbon into the abundant hair. ‘It may be old Dr. Young who comes, remember!’

  Anne giggled, and just then Clare came into the room carrying a small bunch of flowers. ‘I picked these in the garden for you, Anne. I remembered we hadn’t put any flowers in here yesterday, and you’d probably like a few if you’ve got to stay up here.’

  ‘They’re lovely!’ Anne looked pleased as she buried her nose in the fragrant bouquet. ‘Get a vase, will you, Clare?’

  Clare nodded and went out again, returning a few minutes later with a small glass vase. Ismay left the two girls arranging the flowers to their liking and went to tidy the bathroom. The doctor would be s
ure to go and wash his hands during his visit and she wanted everything to look spick and span.

  It turned out, to the girls’ patent delight, that the younger of the two general practitioners was doing the morning calls. About half an hour later when they were in the middle of a game of cards old Mrs. Kynoch came into the room, followed by a very pleasant-looking young man. He was tall, a good six inches taller than Ismay herself, and his hair curled over his temples into quite fantastic-looking sideburns. As Ismay was introduced to him she could see why both the girls had fallen for this handsome young man. He had everything romantic novels usually expect in a young doctor, and she smiled inwardly as she went to the bed where despite lack of uniform she tried to look like any well-disciplined nurse chaperoning a doctor at the bedside of a female patient.

  Roy Young had firmly shaken her by the hand and after one shrewd glance into Ismay’s face had turned to speak to Anne. Thereafter he put all his questions and comments to the girl lying in the bed. He appeared quite satisfied with her answers and general health, but when it was time for him to leave he said briefly to Mrs. Kynoch, ‘I wonder if I could have a word with Nurse before I go?’

  ‘Of course,’ Mrs. Kynoch replied promptly. ‘Take Dr. Young downstairs, Ismay, and see him out. I know you’ll refuse if I offer you a cup of coffee, Roy. You’re always much too busy.’

  He nodded, smiling. ‘Sorry, Mrs. Kynoch, but I have got rather a lot of calls this morning, and I want to be back by lunchtime if I can. I’m expecting one of my new mums to be sending for me any minute now.’

  He and Ismay were downstairs before he spoke again and then Roy Young stopped and put his bag down on the table in the centre of the hall. ‘I’m not sure how well that knee is going to do,’ he began abruptly. ‘You’ll have to keep a close watch on her. Anne’s leg injury was left far too long by her school matron before she was taken to a competent orthopaedic man—I expect you’ll have heard. I rang the hospital this morning before I came along here and they’re afraid she may need another operation. I hope they’re wrong, but if Anne keeps complaining of soreness I think we’d better keep it in mind. Let me know immediately if you think the knee is flaring up again.’

  Ismay nodded. ‘Don’t worry, Doctor. I’ll see she doesn’t overdo things or do anything which could tear the new tissue.’

  ‘Good girl!’ Roy Young approved briefly, and to Ismay’s mild surprise patted her on the shoulder before he picked up his bag and sauntered out of the front door. He closed it behind him and Ismay stood where she was. Just like all young doctors, she thought to herself. It can’t be long since he was walking the wards, she concluded as she turned and ascended the staircase again.

  Life soon settled into a routine. Anne would have her breakfast in bed each morning and then get up and wash and dress in a leisurely fashion. If the weather was fit Ismay and Clare took her for a walk in the wheelchair Lewis Kynoch had produced, and each day they went a little farther, though Ismay was always careful to suggest returning to the house long before Anne showed any sign of fatigue.

  By the time eight days had passed, Ismay was surprised to find how much at home she felt. She had soon settled down to an easy relationship with old Mrs. Kynoch with whom she got on extremely well. It was, Ismay discovered, Lewis Kynoch’s mother and not his wife who ran the house, with the help of Mrs. Fletcher and a woman who came in during the morning to do the ‘rough’. A keen gardener, it was not long before Mrs. Kynoch had Ismay out in the garden during the, afternoons to help with the weeding and other endless tasks. As soon as the lunch dishes were cleared away she would shepherd them out into the garden, Anne in a chair to watch, Ismay and Clare as her assistants.

  During these work parties the old lady used to chat on inconsequentially about her ‘boys’. By listening as she worked Ismay soon picked up a clear idea of the ramification of the family. Besides Lewis, there were three other sons. Alec the eldest, also a doctor, was out in South America; Stephen the second son had a job in London, and James worked with the Forestry Commission about ten miles away.

  He and his wife were a charming couple. They had turned up for lunch the first Sunday which Ismay had spent at Little Grange. To Mrs. Kynoch’s intense disappointment, however, they had, as yet, not produced a family.

  Stephen, Ismay gathered, was also married, and had more than come up to his mother’s expectations by having three small sons of his own. ‘Young demons, they are,’ Mrs. Kynoch told Ismay with every sign of gratification. ‘You’ll see for yourself when Stephen and Brena bring them up in a few weeks’ time for their summer holidays. My goodness, I could tell you tales of what those young imps get up to—’ and she broke off, smiling to herself and obviously remembering some of the children’s past misdemeanours.

