The Magic of Living by Betty Neels

Author:Betty Neels
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1974-08-23T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

THE doctor was right. Hilary looked, even in her Sister’s uniform and at the end of a day’s work, exactly like a story-book angel, all pink and gold and blue eyes; she looked fragile too, Arabella noted sourly, knowing that under that soft yielding front was a Hilary of steel who always got what she wanted, and did it with such charm that no one realized that they were being ruthlessly conned.

Arabella perceived that she was going to be conned now, she and Doctor van der Vorst. She knew sadly that it would be easy for Hilary to wrap him round her thumb, for she had seen the initial impact of her cousin’s appearance upon him, but there was nothing she could do about it, not at the moment. She went to greet her cousin and was caught in a laughing hug and a joyous, ‘Arabella—how lovely! Miss Trenchard said you would be back today—how lucky that I should come off duty at the very moment…’ Hilary’s eyes were on the doctor as she spoke and she went on gaily: ‘This must be Doctor van der Vorst—now why did I imagine you to be middle-aged and dull? For that’s the impression Arabella gave us in her letters.’

Clever girl, thought Arabella, unwillingly admiring, and watched as Hilary put out a hand before she could get her unwilling tongue to frame an introduction. ‘I’m Hilary, Arabella’s cousin, you know.’ She tilted her golden head. ‘Or perhaps you didn’t know?’

Her hand was gently engulfed. ‘How do you do?’ said the doctor formally. ‘And yes, Arabella has spoken of you. I’m delighted to meet you.’

And to Arabella, listening with the unhappy edginess of those in love, he sounded as delighted as he had said he was. I bet you are, she thought vulgarly, watching his slow smile with a pain which was almost physical.

Hilary was wasting no time; she turned briskly to Arabella. ‘You’d better go straight to Miss Trenchard, ducky,’ she counselled. ‘She’s on duty this evening—we’ll wait here for you, if you like.’ She shot a glance at the doctor who was staring at her rather hard. ‘I want to hear all about your stay in Holland. If I’d known I was going to be rescued by you, Doctor van der Vorst, I would have begged Matron on my knees to let me off that stupid Admin. course that prevented me going at the last minute.’

‘I’m flattered, but it was hardly a social occasion.’ And when she pouted prettily: ‘It would have been a delightful surprise to have found you in the wreckage, though.’

Arabella had heard enough; she had heard it all before—Hilary getting to work on the man she had singled out for attention—only this time it hurt. It was a pity that, having witnessed so many of these charming little scenes, she had never learned a thing from them to help herself. ‘I’ll go and see Miss Trenchard,’ she mumbled, and found the doctor beside her.

‘Yes,’ he agreed placidly,

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.