No Need to Say Goodbye by Betty Neels

Author:Betty Neels
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 1989-11-15T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER SIX

LOUISE awoke with the soothing thought that it was Friday; on Saturday there were no patients and there would be no need to see Aldo. As for today, she was quite sure that she would be able to maintain her habitual calm in his company. She didn’t feel quite so sure as she got into the Jaguar beside him, but by dint of not looking at him and enthusing about the delightful weather she prided herself on doing rather well, despite the fact that her heart was thumping like a mad thing and her cheeks were rather pinker than usual.

The doctor, an observant man, smiled to himself and encouraged her to enthuse about the bright morning; he was a man of infinite patience, prepared to wait for what he wanted. At his rooms he gave her the notes on the old gentleman he was going to see, saying easily, ‘We can discuss the case as we go. I have no spare time today.’

Which was true enough; there were more patients than usual, and he went to St Nicholas’s too, telephoning just before four o’clock to tell her that he would not be able to drive her back to Much Hadham.

When Louise told Miss Squires, that lady said comfortably, ‘He’s a very careful man, takes great care of his patients—someone very ill, I dare say. Anyway, he had an invitation for this evening—some dinner party or other in Sloane Square.’

She began to tidy her desk. ‘If you get straight, there’s no reason why we shouldn’t leave on time. I’ll set the answering machine. You will need a nice quiet day tomorrow, ready for Sunday; the doctor doesn’t spare himself, so I warn you. Mrs Pratt got exhausted. He tends to drive for hours, you know.’

‘Thanks for warning me,’ said Louise. She didn’t think she would mind that, even if he didn’t speak to her, or forgot she was there; it wouldn’t matter. She would be sitting beside him, watching his large, capable hands on the wheel. Never mind the problematical future, she reflected, the present would do very nicely for the moment.

On Sunday she was ready by a quarter to seven. The other three were in dressing-gowns, hovering around her as though she were off to the ends of the earth. She had packed a small case with two clean overalls, her navy belt with the silver buckle, black stockings and sensible duty shoes and, urged by both her sisters, was wearing a cotton jersey skirt and blouse with their matching jacket, an outfit she had bought the previous year and seldom worn. It was a soft blue and, as they pointed out to her, wouldn’t crush if she had to sit still for hours on end. Never mind if she had intended to keep it for special occasions; if this wasn’t a special occasion, said Christine forcefully, she would like to know what was.

They crowded to the door as the Jaguar drew up, and amid a welter of good

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