  Of Felicity Kynoch, Ismay saw relatively little. She had breakfast in bed every morning and stayed in her room until nearly lunch-time, only emerging to join the family for the midday meal. Then she either drove off in her gleaming M.G., always immaculately attired in the most fashionable of outfits, or people called to see her and they would remain behind the closed doors of the drawing-room for most of the afternoon. It did not seem to perturb Mrs. Kynoch or the girls, who made no effort to join Felicity and her companions. They quite simply had afternoon tea in the kitchen, or if it was sunny and warm, out in the garden.

  The one person about whom Ismay was unable to make up her mind was Lewis Kynoch himself. He appeared to her to be a very complex character, and from the little she had seen of him, she was not sure whether she approved of him or not. From devious questioning put obliquely to the girls or to their grandmother, Ismay learned that he had specialized in the care of eyes and was quite a big man on his subject here in the north of England and often called in for consultation as far away as Manchester or Liverpool.

  He had usually finished his breakfast by the time Ismay and Clare got down to the dining room and would leave with just a brisk ‘Good morning’ and a pat on Clare’s shoulder as he passed her chair. Though he was generally in for the evening meal afterwards he rarely stayed after coffee was drunk, either departing to the library to do paper work, or going out to fish in the long warm summer evenings.

  Ismay had been living in the house for about a fortnight when one afternoon the telephone went and Mrs. Kynoch came back from the instrument to explain, ‘That was Lewis. His car’s broken down and he’s stuck in Penrith. He wants you to go in and collect him.’

  ‘Can’t Felicity...?’ Ismay began, when the elder women interrupted, ‘I’m afraid my daughter-in-law’s gone out and I’ve no idea when she’ll be back.’ Mrs. Kynoch’s tone was dry. ‘No, it will have to be you, my dear. I’ll give you the address of his rooms. Today he sees his private patients there. He shares an office with three other doctors. You’ll easily find it. Come along, I’ll write the address down.’

  Ismay had already tried out the small estate car which the family seemed to use as a general run-about. She had taken the girls into Keswick to collect a prescription for Anne, so she did not feel too nervous as she drove out through the gate and turning right headed in the direction of Penrith.

  She was a careful driver, so it took her longer to do the journey than when Lewis had driven her to Little Grange that first day to meet his family and start her job. When she was ushered into the big airy office in a mellow Georgian dwelling situated in a pleasant corner of the town, she was greeted with, ‘Mother told me you’d left nearly fifty minutes ago. Taken your time on the road, haven’t you?’

  Ismay stopped inside the door, taken aback at this reception and at a loss for words. ‘Still, as it’s the first time you’ve driven here I suppose I’ll have to forgive you. Sit down for a minute. I haven’t quite finished, as it so happens,’ and Lewis waved a hand towards a chair on the opposite side of the desk. As she sat down, inwardly simmering at his monitory tone, Ismay began to think of all the appropriate retorts she might have made when she first came into the office, and mentally kicked herself at bein
g so slow on the uptake. She was no fool and it would have been nice to reply in kind.

  Lost in angry thoughts, Ismay failed to realize she was scowling as she gazed across the desk at the top of her antagonist’s head. It was a singularly clean, luxuriant head of hair, however, she had to admit to herself a little wryly, and then was disconcerted as Lewis Kynoch looked up straight into her eyes and found her studying him.

  He smiled slowly. ‘Still annoyed with me, Miss Carroll?’ he asked softly, and as Ismay’s eyes widened he went on, ‘Sorry I rubbed your fur the wrong way. I expect you know you looked very put out when I said you’d taken rather a long time getting here. You don’t exactly look on some of your fellow humans in a very happy light, do you?’

  Ismay found herself still at a loss for words. She felt as if her tongue was twisted into knots and anger began to burn inside her once more. Was he going out of his way deliberately to annoy her? she wondered. And yet the light in his eyes was half flirtatious. Although she had given Lewis no encouragement, she had seen an exactly similar look many a time on the faces of young doctors at St. Ninian’s. How dared he flirt with her when he had a perfectly beautiful wife back home, even if he and that same wife lived independent lives? She hoped that Lewis Kynoch did not imagine she was going to allow him to have an affair just to while away the summer. If he did, he’d have to think again.

  He was still watching her, half smiling, but suddenly he looked away and pulling a prescription pad towards him wrote on it rapidly. He tore off the sheet and thrust it towards her. Although she knew it was playing into his hands Ismay could not prevent her gaze going downwards to the piece of paper lying on the desk just in front of her. It bore her name and the address of Little Grange at the top, and her age Lewis had put as ‘over 21’. Down below in the prescription department he had written in a bold easily-decipherable hand ‘One pair of rose-coloured spectacles’ and it was signed at the bottom with a flourish.