Philomena's Miracle (Betty Neels Collection) by Betty Neels

Author:Betty Neels
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mills & Boon Special Release
Published: 2013-07-17T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

PHILOMENA WAS aware of a variety of feelings; delight at the prospect of bed so close at hand, pleasure at discovering just where Walle lived and vexation that she had no toothbrush or comb, jumbled nicely with instant worry as to how she was to get to the clinic in Ommen by eight o’clock and how simply frightful she was going to look without any make-up. She began: ‘Yes, but…’ to be hushed by her companion with a: ‘Don’t fuss, Philly, we’re both too tired.’

So she lapsed into silence while he negotiated the lane and then tore along the road, going, she noticed, towards Dalfsen. But not for long. The moon, free of clouds, lighted the road ahead of them and as they took a curve, shone on the castle she had stopped to admire when she had gone to Dalfsen. She admired it now and then caught her breath as the doctor slowed the car, slid between the great open iron gates and started up the drive.

‘Do you live here?’ asked Philomena hollowly.

‘Yes. We’ll go straight to the garage if you don’t mind and go in through the back—my mother and cousin sleep in the front of the house.’

He swept the car gently round the lovely old building under an archway and into a wide courtyard encircled by outbuildings. The garage took up the whole of one side with three wide doors, one of which slid back as they approached it. There were other cars there, but Philomena was allowed no time to look around her as they got out. A firm hand guided her across the courtyard to a small very solid door set in the wall which the doctor unlocked. It gave on to a narrow passage, lighted dimly, which led to a wide corridor, close-carpeted in crimson and which led in turn to an arched doorway. The doctor threw this door open and ushered Philomena into a vast square hall, with a handsome staircase leading to a gallery above and a magnificent marble floor. Struck dumb by this grandeur, she allowed him to take her hand and lead her across to the staircase, which he proceeded to mount, giving her no time at all in which to examine her surroundings.

The gallery spread away on either side of the staircase, a number of handsome doors on its inner wall, but these were ignored; Walle turned down a narrow corridor leading away from the gallery, to stop halfway down it and open a door.

‘There’s a bathroom through that door,’ he indicated it as he switched on the lights. ‘I’m afraid there’s no—er—nightwear, but you’ll find toothbrushes and combs and so on in the wall cupboard.’

He pushed Philomena gently into the centre of the room. ‘You’ll be called later. Goodnight.’

He had gone, closing the door gently behind him, leaving her with a dozen questions on her tongue and not one of them uttered.

She was tired, but before she undressed she explored the room; a charming apartment, panelled in

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