The Laird of Lochvinnie by Gwen Kirkwood

Author:Gwen Kirkwood [Kirkwood, Gwen]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lume Books
Published: 2016-02-29T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

David was waiting at the station. His lean face looked tired and strained. Robin's heart went out to him. He truly cared about people. Pippa was not his own patient but she knew that would not lessen his concern for her.

'I'm sorry to be so late,' Robin apologised now, 'I missed the connection by about two minutes and I had a long wait for the next one.'

He smiled and kissed her cheek affectionately.

'Never mind you're here now, Robin and I have never been so pleased to see anyone.' He studied her face. Despite the prolonged journey she looked better than he had expected. She seemed to have a sort of inner glow. 'Scotland suits you,' he remarked quietly as he helped her into his car. Robin smiled.

'Yes, I'm enjoying it more than I would have believed possible a few months ago. Your father told me how friendly the people would be, and he was right. But...what news of Pippa?'

He hesitated, reluctant to shatter her fragile happiness. 'David?' Robin prompted, scanning his grave expression anxiously, 'She is going to be all right, isn't she? Callum, Mr McNeil, has invited her to convalesce at Lochvinnie. She will love it...'

'Aye, poor mite, I'm sure she will, if only you are allowed to take her there.'

'You mean...Annette may refuse to let her go with me?' Robin asked with a sinking heart. She had hoped fervently that Pippa's illness might have softened Annette's heart a little. For once Doctor McClure avoided the crucial issue. Miracles had been known to happen after all and if anyone could help Pippa now it was Robin.

'Annette would not care if you took her child to the moon on a one-way rocket!' he scorned. 'She went to London this mornings after she knew Pippa had been admitted to hospital. She knows she is desperately ill but she has not been in contact all day.'

'I see...' Robin murmured sadly, 'she has not changed at all then?'

'Changed? Certainly not for the better!' David hit out with uncharacteristic vehemence. 'Can you imagine leaving Pippa alone in that big house – on her own – at night too? Oh she had arranged a babysitter. A fourteen-year-old schoolgirl, who had to be home by eleven. Pippa wakened and panicked. One of the men from the village found her when he was taking a short cut through the fields on his way home from a party. The poor child was frozen, damp and on the verge of total collapse. The man thought Father would know what to do...' David gave a bitter snort, 'him being a vet you see. But in truth most animals are better cared for. I happened to be staying with my parents last night so I took her straight into the local hospital. According to Bill Soames, the doctor in charge of her, Pippa has been neglected and having bad bouts of asthma long before last night's fiasco. He – he says her heart is in poor shape...'

'It is very late. I – I hope they will let me see her?' Robin said anxiously.

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